Artist's German-design €495,000 Carrigrohane home is a big draw

Cashel, called after the Rock (not Dwayne Johnson), is a solid family home on half an acre

Sat, 24 Feb, 2024 - 07:29

Catherine Shanahan Pictures: Larry Cummins

Carrigrohane, Cork
€495,000
Size	395 sq m (4250 sq ft)
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	2
BER	D2

‘ROUND about the time this house was built, Charlie Haughey became Taoiseach, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, the first group of Vietnamese refugees or “boat people” arrived in Ireland and U2 played their first televised performance at the Cork Opera House.

The year was 1979 and despite the passage of time and the passing of Charlie Haughey, it feels like not a whole lot else has changed. What’s left of the Soviet Union is still playing the role of invader; refugees continue to stream to our shores and U2 are still banging out the tunes.Chances of them returning to the Opera House stage though seem about as likely as a Las Vegas residency for Dustin the Turkey.

Amidst all of this change/non-change of the past 44 years, Cashel, the house featured here, has stayed pretty much the same, which is to say it’s as different- looking now to your typical Irish home as it was back in 1979, when it was built at Coolatubrid, Carrigrohane.

Cashel’s individuality is down to what the owner, artist Christine O’Connor, describes as it’s “Germanic design”. If you’ve been in a typical German home, you’ll know what she means. The Germans are big on basements and there’s a basement level in this house. It’s where you will find the partially subterranean country-style kitchen.

“It’s unusual in Ireland, but it’s lovely, it’s so cool in summer,” Christine says.

The formal dining room is at the same basement level as the kitchen. It’s about 30 ft long and opens to the kitchen/dining/breakfast room.

“It’s been a great house for entertaining,” Christine says.

The house name is a nod to Christine’s Tipperary roots, and as it’s on a hill, just like the Rock, she called it Cashel.

The matter-of-fact Germans that built it called it Hill House, but she re-named it after she bought the property about 36 years ago.

“When you think about how long ago it was designed, it’s a very practical house, very functional, with lots of space and good-size rooms, but that’s Germans for you,” Christine says.

One of its practical elements includes a guest toilet that can be accessed from the garden, which means if you’re outside on the patio or doing a bit of gardening and nature calls, you don’t have to go back into the house.

Entry through the front door is up about 10 steps from the patio.

The steps are under the overhang of a steeply sloping chalet-style roof (definitely designed for snow to slide off, Christine says). There’s a sheltered balcony area outside the front door, from where you can enjoy the view in any weather.

“There’s a lovely aspect from the front door. You’re looking out towards Nead hills.

There are fabulous sunsets, and the hills are beautiful in the winter when the tops of them are covered in snow,” Christine says. Rooms at entry level include a very large sitting room overlooking the garden, with fireplace and double-sided stove.

A second reception room doubles as a home office, while a third living room doubles as an art studio.

As Christine works in different mediums (print-making, painting, sculpture) she’s created a second studio for “rough work” in the front half of the garage, where a window looks out over the garden.

She has a huge utility room too “ideal for country-style requirements, boot room, washing machine/dryer etc”, says selling agent Terence O’Leary of Murray Browne auctioneers.

Mr O’Leary says the garage, which is integrated into the house, “could easily be converted”.

There are several sets of stairs in Cashel, including a half stair that leads from the hallway to sleeping quarters. The very large main bedroom is L-shaped, with a full-length window overlooking the countryside.

Two of the windows in the main en suite bedroom are asymmetrical and add to Cashel’s distinctive look. Two of the five bedrooms have made-to-measure plantation-style Austin shutters.

Christine says Cashel has been “a great house to live in, a real fun house”, an ideal spot for rearing her four kids and for indulging her creativity. She helped local kids indulge their creativity too through the art classes that she ran in her art studio. And she’s had plenty space around the house to hang her own work and that of other artists. One particularly eye-catching painting by a Mayo artist depicts a group of elderly women playing cards at a community hall in Turner’s Cross.

Card sharks at card school at Turner's Cross is one of the artworks at Cashel

Christine points out that one of the group has hidden a playing card, which is just visible, under her bum.

The card school is a king-sized piece of artwork but one the rooms can easily accommodate. “We’ve terrific space,” Christine says.

The garden is generous too, a whole half acre for the grandchildren to play on.

Despite its size, Christine looks after it, and right now, daffodils are pushing through.

In a few months, several magnolia trees will be in full bloom. She’ll be sorry to leave them behind, but it’s time to downsize.

Given the scale of the house and garden, she anticipates family buyers. There’s a good national school nearby, a short walk away in Cloghroe village. Ballincollig town centre is quickly reached by car for an even greater choice of schools, both primary and secondary. For any golfers, it’s close to Muskerry Golf Club.

Mr O’Leary points out that Cashel is only a couple of minutes drive from Cork University Hospital campus, which is on the same side of the city as the Carrigrohane property. There’s a choice of routes into the city: The ‘Straight’ Road or the Lee Road or you can join the motorway at Ballincollig. It’s on the right side of the city too for UCC and MTU.

The agent says Cashel is “a one-of-a kind home that radiates quality, warmth and class, comfort and style”..

His guide price for the split-level home is €495,000.

“It’s more than 4,200 sq ft house, you wouldn’t build it nowadays for the money,” Christine says.

VERDICT: Seems reasonably priced for a very large house on a half acre site. Ideal for traders-up who enjoy gardening and the countryside. Location isn’t too removed from the city.