Dating from the early 1900s, this old coach house was restored back in the 1960s by former owners. There’s even a sculpture of a horse’s head in the garden as a reminder that this charming spot once served a local period property, housing its horses, carriages and indeed ostlers upstairs where the family bedrooms now reside.
Its current owners, who love the privacy of their home – as it is set back behind electric gates and high walls – purchased the 205sq m (2,207sq ft) slice of history back in 2013. “We bought it as we fell in love with its character,” they say, adding “while we didn’t have to do that much, we did brighten the place up as there was so much dark wood in the interiors”.
Now the three-bedroom house retains its period vibe in conjunction with contemporary additions such as an Express kitchen with a newly restored Belfast sink and solid oak countertops underneath the now-painted vaulted ceiling. Here the eye is immediately drawn up to the lovely overhead beams which have now been preserved for posterity.
Floors were taken up and insulated and an exposed wall in the sittingroom was given a lime wash, which adds lots of interest, as do more exposed beams overhead.
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Inside the Gothic door entrance lies a hall, utility and eat-in kitchen, while an adjacent sittingroom is warmed by a wood-burning stove. Of interest in a spacious second sittingroom with a raised fireplace are old salvaged Gothic windows – installed by previous owners – that marry well with the theme of the front door.
Because of the angles of the roofline in the main bedroom upstairs, bespoke wardrobes were designed by a local joiner. This room is en-suite, while a family bathroom serves two other bedrooms at this level.
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Outside, gardens, though not large, have a flagstone patio and all-important southwest-facing aspect, and the owners admit they love flinging both sets of French doors open in summertime. Gardens are also one of the reasons they are moving – to a home with a larger green space – but they have really loved their home here for the past decade.
They also say the house comes into itself at Christmas time – with the fires blazing.
In terms of amenities, the local pub is a two- to three-minute walk, and a spin to Cork city takes about 10 minutes. There are lots of GAA, football and hurling teams locally in Glanmire, while sailors have clubs in Crosshaven and Kinsale – both of which are about a 30-minute drive. For commuters, it’s under 3km to the Dunkettle interchange, the upgrade of which is now open, and according to Transport Infrastructure Ireland, has slashed journey times by almost 50 per cent.
The charming spot, which has a Ber of D2, is now on the market through auctioneer Joe Organ, seeking €445,000.
