Country cottage rises from rubble to drive a hard bargain

The expression "safe as houses" must have provided little comfort for the owners of a country cottage that was nearly demolished by an articulated lorry two years ago. But Fomara, at Gormanstown, Co Meath, is back on the market showing none of the scars of its previous incarnation.

With an asking price of £160,000, and located as it is within commuting distance of Dublin, the three-bedroom cottage could appeal to first-time buyers in search of an unusual home. The 200-year-old estate cottage, which is subject to a preservation order, came to the attention of The Irish Times in 1997 when an articulated lorry travelling towards Dublin crashed into it, reducing one half of the house to rubble.

But one new owner, a £50,000 renovation, and two years later, the property is ready for its third resident in as many years. Brady Estates, Drogheda, is handling the sale.

The cottage is located 500 yards from the Dublin/Meath border, and less than a mile from the recently completed Balbriggan bypass. As well as reducing the travel time to Dublin city centre to 30 minutes, the completion of the motorway leaves Fomara sitting on the edge of the quietest stretch of the notoriously busy N1. The risk of uninvited vehicular guests has been all but eliminated.

Gormanstown beach is a five-minute walk away, as is the main Belfast to Dublin railway line which will bring you to Dublin's city centre in less than 25 minutes.

The granite cottage is in an idyllic location, in the grounds of Gormanstown College secondary school, surrounded by rich Co Meath agricultural land. The satellite towns of Balbriggan and Drogheda are five and 15 minutes driving distance away, respectively, providing every necessary amenity.

Inside, the cottage retains all the charm of its vintage but offers the attractions of a modern home. The living room has a terracotta tiled floor and rustic ceiling beams, and a redbrick fireplace. The three bedrooms are all small doubles and have timber floors. The main bedroom has an en suite bathroom and the remaining rooms share a family bathroom.

The piece de resistance is the L-shaped centrally-heated conservatory/dining area which, at around 450 sq. ft, is the size of many city centre one-bedroom apartments. It's a perfect space for entertaining a large number of guests without disturbing the neighbours.