In her column last week in the Irish Times opinion pages, Kathy Sheridan wrote about the difficulty culchie motorists (like herself) have accessing Dublin city centre what with parking fees and now the proposed expansion of cycle lanes on the quays. It was one of the most commented on pieces in the paper last week with more than one person saying that it's a trade off, people who live even a little outside the city centre can get much bigger houses and gardens for their money.
The Gables in Ashbourne is a prime example. The sprawling six-bedroom detached house on just over two acres is around 20km from the city centre and is for sale for €950,000 through Movehome.ie.
The 558sq m (6006sq ft) house has a triple garage, a tennis court and a games room featuring a full-size snooker table and a bar – features that househunters are unlikely to find within short cycling distance of O’Connell Street.
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Up until 2000 there was a modest bungalow on the site and this was redeveloped into the vast two-storey house that’s here now.
The present owners bought in 2008 and redecorated throughout. Now only one of their children is still at home – a little girl who keeps a pair of rollerskates in the hall so she can get around the ground floor. They are downsizing to a house half the size – still large by cycle-around-Dublin standards.
Downstairs – there’s underfloor heating throughout – the entrance hall is quite grand with a double-height ceiling, minstrel’s gallery and curved staircase. There are three spacious reception rooms and the kitchen opens directly into a large conservatory.
In 2008 the current owners updated the kitchen, installing painted timber country-style units topped with granite, a large island unit and fitted Range Master and Siemens appliances. There’s also a separate utility room and a walk-in pantry. Also at ground level are two of the house’s six bedrooms.
Upstairs there’s an immediate sense of space in the landing which has room for a seating area and a large bookcase. The main bedroom is 56sq m (603 sq ft) – there are two-bedroom apartments in Dublin city centre that size – and it, like two of the other bedrooms, opens out onto a balcony. The family bathroom features a double Jacuzzi.
There is a second staircase – a bespoke glass staircase – leading down from the upper level to the games room and mahogany bar.
The 2.2 acre gardens which surround the house have matured nicely and the grounds feature trees, shrubs and a timber gazebo to enjoy the surrounding views. Access to the property is via electric gates.
