Quirky Ballycotton seafront property that 'oozes' potential

In an unbeatable location overlooking the pier, this building could be transformed into a comfortable family home

Sun, 07 Mar, 2021 - 13:05

Tommy Barker

NOT surprisingly, East Cork’s Ballycotton has risen and moved with the tides that sweep around its cliffs, headland and lighthouse-market island, with fishing, maritime movement and, more latterly, tourism among its major employers and sources of income.

Covid-19 impacts notwithstanding, and the occasional ship-wrecks (such as the MV Alta) that fetch up on its jagged shoreline, Ballycotton’s on the crest of a wave right now, both property and lifestyle-wise. It was listed in National Geographic a few years back as one of Europe’s secret villages worth a visit.

That enthusiasm for coastal living will come to the fore in the sale of this superbly sited property by the pier, associated for generations to a family with 400 years' connection to the village and the sea.

Listed with estate agent Adrianna Hegarty for €370,000, this 225 sq m (2,450 sq ft) home, former grocery shop, cellar coal store and tea room is being sold by the Sloane family, who have both merchant navy and royal navy salt water coursing through their veins.

It is has been put on the market by Teresa Sloane, whose late husband Michael came from a family “who were all seafarers”. He was in merchant navy shipping — mostly on the Irish sea between Britain and Ireland, and also over and back to Belgium; while his grandfather, Thomas Sloane, was decorated for his service on the mighty HMS Hood, the largest battlecruiser of its day, and for several decades after the First World War.

The family ran the Pier Shop and tea rooms for many years. Now that it’s up for sale and in a prime position, it’s likely to get a change of direction — either a total overhaul or demolition and replacement — acknowledges its vendor.

It’s set above the pier and had an old path down to the pier, from where coal from Wales was carted up and stored in the property's lower levels for local distribution by horse and cart.

Next to it is a 2008 development of five, high-end terraced homes with large balconies and decking, designed and laid out for the very best of bay, harbour and pier views. They went to the open market in a niche development called Blueport, with prices ranging from €750,000 to €950,000, but effectively missed the boat with those price hopes as the Irish property market took its dip below the waterline.

Some 13 years later, Ballycotton’s back on a bit of a high: local entrepreneur Pearse Flynn has invested heavily in tourism and entertainment venues, and made some astute property buys and investments. However, this property may be too small fish for him to fry.

In fact, Mr Flynn’s name gets regularly linked to any property transaction locally, prompting the owner of the nearby Bayview Hotel, Michael O’Brien, to recently scotch some rumours that he was selling his Ballycotton hotel to Mr Flynn. In fact, Mr O’Brien, who built the Bayview Hotel and who also owns the larger Garryvoe Hotel further along the bay, told the Irish Examiner that he is looking at adding more bedrooms to the manor-style four-star’s tally of 35 rooms.

Auctioneer Adrianna Hegarty says the former Pier Shop property is in an unbeatable location on Main Street, looking down over the pier, and “oozes potential and offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform a quirky building into a comfortable family home”.

Accommodation is laid out in two sections, with two reception rooms, galley kitchen, three bedrooms and bathrooms, plus a second smaller section with further rooms, a second galley kitchen and a whitewashed workroom/cellar.

VERDICT: What a setting, indeed.