Refurbished period home with 54 acres for £1.7 million

Ballymacarney House, a late 18th-century period house on 54 acres at The Ward, Co Dublin, has been the home of a former Dutch banker and his wife for almost a decade. They are now returning to The Netherlands, and hence the sale of their elegant country home on outstanding gardens near the Dublin-Meath border.

Joint agents McDonald Brothers and Lisney are quoting a guideline price of £1.7 Million for the property, which goes to auction on May 30th.

Ballymacarney is in exceptionally good order for the simple reason that the three families who took turns at living there over the past 25 years have each pumped big money into the place.

The first of these, Patrick Gallagher, the former property developer, spent a small fortune on refurbishing and modernising it. The second family continued to upgrade the place and if that wasn't enough, the current owners also invested heavily in improvements.

The house is located little more than two miles off the Dublin - Ashbourne Road near the White House bar and, because it is only 14 miles from the city, is well within the commuter belt for well-off families keen on enjoying country life. Ballymacarney is essentially a small stud farm with 25 loose boxes and excellent paddocks. It is also good stag hunting country and when Patrick Gallagher was one of the dominant figures in the Dublin property market, followers of the Ward Union were frequently entertained there before setting off across the Meath countryside.

The present owners bought Ballymacarney because it combined the pleasures of a small country estate with easy proximity to Dublin city.

In addition to improving the house, they also hired a full-time gardener to bring the gardens up to the same high standard. This has been done with great style and a sure eye for proportion, outline and contrast.

The house itself has a series of peaceful rooms, all of them with lovely outlooks over the grounds and surrounding countryside.

There are four reception rooms in all, including a drawingroom, which measures 42 ft by 22 ft and has a Bossi-style fireplace. The formal diningroom is also impressive, with a cherrywood timber floor and a marble fireplace.

Because they enjoy entertaining, the present owners converted another room into a bar, complete with mahogany counter and canopy, sink unit and shelving. For quieter times, there is a comfortable family room off the kitchen. The kitchen has a green Aga as a centre-piece and built-in cabinets and presses alongside integrated electrical appliances.

Upstairs, the main bedroom is spacious and bright and includes a walk-in dressingroom and bathroom. The three other bedrooms also have en suite bathrooms and there is a separate gym complete with shower and built-in shelving. Further on at first-floor level there is a self-contained apartment with its own kitchen/diningroom, livingroom, bedroom and bathroom.

Ballymacarney is ideal for a family who like plenty of space since it has no less than 8,700 sq ft.