Latest news with #SherryFitzGerald
Irish Independent
14 hours ago
- Irish Independent
‘As a student, I lived in a tower' – €3.4m home in Killiney includes a spectacular folly in the garden
Asking price: €3.4m Agent: Sherry FitzGerald (01) 2751000 Academia may be associated with ivory towers, but when Kim McClenaghan attended UCD in the 1990s he happened to live in his own cut granite version with spectacular views overlooking Killiney Bay. What's more, it was right beside his parents' house, and its all-important washing machine and fridge. You could do a lot worse, as student accommodation goes. McClenaghan was about seven in 1980 when his family returned form a stint living in Africa and bought Druid Lodge, a six-bed villa on over an acre on Killiney Hill Road on the south-east coast of Dublin. The house came with, among other things, a huge castellated folly tower in the garden – which must have been built at great expense by its 19th-century owners. According to the records, this likely was one William O'Hara. The home takes its name from a stone 'Druid's Chair', a megalithic cromlech which was documented near the site during O'Hara's time in residence. And while the garden tower would make a magical addition to any kid's playground, it made for an even better student pad. 'I think I probably had the best views in Killiney when I was in college,' says McClenaghan. 'The sitting room is nearly at the top, and it has the bedroom halfway up and a kind of study area. I could play my music there and there was a little path leading straight down to the main gate, so I could get in and out quietly.' Druid Lodge dates back to the early 1800s on the site of an 18th-century residence and is set off the road on its 1.2 acres, behind granite-pillared gates. The version we see today was built in the 1830s and extended substantially in the 1860s, with two front 'wings' added to take advantage of the views. While known as a 'spite tower', the 1850 vintage garden landmark was not built, as popular legend suggests, to mess up a neighbour's sea view. Historian Peter Pearson wrote that the Victorian owners of Druid Lodge simply wanted a better sea view for themselves. McClenaghan reckons his parents bought the property when people were not that interested in period houses. 'Whereas my father always had an appreciation of the historical context of things.' This 'appreciation' is evident in the interior, where, for example, the ornate interior door frames have been carefully stripped back. Other than the addition of a conservatory in the 1990s, the McClenaghans made no alteration to the property in over four-and-a-half decades there. The Virginia creeper-clad double-fronted facade has a central porch bay with the front door tucked discreetly to one side, but when you go inside there's nothing discreet about the grand entrance hall, which has a spectacular staircase and 4.2-metre ceilings. Either side of this are the two main reception rooms, one a formal dining room and the other, a drawing room. Both of these have the same 4.2m ceilings, intricate plasterwork and marble fireplaces. There is a 'butler's pantry' off the dining room, and the drawing room is connected to the conservatory. To the rear of the downstairs hallway, there is a living room and a country-style kitchen, a sunroom and two store rooms. The two main bedrooms are accessed via the grand staircase to the front of the house. Both of these have open fireplaces and views out over the bay, as well as en suite bathrooms accessed via a short flight of steps. To the rear, there's a stairs to the second floor where four further bedrooms are located, along with two bathrooms, and at the garden, or basement level, there is a separate, two-bedroom apartment, with a bathroom, a living room, a kitchen and a study. McClenaghan remembers Druid Lodge as a place of adventures for himself and five siblings. His father built a large treehouse, which provided for summer sleep-outs, while the location allowed the kids easy and safe access to the sea. 'There's a private road nearby that takes you to the beach in five minutes and then if you walk up Vico a little bit, there's a back entrance into the park.' When the family first lived here, the garden was very overgrown, he remembers: 'My dad let someone graze horses on it to cut the grass down and discovered a lawn tennis court under all the vegetation.' Despite the views provided by Druid Lodge's elevated position, McClenaghan says the house is actually quite sheltered. 'It is protected from the westerly winds the way it sits, it's east side to the sea. To our disgust as kids – we never got snow. The moderating influence of the sea seems to give it a milder microclimate.' One past resident who would have appreciated that microclimate was republican, newspaper founder and Young Irelander revolutionary John Blake Dillon. Dillon settled here at Druid Lodge after he returned from exile in America, to which he had fled following the ill-fated rebellion of 1848. His marriage to Adelaide Hart, whose family owned Druid Lodge, proved more successful than his revolutionary ambitions. Later he became an MP for Parnell's Home Rule party. 'I associate all the happiest memories of my life with Druid Lodge', Dillon later wrote in his memoirs. The property was more recently home in the 1920s to Walter Phillips, an accountant credited with 'mechanising' the finances of the Guinness Brewery. And now it's for sale along with its grand tower. Sherry FitzGerald seek €3.4m.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Total of 65 new homes in Adamstown launching from €445,000
