Oscar nominee in the neighbourhood of €710k Ballintemple home 

Ballintemple's star is on the rise thanks to local boy Cillian Murphy 

Ballintemple, Cork
€710,000
Size	139 sq m (1496 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3
BER	A2

FANS of Super Garden may recall the work of Siobhán Keogh, the Cork architect and garden designer who won the judges’ approval when she appeared in the popular TV series in 2020.

Tasked with creating a dream outdoor space for a mother and daughter at their new home in Rowlestown, Co Dublin, she came up with a design that didn’t win the competition, but it did win the hearts of viewers. “Perfection” was how many described it. The judges commended her natural and eco-friendly garden for its high-end planting and restrained design. In an interview in the Echo at the time, the then 28-year-old architect, who graduated top of her class in UCC, said that for a garden to be super, it didn’t need to be big or have “all the bells and whistles”. For her, simple could be showstopping.

The rear garden at No 67 Aylesbury

She adopted a similar pared-back, natural look when designing the rear garden at No 67 Aylesbury in Ballintemple, where hard landscaping and planting are beautifully balanced and where tall and short ornamental grasses mix prettily with hellebores, various hydrangeas and other shrubs, as well as a weeping pear tear, an espalier pear tree and an Amelanchier.

The man of the house says they wanted a “bee and insect-friendly garden” and that’s what they got. Amid the ground-level and raised bed landscaping, there was room for a limestone patio too, accessible off the tasty open-plan kitchen/dining/living area. It’s been a sanctuary for the owners and as well as being easy on the eye, it’s easy to maintain, a bit like the houses themselves, which Kinsale-based architect Richard Rainey designed, and Centurion Homes built.

The high quality homes, next to Cork Constitution rugby grounds, in a neighbourhood that can now lay claim to an Oscar nominee (Cillian Murphy/Oppenheimer)  - were a talking point when launched in 2018. 

Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer

When the showhouse was unveiled, more than 800 queued to view it. Viewing is likely to be busy too at No 67 where no expense was spared on the fit out.

“We didn’t expect to be moving so we did the house to the highest standards,” says the owner – who is the founder of social research co-operative Nexus.

Those standards included laying a 2.2cm-thicksolid oak herringbone floor throughout ground level (including the front living room), with not a door saddle in sight to break up the flow. 

They included extra bells and whistles in the already high-spec Kube kitchen, where a Bora induction hub sits on the sleek white kitchen island and a built-in extractor fan works its hidden magic underneath.

Externally, defining features of these stylish Aylesbury homes are the big box bay windows, mellow brick and zinc detailing above the front door. 

Not visible, but of greater significance is their energy performance. With Building Energy Ratings (BER) front and centre of buyer priorities, there’s nothing quite as seductive right now as an “A” rating. It keeps running costs to a minimum “They’re amazing homes in terms of the level of comfort and warmth. We simply don’t know if it’s cold or not outside. And with underfloor heating on the ground floor, we’re just padding around in our socks all day,” the owner says.

Open plan living

Feeding into the A2 rating are Munster Joinery aluclad windows, while heating is provided by A-rated air-to-water heat pumps, with heat recovery/air recirculation.

With all that’s gone in to No 67, it doesn’t sound like a house that would be easy to leave. What’s more, the owners have good neighbours, with lots of collective agreements reached, the latest being to re-engage Siobhán Keogh to work her magic on one of three greens in the scheme. The burning question then – is why leave after less than three-and-a-half years?

The lure of the Atlantic Pond is key, the owner says. The house he is moving to is on a laneway with direct access.

Handy bike storage

 It’s closer to family too.

Stuart O’Grady of Sherry FitzGerald is selling 139 sqm No 67 and he says it’s an opportunity for buyers who missed out in the first round of Aylesbury home sales. However those who did miss out will need even more cash this time because it’s close to €200,000 more than on its last outing. The sale price in 2020 was €520,000, and the guide this time is €710,000 (reflecting the owners’ investment).

Mr O’Grady says the four-bed semi-d, which overlooks a green in the 74-home development, is essentially “good as new”, with lots of useful extras such as a remote-controlled Stira to the floored attic, a side-passage awning to protect bikes from the elements and a Biohort garden shed, imported from Austria.

Out front, a cobble lock drive can accommodate two cars, and there’s an EV charger.

Finally, Aylesbury’s location at the upper reaches of Ballintemple, close to both Blackrock and Douglas, with an easy run into Cork City, is a big selling point. Right on its doorstep too are lovely leafy Beaumont Park and quarry, a pitch and putt club, a football club, and through the park, Beaumont boys’ and girls’ national schools.

VERDICT: Premium home, premium location. Ideal family trade up or low maintenance downsizer.