Seaside villa is an original

A Victorian house with an elegant past on two acres of gardens looking over the sea in Killiney is for sale for €6m, writes Orna Mulcahy, Property Editor

TEA ON the lawn anyone? The question must have been asked many times over the years at Eirene, a seaside villa in Killiney surrounded by two acres of garden facing the sea.

Built for a Rev H Palmer in the 1880s, to a design by renowned Victorian architect Thomas Deane, the detached house on Marino Avenue East, off Military Road, has been home to the Hamilton family for over 40 years. It's now for sale through Savills HOK at €6 million.

The four-bedroom house is in a state of gentle decay but it has some fine original features, including a striking carved oak fireplace made by the Italian furniture maker Carlo Cambi whose Siena workshop was responsible for the superb carved doors in the National Gallery and the National Museum.

Eirene has an idyllic position, at the end of a quiet private avenue off Military Road. Next to it is a pedestrian path leading directly down to the Dart station. Holy Child girls' school is close by on Military Road.

In its heyday, Eirene's terraced gardens provided fruit, vegetables and flowers in abundance. Now the grounds with extensive frontage onto Station Road are likely to be viewed by developers, not gardeners.

The 325sq m (3,500sq ft) house, a protected structure, makes the most of the setting with its two reception rooms spanning the back of the house overlooking the sea. The large diningroom has a handsome inglenook fireplace - an alcove with the chimneypiece at the centre and built-in seating all around.

Above the seating is a series of narrow windows with views towards Sorrento Terrace, topped by beautiful stained glass panels depicting faith, hope, charity and love.

The diningroom leads out to a long pavilion-style conservatory fronting onto the lawn. The drawingroom is another big airy room with original honey-coloured parquet flooring, and bay window with window seats.

The monumental carved fireplace with its matching overmantel mirror dominates the room. The kitchen and pantries are at a lower level, and were designed for staff who would not need to admire the views. They are fairly dark, hidden away rooms.

The bedrooms are all large spacious rooms. Two face the sea, and one has a matching inglenook fireplace to that in the diningroom. From the landing, a ladder-style staircase leads up to an attic room at the top of the house, which has a spectacular view out to sea.

The grounds offer huge potential for a dedicated gardener. There could also be an opportunity to build a second house, subject to planning permission.