Charming Cork coach house with walled gardens for €1.45m

Described in the brochure as being located in “possibly the most picturesque setting in Europe”, the Coach House in Glandore occupies five acres of seafront land on the shore of Glandore Harbour.

The village has come through the Celtic Tiger years far better than most in west Cork and few properties of this type come up for sale in the area. However, in one of the largest residential sales of last year, neighbouring property Seamark made close to €4 million. The village has long-been desired by those wanting a private retreat, albeit within 20 minutes drive of the towns of Clonakilty and Skibbereen . Those who have made Glandore their second home in the past include TV presenter Carol Vorderman, former British prime minister Jim Callaghan and his family, and Sir Anthony O’Reilly.

The Coach House – which was once part of the estate belonging to Seamark – contains a modest main residence, along with guest cottage, gardener’s cottage, boathouse and apple house. Access to the water is via a private entrance across the main road in front of the property, where a private slipway is located as well as a swimming and bathing area.

Some of the outdoor accommodation could benefit from refurbishment and modernisation, but the three-bedroom main residence is an impressive cut stone split-level property, which has a distinctly Mediterranean feel to it. It can be accessed from the outside via both levels, which makes it easy to divide the house in two should you so desire. And there's a nice green house and a fine conservatory added also. White walls, spalted beech flooring, attractive wicker furniture and a south facing vista allow the whole of the main residence to be flooded with light, and while it is not the biggest property in terms of living area or bedroom size, it is very practical and contemporary.

Walled gardens
The views from here take in Union Hall, and on the day I visited some of the fishing fleet could be seen making their way out of the harbour. Several buildings make up the courtyard of the property alongside the main house, and these contain at least three more bedrooms. This area could easily be put to commercial use or rented separately. There is an endless swimming pool outside in front of the main property and again this benefits from south facing views.

Perhaps the strongest and most eye-catching aspect of the property is the five acres of land surrounding the house, which includes two acres of lovingly restored and functioning walled gardens. There are fruit beds, vegetables, fruit and tree gardens, restored glasshouses, and all located in their own micro climate facilitated by the Gulf Stream. This is a garden-lover’s paradise.

The owner is an elderly woman who is moving closer to family in west Cork and the property would suit an owner with the energy and gardening passion to maintain it. Behind the house there is more land, some let for grazing, and parts of it contain mature woodlands.

Agent Raymond O’Neill believes there will be strong interest from overseas, particularly the UK market.

“There’s a big demand for property of this type within an hour or so of Cork Airport,” he says. “We have a lot of people down here commuting between west Cork and London so we expect strong demand from there.”