New Cairn homes down by the river in Maynooth from €370k

Maynooth is one of Dublin’s prettiest western commuter towns. Set on the banks of the Royal Canal, where an off-road cycle path runs all the way to Ashtown, the university town is teeming with students during term time. It also has easy access to the extensive grounds of the demesne of Palladian mansion Carton House.

Mariavilla is an impressive site where listed housebuilder Cairn Homes has planning to build 460 homes on both banks of a greenfield site. As well as 320 houses, 142 apartments and 483 student bed spaces, a linear park along the Lyreen river will run through the development. The firm is also constructing a new link road connecting the Dunboyne Road to the Moyglare thoroughfare.

The firm sold about 54 units off plans and, with the first residents moving in next month, it is now bringing 24 mainly three- and four-bed semi-detached and terraced houses to the market; 10 three-beds and 14 four-beds, most of which will overlook the river and are a mix of two- and three-storey in size. The brick-fronted designs have dark grey uPVC windows and doors and have a separate livingroom and kitchen with ceiling heights at hall level over 2.5m high, slightly above average.

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Mariavilla, Maynooth, Co Kildare

Generous doubles

Upstairs in the three-bedroom houses, the master has a shower ensuite and all three rooms are generous doubles. The four-bedroom semis are set over three floors, with the master bedroom at the top of the house and bathed in light thanks to large windows as well as rooflights. There is a second living space or den at this level with large rooflights also, and could be where the kids hang out with their friends.

All units have smart kitchens with quartz countertops by Nolan Kitchens and very sizeable and separate utility rooms. The gardens range in size from about 70sq m to about 120sq m and the showhouse, decorated by House & Garden, has some lovely landscaping ideas by Daibhí MacDomhnaill, including a poured chip and concrete circular patio with a specimen tree at its centre and the planting of another 300 trees to further green up the space.

Terraced homes

Prices for the three-bedroom terraced homes, 113sq m (1,216sq ft), start from €370,000 while the three-bed semis, 115sq m (1,238sq ft) in size, start from €380,000 through joint agents Hooke & MacDonald and Coonan Estate Agents. The four-bed semis, 170sq m (1,837sq ft), start from €480,000. There is one four-bedroom detached property, of the same size, seeking €535,000.

The development has a similar name to a farmhouse that is visible from the estate. Surrounded by mature trees, it is the home of Maynooth Organics where you can buy freshly laid eggs as well as freshly picked produce.

The development is well sited, with Maynooth Education Campus, a new secondary school, national schools and the back entrance to the university all within walking distance. The estate is about a 15-minute walk to the station, where commuter trains to the capital take about 40 minutes.