Come do the locomotion at this €395,000 riverside home

No 6 Myrtle Hill Terrace has a ringside seat to track action, boat races and quayside activity

No 6 Myrtle Hill Terrace, Lower Glanmire Road, Cork Picture: Dan Linehan

Lower Glanmire Road, Cork City
€395,000
Size	141 sq m (1520 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	F

WE’VE become dab hands at turning disused rail lines into thriving greenways.

By the middle of next year, the East Cork towns of Youghal and Midleton will be linked by a car-less 23km biking route. It could be a gamechanger for the region if it’s embraced with the same enthusiasm as Co Mayo’s Great Western Greenway (Westport to Achill) or, closer to home, the Waterford Greenway, both of which have spawned a tourism/recreation-related bonanza.

Waterford Greenway

Support for greenways is pretty much universal, but convenient rail links are missed, particularly in an era where there’s a pressing need to reduce car usage. Some would argue that reinstating the old rail link between Cork City and Youghal would be better for business than a greenway. That argument is lost now, with the greenway due to open in mid 2024.

However not all of the Cork-to Youghal railway — or, more precisely, the extensions that grew off it — have been lost. Cork City to Cobh is a vibrant line and Cork City to Midleton has been a godsend to that commuter town since it reopened in 2009. Both are steady and essential services that begin their journey on the Lower Glanmire Road, where the low rumble of an approaching train is a regular part of the soundscape.

Commuter trains pass below Myrtle Hill Terrace on Lower Glanmire Road

There can be few terraces better positioned in the city from which to observe these locomotive comings and goings than Myrtle Hill. Not only does it have a ringside seat to on-track activity, but it also commands a splendid view of anything that moves on the river Lee. There’s a hell of a lot of movement — from currachs to cruisers, to freight ships, to rowing boats, as members of Shandon, Lee, and Cork boat clubs take to the water whenever the weather allows.

View from the third floor bedroom of No 6

In between this busy river and lively rail line runs the Lower Glanmire Road. All three transport arteries run parallel to each other and to Myrtle Hill Terrace, so that anyone living there has the perfect perch to, literally, watch the world go by.

It’s what seduced the current owners of No 6, Myrtle Hill Terrace, Neasa O’Riordan and William Harvey, when they bought the house in 2005.

“To be honest, the view never gets old,” says Neasa. And how could it, when it’s in a constant state of flux, not just on the river and rail line, but on the quaysides. An upriver transformation, kickstarted by a series of shiny new office blocks, is gaining momentum after planners cleared the way for O’Callaghan Properties to go hell for leather in the southern docklands. The city is gradually moving downstream and you can watch it all unfold from the front patio of No 6.

The terrace itself, which developed East to West and has some protected structures (not No 6), pre-dates the railway line. No 6 dates to 1862. A fine, period three-storey townhouse with fanlit front door at the top of a flight of steps, it’s part of a south-facing cul-de-sac that looks directly across the river towards the new Marina Park and revamped Páirc Uí Chaoimh. A quirk of living there is that the houses, on a private road, are accessed over a level crossing.

Neasa recalls that it was operated manually when they moved in, but it’s now automated. Some of the terrace’s residents have removed garden walls and iron railings to create more parking, but Neasa and William opted to retain their garden, re-doing the river-facing patio, leaving mature shrubbery in situ and adding an attractive grow box. 

River-facing patio

There are other examples of what can be done out front — just take a gander at some of the neighbours’ gardens. Not much can be done out back. There’s a small yard with rear access and, beyond it, a tall sandstone cliff rises up towards Montenotte.

Rear view from kitchen window

Neasa says the neighbourliness on the terrace, which is less than half a mile beyond Kent Station, is something they will really miss when they relocate to North Cork.

“It’s a lovely, closeknit neighbourhood,” she says. She will miss the house too, which has had various upgrades during their 18 years there, including the installation of new double-glazed sash windows out front and PVC to the rear (2019); a bathroom and kitchen refresh, and the installation of internal insulation.

Living room

 Neasa is a fan of bold colours, and they work very well against the pastels and high ceilings of this 141 sq m home.

“I genuinely love the house,” says Neasa, adding that “my heart belongs to it”.

She loved the city-side convenience too — a cycle lane on the Lower Glanmire Road takes you into the city, on the flat, in minutes.

Selling No 6 is auctioneer Andy Moore, who is “most familiar with this fine property” having sold it to Neasa and William in 2005.

“The views of the river are a delight,” he says, adding that the large windows facilitate them, as well as allowing a lot of natural light to permeate the house.

Accommodation includes three bedrooms (one is currently used as a home office); a sitting room that looks towards the river; a striking red-and-white kitchen/diner, and a utility and bathroom on the ground floor.

One of two river-facing bedrooms is on the top floor. Mr Moore is guiding No 6 at €395,000.

VERDICT: You will never tire of the views from this elegant terrace. A lovely home, geared towards those who want low-maintenance, cityside convenience, in a good neighbourhood.