Address : Redford, The Blossoms & Aderrig, Adamstown, Co Dublin Price : €445,000 Agent : Savills and Sherry FitzGerald There's an active suburb feeling in Airlie Park in Adamstown on a sunny June morning where some of its youngest residents make use of its extensive wooden playground and their parents drop into the Tram Cafe for a caffeine jolt so they can keep up with them. The park is impressive, and seen through the eyes of a child, it must be even more so, with its green spaces, pockets of wild daisies, tennis courts, football pitches and basketball court. And for older children and teenagers, the school run isn't too hectic in Adamstown, as it has two local primary schools and a secondary school. A short walk from this hub, housebuilder Evara, formerly Quintain, is releasing a total of 65 new homes at three developments: Redford and The Blossoms – both of which are selling through Savills – and Aderrig, which is selling through Sherry FitzGerald . By launching three separate offerings on the weekend of June 21st, the developer is aiming to provide a wide range of choice for potential buyers, says Helena Kelleher of Evara. All homes come with fitted kitchens (by BeSpace or Kube depending on the unit), bathroom fit-outs – including sanitary ware, bathroom tiling and mirrors – and built-in wardrobes in double bedrooms as standard. Kitchen appliances are also included subject to signing the purchase contract within 28 days. All homes have A enery ratings. Redford A total of 24 homes are being brought to the market at Redford as part of its third phase. This will include 14 three-beds, seven four-beds and three two-beds. READ MORE These homes are spacious and benefit from being a short walk from The Crossings retail hub, where there is a Tesco and an Aldi, as well as Adamstown train station, from where a journey to Dublin's Heuston station takes about 20 minutes. The Bingham three-beds come as mid- and end-terrace units and measure from 104sq m (1,119sq ft) and are priced from €540,000. The four-bed mid- and end-terrace Express units measure 150sq m (1,615sq ft) and are priced from €635,000. The two-bed, end-terrace Adler units extend to 88sq m (947sq ft) and offer a great option for a single person, a couple or a small family, or for someone who may want to move from an apartment to a house with their own door and back garden. The double bedrooms upstairs are a good size and each has its own en suite – this would make the second bedroom suitable for renting out to supplement mortgage payments. The Adler has a starting price of €510,000. Redford: living area Redford: open-plan kitchen/dining/livingroom Redford: double bedroom The Blossoms The Blossoms then, is sequestered in a quiet corner of Adamstown, right beside Tandy's Park and yet another playground. A total of 17 houses will be available as part of its final launch. That includes 15 of the Heather three-bed, semidetached or mid- and end-terrace houses, measuring from 110sq m (1,184sq ft) and priced from €550,000; and two of the four-bed terraced Honeysuckle units measuring from 147sq m (1,582sq ft) and priced from €625,000. The showhouses for both Redford and the Blossoms were designed by Angelina Ball of Design Stories, and both schemes are being sold through Savills. Houses at The Blossoms The Blossoms: sittingroom The Blossoms: kitchen/diningroom The Blossoms: kitchen and utility room The Blossoms: double bedroom The Blossoms: double bedroom Aderrig Also in Adamstown is Aderrig, where 24 new homes are being sold through Sherry FitzGerald, with some priced below the €500,000 Help to Buy threshold. The homes that qualify for the Help to Buy Scheme include two-bed, ground-floor apartments (77sq m/829sq ft) priced from €445,000, of which there will be eight available; and three-bed duplexes (104sq m/1,119sq ft) priced from €495,000, of which 11 will be available for purchase. The two-bed apartments are well laid out and have the kitchen jutting out to the side off the dining/living area, which creates a nice separation of the space. There is a paved outdoor area to the front of the own-door apartments and a secure bike storage to the rear. Above them, pairs of duplexes share a large terrace, which each house opens on to through French doors. There are just four three-bed houses (109sq m/1,175sq ft) available at the scheme, priced from €540,000, and one detached four-bed house (137sq m/1,477sq ft) with an asking price of €690,000. Duplexes and apartments at Aderrig Aderrig: Apartment kitchen Aderrig: duplex living area Aderrig: duplex kitchen Aderrig: double bedroom Aderrig: bathroom Aderrig: there is one detached four-bed available
