Scope for lots of Larks by the Lee at €545,000 Tivoli Estate home

No 18, aka Arravale, is a terrific perch but needs work

The view from 18 Tivoli Estate

Tivoli, Cork city
€545,000
Size	129 sq m (1395 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	G

GOING gaga over GAAGO or losing the run of yourself when Ed Sheeran concerts sell out faster than you can holler “Ticketmaster” is not so much of an issue if you live in Tivoli Estate.

Match commentaries and live music carry straight across the river from Páirc Uí Chaoimh and house parties are a regular fixture in the estate this time of year.

The owners of No 18 have lived there for almost half a century (49 years) and every concert held in the Park was a reason to celebrate.

“Michael Jackson was the best,” says the woman of the house, recalling the late popstar’s memorable performance in 1988.

She recalls hosting a barbeque on the front patio when U2 performed in the Park in 1987. The most explosive moment was not when Bono appeared on stage – it was when the tail of a German Shepherd caught fire at the BBQ.

“We’ve had many’s the party here and we’ve seen all of the concerts down through the years,” the owner says.

When they bought No 18, aka Arravale, it had already had two sets of owners, one of whom did work on a rockery in the front garden, where there’s a wealth of well-chosen mature shrubbery. Built in 1951 by Sisk builders, the owners made no real changes. Externally, it looks bigger than what it is (129 sq m) and internally, the layout could be better. 

The kitchen overlooks the rear, so there’s no scope to enjoy those stunning, south-facing riverine views. 

Open plan living dining

You can do so from the open plan front-facing living room and family room, but there are no French doors to the patio, which the owners had the good sense to add, to capitalise on views, after they moved in. There are views too from the upstairs bedrooms (from where Blackrock Castle is visible).

There’s no denying that cityside locations don’t get much better than Tivoli Estate – it was the go-to postcode for merchant princes. Off Trafalgar Hill, towards the Lower Glanmire Road end of Lover’s Walk , it zigzags up a steep ridge. No 18 is up the back, close to the top – although a couple of new builds have emerged even further up in more recent years. 

It can be reached via steep pedestrian steps from the road below or by car from above.

Paul Fenton of Sherry FitzGerald is selling Arravale and he says you’d be hard pushed to find a nicer city perch.

“It’s a mature, south-facing site, with magnificent views of the river, the Marina and Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The city centre is only a few minutes by car and the Jack Lynch tunnel is down the road. It’s a superb family home” the agent says.

The owners say homes in Tivoli Estate – there are a couple of dozen, mainly built in the 1950s and 1960s - are slow to change hands. The highest price paid so far was the €900,000 paid for Emalian, a very large home which sold in 2023.

This one’s more affordable – the guide is €545,000 - but the caveat is that there's a fair bit of work to do. 

VERDICT: Superb views, super location. House needs work.