City to Country: Pop of colour in renovated Dublin 3 home or €650k island escape on Inisbofin

The Kingdom, the midlands or city living? writes Trish Dromey

Oyster and Seagull cottages Inisbofin

North Strand, Dublin 3
€450,000
Size	120 sq m (1,291 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1
BER	E1

Originally a small two-bed property, it now has 120 sq metres of living space thanks to the addition of a kitchen extension and an attic conversion. Selling agents DNG Fairview says the central location, within a 15-minute walk from Connolly Dart and Train station, is a key selling point.

The ground floor has two sitting rooms with fireplaces as well as a kitchen with timber-fitted units, a lean-to-style sunroom and a bathroom with a jacuzzi bath. Auctioneer Rachel Cunningham says a new owner might consider turning the front sitting room into a bedroom.

A colourful turquoise coloured open tread timber staircase leads to the first floor which has two bedrooms including one with an en suite as well as an attic room.

Renovations carried out by the owners include the fitting of double glazed windows including sash style ones at the front. Guiding at €450,000, the property has an E1 BER rating and will require modernisation.

To the rear it has a west- facing patio garden filled with pot plants.

Situated in a cul de sac the property is close to local amenities including Fairview Park and is within half an hour’s walk from Dublin city centre.

Sales on Spencer Street North in recent years included that of No 15, the house next Door, which sold for €415,000 in 2020.

VERDICT: Characterful and central.

Caherciveen, Kerry
€570,000
Size	256 sq m (2,755 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3
BER	C2

Scenically set near Cnoc na dTobar, The Boat House at Cloghanelinaghan, near Caherciveen, is well set up to attract holiday home buyers.

Resembling a long traditional style cottage, it’s not as old as it appears — having been built as a four-bed family home in 2001.

Quirky and interesting features include gothic style doorways, rough plastered walls, some internal windows and a galleried mezzanine area.

“The current owners have used it as a holiday home for over 10 years,” Séamus Fitzgerald, of Fitzgerald & O’Connor DAC, says.

The layout in the interior is traditional, but a little unconventional.

The country cottage style kitchen has an AGA, Valentia slate topped units, a Belfast sink, double height ceiling, and a staircase to the mezzanine level sitting room.

At the side, there’s a sunroom with views of Cnoc na Tobar. Other ground floor rooms include a utility room, a study, a bathroom, and three bedrooms.

Another staircase leads to a converted attic with a bedroom, a living room, and bathroom. Outside, there’s over half an acre of mature gardens.

Less than 1km from Coonanna Harbour, it’s 5km from Caherciveen.

VERDICT: Scenic and interesting, this is the type of property that attracts overseas buyers.

Clogheen, Co Tipperary
€340,000
Size	246 sq m (2,650 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
BER	C2

Sizable for its €340,000 guide price, Bella Cottage near Clogheen, South Tipperary, is a renovated four-bed property with two acres of land and scenic views of the Knockmealdown and Galtee Mountains.

“It’s an old cottage which has been extended and modernised by UK owners who bought it three years ago. They finished it to a high standard and extended it to 246 sq m’’ Liam O’Grady, of DNG O’Grady auctioneers, says.

The cottage has two sitting rooms with stoves — one in a redbrick fireplace and another in full height stone chimney breast.

To the rear, there’s a spacious kitchen diner with duck blue shaker style units and a large picture window — which frames the view of the Knockmealdowns.

Other rooms include two bathrooms, four bedrooms with sloping ceilings, and a study.

“From the study window you also have a very picturesque view of the Galtees,” Mr O’Grady reveals. Near the house, there’s a large block built workshop turned into a home office.

Mr O’Grady says it’s quite rare to find a property with a site of two acres, and says it would suit someone who wants to take up hobby farming.

A little less than 3km from Clogheen village, Bella Cottage is 15km from Cahir.

VERDICT: It’s spacious, modern, scenic and comes with fibre broadband.

Inishbofin, Co Galway
€650,000
Size	47sq m & 31sq m (505sq ft & 333sq ft)
Bedrooms	2 & 1
Bathrooms	1 & 1
BER	D1

Island cottages on a white sand beach don’t have to be tropical — they can also quite unexpectedly be found on Inishbofin off the coast of Galway.

Arriving on the market with a joint price of €650,000, Seagull and Oyster Cottages on East End Beach are a pair of semi-detached properties which have been used as holiday lets since the 1990s. 

Rustic and traditional single-storey fishermen’s cottages with thick stone walls, they were renovated in 2010.

“The owners put in double glazing, hardwood flooring, kitchen units, oil-fired heating, and half doors at back and front,” says Sorcha O’Sullivan of Matt O’Sullivan auctioneers.

The larger of the two, Seagull Cottage is 47sq m with kitchen/dining /living space with a small selection of kitchen units and a skylight as well as a bathroom and two bedrooms. Oyster Cottage’s 31sq m of living space is made up of a bedroom, a bathroom and living /dining/kitchen space. The properties share a garden area with utility shed.

Overlooking a long sandy beach at the front, the cottages are located at Cloonamore, 2km from the ferry point. The ferry takes half an hour to get to the mainland and the service runs three times daily in the summer.

A scenic and tranquil island measuring 8km by 3km, Inishbofin has looped walking trails, sandy beaches, and small coves as well as seal colonies and a multitude of birdlife.

VERDICT: Scenically remote for a holiday hideaway.