Condiments of the chef were produced at €700k Brecon Lodge in lovely East Ferry 

Mustard and sauces were made in a former stables on the grounds of the lodge, which overlooks the harbour

Brecon Lodge, in lovely East Ferry

East Ferry, Co Cork
€700,000
Size	205sq m (2,206sq ft)
Bedrooms	6/7
Bathrooms	4
BER	E

A SPIN to East Ferry during our recent 120-hour heatwave underscored how special a spot it is.

The visuals are similar to what you get around some of Italy’s northern lakes: shoreline-hugging winding roads that run beneath wooded slopes and the occasional scattered settlement. Even the vegetation feels taller, fuller and more ornamental in this harbour-side pocket than in other parts of Cork, helped by sea-moderated temperatures and East Ferry’s location on south-facing slopes.

Despite its favourable microclimate, the East Ferry weather wasn’t quite right for growing the mustard seeds needed for the condiment and pickle business run by an enterprising Canadian pair out of an old converted stable in the grounds of Brecon Lodge during the late 1980s and ’90s.

The duo — Robert Nunn, a former chef, and Michael Towner Herbert, then a senior lecturer in the Equestrian Science Division of Limerick University — set up Brecon Manufacturing Ltd in 1987, after relocating from Canada to East Ferry, according to Cork Examiner archives. Determined to grow their own mustard seed — deemed impossible in an Irish climate by farm advisory body Teagasc — they road-tested a number of sites and selected a farm in north Co Dublin. 

Brecon Lodge, East Ferry, Cork Examiner report, 1991

The newspaper report states that in 1991, they harvested 12 acres of mustard seed “something never before achieved in this country”. At the time, the company was employing seven people at peak production periods in East Ferry, and was exporting wholegrain mustard, dill sauce, chutneys, and marinated vegetables to US and UK markets, with hopes of an imminent Singaporean breakthrough.

Despite the hopeful outlook for the company in 1991, it was dissolved less than a decade later. All that remains now is the old converted stable — it’s a garage these days — and a couple of jars with the label ‘Brecon Lodge’, retained by the current owner, along with some company signage, as a reminder of the lodge’s legacy and its association with strong flavours.

All that remains of Brecon Lodge condiments

I kept the jars, because they are part of the house’s history

The owner inherited the property about 20 years ago. Originally from nearby Ballinacurra, outside Midleton, he acknowledges how much he’s enjoyed living in East Ferry, particularly in a home with as much character and history as this one. He reckons it dates back a few hundred years and suspects it may have Welsh connections as the name ‘Brecon Lodge’ recalls the Brecon Beacons, a mountain range in south Wales.

While the original house retains the thick stone walls and deep sills typical of much older builds, ‘newer’ parts were added over the years, including a country-style kitchen with 1950s oil-fired Aga at one end, and a two storey extension at the opposite end, added around 2003, designed for an owner with reduced mobility, who needed a ground-floor en suite bedroom and living space.

The extension did not spoil the external aesthetic

 Rather than opting for a single-storey addition, which would have spoiled the look of the house, two more bedrooms were added overhead, to preserve the building’s aesthetic.

Like its setting, the original house has a continental air, more ancient Mediterranean villa than Irish coastal lodge. Its cool interiors and vintage décor reinforce this impression. 

All of the main living spaces face the water —kitchen, dining room, living room, and all but one of the overhead bedrooms.

The current owner never had cause to use the two ‘newer’ upstairs bedrooms, while the ground-floor extension morphed into more of a utility space. Although it lacks the character of the original house it offers real flexibility to a buyer looking for a home with a self-contained unit, perhaps for an elderly relative or adult child or au pair. As it’s part of the main house, it’s a potential revenue generator too, with scope to earn €14,000 tax-free per year under the Rent-a-Room scheme.

The large detached garage/former stable/former business premises has potential for conversion also, or could simply be reinstated as a garage with off-street parking.

With six bedrooms, there’s ample scope at Brecon Lodge to create home offices without compromising family accommodation. The principal bedroom, however, deserves to remain as is. 

A dual-aspect room with views south and west, it opens through French doors to a west-facing balcony, high above a patio.

“It gets the evening sun,” says the owner, as does the patio below, which is ringed with tall and fulsome planting.

“It’s been a lovely place to entertain, we’ve had some great barbecues,” he says, adding that guests staying over was never a problem thanks to the high bedroom count.

He had the balcony installed and the patio repointed and sleepers added to create raised planters. The garden, he says, has evolved under successive owners, and is a mature and lush haven, with some work to do around the garage area.

Neighbouring homes along this scenic road have incredible displays of shrubbery, some of Jurassic scale. The gardens of East Ferry House are one example. A longtime convalescent home, its owner was granted permission to turn it into nine short-stay holiday apartments in 2022, although there is little sign that work has begun. Nearby, an application to convert the first floor restaurant area of Murph’s Bar into two short term holiday lets has also been approved. The pub, closed for several years, was once a popular destination among the sailing fraternity, drawn by its waterfront setting and harbour views, looking across to Rostellan and Aghada and west towards Cobh.

East Ferry’s attractions are many, albeit you will need to head to Midleton for the weekly shop/schools/public transport. It’s not a long trip, just 10 minutes or so by car. There are several beaches within easy reach: White Bay, Inch, Ballymona Strand, and Garryvoe. Walkers will enjoy the East Ferry loop walk, a scenic circular route around the harbour.

John Hornibrook of Colbert & Co is overseeing the sale of Brecon Lodge and he says a key appeal is its “massive water frontage and tremendous views”.

“And then there’s the fact that it feels like deep countryside, but actually, it’s less than 10km from Midleton.”

At €700,000 the agent says the 205sq m property is good value: “For a waterside property €700k is a very good price.”

He expects local interest and some from overseas too, in light of the stunning location.

VERDICT: A home of great character with super views in a cracking setting. Cuts the mustard at every level.