A Florida holiday played a role in this bespoke Glanmire family home 

Named after West Palm Beach: 'Juno', Glanmire, Co Cork, on the market for €725,000.

Glanmire, Co Cork
€725,000
Size	239 sq m (2573 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3
BER	B2

ON a pretty barrier island, near Florida’s West Palm Beach, is an area of unspoilt coastline, of blue waters and pristine sands, a haven for nature lovers, particularly this time of year, when it becomes the world’s densest sea turtle nesting ground.

Having holidayed there in his formative years, the owner of this Glanmire home carried with him such fantastic memories of Juno Beach, that he chose to immoratilise them when naming his home a decade or so later.

“It was one of the most beautiful holidays he ever had and he remembers being amazed by some of the architecturally designed houses he saw out there,” says Lawrence Sweeney of Savills auctioneers. “Years later, when his architect, Andrew Lane, presented him with a couple of options for his own home, he chose a design that reminded him of typical properties at Juno Beach. He named the house ‘Juno’.” 

It is on an elevated 0.3 acre site off Church Hill, and is steeped in space and light, starting with a double height window above the front doors and extensive glazing on the south-facing wall of the main downstairs living space and overhead master bedroom. 

The main living area of kitchen/dining — with steps down to a living area — is the largest room in the house and has a couple of sets of patio doors to the gardens, which adjoin a woodland area on one side. 

These woods have been a treasured play zone for the owner’s three children, who are currently building a fort, to add to a tree house and a tyre swing.

“Everyone who’s been to see the house is pleasantly surprised by the woods and what a natural play area they make,” says Mr Sweeney, whose guide price for Juno is €725,000. They also add to the site’s privacy and shelter, he says, and form a nice contrast with the more formal landscaped gardens, planted with blossom trees, Japanese Maples, and even a Wedding Cake tree.

The 2,500 sq ft house was built in 2009 by the current owners (one local, one from Rochestown), and like the gardens, it was added to over the years.

At one point, there were plans to extend into the 800 sq ft attic and add two additional bedrooms and a bathroom — wiring and plumbing was done and rafters moved to make way for a staircase — but in the end, they decided they didn’t need more space. The upshot is the hard work has been done for a new owner if they decide on an attic conversion.

The bedrooms are off a large gallery area overlooking the hallway, and the main bedroom comes with walk-in wardrobe, ensuite and fabulous views. 

The three others are all doubles and the main bathroom is also upstairs.

Additional accommodation includes a separate living room to the rear of the house, a pantry off the kitchen and a utility room.

Behind the house is a fine patio for entertaining and BBQs, and artificial grass for the kids to play on.

The owners are relocating to East Cork, not without some misgivings, as they loved the location, lose to schools (Coláiste an Phiarsaigh secondary school is at the bottom of the hill) , shops, and the city centre. The privacy they say, is “second to none” and the views will not change because the house looks out over farm and woodland. What will change is cycle links to the city — a new Glanmire-to-City greenway is set to run along the bottom of the hill, 200 yards away. In any event a taxi ride to McCurtain Street is just €10, says the owner, while the Jack Lynch tunnel and onward road links are a two minute drive away.

Mr Sweeney says Juno is in an “exclusive” cul de sac, of about half a dozen high-end houses and is generating good interest among expats looking to come home, as well as families trading up and some "untypical" first time buyers, working in tech or pharma.

VERDICT: Terrific setting for a bespoke family home, with great outdoor scope for kids.