City to County: Four Munster homes for €450,000 or less

From a quirky Tipperary home to a Limerick redbrick terrace, we compare what’s out there in the urban and rural markets

There are quite an astonishing amount of elaborate architectural features on the façade of 6 Greenpark Villas on Ballinacurra Road

Portroe, Co. Tipperary
€345,000
Size	149 sq m (1,603 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2
BER	D1

A house at Castlelough near Lough Derg, which is designed to resemble an upturned boat must surely be one of the quirkiest and most imaginatively-designed properties in the country.

It was built in the 1990s by a returned emigrant who purchased a site of three quarters of an acre with lake views and who then employed an architect to design his dream home.

An elongated semi cylindrical shaped structure makes up the spine of the property and houses an open plan 18 metre long kitchen/dining/living room with a beamed arched ceiling. Imaginative on the inside as well as the outside, it has walls which are made of brightly coloured sections framed by timber and, just like a ship, it has a few rows of identical sized windows.

Off the sides of the main building there are annexes containing a WC and two bedrooms, including one en suite, as well as a small viewing deck/ sunroom with views of Lough Derg. A bifurcated timber staircase leads up to two galleried attic rooms. 

William Talbot of Sherry FitzGerald Talbot, who has just slashed the price down from €499,500 to €345,000, says that although it requires upgrading, this represents an excellent opportunity to buy a spacious, imaginatively designed property with scenic views across Lough Derg.

“It enjoys complete privacy and seclusion, yet is situated only six kms from the lakeside village of Garrykennedy, 15 kms of Ballina/ Killaloe and 80 kms of Shannon Airport.”

VERDICT: For a buyer who dares to live differently.

Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare
€360,000
Size	241sq m (2,600sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	5
BER	B3

Offered for a €360,000 guide price which wouldn’t go very far in any city, Mountain View near Lisdoonvarna — a four-bed modern detached property with a 1.25-acre site, a separate garage and a goldfish pond — could look awfully attractive to a relocating buyer.

Built in 2000 and subsequently upgraded and insulated by current owners, it’s on the market with DNG O’Sullivan Hurley who say this is an impressive family home with space, privacy, and a B3 BER rating.

Located around one and a half kilometres from Lisdoonvarna, it’s located within a 20 minute drive from Doolin, the Cliffs of Moher, Lahinch and several other well known coastal locations in Clare.

Situated on the Kilfenora Road, with views of countryside and gently sloping hills, Mountain View has an electric gated entrance with landscaped grounds, raised vegetable beds, a pond, a gazebo and a detached garage which would make an ideal home office.

A partially stone-fronted property, it has timber ceiling beams in all main living spaces and several redbrick features.

Its generous 241 sq metres accommodation includes a large front sitting room, a sunroom and a kitchen with granite-topped timber units and a redbrick island. Open plan with the kitchen is a formal dining room with a full height red brick fireplace and a stove. 

The ground floor also has a WC, a utility room and an en suite ground floor bedroom while upstairs are three more en suite bedrooms.

VERDICT: Could give a relocator something to sing about.

Rossmore, Co. Cork
€395,000
Size	176sq m (1894 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3/4
Bathrooms	3
BER	C3

Although the exodus from cities that followed Covid has slowed, West Cork properties such as Sweetpeas near Rossmore are still attracting interest from buyers looking to relocate to the country and work from home.

The four-bed detached house and its site of almost an acre is, according to Con O’Neill of Sherry FitzGerald O’Neill, being viewed by locals, returning emigrants and Dublin buyers who include a good number of returning locals.

On the market with a guide of €395,000, Sweetpeas is a 2005-built property with 176 sq metres of living space. Current owners who bought it six years ago and added on a sun room at the side.

Mr O’Neill says the attractions for relocators include the space, the West Cork lifestyle and the location,14 km from Inchydoney Beach and 10 km from Clonakilty.

“It’s on a quiet West Cork road with countryside views and is bounded on the northern side by a small stream known as the Ihernagh River.” The ground floor has a living room with a double height ceiling and an inglenook fireplace, plus a kitchen, a utility room, a guest WC, sun room and a sitting room or bedroom.

The first floor has a bathroom and three bedrooms including a galleried one which overlooks the living area and has an en suite and a walk-in wardrobe.

In the gardens there’s a detached garage which could be used for a home office or workshop.

VERDICT: Would-be relocators will be happy to hear it also has fibre broadband.

Ballinacurra Rd, Limerick city
€450,000
Size	166 sq m (1786 sq ft)
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	3
BER	Exempt

There are quite an astonishing amount of elaborate architectural features on the façade of 6 Greenpark Villas on Ballinacurra Road in Limerick as well as quite an amazingly long back garden at the rear.

Dating from 1890, the three storey redbrick end of terrace house is in need of some sympathetic upgrading and modernisation but it has many attractive original features especially in the high-ceilinged drawing room which still has its original coving, fireplace and bay window.

The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage lists the many exterior features on all seven houses in the terrace, including ornate spandrels and a Bacchus mask over the doorway.

Selling agents Hogan Durkan say that in addition to being architecturally interesting and spacious, with five bedrooms and 1,795 sq ft of living space, the property is in a very sought-after residential location.

“Viewers will also be impressed with the back garden which is around 50 metres long and exits on to a laneway,” says auctioneer Eoin Hogan, who is seeking offers of €450,000.

The ground level has two adjoining living rooms in addition to a guest WC and kitchen /diner in an extension at the rear as well as an internal courtyard.

The first floor return – a space only found in Victorian houses — has a bathroom and bedroom while each of the other two floors have two bedrooms, including one en suite.

VERDICT: Victorian three-storey redbrick properties like this one are scarce to the market in Limerick city — this seems to be the only one currently available