A timeless €1.1m Mallow home where you can swap the car for the carriage — or the train

A historic Georgian home on three acres with stables and coach house, just minutes from Mallow town and rail links

Duarigle Navigation Road Mallow

Navigation Road, Mallow, Cork
€1.1m
Size	395 sq m (4,250 sq ft) on three acres
Bedrooms	6
Bathrooms	4
BER	E1

You could tack up the pony and cart and go live more in the slow lane or, if your steed is fleet of foot and hoof, go the extra kilometre to Cork Racecourse just 2 kms away to the west, along the Killarney road and the River Blackwater.

Given all the options and accessibility, little wonder that one of the key selling points of Duarigle House is the setting on the town end of Mallow’s Navigation Road: rarely was an address so apt for those who already have their bearings.

New to the late spring market, for the first time since 1960, Duarigle House has been two generations in the same family hands, now being sold by the second generation, and it’s likely next owners of this venerable home will also put in long years here….as previous occupants did.

Properly Georgian in roots and demeanor, the two-storey over-basement Duarigle House predates 1835 at least, when it first was sold by its original owner, a Mr J Carmichael, to the local De La Coer family from Mallow’s Bearforest.

Originally Called Sunny Hill, a later generation married a Sarsfield from the city’s Doughcloyne (think Sarsfield Road today?), and it was leased for later decades, from the late 1860s until 1917, when it was sold to the Select Vestry of Mallow Parish, for use as a rectory, serving from 1918 to 1966 when it sold to the O’Flynn family who renamed it Duarigle after a castle/tower house (Duarrigle) near Millstreet.

Under either name it’s a fine 4,250 sq ft family home on three acres with beautiful stone-built lofted stable block/coach-house, likely to be a few centuries old itself, also with conversion potential to second/guest dwelling of character if next owners aren’t horsey folk. (Even though the current owners weren’t into horses either, they reroofed the block around 2003 to, eh, stop the horse from bolting.)

Selling now on their behalf is Lawrence Sweeney of Savills, who launches the period home, stable block, three acres and walled garden - in such a prime, edge-of-town setting - at €1.1 million and comments “it’s very good value at that.”

While it will have an appeal to local families looking to trade up to a house many might know about, but also know it hasn’t been available since the 1960s, he also fully expects inquiries from Cork city, Dublin and further afield, with, he reckons, the proximity to the train service of huge appeal: “It’s perfect for someone who has to go to the city one or two days a week for work.”

His Savills colleague, Michael O’Donovan has been marketing another similar area and similar era property, Waterloo House, a few miles further out the Killarney Road, on c 50 acres. Waterloo dates to 1815 and its last owners bred racehorses and had a 2,500 sq ft covered arena.

Waterloo went for sale in late 2024 guiding €2m and activity is now strengthening on it, confirm the agents.

But, there are horses for courses and clearly Waterloo is on a bigger equestrian scale with amenities and 50 acres, vs Duarigle’s three acres: plus, there’s nearly €1m in the price difference to reflect that scale.

Here, the late 18th/early 19th century three-bay, off-centre Georgian home was extended in the 1960s, with a flat roof add-on to the side/rear, whilst the main core interior has much original detailing, features and proportions, with Mr Sweeney noting “it has been meticulously maintained and thoughtfully modernised, while preserving a wealth of original features such as ornate cornicing, marble fireplaces and sash windows”.

The three main reception rooms are to the south, with the later section behind on the other side of the long hall, holding a kitchen/dining room, and a family room.

Ionic columns flank the entrance porch with an elliptical fanlight over: double doors open into an elegant reception hall with two internal stuccoed arches, ornate ceilings and sweeping staircase, with arch window on the return.

Exceptionally crisp plasterwork features in the main reception, with simpler cornice work in the others, and there are several fine fireplaces, one with inset stove. (The BER’s an E1).

A double aspect, warm kitchen/dining room is appropriately country-style, done by Abbey Kitchens, with an AGA, and with yard access by a back hall and glazing in small-paned frames, Georgian style.

The original elegant, curving stairs with hardwood rail leads to a first floor where there are six bedrooms, one with an en suite with a jacuzzi and separate shower, plus two small other bathrooms.

Outside, six stables match the house’s six bedrooms and the grounds are mature, with the appeal of the lofted coach-house paramount, with possible future scope for a further dwelling/site on the several acres, suggests Savills’ Mr Sweeney.

VERDICT: So lovely in lots of ways, but to have it so close to a town, and public transport, adds that other, extra dimension. You want lots of land and equestrian facilities, try the agents ‘ €2m Waterloo House: you want town convenience and ‘space for a pony’, check out €1.1m Duarigle House…horses for courses, and both are pedigree homes.