Listed house on 16 acres beside a river comes with a fine stableyard

Co Limerick: €1m: More manageable than its name suggests, Kenmare Castle is a listed building and qualifies for maintenance grants.

The house in Hospital, Co Limerick is exceptionally pretty and stands on 16 acres of pasture. Ganly Walters is expecting this six-bedroom period house and castle ruins to fetch at least €1 million at auction in late July. The exact date for the auction is yet to be decided.

Having lived here for 17 years, the owners are downsizing to a smaller property. Sir Valentine Browne is said to have been responsible for the building of the castle in the late 1500s, incorporating part of the original Knights Hospitallers building within the structure. Much later, in the early 19th century, a large cottage was erected on the site and both buildings now constitute the present Kenmare Castle.

Through stone pillars, a long tree-lined avenue stretches to the front entrance. Through the Georgian front door is a wide hall with corniced ceiling. The interior of this part of the castle is comfortable. There are three sittingrooms, two with fine marble fireplaces and decorative ceilings. The kitchen has a utility and butler's pantry off. Upstairs, the six bedrooms are accompanied by a bathroom and shower room. A separate one-bedroom apartment is useful for guests or live-in staff.

The garden is mature with the River Mahore flowing past. There is a walled garden, a stable yard with 10 stables, a barn and a row of cow sheds.