Irish Times
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Look inside: Equestrian haven on 15 acres in north Kildare for €1.95m
Address : Mount Windsor House, Mountarmstrong, Donadea, Co Kildare Price : €1,950,000 Agent : Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes View this property on Mountarmstrong, the hill on which the Georgian, mid-18th-century Mount Windsor House stands, has quite the storied past. Long before it was acquired by Charles Armstrong, the sheriff of Kildare , in 1720 as a site to build a family home, it was one of the waypoints on an ancient road, the slí dála that led from Naas , home of Kings, to Tara. Many of the old Georgian features can still be seen in this elegant home outside Clane in north Co Kildare. The exterior of the house has been kept as it was centuries ago, but within, this property has seen a stunning transformation as its developer-owner spared no expense gutting the 285sq m (3067sq ft) four-bed house and completely refitting it to create the calm, stylish country retreat it is today. Not just a beautiful home, Mount Windsor also possesses a small-scale equestrian set-up: the yard behind the house has seven stables, a barn, a tack-room and an apartment, and there are acres of paddocks beyond the expansive gardens. Spread over 15 acres, it would be an enviable location for a small training set-up. Entrance hall Inner Hall Sittingroom Back kitchen Kitchen with Aga and island Kitchen with bespoke cabinetry Utility The renovations on the house, undertaken in 2020, included re-roofing, rewiring and replumbing and the fitting of a new kitchen, as well as remodelling of some interior spaces. READ MORE A gravelled drive leads to the house, and there are curved granite steps to the front door. An old quoin surround on an interior hall door was found during renovations and the front hall was expanded. On the left is a diningroom with a handsome marble fireplace and long views over the gardens. The sittingroom, with a green marble fireplace, is on the other side of the hall, and is papered in a luxurious linen wallpaper. Both of these rooms are south facing and filled with warm sunlight. The floors are engineered solid oak, with underfloor heating. The property has an air-to-water heating system and the Ber is B2. Back in the hall on the left-hand side is a small study, papered in a vivid hunting print, and stairs leading to the first floor, which has the first of two bedroom wings. The bedrooms are beautiful, with the same gorgeous views as the reception rooms below. A stylish bathroom lies between them with a free-standing, claw-foot bath, more lovely wallpaper and French doors that open on to a small, railed balcony with more lovely views. On the other side of the house is a large kitchen, which is connected to the hall via a butler's pantry or galley kitchen. The attention to detail that went into the handcrafted kitchen is phenomenal. The owner wanted a country look that suited the house, and achieved it with tall, free-standing units, shiplap panelling and a large island with a Belfast sink beside an Aga stove. An old oak beam in the ceiling neatly bisects the kitchen and dining areas, and beyond the kitchen is a guest WC, utility and bootroom, with a door leading outside to a series of curved outdoor sheds. Study Main bedroom Bathroom with French doors to balcony Bedroom in second wing Bathroom in second wing Gardens Gardens Yard with stables and apartment A barn-style oak door in the kitchen slides back to reveal a stairway leading to the second bedroom wing; this could be perfect for guests or young adults or teenagers. There are two bedrooms with more of the beautiful cabinetry seen everywhere in this house, and a bathroom between the bedrooms. There's also a small comms room. The gardens are stunning, with a series of granite steps descending from the terraces surrounding the front of the house into lush lawns, studded with an impressive amount of mature trees: oak, beech and willow. At the end of the sweeping lawn is a mini-forest, from which a steady stream of birdsong issues. A tennis court and a small secret garden are accessed through a beech hedge. Mount Windsor is right beside 600 acres of woodland at Donadea Forest, and Clongowes Wood College is five minutes away by car. Clane is less than 10-minutes away and Maynooth and Naas are within a 20-minute drive, so although it feels deep in the country, connectivity is excellent. Mount Windsor is brought to market by Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes, seeking €1.95m.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Smart two-bed townhouse on Ranelagh's Mountpleasant Place for €695,000
