Historic hostel with valley views has great potential as family home

Stone House, Glencree, Co Wicklow, which has provided thousands of bed nights for Irish and international holiday-makers over the past 50 years, is to be sold by An Oige, the Irish Youth Hostel Association.

Situated in the scenic village of Glencree at a gateway to the Dublin and Wicklow mountains, the youth hostel, which dates from 1805, has a total of 14 rooms and 3,000 sq ft of accommodation. The elevated site has a quarter of an acre of gardens offering stunning views across the valley.

The house is likely to be bought as a holiday home, according to auctioneer H J Byrne, who will auction it on May 2nd. The guide price is £300,000-plus (€380,920plus).

In its heyday the hostel, which offered accommodation for 40 people, would be full all summer long, as well as on many weekends during the year. Exotic and less exotic aromas regularly arose from a dozen hot plates in the self-catering kitchen.

Later, someone would produce a guitar, and there would be sing-song and chat. The festivities officially ended downstairs, as the sexes were strictly segregated in the bedrooms and shower blocks.

The sale is a sign of more affluent times, even in hostelling circles, explains An Oige's honorary national secretary, Jacinta Moore. "The type of person we're getting has changed over the years. We used to have lots of young people, scout groups, youth groups and families.

"Today, people are demanding better standards. They don't want dormitory-style accommodation any more. They look for family rooms or singles or doubles with en suite facilities, as our new and refurbished hostels are offering.

"We have 34 properties around the country, and it is time to downsize. Glencree is the start. We will be closing some other hostels and concentrating on upgrading others." Moore is sorry to see Glencree close: "I've stayed here myself and had very enjoyable times. However, I think it would make an excellent family home."

Across the road from the house is the internationally renowned Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, and a 200-year-old army barracks. The barracks was founded to facilitate the building of the Military Road across south Dublin and Wicklow, and so help in the capture of the remaining rebels of 1798. It is being restored by the Office of Public Works as part of the general expansion of the reconciliation centre.

The Stone House originally served as a residence for the captain of the army garrison. It has been used as a hostel since the 1950s. Faced in cut granite, a short flight of granite steps leads up to the hall door, which features stone pillars.

To the left is a small livingroom with a stone fireplace.

Removing the inner wall which divides this room from a similar-sized rear room would open up this side of the house.

To the right are three interconnecting rooms, a diningroom, breakfastroom and kitchen. The good-sized kitchen has red quarry tiles and would come to life in a revamp which could include widening the north-facing period-style sash window, installing fully-fitted units and choosing a bright colour scheme.

Across the hall from the kitchen are three rooms - currently used as kitchen, bathroom and bedroom - in a self-catering apartment. This kitchen is fully plumbed and would make an excellent utility room. The bathroom is crying out for an upgrade, and the third room (behind the livingroom) could become part of that living area. Central heating in the house is oil-fired.

Upstairs there are goodsized bedrooms. At the end of the landing is an extension with two shower blocks - each with two toilets, one shower and three wash-hand basins. Remodelling the upstairs accommodation could provide en suite facilities for a number of bedrooms and turn one of the shower blocks into a family bathroom.

Outside there is a workshop and store rooms. The elevated rear garden is planted with larch, pine, birch, oak and alder, and bound on one side by two streams which tumble over large stones - giving the ever-present sound of water. A small front garden is bounded by a stone-faced flower studded wall. There is potential for off-street parking at the front of the house.