With prices starting from €410k: Victoria Road, Wellington Road, Ballincollig, and Blarney

A modern family home in Ballincollig; grand terraces on Cork's southside and northside; and a new Blarney bungalow

Top left: 99 Coopers Grange, Ballincollig; Top right: Rosefield Terrace, Victoria Road; Lower right: Cois Cóir, Blarney; Lower left: 3 Verdon Place, Wellington Road

A standout family home in Old Quarter, Ballincollig

Ballincollig Co Cork
€745,000
Size	187 sq m [2013 sq ft]
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	4
BER	B2

A key feature of 99 Coopers Grange, in Ballincollig’s Old Quarter development is the very large extension at the rear making the family room bigger and more useable. The huge sliding doors leading out onto the westerly patio area from this bright spacious room make the most of this indoor-outdoor aspect.

“There’s a magnificent finish on this house which has five bedrooms over three floors — everything from the remote controlled blinds and Quooker tap to the wood-burning stove has been added here,” points out Norma Healy of Sherry FitzGerald.

The main bedroom and the other double on the middle floor are both en suite and have built in wardrobes.

A lot of the interest in this B2-rated, attractively decorated home is coming from people wanting to relocate here from overseas as well as from people in Cork keen to trade up without compromising on location, Ms Healy points out.

It’s close to primary and secondary schools and bus stops so that’s accessibility and connectivity covered. Also within easy reach are cafes, sports facilities, and the
Regional Park — as well as CUH, MTU, and the city centre.

VERDICT: This five-bed house makes a pretty stylish and convenient trade-up.

Wellington Road — a €710,000 family home or investment opportunity

Wellington Road, Cork city
€710,000
Size	185 sq m [1991 sq ft]
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	5
BER	E2

Currently laid out as five self-contained units, this substantial three-storey property at 3 Verdon Place could well continue as an investment opportunity or it could be converted back to a family home.

It’s only a short walk from the tree-lined Wellington Rd to MacCurtain St and the city centre, and there are several schools also within walking distance.

Built in around 1865, a quick visit to our newspaper’s archives show it as available to let in 1869; and, more charmingly, a front page birth announcement for a baby girl born there in 1882.

The house itself is one of a terrace of three and they are featured as being of architectural interest on the Buildings of Ireland website. Windows are double glazed and there’s a large rear yard.

The property is currently fully occupied with an annual rental income of €55.5k but it is possible to acquire it with vacant possession. Currently under offer, the interest so far has primarily been from investors according to Stephen Clarke of REA O’Donoghue & Clarke.

VERDICT: A sizeable property in an older and quite popular part of the city.

Spacious five-bed city living at €410k Victoria Road terraced house

Victoria Road, Cork city
€410,000
Size	111 sq m [1195 sq ft]
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	1
BER	D1

The substantial living space is key here. No 7 Rosefield Terrace is at the end of a small cul-de-sac — this is a five-bed terraced residence across three storeys.

You’re at the city end of the Victoria Rd, which means real convenience for the cosy Salt bistro and for Kennedy Park.

The city centre itself is only a short stroll away past Shalom Park. Shopping is convenient with an Aldi a few hundred metres away. Heading in the other direction you’ve got the bustling Marina Market and the fresh air of the beautifully renovated Marina Park, with access to the greenway and its miles of walking and cycling routes.

An ex-rental property, with some upgrades this could be a spacious owner-occupied home, says Timothy Sullivan of Timothy Sullivan & Associates.

There’s plenty of inspiration available within a very short distance, with some pretty tasteful and stylish properties along Victoria Rd. Close to bus stops at Albert Rd, and Kent railway station is a comfortable walk across two city bridges.

VERDICT: Urban convenience at what could be a spacious city home or a savvy city investment.

New build energy meets old-world charm in the heart of Blarney

Blarney, Co Cork
€550,000
Size	96 sq m [1033 sq ft]
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	A2

Such was the level of interest in this three-bed Blarney bungalow, that auctioneer Robert Harkin of Harkin & Associates took a novel approach to viewings. He held an open viewing of Cois Cóir on St Ann’s Road on the morning of St Patrick’s Day — with a collection bucket in place to raise funds for Iris House, Cork Cancer Support.

“It went really well — we had more than 30 viewings in a single morning and have raised €400 for a great charity,” he said.

The semi-detached bungalow looks ‘mature’ in the best possible way: with guidance from Cork City Council’s heritage and conservation department it was designed to blend in with older existing houses on Blarney’s St Anne’s Road.

The bay window is a lovely attribute on a bright, modern looking home with a contemporary kitchen featuring a stylish breakfast peninsula.

The main bedroom with a built-in wardrobe also has a large window bringing lots of natural light, and the ensuite includes a spacious wet room-style shower. There’s one other double bedroom and a single room.

A lot of interest has some from downsizers keen to enjoy the new A2-energy-rated home with its own bright southerly back garden and patio — with “glimpses of Blarney Castle through the trees”.

VERDICT: A first-rate sensitive design in the heart of one of County Cork’s most historic settings.