Old Train House in Ballyhooly sees colourful and modern makeover

Make tracks for a €485k home with a great blend of historic charm and modern convenience

Old Train House, Ballyhooly, Co. Cork

Ballyhooly, Co Cork
€485,000
Size	307sq m (3,305sq ft) 0.77 acres
Bedrooms	6
Bathrooms	3
BER	C

Just because it has ‘old’ in its name doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of modern features too. The Old Train House on Ballyhooly’s Station Rd is 160 years old but it also has 1GB broadband and newly-installed solar panels.

The current owners, a family of six, bought it in 2019. They’ve loved having plenty of room to explore indoors and out — the limestone building sits on a 0.77 acre site.

“We hadn’t intended to come out as far from the town or city as we did but when we saw this house we just fell for it,” says owner Conor from Castletownbere who bought with his wife Olivia from Glanmire.

Their four children have been able to each have their own rooms as well as staking claims to various other zones at this six-bed two-storey property.

The attached garage is now a very trendy tween hangout with a pool table, a plethora of board games and toys, and gymnastics mats in situ.

Buying just before covid times also meant the family had plenty of space to relax and eventually meet relatives and friends outdoors too when those restrictions were in place.

But there’s more ... an old wooden signal box from when this property formed part of the Ballyhooly railway station is still in the garden. The last train passed through the property in 1968.

“Coincidentally after doing some research it turned out that my wife’s great grand uncle and her ‘grand cousin’ actually worked at this exact spot,” says Conor.

The exposed timber beams inside and unusual window positioning also give nice reminders that this is no ordinary home.

They’ve moving from this 307sq m property now for particular schooling reasons.

But while here, they made some pretty interesting discoveries about the gardens too. There are cherry trees, apple trees, Japanese maple, rose buses, an eye of the tiger plant, and a monkey puzzle tree, all thriving. Indeed they found that some plants grew much bigger and faster than is typically predicted: “Neighbours informed us that there was turf stored here for years when the commercial railway was in operation and that peat seeped down into the ground, enriching it so much.”

Other reminders of this property’s original use include the horse troughs across from where there used to be stables on the grounds. And the original platform of cut limestone is still in situ creating a split-level south-facing rear garden with superb countryside views.

Not that they’re too remote either — it’s a 10-minute spin to Fermoy or less than a kilometre to Ballyhooly, and crucially Ballyhooly GAA pitch is only ‘over the ditch’, and Ballyhooly National School is just 710m away.

Birthdays and other gatherings have been an easy option too and there have been up to 16 cars on the driveway on occasion.

Agent Donal Barry of Sherry FitzGerald O’Donovan describes this €485k house an a “unique opportunity” and notes that it’s within commuting distance of Mallow town or Cork city as well.

VERDICT: Full steam ahead for another lease of life at this unusual and enchanting home.