Period era Newtown Lodge could sell at a gallop

Newtown Lodge on a private 4.5 acres is in ‘horse country’ in North East Cork, says Tommy Barker

Newtown Lodge is a Georgian era home near  Ballynoe, by Munster's Bride and Blackwater rivers.  Agent Dominic Daly guides at  €900,000 on 4.5 acres

Ballynoe, East Cork
€900,000
Size	343 sq m (3,700 sq ft)
Bedrooms	6
Bathrooms	4
BER	E2

MAY seems to be the month when the period home Newtown Lodge goes up for sale.

This Georgian home, in horsey country and on 4.5 acres near the rivers Bride and Blackwater and Ballynoe/Conna in north-east Cork, appeared here back in May 2003, priced at €480,000.

Interior grace

It was bought back then by a Kildare woman, who made it a family home for the next 20 years, undertaking a programme of upgrade works to what’s now a 3,700 sq ft six-bedroomed home.

It then appeared here again as recently as May 2023, when it was priced at €795,000, and found a swift buyer, selling for a recorded €900,000 by late autumn.

It was picked up by a woman originally from the UK, who’d lived on a period, 80-acre woodland estate in the Lee Valley for a number of years, selling for a multi-million euro sum in 2022.

 She moved from west of the city, towards the east, undertaking yet further works to Newtown Lodge during a very short spell here and fully furnishing its older-era and charming rooms with appropriate furniture, filling bookshelves and walls.

However, she passed away after an illness in November of 2024.

Newtown Lodge is now once more for sale, after two appreciative ownerships, one decades long, the other just a year or so in the house’s own long life, c 200 years and more, associated with considerable land-owing family the Nasons in the 19th century.

It’s listed — again in a May of glorious, early summer growth — with Cork City-based estate agent Dominic Daly, on behalf of executors of the recently deceased owner, and he prices it at €900,000, noting that while the area is low-profile, it is good country for equestrian activities and keeping horses.

The winner of the 2003 Grand National at Aintree, Monty’s Pass, retired to his trainer Jimmy Mangan’s yard here at Conna after 2004, seeing out his days at pasture up to 2022.

Newtown Lodge has 1.5 acres of lovely gardens, in enclosed sections around its various wings/guest annexe, including a stunning monkey puzzle tree, and wisteria across the main, taller façade, has several, older stone outbuildings and three loose boxes: the landscaped grounds adjoin a three-acre paddock, with scope for a sand arena and other facilities.

Full of period detailing, it has multi-paned/sash windows, including three in a column on a three-storey gable, shutters, fanlit door, French doors, picture rails and fireplaces, kitchen with Aga and a mix of grand and characterful rooms, some double height, others under eaves.

Newtown Lodge is on the road side of its total 4.5 acres, along a quiet road, 45km from Cork City, some 23km from Youghal, and a bit closer to Fermoy, Midleton, and Tallow. It has up to six bedrooms, well-carpeted, and bathrooms redone in recent years.