Property 24-09-2011

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Property 24.09.2011

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& Interiors

Coastal glory A just finished finished dream is up for the taking Photo by Denis Scannell

PLUS • MARKET MOVERS • STYLISH HOMES • GET THE LOOK • ANTIQUES • STEP BY STEP DIY

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PROPERTY

HOUSE WEEK OF THE

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Tommy Barker reports

Douglas

€680,000

Douglas

€480,000

22 Augusta Drive, Maryborough Woods �������� �������� ���� ���� ������ �������� � � �������� ��������� �� �������� ��� ��� ������ �������� � ���� � ������ � ������ � ������������� ���� � ������� � ������������ � � ���� � �� � �������� � � ���� ��� �� � � ����� �� �� ������� Call Ann O’Mahony 021 493 7409 or 086 805 5834

5 The Lawn, Moneygourney �������� ������ �������� �� � ������ ������� ���� ����������� ��� ����� �� � ����� ��� �� ��� �� �� ������� ������ ������ � ���� � ������ � ��� � ������ � ������� � ����� � ����������� ���� � ������� � � ���� � � ���� � ���� ��� �� � � ����� �� �� ������� Call Ann O’Mahony 021 493 7409 or 086 805 5834

Glounthaune

Kinsale

€375,000

Wilton

€230,000 Glanmire

Feel free to check out Coolfree, a peach in The Orchard.

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New Zealand living, as is having the garden shed AVING done their bungalow home up to a wired for power for a beer fridge! very high standard, the couple who own The garden is easy to keep, productive and graced Coolfree are moving on — to their adult by a trio of silver birch trees — always great-looking children in New Zealand. when planted in clusters.

A Northern Ireland couple who’d emigrated to the It’s all quite unflashy inside, but with good finishes southern hemisphere, they returned in later years for adding to the calm air, colours are pale, ideal for a UCC academic job, leaving children behind — a sort displaying art, and floors are either solid oak, or of reverse fleeing of the nest. neutral carpet. A nice touch Now, though, with early retirement a-calling, they’re Location: Model Farm Road, Cork was keeping the best of the original, salvaged narrow off back down under again, Price: €375,000 strip hall floor’s oak, and hence the re-sale of the reusing it in a feature section pristine four-bed home, with Size: 143 sq m ((1,545 sq ft) of the new, enlarged hallway. not so much as a paint Bedrooms: 4 Oh, and keeping the original smudge, despite it being five front door with its gentle years since the work was all BER rating: Pending curved glazed section, was done. another considered example Set in the super-quiet The Broadband: Yes of not throwing everything Orchard, part of Farranlea old into a skip.

Park, off the Model Farm Selling agent is Clare O’Sullivan of Savills, who Road by the Rendevous, it will impress, quietly, and seeks offers around the €370,000 mark, and at the risk the extension and renovation work done has added of jinxing a sale, it seems like she has a real seller on hugely to its usefulness and character. her hands.

Essentially, the house’s axis of occupation has Given a western Cork suburban setting near CUH, shifted to the south-facing rear, with a high-ceilinged the Bons, UCC and CIT, and on a bus route, it’s going addition opening up the entire back of the house, and to have huge appeal to traders down, with all of its into its mid-ships-sited kitchen too. space on the one level, the back bedroom (shower en It has created a very inviting main living/dining/ suite) is by the garden oasis, the living area is cooking area, oak floored and bright, and the garden uplifting, and big enough to hold fine heirloom family which it overlooks isn’t overlooked by anyone else. furniture pieces, and all of the three other bedrooms Coolfree’s back garden is sort of a ‘room outside,’ are up to the job of taking guests, visiting children and easily accessed from the en suite master bedroom, and grandchildren in their stride. from the living space, while the cleverly-added deep That’s not to say it can’t hold a family either, and eaves over the bedroom extension wing allow allthere’s a den/study/TV room now almost hidden in weather barbecuing protection — a tip learned from

CONTENTS 4

TRADING UP Early offers are in on a €595,000 family trading-up home in Cork’s Hayfield.

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STARTERS A school house waiting for conversion could be a cheap lesson at €70,000

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FEATURES Whitegate House is the real, period-property deal in Cork harbour

10 COVER STORY Stepped back into its sloping coastal site is a contemporary Kilbrittain find

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the core of the deepened house floorplan, with original brick fireplace — an ideal winter ‘withdrawing’ room.

There’s a neat front garden, fringed in neatly clipped hedges, plenty of parking, and thick paving stones front and back, dotted with fossils.

The owners are both geologists, and so almost quibble with the Savills’ sales description of the kitchen’s worktops as granite. To 99.95% of people, it’s granite, but he’s a purist and into stone’s silica content. Caught between a rock and hard place... otherwise, Coolfree does exactly as it says on its deservedly enthusiastic sales brochure.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

9 Admirals Walk ��� �� � � ����� �� �� ������� ���� ��������� � ��� ���� ���� ��������� ����� �� ������� ����� ���� ��� ������� � ���� � ���������� � ���� ���� � �� � ���� � ������ � ����� � � ���� � � ���� Call Johnny O’Flynn 021 493 7411 or 086 601 5560

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61a Foxwood, Garryduff ����� � � ����� �� �� ������� ��� ������ � �������� �������� ����� ������� �� ��� ������ ������ �� ������� �� ��� �� ����� ���� �������� � ������ � ������ � ������� � ���������� � �� � � ���� � ���� Call Ann O’Mahony 021 493 7409 or 086 805 5834

VERDICT: Don’t dither too long, it should be a quick seller.

