Kinsale: One in a €5 million opportunity to join the elevated set

Local drums are beating with gossip that Constantia Farm on its 27 acres above Kinsale town is expected to make huge money in the jet-set town

Sun, 23 May, 2021 - 08:46

Tommy Barker Property Editor

Compass Hill, Kinsale
€5m (unconfirmed)
Size	374 sq m
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	5
BER	A3

THE past week’s online sale listing of Kinsale’s hill-topping, elevated Constantia Farm doesn’t give any clue as to the asking price or value. But, hey, the local drums are beating with gossip and news that it’s as elevated as its setting: think €5 million euros, give or take.

Eyebrows got raised, as it’s one of the strongest residential asking prices ever even hinted at in Kinsale, where €1m+sales of individual homes are, well, almost ten a penny.

But, while the air is pretty thin at this price echelon it appears there’s already international market interest and the vendors might even get the bounce of the Covid-19 wave and its underpinning of some top property sales in Ireland and, in particular, coastal County Cork.

The ruggedly beautiful Cork coastline is an asset well-appreciated in any case by Constantia Farm’s vendor, businessman Mel Bendon, who bought this 27-acre holding crowning Kinsale’s chic Compass Hill back in 2012 for over €450,000.

Originally from the UK, and associated with Glandore further west in Co Cork since the 1980s where the Bendon family have owned a number of top properties, the enterprising Mr Bendon steadily built up a number of business interests, across a spectrum.

He subsequently founded the highly successful Glenmar Shellfish company a number of years ago and built it up as its MD: Glenmar was sold to Lisavaird Coop for a reported €10 million in 2015 when it employed 70, with the management team remaining in situ.

Back in 2012 when this Kinsale land came to market, it was being sold as unzoned farmland for the Mercy Order of nuns, whose Kinsale convent on the town’s ramparts had already been sold.

The former convent's grounds (entirely separate to this farmland) and period large building are now coming to the end of an upmarket residential and apartments scheme, done with aplomb by Cumnor Construction. (Several new-builds here are in the €1m+price category.)

Locals still remember the 2012 farmland auction with agents Hodnett Forde having to be abandoned, as the action was disturbed by a drunk starting to bid wildly on the land! It was withdrawn from the auction, selling later for between €450,000-€500,000.

Planning was later secured on the land's southern end, just a bit above the period Dromderrig House on Compass Hill, for this impressive 4,000 sq ft five-bed home, to a design by West Cork architect Geraldine Coughlan, completed about five years ago.

It was built with no expense spared, with large balconies and patios accessed from sliding doors and 1.5 acres of landscaped garden, with a rose-lined approach avenue.

The grounds include a sunken patio, water feature, a fire pit, barbecue area, and there's an attached double garage.

With its sizeable and super-private acreage a boon, Constantia Farm is now for sale with Kinsale agency Sheehys, who lists it with an undisclosed asking price. Its online exposure doesn’t include any interior images, details, or floor plans. The agency's principal Patricia O'Regan has declined to comment on the sale.

If you are beyond curious and have the helicopter ready to go, you might try and book an appointment 'to view to fully appreciate'.

However, under the past year’s Covid-19 restrictions, property viewers generally have to show proof of funds...

There's one at least publicly beyond Constantia's price range, up at €6.3m: it's the expansive, family-run hospitality venue Ballinacurra House, while there are expectations of one other imminent listing across town, at a price not dissimilar to Constantia Farm’s.