Georgian home of huge charm along the Beara Peninsula

Tommy Barker views a Georgian gem warmed by the Gulf Stream that’s now on Ireland’s westerly tourism road.

There’s lovely, period home originality to West Cork’s Adrigole House, a modest-sized Georgian home of huge charm, on six acres along the Beara Peninsula.

It has the flinty, rocky rise of the Caha mountains behind, linking Hungry Hill, Adrigole, and, further along, the Healy Pass off the Bantry-Castletownbere Road.

Auctioneer Andy Donoghue of Hodnett Forde, who’s based in Clonakilty, as just been charged with the sale of characterful Adrigole House and, while he describes the residence as “substantial”, in fact it’s quite a manageable size as detached Georgians go, at about 2,600 sq ft, and with just four bedrooms.

It looks bigger from its front facade, but it’s wide, not deep, essentially with rooms put up to the front for show, views and light, and with access corridors/stairs to the back.

The price seems very right and reasonable: he seeks €475,000 for the dwelling, which includes a self-contained wee chalet in a back corner.

The second string to its sales bow is the fact it is on six acres of the loveliest-set land, right by the Adrigole River which is part tidal at this point, by the gulf-stream-warmed coastline.

The six acres straddle the public road and have considerable frontage (the road’s now part of the Wild Atlantic Way) and the land is largely wooded, with some paddocks, while there’s direct access to the river, adds Mr Donoghue.

There’s a graveled seating area in front, flanked by mature trees, which include decades-old chestnut and monkey puzzle trees, as well as colourful shrub beds

He say the property itself — reached up a long old-style country avenue — has been well maintained and carefully upgraded, “while concealing modernity,” and it is graced by up-and-down timber sash and Wyatt-style windows for authenticity.

It has two reception rooms, an old-fashioned kitchen with wood-burning stove in an old range alcove, spiral stairs to an annex/bedroom four above, and has oil central heating plus broadband.

“There’s a fantastic opportunity for an alternative and peaceful lifestyle here by the river and sea, yet it’s within an hour and half’s drive of Cork city and the airport,” says the Hodnett Forde agent.

VERDICT: A different world, from different times.

Adrigole, Beara Peninsula €475,000

Size: 242 sq m (2,600 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 1

BER: G