Forget your granny flat, Sally McKenna's mum knew what she wanted

Architect Tony Cohu future-proofed her beautiful home in scenic Durrus, West Cork

Durrus, West Cork
€575,000
Size	204 sq m (2,200 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	B3

MOST of us have a notion of a granny flat as a pokey annex for ageing relatives shoehorned into the backyard, but what about a Granny House?

Cnoc na Cuileann in Ballycommane, Durrus, West Cork was given that description by the architect who designed it on behalf of the mother of celebrated food writer/editor/publisher Sally McKenna, who, along with her husband John, has for decades guided natives and visitors alike to the best places to eat and stay in Ireland (previously in association with Bridgestone).

The architect was Tony Cohu whose brief was for 'a contemporary, small Granny House, with room for grandchildren and visitors to stay over'.

What he didn't do was sacrifice space for the priviledge of living close to the in-laws. In fact the house he designed, with ageing in mind, stretches to 2,200 sq ft and embraces the elements we all desire like space and light.

Sally says her mother chose Mr Cohu because she was a fan of his work in West Cork.

“He designed a number of signature buildings in West Cork such as the Boathouse in Inish Beg Estate near Baltimore and An Sanctóir, the yoga centre in Ballydehob. I suppose you could say his designs are sort of spiritual, there’s a peace to his buildings.

“He was a good fit for my mother, who is a naturalist. We were very lucky to get him. His buildings are very organic,” Sally says.

Mr Cohu, an award-winning eco architect, worked with builders the Spillane Brothers to build the house in 2004, during which time Sally’s mother lived with her daughter at their nearby home in Durrus.

She had input into the build at every stage, Sally says.

Writing about the house three years later in an architectural journal, Mr Cohu described Sally’s mother as “a dedicated gardener and ornithologist (expert on birds)” who “required the house to connect to the landscape in an intimate fashion - as an observatory of the natural surroundings”.

The practicalities of future-proofing the house were also addressed,” by installing ground floor bedrooms with wheelchair accessibility, flexible space use in the living areas, high energy efficiency with low running costs and durable external finishes”.

And of course the grandchildren were high on the priority list, with ample accommodation for overnight visitors (three bedrooms).

The 1.27 acre site on which Cnoc na Cuileann is built is open hillside, looking West towards Durrus village and Dunmanus Bay, but “tucked into the hillside, neither overlooked, nor overlooking” Sally says, and also, not isolated - just a short walk from where Sally and her family live, and in a warm community.

It has spectacular views, Sally adds, of sea and mountains.

“The windows on all sides of the house in the walls and ceiling capture the light in every direction, but the first thing that draws your eye on entering is the view of the ocean and Caha mountains,” she says.

Mr Cohu describes the interior of the house as seeking a balance between “an open, spacious feel and the privacy and intimacy often lost with open planning”. To achieve this balance, he created a vaulted ceiling over one half of the living space and installed a mezzanine over the other half, keeping the roof over the kitchen low and intimate and rising over the main living area.

The layout was designed to allow daily activities "follow the sun-path East to West".

He placed two bedrooms on the ground floor and one overhead. 

He also went outwards into a big bay window where the view is a beautiful mix of garden and wild mountain pasture.

Sally says her mother was “the architect of the garden”.

“She was before her time, planting for bees and butterflies.” She retained all natural site features such as hedges, copses, stone ditches, wild flower meadows, and augmented them with raised beds, native trees and random paving.

Denis Harrington of Harrington Estates is the selling agent and he is guiding Cnoc na Cuileann at €575,000. He says the house is extremely private and adds that a detached garage could easily be converted to a home office or studio for anyone looking to work from home.

Sally, who runs publishing company Estragon Press, says they were able to build their business from home in Durrus. The same could be done from Cnoc na Cuileann, she says.

"It has a large garage with windows, topped with an attic room, that could easily be made into an office, a studio or a workshop."

What's more their own working arrangement has allowed them strike a strike a terrific work/life balance.

“We’ve lived here for more than 20 years and we’ve all been seduced by the West Cork lifestyle - the farmers’ markets, the character of the people, the ability to swim every day at a nearby beach, to eat in Michelin star restaurants, the lovely neighbours - I don’t know many other places where you can live like this,” she says.

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She adds that the Sheep’s Head Walking route - through the rugged, unspoilt scenery of the peninsula, runs over the road in front of Cnóc na Cuileann (Hill of Holly) entrance gates.

VERDICT: Serene West Cork hideaway with lovely lifestyle on offer.