Good as new: City pad in rejuvenated neighbourhood for €245,000

Catherine Shanahan is charmed by a transformed home once described as a 'wreck'

Sun, 02 Aug, 2020 - 07:35

Catherine Shanahan

WHEN the current owner bought 16 Geraldine Place in 2013, it was, by his own admission, “a bit of a wreck”.

With the help of his father and brother, they transformed the house, knocking an internal wall and adding a roof beam to create a lovely living space/dining area; replacing the downstairs floors, damp-proofing and insulating the walls. Thankfully, the roof was fine and the house was structurally sound. “We got it up to a C2 BER, which is good going for a house built in 1890,” he says.

Even the kitchen units are a high gloss white, with a contrasting black countertop and a burgundy red splashback.

Out back, there's a neat little storage shed in the yard, where the owner stores fuel for his burgundy red Heritage stove.

There was a bathroom, out beyond a galley kitchen, but that was ripped out and a decent bathroom with rainhead shower was installed upstairs.

There are two double bedrooms, one with a neatly fitted desk to create the Covid-era home office. The pandemic has played a role in his decision to sell through auctioneer Jeremy Murphy. Originally from Tipperary, his job brought him to Cork city. Now, with more leeway to work from home, he’s returning closer to his roots.

He’s loved living in Geraldine Place and he’s justifiably proud of the house: “A lot of money was spent behind the scenes,” he says “and I had intended to stay here.”

“It was so handy living in the city centre. You could just stroll down the road on Friday evening for something to eat. It’s a really nice neighbourhood. And Sonny’s Deli is just on the corner.”