Room to grow in Dundrum

“There are 10 of us, if you count the dogs,” says the owner of Kilmore, a large redbrick detached house in Dundrum’s Parkvale. That includes five children and three dogs plus plenty of visitors and family coming and going. “It’s a busy house, but that’s okay, because there’s so much space for everyone.”

At 360sq m (3,875sq ft) with generous room sizes, the space is well laid out. The Parkvale development was built in the 1980s, so has the redbrick style typical of that period.

Taking its name from the adjacent Ballawley Park, it is a quiet enclave of about 50 houses. Number 45, which is for sale through Finnegan Menton for €1.375 million, was the builder's own house, so it has a few extras. These include useful outbuildings, brickwork on all sides and a suntrap roof terrace shared between the master and two other bedrooms.

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“The sense of community here is fantastic. There’s an annual street party, barbecues and a strong residents’ association,” say the owners. They are both doctors and are selling because even large families with three dogs must grow up eventually and as children go to college, needs change. In this case, the sale has come up pretty quickly, as they bought the house in 2013 for €1.2 million.

Upgrading

They also did quite a lot of work to the house, including knocking through two bedrooms to create a master suite with dressingroom, installing two new en suites, adding bookshelves and upgrading the heating system. Some of the decor still speaks of the 1980s, but that is a cosmetic choice. What you get is four large reception rooms plus a kitchen/breakfast room complete with all fixtures and fittings you would expect.

There are also five bedrooms and five bathrooms, lots of space outside, including an enclosed back garden. It is also just 10 minutes walk from Dundrum Town Centre.