City to Country: Scenic and secluded Cork countryside or private gardens at sought-after Waterford city location

Trish Dromey picks out the top great escapes across Munster with homes from €295,000

Tue, 23 Jul, 2024 - 10:06

Trish Dromey

Summerville Avenue, Waterford City
€410,000
Size	112 sq m (1,205 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1
BER	F

BUYERS will be attracted to Lisnalea in The Vinery off Summerville Avenue in Waterford by its charm, its rose-planted private gardens and its sought-after location.

“The 1930s-built bungalow has charm, character and mature gardens and is one of just seven houses in The Vinery, a leafy secluded cul de sac located within walking distance of the city centre, ’’ reveals Thomas Reid, of DNG Reid & Coppinger auctioneers, seeking offers of €410,000.

The three-bed home was bought by the current owners in 2000, who renovated, modernised and redecorated while being careful to maintain period features, which include coving, picture rails and flooring.

They have also tended the garden beautifully.

Inside, they put a stone fireplace with a stove in the sitting room and a fireplace and chandelier-type light in the dining room.

In the kitchen they kept the AGA and put in green shaker-style units.

The property also has a bathroom with original tiles and replacement fittings and three bedrooms, including one used as a home office.

The gardens, enclosed by hedging, have lawns, sitting-out areas and a timber outbuilding.

The owners have kept Lisnalea’s original timber single-glazed windows but new owners will consider replacing them.

VERDICT: Pretty, private and leafy, it’s just 2.5km from the city centre.

Caragh Lake, Co Kerry
€350,000
Size	131 sq m (1,410 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2
BER	Pending

HIDDEN away on a woodland site overlooking Caragh Lake is a German built holiday home which you probably wouldn’t get planning permission for now.

“It’s still owned by the same German family who built it in the 1970s,” says Darragh Burns of Jim Burns auctioneers, the selling agent for the property which has been built into the hillside at Callinahiska. Features include an integral stone patio and a gently sloping roof which gives it a slightly Alpine appearance.

“It’s on a one and a half acre site and has panoramic views of the lake, Madam’s Island, and of the McGillycuddy Reeks in the distance,’’ says Mr Burns.

It has 131 sq metres of accommodation and is well-kept, but will require modernisation.

Inside it has a living/dining room with a stone fireplace and lake views. There’s also a narrow kitchen, a bathroom and two bedrooms as well as a patio which the occupants can enjoy without fear of getting wet.

Accessed by a long driveway running through its woodland gardens, the property is within a few km from public access to Caragh Lake and is 5km from Glenbeigh village and 12 km from Killorglin.

“The area has swimming, kayaking, hill walks, fishing and golf and is idyllic for holidays,’’ says Mr Burns, who has already had overseas enquiries including some from Germans.

VERDICT: Secluded and scenic, it’s perfect for holidays or remote working

Castletownshend, Co Cork
€450,000
Size	84 sq m (886 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	Pending

OPTIONS open to the new owner of Rock House, at Tracarta near Castletownshend include being able to walk five minutes down the road and go swimming off a small pebbled beach They could also continue to grow tomatoes and vegetables in the large polytunnel at the rear or use the artist’s studio built by the current owner to paint, work or play.

The owner who bought the semi-detached period cottage four years ago embarked on major renovations before they set up the gallery and started growing vegetables.

“ This involved putting in double glazed windows and modern electric radiators as well as , rewiring, re-plumbing and insulating ” says Sean Carmody of Charles McCarthy auctioneers who recently listed the three bed property with a guide of €450,000.

An 84 sq metre property it has a traditional style living /dining room with timber flooring and a fireplace with a stove as well as a narrow kitchen with fitted units, a utility space and a WC.

The upstairs has a bathroom and three small bedrooms.

In the good sized gardens at the rear there’s a large polytunnel and a large timber studio which the owner uses as both gallery and studio. In addition to this there’s a lawn, two sheds and space for storing kayaks and for parking..

Located 350 metres from Tracarta cove, Rock House is a little over two and a half km from Castletownshend and ten km from Skibbereen.

VERDICT: A coastal home with lots of options.

Feakle, Co Clare
€295,000
Size	125 sq m (1,345 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	D2

WHERE better to commune with nature than at an eco-haven in East Clare, with three and a quarter acres of wildlife filled, woodland gardens created by a plant ecologist?

When the highly individual timber framed, timber clad house at Derrynaneal near Feakle was owned by the ecologist, she built a polytunnel, planted native medicinal herbs and allowed the site to become a haven for butterflies and animals.

The current owner, a musician who can play the drums without disturbing any neighbours, has kept the site much as she left it.

New to the market with a guide of €295,000, the house was built in 2005 as an eco-home. “It uses passive solar design, is well insulated and has double glazing,’’ says Diarmuid McMahon of Sherry FitzGerald McMahon, adding that new owners could improve the D2 BER by replacing the solid fuel heating system.

Attractive and well maintained, the property has 125 sq m of living space including an open plan timber floored kitchen/dining/living room with a cathedral ceiling, multiple large windows, a stove and timber kitchen units. There’s also a south facing sunroom, a pantry, a bathroom and two groundfloor bedrooms.

An ash staircase by the kitchen leads to a galleried mezzanine landing and en suite bedroom with a balcony.