Secret green sanctuary in West Cork for €600,000

Dereenacknow, Bantry, Co. Cork 

Bantry, West Cork
€600,000
Size	215 sq m (2,324 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3
BER	D1

The current owners have enjoyed almost a quarter of a century at West Cork’s Dereenacknow House, reckoned to be one of the finest country homes of its type and vintage in the festivals-blessed Bantry area, according to impressed estate agent Denis Harrington.

He’s possibly as impressed with his vendors as he is with their home, which is nicely in off the main road from Cork into Bantry near Colomane Cross. In a rural and green setting, he puts the upgraded and extended detached 19th-century farm home up for sale on three acres, with garden, stone outbuildings, lawn, and play areas, with a €600,000 asking price.

He’s selling for Robert and Harriet Butler, who came house hunting in West Cork after a spell spent house-sitting for friends in the polder land around Wexford’s slobs and wildfowl reserve.

They came across Dereenacknow House (or “Dreenacknow House”) after it had been taken on by a builder as a project. They bought it from him and got to make their own changes along the way, resulting in what’s now a very comfortable 1,800 sq ft home in a quiet and scenic setting. It is a sort of green oasis amid mixed-quality farmland at the end of a private country lane and about 500m from the “world outside”.

The Butlers, now aged in their 80s and still working from their home, are selling to move back to Britain to be near family and grandchildren.

Those same grandchildren will have the happiest memories of visits here over the years, with the meadow at various times serving as a football pitch with goalposts, a pitch and putt course with putting green, and even cricket grounds with crease.

Elsewhere the pride-and-joy gardens are lush with flowers, shrubs, rose beds, woodland groves, a wildflower meadow, and even a hideaway pond — all ideal for fostering and supporting wildlife of the non-grandchildren type.

Bantry-based Mr Harrington says the detached, two-storey house has immense character and comforts, with central heating plus a feature inglenook fireplace with stove, and broadband and a landline for home working. One of the stone outbuildings by the courtyard is currently used as a sewing room but could be put to many other uses, including a home office.

Indicative of its quality is the fact of its four bedrooms, three are en suite bedrooms, one of which is downstairs (with a bath), so it’s very adaptable for all ages.

The three-bay home has low-set windows to the front, almost at ground level, with three dormer windows behind.

Other rooms include a living room, a super-bright triple-aspect sun room at the southern end, a kitchen/diner with timber units and a part-exposed original stone wall that overlooks the courtyard, a utility, and a guest WC.

Mr Harrington describes it as “enchanted” and says the condition is top class.

VERDICT: An upgraded 19th-century farm country home in walk-in order in the low and beautiful hills of West Cork, within a short drive of Bantry and its maritime facilities and vibrant shops and cafes.