The brochure for Tinakilly Park in Rathnew, Co Wicklow, built by D/Res, cites the development’s sense of peace and space, where the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains are framed from the windows of the new homes.
On a bright spring morning, the views and fresh air coupled with the woodland setting of the next-door Tinakilly County House are a pleasant relief from the maddening crowds.
The maddening crowds are still pretty accessible, however; Tinakilly Park is a five-minute drive from the M/N11 and the rail line at Wicklow town, where daily commuter trains link to Dublin city centre.
It has been reported Irish Rail is examining plans to extend the Dart to Wicklow town — possibly by as early as 2026 — using battery trains.
From Baby Reindeer and The Traitors to Bodkin and The 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock In: The best and worst television of 2024
100 Years of Solitude review: A woozy, feverish watch to be savoured in bite-sized portions
How your mini travel shampoo is costing your pocket and the planet - here’s an alternative
My smear test dilemma: How do I confess that this is my first one, at the age of 41?
The houses are three-, four- and five-bedroom detached and semi-detached properties, starting at €430,000 for a three-bedroom home and rising to €500,000 for a four-bed, a significant drop from the prices prevailing in south Dublin, some 20km or three rail stops distant.
All homes are built to at least an A2 Ber, with the option to choose a “D/Res Positive Living” upgrade, bringing homes to an A1 energy rating. The energy upgrade package, which uses heat pumps and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery among other perks, such as a car charger, is designed to cut home energy bills by more than half.
[ New homes in Swords with schools around the corner, from €395,000Opens in new window ]
Tinakilly Park’s interiors are in calm, muted colours with almost every window framing views of the surrounding park and hills.
Rathnew is a small established community with good shops and supermarkets, while the nearby Wicklow town has a range of artisan grocers, wine and book shops, restaurants and pubs. Fine dining is available at the award-winning Brunel restaurant located a “walk in the park” away at the Tinakilly House Hotel. There is also the Brass Fox pub five minutes away and Sorrel & Eve restaurant. The gardens of Hunter’s Hotel are five minutes away as is the Avoca store on the grounds of Mount Usher in Ashford.
For the physically active there is the harbour in Wicklow town, swimming at any of the sandy beaches to the south of the town or walks at the Devil’s Glen and any of the nearby hills and woodlands. Further information on the scheme can be sought from selling agent Hook and MacDonald.