City to country: Historic homes and modern abodes for under €600,000

We take a look at homes across the country featuring bullet holes, battlements and bay views

Tue, 20 Sep, 2022 - 06:55

Trish Dromey

Waterville, Co Kerry
€475,000
Size	186 sq m (2,000 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	4
BER	B3

The owners of Beenbane Cottage, near Waterville, selected the site for their holiday home because of its South Kerry location, its privacy, and the scenic views it offers of Lough Currane and the Dunkerron Mountains.

The three-bed dormer bungalow they built on it in 2005 is now going to appeal to house hunters with the same appreciation for the scenery, the surroundings, and the local amenities, which include the beach, pubs and restaurants 1km away in Waterville, Hog’s Head and Waterville Links golf courses and nearby Lough Currane, popular for sea trout fishing.

“This is a fine contemporary property with 186 sq m of living space which sits on 1.85 acres of partially landscaped grounds which provide the utmost privacy,’’ says Ron Kruger of Engel & Voelkers who guides Beenbane Cottage at €475,000.

Bright modern accommodation includes a spacious kitchen/diner with cream units, a stone fireplace, and an archway leading through to a sunroom with vaulted ceiling and scenic views. There’s also a sitting room, an ensuite bedroom and a guest WC.

At the top of the staircase is a wide landing area with four Velux windows which is used as library/study.

Also at this level there are two ensuite bedrooms with walk-in wardrobes which each have two skylight balconies.

Situated in a cul de sac, the property has a long driveway, extensive lawns bounded by mature trees and a detached garage.

VERDICT: All the comfort, privacy, and scenery you could want for holidays.

Athenry, Co Galway
€450,000
Size	not determined
Bedrooms	potentially 3
Bathrooms	1
BER	exempt

A 16th century fortified tower near Athenry with running water and electricity as well as a chronicle of its own history, is one of the more unusual arrivals on the property market this month.

Built by Anglo Normans in 1575, Moyode Castle, 3.5 kilometres from Athenry, is a three-storey tower with battlements, which was bought in 1969 by American historian James Charles Roy who spent 30 years renovating it, chronicling both its history and his renovation works.

“It has been largely restored: the walls repointed, the gables rebuilt and reroofed with historic ‘blue bangors’, many of the floors paved in Liscannor stone, window lintels installed and windows glassed,” says auctioneer Helen Gallery adding that it has running water, a toilet, a septic tank, and electricity.

Used by Mr Roy and subsequent owners for holidays it doesn’t have heating but Ms Gallery says some preparatory work has been done.

“A spiral stone staircase leads up to the great hall which has a huge open fireplace fit to roast a bull,’’ says Ms Gallery adding that there’s a small room off the hall with kitchen units while the upper floor has bedroom and a WC. The ground floor has a room which could be turned into a bedroom or sitting room.

At the top are battlements with views in every direction.

Seeking offers of €450,000, Ms Gallery says this is a fascinating property which could potentially have three bedrooms.

VERDICT: Looks like a great place to hold a party.

Cheekpoint, Co Waterford
€525,000
Size	141 sq m (1,517 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
BER	D2

It's highly probable that the owners of Longacre at Cheekpoint in Waterford spend quite a lot of their time sitting out on their decking looking out across the River Suir estuary.

“The property overlooks Passage East, Ballyhack, and Duncannon and the views are breath-taking,’’ says Thomas Reid of DNG Reid & Coppinger, who expects the well-presented four-bed bungalow and its views to attract trade-up buyers from Waterford City.

On the market with a guide of €525,000, Longacre is a 1970s-built bungalow which has been extended, upgraded, and modernised. Offering a little over 1,500 sq ft of living space, its accommodation includes a modern tiled kitchen with pale grey shaker-style units and granite worktops in addition to a spacious rear living room which has a large bay window with French doors opening onto the decking.

The four bedrooms include one at the side with an ensuite as well as one at the rear with a door opening onto the decking. Other accommodation includes a utility room, a bathroom, a guest WC, and a study at the front which could become a fifth bedroom.

Set on a large site, Longacre has a very sizable decking area at the rear, parking at the front and a long lawned area and two timber outbuildings at the side.

Situated at Coolbunnia, the property is 11km from Waterford city, 5km from the Passage East car ferry, and 16 km from Dunmore East.

VERDICT: An attractive modern home with great views.

Clancy Strand, Limerick City
€590,000
Size	170 sq m (1,722 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
BER	Exempt

The steep gable-fronted facade of Mignon, on Clancy Strand in Limerick is identifiably Victorian, but unusually for a terraced property built in this era, is highly individualistic. Part of a row of three equally individualistic properties, it’s historically as well as architecturally interesting and has a few bullet holes in its red brick from July 1922, as a result of a battle between Republicans and Free State Forces at Strand Barracks nearby.

These days, it’s an elegant four-bed house that overlooks the River Shannon in a very sought-after part of the city. Quoting a guide of €590,000, Declan Barry of O’Connor Murphy auctioneers says the property is full of original features and has been lovingly restored by its current owners.

There’s over 1,700 sq ft of living space which includes high-ceiling rooms with ceiling coving, plaster moulding, picture rails, elaborate fireplaces, and shuttered sash windows.

At ground level there’s a front sitting room with two high shuttered windows and an ornate fireplace in addition to a rear reception room with a fireplace, a bathroom, a utility room and a kitchen extension with cream units at the rear.