A stone-clad longhouse in Cooley

Wonderful views and a sunken courtyard spice up this three- bedroom house in the gourmet capital of the north east

CARLINGFORD IS the gourmet capital of the north east. Only 90 minutes from Dublin and 80km from Belfast, the village offers scenesters a wonderful place to sample its smorgasbord of fresh produce.

This is An Táinterritory, but these days the Cooley Penninsula is as well known for its fine food as it is for its brown bull. People in the know call it gourmandy.

You can gob local oysters by the dozen, sip pints and sample seafood in PJ’s, or dine in Georgian splendour at Ghan House. The village is bursting with eaterie options. It also swells in size at weekends when its many second homeowners rock into town.

It is the offer of scenery on tap that makes the Stone House, situated on the Castle Hill road, on the edge of historic Carlingford, a very interesting proposition for anyone wanting to escape the city but remain proximate to it.

The house is selling for €525,000 through Sherry Fitzgerald Carroll.

Built in 1996 by owner architect Frank McGahon of McGahon Architects, the main house is like a super-sized Irish long house. Sold in 2002, it was remodelled by another local architect, Pauric McKevitt, who expanded the residence, adding a cedar-clad sunroom and roof terrace that help maximise thesense of place. The views are wonderful.

Clad in natural stone, the three-bedroom house has had its layout reversed to take advantage of panoramic vistas. The three double bedrooms are downstairs. The main bedroom has a dressing area and en suite bathroom. French doors lead onto the terrace which in turn leads down to a sunken, secluded courtyard.

There are solid oak floors throughout and the wood windows are all mahogany.

Upstairs is an open-plan kitchen, living and diningroom with a pitched roof. The maple, Shaker-style kitchen includes a rich burgundy Aga and the colour is accented in a rich red feature wall.

Double doors lead into the sunroom, a scene-stealer which has glazing on three sides. The original end wall has been retained with the exposed stone adding texture. A second set of French doors opens onto the sandstone roof terrace. Its glass balustrades offer shelter and uninterrupted views of Carlingford Lough and the Cooley Mountains, the Mountains of Mourne and the ruins of King John’s Castle. This outdoor room is east-facing. The front of the house faces west.

Stone House, Castle Hill, Carlingford, Co Louth

A remodelled and expanded house with panoramic vistas and a Shaker-style kitchen

Agent:Sherry Fitzgerald Carroll