God’s bankers’ approval due for Ennismore Dominican Retreat Centre sale in Cork
Ennismore Dominican Retreat Centre, Montenotte, Cork City
THE deal to dispose of Cork’s iconic Dominican retreat centre in Ennismore is all but done – pending white smoke from Rome.
Vatican approval is still outstanding, nearly three months after the sale of Ennismore House and Grounds was agreed with a private investor. Properties and lands with a value of more than approximately €3m which any church body wishes to dispose of have to have the green light from Rome. As Ennismore House and Grounds were valued at more than €3m - the guide price was €3.25m - approval was necessary. In 2021, the Vatican revealed that it owns more than 5,000 properties worldwide, of which more than 4,000 are in Italy.
The Cork property, on Middle Glanmire Road, includes Ennismore House and walled garden, Coach Houses and a Gate Lodge, all uniquely Georgian, on approximately 10 hectares (24.7 acres).
The property was being sold, by agents Avison and Young, on behalf of the Dominican Fathers, who had been based there for more than 70 years. A spokesperson for the Dominican Fathers in Ireland confirmed yesterday that the half dozen or so Brothers that lived there have all moved out to other locations.
Various ideas have been floated in relation to Ennismore's future use, including as accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, where private sector operators would see it as a ready-made income stream. The house has 39-bedrooms, numerous reception and conference rooms and ancillary dining and bathroom facilities, as well as coach houses and courtyard (10 buildings) totalling 463 sq m (4,982 sq ft) and a gate lodge (55 sq m/595 sq ft).
There have been calls locally to turn it into a public park, with its suitability acknowledged in Cork City Council’s City Development Plan 2022-2020, where a stated objective is that it be a neighbourhood park. It came into its own during covid lockdowns when the Brothers opened up Ennismore to locals for recreation.
However with such strong residential accommodation on such a prime slice of land overlooking Cork Harbour, there’s strong potential to turn it into a successful commercial venture. Located in the well-heeled suburb of Montenotte, it's just 3.5km northeast of Cork City.
Ennismore House (c26,000 sq ft) was originally built by the Leycester family, merchants who wished to have views of ship movements in the harbour. The house is set amid mature parkland and has a southerly aspect. The agents selling it have said it offers "significant short-term rental income and enormous development potential subject to planning permission for conversion to alternative uses including hotel/leisure/large estate home/residential/conference centre/health care/nursing home/training centre or educational use. The Irish Examiner understands the purchaser may have links with the hospitality sector.
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