Award-winning architect’s Kinsale masterpiece offers modern luxury and harbour vistas for €1.5m

Architect-designed three-storey Kinsale home blends Nordic-inspired design, harbour views, and high-end energy efficiency in a prime coastal location

Fri, 31 Oct, 2025 - 08:33

Catherine Shanahan

Kinsale, Co Cork
€1.5m
Size	226 sq m (2433 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3
BER	A2

Architects are part alchemist, working wonders with base materials every day. Haroldo Oliveira, director of architecture with JCA (Jack Coughlan Architects), is known for conjuring homes out of concrete, glass, and steel that make passersby stop and stare.

Altus, in Cork City — a sublime apartment scheme built into blasted rock beneath a steep cliff at the base of Sunday’s Well — is one of his magic tricks.

Altus apartments in Sunday's Well, Cork city

Created in partnership with developer Eddie O’Mahony of Cumnor Construction, the duo is also behind the long-running redevelopment of the Mercy Convent in Kinsale, where high-end apartments within the restored convent and school buildings have been selling rapidly.

Finished and fitted to a standard that must be seen to be believed, the development is part of a diverse mix of stylish, contemporary homes spread across the historic, elevated seven-acre site on the western side of Kinsale.

Part of the expansive Convent Garden development

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It’s been a long journey. Cumnor Construction purchased the convent and grounds for a reported €4m more than 20 years ago but had to pause plans following the economic collapse.

They are now on the home straight at Convent Garden, with perhaps the best yet to come: half a dozen or so 4,000 sq ft multi-million-euro luxury villas, some of which are already well above ground.

Even in a scheme guaranteed to draw its fair share of “oohs” and “ahs,” four detached, three-storey homes on Winter’s Hill stand out.

Capped with bold pigmento-red zinc accents and defined by cascading walls of glass at the rear, these striking contemporary designs exude Nordic cool — an attractive combination of open-plan space, functionality, superb light, and, crucially, those prized Kinsale Harbour views of James Fort, Charles Fort, Ardbrack, and Scilly Dam.

Views of Kinsale Harbour from Winter's Lane

The views, particularly from the top floor, were a key attraction for the Dublin couple who relocated to No 4 Winter’s Lane, off Winter’s Hill, in 2019.

“We had both retired by the time we moved in, and we chose Kinsale because it is such a picturesque town.

“We used to come here a lot for weekends when we were living in Dublin and we found it to be a very enjoyable, sociable place,” the owners say.

Aerial view of Kinsale showing some of the Convent Garden development

The pair had barely settled when covid hit, but Kinsale proved the perfect refuge, with its many scenic coastal walks, opportunities for sea swimming and boating, and two marinas for yachts or motorboats.

Golfers are also spoiled for choice, with two courses nearby, including the world-famous Old Head of Kinsale.

Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse with golf course in the background Picture: Andy Gibson

“Being near the sea was a big attraction for us, not to mention the fabulous coastal walks,” the woman of the house says.

At a time when outdoor space was highly prized, they had plenty of it — from the impressive 340 sq ft middle-floor balcony with protective glass balustrade and south-facing harbour views to the granite patio at ground level, where privacy is at a premium.

Beyond the patio lies a fully enclosed, stone-walled, upward-sloping garden, expertly landscaped with significant input from the man of the house, whom his wife describes as “a great gardener.”

No 4 boasts the largest rear garden in the row of four. While Cumnor built the main granite patio off the sleeping quarters — and each of the three bedrooms has its own access door — they also installed a smaller, enclosed patio off the front bedroom.

Granite patio off the ground floor bedrooms

A mid-garden patio divides the level ground from the slope

A third, crescent-shaped patio at the centre of the back garden divides level ground from the slope and was laid by paver Tom Tobin.

Most of the drama and glamour at No 4 is at the rear. The street-facing side has an angular look, reinforced by a deep carport that can accommodate two cars.

Entry is at ground-floor level, beneath the carport canopy.

Here you’ll find the bedrooms — generous doubles, two with luxury en suites — along with a deluxe family bathroom and a utility room.

An open-tread staircase leads to the first floor, a large entertainment and relaxation area incorporating kitchen, dining, and lounging spaces.

A full-height window wall faces south, and oversized sliding doors open onto the decked terrace.

It’s the design highlight of No 4, along with the top-floor glass eyrie — a bright living room with feature stove and panoramic harbour views.

The extensive glazing not only provides views and light but also enhances energy efficiency, offering significant solar gain through the south-facing glass.

The top floor features “warm roof” insulation, and all three concrete floors have underfloor heating powered by an air-to-water system. The BER rating is A2.

“The whole design is just so practical and warm and the house is so well insulated. The temperature is constant and you never know what it’s like outside,” the owners say.

Utility bills are surprisingly low for a house of its size (226 sq m), they add.

Six years into their Kinsale stay, the owners are relocating for family reasons, and the house they bought for €1.078m in 2019 is back on the market with a guide price of €1.5m.

As a property likely to attract wealthy retirees and ex-pats seeking a luxury base back home, it’s no surprise that enquiries have already come from the US and returning Irish buyers, says selling agent Gobnait O’Connell of Engel & Völkers.

She emphasises the home’s central location — just behind Rampart Lane and the old-town network, a short stroll from colourful pubs and gourmet restaurants.