The €765k 'country cottage' less than a kilometre from City Hall

A vibrant, ultra-private garden alive with birdsong, and a stylish outdoor dining terrace means this city cottage has the ultimate 'best of both worlds' lifestyle

Knockrea Cottage, 32 Old Blackrock road, Blackrock, Cork.

Old Blackrock Road, Cork city
€765,000
Size	98 sq m (1,055 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1
BER	D

We’ve all heard people saying they wish they could magically pick up a peaceful country cottage and drop it straight into a more convenient location. That dream really looks as if it became a reality at Knockrea Cottage on the Old Blackrock Road.

Tucked away down a quiet laneway just minutes from Cork city centre, this home on 0.22 acres feels exactly as if someone scooped up a secluded countryside sanctuary and planted it less than a kilometre from City Hall.

The current owner bought this three-bed home in 2006 when it was “close to dereliction”.

“I was very attracted to the fact that it’s in the city but hidden down a laneway. I came in from the country at the time and it really felt like it was in the countryside with the pure peace and quiet. It was very overgrown but it felt cocooned in nature,” the owner said.

The brief for builders was lots of light and plenty insulation: “I had done a lot of travelling so these were my must-haves. I wanted the house to feel streamlined and contemporary. I also wanted a bathroom with a view — it’s a smaller room but that picture window is lovely. I wanted to bring nature into the house. There are two sets of french doors and large triple-aspect windows so it is very bright and airy.”

The walls are mostly white as a blank background to showcase lovely colourful art and memorabilia collected from around the world.

Key to the peaceful glade vibe at Knockrea Cottage is the sunny garden: “It is very private here. Friends have joked that you could sunbathe nude here and nobody would know. I planted lots at the perimeter... beech trees, holly, wild roses, hebe, hydrangea, plumbago... so all you can hear is birdsong and bees. And it’s funny but I set wild flowers several times over the years and they never showed up... until a few weeks ago and there are loads of daisies and wild flowers everywhere now.”

The terrace features ornately patterned tiles that resemble an outdoor rug — cleverly zoning the patio and setting a stylish stage for open-air dining and entertaining.

“We’ve had many many dinner parties here. And I’ve also cooked outdoors for friends, it’s been a perfect space for this.”

Appropriately for a home that perfectly balances rural charm and urban convenience, the owner’s favourite spot is a literal halfway space: the steps at the back door. It is here, bridging the contemporary interior and the secret garden, that the true magic of the property comes into play: “In the summer, I get up at 6 or 6:30am and just sit on a cushion there, and all I can hear is the birds.”

The secluded gardens came in for praise too from Eileen Neville of Lisney SIR who said she had numerous enquiries from potential buyers within the first 1.5 hours of the house being listed for sale.

The owner is moving closer to the coast now and hopes the new owners enjoy the peace and the chance to make the cottage their own: “I’ve lived in lots of places but I do think this is my favourite — it was a labour of love for sure. It’s ready for someone to move right in and then they could tip away at personalising it for themselves.”

VERDICT: An absolute hidden gem for anyone seeking peace and privacy without sacrificing city convenience. Expect fierce competition for this rare slice of urban paradise.