DELGANY: €1.2mDON'T be surprised if the theme tune to Dawson's Creekenters your head upon reaching the driveway of Tír na mBeo. This property has a New England charm to it, mostly prompted by its rather cool wraparound deck that's the most distinctive element of the house.
Tír na mBeo, Upper Kindlestown Road, Delgany, Co Wicklow started its life at half the size, until Anthony Cotter Associates created a seamless extension, turning it into a laid-back family home with six bedrooms, six bathrooms and an undercroft-style basement. It is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald for €1.2 million.
Up a winding lane at Kindlestown Upper in Delgany, Co Wicklow, 1.5km from Greystones, the house is reached via a silver birch-lined driveway.
There are French oak floors throughout the house, which has a fun, meandering vibe. The main living room, with a massive fireplace, leads onto a wraparound deck, and this outdoor terrace is a constant reminder through several of the rooms that extra space is beckoning outside.
The hall then splits in two, with the left fork leading to two bedrooms, one en suite, and a family bathroom. Like all the bathrooms, it’s neatly done with a Tuscan limestone floor and tiles finished by a nifty Portuguese tiler who managed to include smooth, child-friendly corners at every angle, which looks smart as well as being sensible.
Take the right fork and there’s a bedroom that leads out on to the deck, and another bathroom. A U-bend of wardrobes hugs the entrance of the master bedroom (18 doors of wardrobes to be exact) and here, two double doors lead to the wooden terrace with a sea view. It also has a large bathroom with a shower big enough to drench half a football team. A comfy home cinema room nestles in the heel of the house: it could also be kitted out as another bedroom.
If this is as much a family home as a house for parties (the current owner says the place can sleep 20 if needs be after a shindig) then you’ll probably always find yourself in the kitchen, and it’s a pretty pleasant place to be. Light-filled, Aga-equipped and much more welcoming than the small dining room down the hall, it opens out onto a larger part of the deck with a seating area.
Outside again, and Italian-style landscaped gardens wander up away from the back of the house. Walkways and decked steps eventually lead to a timber and glass office (or an extra living room if you’d like.) This has the finest sea view, stretching out beyond Charlesland golf course.
Although Tír na mBeo is just 400 yards from the main road below, it’s remarkably tranquil and private. Despite first impressions, there’s nothing overbearing about this breezy home, in fact, quite the opposite. Sites alone in this neighbourhood used to demand €1 million a piece, making its €1.2 million price tag seem slightly less bulky.
Tír na mBeo, Upper Kindlestown Road, Delgany, Co Wicklow
A six-bedroom, six-bathroom New England style house selling for €1.2 million
Agent:Sherry FitzGerald
