A Guinness house could be good for you

Built over 70 years ago for workers in the brewery, these Crumlin redbricks in a "suburban cottage scheme" are still much sought after, writes ROSE DOYLE

TAKE THE TURN off Crumlin Road that leads into Iveagh Gardens and you will immediately feel yourself part of an older, more peaceful, community-driven Dublin.

The 136, two storey redbrick houses, in what is a very special enclave, were built by Guinness for employees between 1926-1936 and have been lovingly cared for and appreciatively lived in ever since.

Guinness called it a “suburban cottage scheme” and, because its houses rarely come on the market, the private treaty sale of number 88 Iveagh Gardens, Crumlin Road, Dublin 12 is something of an event.

A corner house with a side entrance, no 88 has trademark Iveagh Gardens comfort and charm as well as the advantages of a recently completed refurbishment and extension. The three-bedroom house is new to the market through Douglas Newman Good, asking €450,000.

The extension has given it a floor area of 115sq m (1,240sq ft), three bedrooms, reception room and open plan kitchen/ breakfastroom/sunroom.

The refurbishment rearranged the layout but has been faithful to the original style and mood. Features which had disappeared over the years, such as internal doors and fireplaces, have been replaced. Original, wide-plank floorboards remain throughout as do multi-paned windows. Polished sleepers are a notable, overhead feature between the kitchen into the sunroom.

Windows are important in this house; whether they are Velux, French-door style or the large, picture kind, they make for a very bright house.

Extending the kitchen-cum-breakfastroom into a sunroom has made the most of the long rear garden which, with a Guinness rugby pitch on the other side of its ivy-clad wall, is likely to remain private. The kitchen has polished granite worktops, a centre isle of red oak and a Rangemaster. There are more garden views, via double doors with glass panels, from the front-facing sittingroom. Floorboards here are polished originals and there is a cast-iron fireplace.

All of the bedrooms have built-in wardrobes with clever shelving and storage space as well as sash windows and timber floorboards.

The large, high-pitched attic space has been converted in neighbouring houses which might give new owners further scope to extend.

There is history a-plenty: the refurbishment revealed the name John Walsh, Decorator 1929 on a wall. The architects were O’Callaghan Webb of Dublin, the builders H J Martin. Original Iveagh Gardens householders cycled or walked to work from what was then the outskirts of Dublin – and is still a short distance from the Coombe or St Stephens Green.

88 Iveagh Gardens, Crumlin Road, Dublin 12

Newly extended, three bed redbrick

Agent: Douglas Newman Good