Downsize without compromise to €750k apartment life at superb Blackrock House

Apartments at the fabulously renovated former Convent are unrivalled in Cork city 

Pictures: H-Pix

Blackrock, Cork city
€750,000
Size	112 sq m (1200 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2
BER	Exempt

NO newly-built apartment block could ever rival the emotional resonance of Blackrock House, a magnificently reworked former convent, where a combination of architecture, craftsmanship, setting, and atmosphere are a potent force.

Blackrock House: The pinnacle of apartment living

Originally built as a private residence on 35 acres for wealthy Cork merchants and known as Pleasant Fields, its spiritual awakening began with the arrival of the Ursuline Sisters in 1825. For the best part of two centuries, it served as a centre of education for girls, and although the sisters sold the property in the early noughties, their presence is still felt in the hollows of the main staircase, worn by generations of nuns and in the palpable sense of calm unique to buildings with a long history of religious use.

That the convent has retained its stunning architectural character and its spiritual aura is down to a range of players, including local company Firestone, who opted to convert it into 27 luxury apartments, based on a masterplan by architects O’Mahony Pike. 

Although the property crash interrupted the work, the vision for the project held and it was eventually delivered by Dublin-based developer Michael Roden of Merrion Property Services, who took on the building at an advanced stage, with restoration/renovation by Oliver Crampton and Sons, winning them Conservation Project of the Year in 2017.

Graceful, double height entrance lobby

They had a solid base to work with, from the many tall windows that help illuminate the building, to 12 ft high ceilings, to a double height, double aspect, spectacular entrance lobby, to the splendid, timeworn staircase, where shafts of coloured light filter through stained glass windows.

The Georgian building’s heritage and its stellar conversion were always going to make it a point of interest for house hunters who favour apartment living. Add in its coveted Blackrock village location and it’s not hard to see why a two-bed sold for €850,000, via Lisney, last year, from a guide price of €795,000 (the same unit sold in 2017 for c€500,000). 

The plaza in Blackrock village where weekend farmers' markets take place

A browse of the price register shows prices climbed by up to 85% since the scheme launch nine years ago.

Own door entrance to No 3

Fresh to market now is Apt No 3, a ground-floor two-bed unit, with a €750,000 guide price. Selling it on behalf of a relocating professional couple is Trish Stokes of Stokes Auctioneers, who has an intimate knowledge of the scheme, due to involvement in the initial sales process when it launched.

Long hallway at No 3

“I’ve loved every minute of dealing with this building. It still has the stillness and the serenity of a convent,” the agent says.

The vendors of No 3 are its only set of owners and have enjoyed it for eight years.

“I wanted to put a deposit on it the moment I saw it, but Trish said ‘it’s OK, you’re not in Dublin’,” the owner says, laughing.

For the couple, the 1,200 sq ft apartment was an opportunity to “downsize, without compromising on location or living space”. A highlight is the dual-aspect, light-filled, voluminous open plan lounge cum dining room with four magnificent sash windows and high ceiling, and ample space to entertain a dozen or so guests on occasions such as Christmas.

Approached via a tree-lined avenue, and nestled between park lands and formal gardens, the own-door access apartment is elegance personified, with bespoke cabinetry, and fitted furniture by Willow Design in Watergrasshill. 

Through an arch by the dining area is the compact kitchen with a tall bank of presses and off it, under another arch, is the pantry-cum-utility.

Back out in the hallway — where two glorious sash windows face the harbour — guests have access to a Jack and Jill bathroom which also serves as an en suite.

 A second double bedroom also has an en suite and sanitary ware is high end.

Blackrock House — next door to where developer/builder Glenveagh is building Blackrock Villas, a large scale apartment scheme — offers a headache-free transition for buyers looking to trade down from a large home with considerable upkeep to a de-luxe, no-maintenance apartment in a superb location.

 While there is no private outdoor space, expertly landscaped communal gardens are there to be enjoyed, with an ornate fountain and oratory as focal points.

 Privacy and security are good — Blackrock House is gated — and No 3 has parking for two cars. Residents can avail of recently installed EV chargers.

Stunning landscape Marina

As a bonus, the spectacularly rejuvenated Marina Park is on your doorstep, while Cork City centre is just 3km away. Access to the Blackrock to Passage Greenway is nearby.

VERDICT: The pinnacle of apartment living in a hard-to-beat location, just minutes from Cork Harbour. Well-heeled downsizers, returning ex-pats, and corporate clients are likely interest parties.