Address : 6 Mountpleasant Place, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Price : €695,000 Agent : Sherry FitzGerald View this property on Veering off Ranelagh Road , parallel to the entrance to Mountpleasant Square , is Mountpleasant Place. On the right-hand side – before the stretch becomes Oxford Road – lies 6 Mountpleasant Place: a fully refurbished two-bedroom house. It appears on the Property Price Register as having sold in January this year for the sum of €525,000, when the 67sq m (720sq ft) redbrick house had an F Ber and needed upgrading. Now fully renovated with a B3 Ber, all new owners will have to do is unpack. A sittingroom just inside the front door, warmed by an open fireplace, has new panelling and Crittall-style doors that now flood the room with light. New wide-plank wooden flooring – which runs throughout downstairs – leads down the hallway to a now streamlined kitchen/dining space. Behind a stable door, a cleverly concealed bathroom with a shower lies at the end of this space adjacent to black framed sliding doors that open out to a small city courtyard. Hall Sittingroom New streamlined kitchen Kitchen/dining area Off the landing upstairs are two double bedrooms now in turnkey condition. New additions here include an exposed brick wall in the second bedroom adding interest and a bit of heritage and a new clever en suite in the main bedroom. Here the bathroom is located behind a set of mirrored sliding doors so it can be closed off. The fact that the door slides open means that it takes up less space than a hinged opening, in keeping with the smart, space-saving bathroom downstairs. READ MORE The property also has new double-glazed sash windows in a nod to its heritage, while also contributing to its B3 Ber. The location will be ideal for some. A short stroll to the villages of Ranelagh and Rathmines , it is convenient to the city centre, as Grafton Street is under 2km away. It's a two-minute walk to the Luas in Ranelagh, and the area is served by numerous schools. It is also just a few steps from The Hill public house, which is now one of the most popular places for locals to have a midweek pint after work. For those with a penchant for tennis, Mount Pleasant Tennis Club is practically on the doorstep with 11 all-weather courts, professional coaching and year-round competitions. There's also a squash club. Door to small courtyard adjacent to the downstairs loo Small outside space En suite in the principal bedroom is cleverly hidden behind sliding doors Bedroom 2 The sale is a flip, as all works have been completed over the past few months, so the headaches of renovation will not be on the new owners' shoulders. Number 6 Mountpleasant Place, a now restored classic Ranelagh terraced townhouse, just around the corner from Dublin's only curved Georgian square, is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald seeking €695,000.
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
What will €290,000 buy in Killaloe and Co Tipperary?
Town Apartment 42, Harbour View, Killaloe, Co Clare €289,500, Harry Brann Boasting views across to Kincora Harbour and Lough Derg from its terrace, this smartly appointed two-bedroom, two-bathroom ground-floor apartment is within easy walking distance of all amenities in this popular lakeside town. Originally a three-bedroom unit, it has been reconfigured to create a sizeable broken-plan living space with seating area zoned around a fire, a roomy dining table with a fashionably dark kitchen in an espresso colour. It is in walk-in condition. Both bedrooms are sizeable doubles with plenty of built-in storage. It extends to 70sq m (753sq ft), has a large and private terrace and a C2 Ber rating. Plus Within viewing distance of all the harbour action Minus Potentially too central for those seeking solitude Thomastown Demesne, Golden, Co Tipperary Country Thomastown Demesne, Golden, Co Tipperary €295,000, Sherry FitzGerald O'Dwyer & Davern About 32½ kilometres outside the village of Golden, this detached three-bedroom bungalow is set on a large plot that extends to about 1.26 acres. It is unusual in that the gardens and the adjoining field, which can also be accessed via a separate five-bar gate, have been amalgamated into one large green space – big enough to accommodate a football pitch. The detached house has been upgraded. The works include an external wrapping of the property, which brings it up to a C1 Ber. Internally it extends to 99sq m (1,068sq ft) and has an on-trend sage-green coloured kitchen. READ MORE Plus Ample room to extend subject to planning permission Minus Current layout means you have to go through the kitchen to get to one of the bedrooms
