Country house style in Ballsbridge for €3m

Number 2 St Mary's Road in Dublin 4 has a modest guide - because there is no back garden. Property Editor Orna Mulcahy reports.

Not everyone wants a big garden to look after and in the case of 2 St Mary's Road, Dublin 4, new owners won't have to worry about mowing the lawn because there is none.

The large detached house, on one of the best roads in Ballsbridge, has virtually no back garden, though there is plenty of space in front for parking, and a lovely sheltered courtyard to the side.

The lack of green space makes it almost affordable for Dublin 4 - selling agent Peter Kenny of Colliers Jackson-Stops is guiding €3 million prior to auction on May 12th, about €2 million less than he got two years ago for a similar house on the road with a garden and mews.

Number 2 backs onto the grounds of St Mary's convent and school with Haddington Road church as a backdrop.

The house is being sold by the Williams family of Tullamore Dew fame, following the death of Michael Williams earlier this year.

At 390sq m (4,200sq ft) it's an ideal house for someone who likes entertaining and perhaps has wide open spaces elsewhere, either in the country or overseas.

Though it's close to busy Baggot Street, number 2 feels like a country house inside with its large well lit drawingroom running from front to back of the house, complete with concealed door leading to a handy, and appropriately chilly, butler's pantry. To the rear of the grand entrance hall is a hallway leading to a cosy kitchen with Aga, and a guest cloakroom that still has the owners' riding boots and garden shoes standing to attention, as well as framed family photographs.

Across from the drawingroom is a formal diningroom and it too has a concealed door that swings open into a large sunny garden room overlooking the courtyard with its brimming fountain. This room, which runs the full depth of the house and also connects to the kitchen is part of an Italianate style extension.

The ground floor rooms and the hallway have their original wide plank pine floorboards, as well as working shutters, fine ceiling cornices and marble fireplaces.

The staircase rises to a landing that has been fitted as a library. Upstairs, all four bedrooms are large high-ceilinged rooms with the main room having a big dressingroom as well as a lavish en suite bathroom.

Two further bedrooms each have steps leading down to full en suite bathrooms that are part of the extension to the side.

The house has been very well maintained but new owners will almost certainly renovate and redecorate to their own taste. More, too, could be made of the long front garden, which gets the afternoon sun.

For a virtual tour of this property click on nicemove.ie