Rising price tide to lift Myrtleville's sea-scanning €850k Atlantic House

120-year old Atlantic House started its days in the 1902/1903 Cork Exhibition and was re-sited to spectacular effect, says Property Editor Tommy Barker

Sat, 14 Aug, 2021 - 13:06

Tommy Barker

Myrtleville, Cork Harbour
€850,000
Size	160 sq m (1,720 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	c2

IT’S back! One of Cork’s most covetably-sited homes, the utterly charming 120-year Atlantic House by the mouth of Cork harbour at Myrtleville, is back on the market.

It has sold twice in the last five years, and appears to be jumping up c €100k in value in each sale.

Will the historic home, which was part of the Great Cork Exhibition in 1903, and rebuilt on the Coast Road by Poulgorm, go much higher now?

In an eyrie position above the mouth of Cork harbour, and Poulgorm swimming spot, it launches at €850,000 with estate agent Laura Pratt of Lisney, at a time of electrifying demand, and top prices, for coastal perches, such as this.

Sea-bed? Fireplace in a cosy bedroom at Atlantic House

The wind is behind its sale, at least as there’s still a tidal-like surge global pandemic-driven and well-heeled demand for lifestyle properties such as this 1,720 sq ft home. Just east and west of it, recently-built contemporary homes above Myrtleville and along the elevated coast road towards Fountainstown, both of which came to market in 2021, are now sale agreed in the €1m+-€1.5m price league, with exact prices being paid expected on the Price Register in coming weeks or months.

Dive in: bathing and diving spot Poulgorm is just below the property

The Price Register shows this winsome property selling back in 2018 for €750,000, and that was after it was put quietly for sale by its owner, a local woman, who had bought it in 2016.

It featured extensively here back in 2016 when it came to market just before sailors’ event Cork Week, with a €650,000 AMV, and it sailed over that sum, to fetch €680,000 according to the Register, with its vendors at that time, the Lambert family based in the US in California but who had made extensive family use of it, since their purchase in 1989.

The Lamberts used an architect to gently nudge Atlantic House into the latter stage of the 20th century and its two subsequent owners have made similar upgrades during their short tenures. It now has triple glazing, for example, warding off the worst the Atlantic can throw at it, and the BER’s now a surprisingly good C3.

Atlantic House is one of a very small handful of timber buildings and former pavilion sections which survived from Cork’s Great Exhibition of 1902/1903, on what’s now Fitzgeralds Park.

Many timber structures were dismantled and relocated, from river to the sea in some cases. One pavilion made its way to Kilbrittain/Harbour View, where it traded for years as a small beach view hotel but is now long gone.

Another 1902/190 Cork Exhibition survivor at Currabinny

Another is at the foot of the woods facing Crosshaven in Cork harbour at Currabinny, still standing and a sort of sentinel guard to all the sailing activity in and out of Crosshaven and the Owenabue estuary.

Now almost 120 years old, timber-framed and skinned with feature internal wood panelling, Myrtleville’s Atlantic House too holds a sentinel viewing perch over all of the wider harbour’s marine comings and goings, from the Titanic a century ago, to naval ships, trawlers to dinghies, ferries, cargo ships and sailing cruisers, as well as porpoises and dolphins.

With a confident view to a quick sale, Lisney agent Laura Pratt says Atlantic House has been “architecturally remodelled and cleverly designed to ensure all living accommodation is orientated benefiting from a south facing aspect ensuring maximum sunlight throughout the day.”

Original c 120-year old timber panelling is much in evidence, including in the hall

With a discrete maritime flair, accommodation includes a porch, reception hallway and wood-panelled, high-ceilinged corridor, kitchen/dining area, living room, conservatory, utility, and three double bedrooms, plus guest and family bathroom.

There’s an adjacent garage and a second, double garage across the Coast Road where Atlantic House has been joined by several architecturally-striking looking new arrivals in recent years.

Set just around the corner from Myrtleville beach and Bunnyconnellan bar and restaurant, and overlooking the swimming and diving spot far below by the rocks at Poulgorm, it’s on 0.3 of an acre of reworked gardens, with side yard, a full-width deck/patio by the house with glazed balcony, and the boundary by the road has had sound-absorbing fence panels installed for added privacy.

VERDICT: Simply a seaside stunner.