Wilton

€310,000

��� ���������� �������� ���� ��� �� � � ����� �� �� ������� � ��������� �� ��� ������� � ��� ������������� ��� ����� �� � ������ �������� ����� �� ���� ���� ��� ��� ��� ����� ���� ���� �������� ��� ������� ������� ��� �������� � ���� � ��������������������� � ������ ���� � �� � ������� � � �������� � �������� � ��������� ���� ��� ���� ���� ���� �� �� ��� �� �� ����� Call Sheila O’Flynn 021 427 3041 or 086 257 4948

Nothing Selling?

Our team don’t think so.

INTERIORS DIY WISH LIST ASK THE DESIGNER GARDENING

PROPERTY EDITOR Tommy Barker, 021 4802221 property@examiner.ie INTERIORS EDITOR Esther McCarthy, 021 4802386 interiors@examiner.ie INTERIORS ADVERTISING Ger Duggan, 021 4802192 interiorads@examiner.ie PROPERTY ADVERTISING Marguerite Stafford, 021 4802100 marguerite.stafford@examiner.ie

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€650,000

44 Cois Chuain ��� �� � � ����� �� �� ������� ����� �������� ���� ���� �������� �� ��� ���� ���� ������� � ���� � ������ � ������������������������������� ���� � ���� � �� � ����� � � ���� � � ��� � ����� Call Michael O’Donovan 021 493 7407 or 086 820 5474

�� ����� ������� �������� ���� � ��� ��� �� ��� ������ ���� ��� ������ � ��� �� ���� ���� ������ ���� ������� � ���� � ������ � ���������� � � ���� � ������ �� � ����� ��� �� � � ����� �� �� ������� Call Johnny O’Flynn 021 493 7411 or 086 601 5560

€195,000

�� �� � � ��� �� �� ������ �� ������� ����� ���� �������� ���� �������� ������� �� � ����� ��� �� ���� ���� ���������� ���������� ����� ���� ���� ���� � ���� � ������ � �������������� � � ���� � �� ����� � ����� Call Michael O’Donovan 021 493 7407 or 086 820 5474

Since January we have sold & sale agreed over 120 houses & apartments in Cork & surrounding areas. Plus we currently have 21 under offer!

For all your residential property needs, contact Cork’s most successful & busiest agents.

Scan the code below to see all our current properties for sale SHEILA O’FLYNN Managing Director 086 257 4948 �������������������������

ANN O’MAHONY Sales Manager 086 805 5834 ������������������������

������ ����������� � ����� ����� ���� ���� ��� ��� ���� ������������ ���������

NORMA HEALY Sales Manager 086 852 5940 ������������������������

������ ����� �� ����: To scan download the free ScanLife app from your App store, or text SCAN to 51444 (std. text rates). Brought to you in partnership with Digital Reach Group: www.drg.ie

MICHAEL O’DONOVAN Senior Negotiator 086 820 5474 �����������������������������

JOHNNY O’FLYNN Senior Negotiator 086 601 5560 �������������������������

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

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PROPERTY

TRADING UP

We scan a selection of trading up homes around the country

“The Property Auction Experts”

For Sale By Public Auction

(unless previously sold) “On Instructions Of Owners” Tuesday 4th October 2011 @ 2.30pm The Imperial Hotel, South Mall, Cork 304 River Towers, Lee Road, Cork 31 Dunbar Street, Cork Superb Two Bed Apartment. Finished to high Specification.

Centrally located. Ideal rental Investment/owner occupier property

Circa 2,000 Sq. Ft 4 Individual One Bed Apartments Exceptional Rental Area.

Reserve Not To Exceed €280,000

Silverdale, Ballinlough, Cork

Convenience Store/Commercial Unit

Macroom, Co. Cork

Excellent spec. Potential for many uses. Full Fit out to HSE & Food Safety Authority HACCP Guidelines. Excellent location.

CARRIGALINE, CORK €395,000 Sq m: 204 (2,180 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

BALLEA HOUSE has the basic structure still of a traditional periodstyle farmhouse from the Georgian era, though its windows and roof tiles are more latter-day alterations — as are comforts like oil central heating and an Aga-type range in the kitchen.

The circa 150-year old detached home, on a private mature site of an acre with rural views, is a couple of miles from Carrigaline town in south Cork. It was the original home of a surrounding farm, who farm buildings can be seen a short distance away from the divided off house. Now, its one-acre site includes a tree-fringed approach avenue, front lawns, rear concreted yard, and garage.

Seeking offers around €395,000 for the detached buy with almost 2,200 sq ft inside, auctioneer Dan Howard of Dooley and Howard says it has nice big rooms, with high ceilings, and is in good overall condition, inside and out, with charm and character.

There are two reception roms with fireplaces, kitchen with oil range cooker, pantry, and four bedrooms all with garden views, plus main bathroom.

VERDICT A farmhouse lifestyle entirely possible — without the work involved.

MODEL FARM ROAD, CORK €585,000 Sq m: 232 (2,500 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 5/6 Broadband: Yes

This detached, 1950s-built family home at the city (Dennehy’s Cross) end of Model Farm Road has 2,500 sq ft of space (and feels bigger) on a private quarter acre site. But, it’s clearly dated, and needs a good deal of spending now and re-ordering to get it ready for a new family of occupants, and has the sort of location that normally gets traders-up drooling, within a short few minutes’ walk of third-level colleges, hospitals, schools and shops.

It’s an executor sale, and agent Sheila O’Flynn of Sherry FitzGerald guides it at €585,000 in advance of the late October auction date (down from a private treaty hope initially of €850,000), and a realistic reserve isn’t otherwise indicated.

There’s a spread of ground floor rooms, as the house has evolved from the days it was first put up by Bradley Brothers for their own use, with some decent-size formal reception rooms off the parquet-floored hall with feature internal arch.

There are five first floor bedrooms, and a small ground floor bed 6 with shower room adjoining.

VERDICT: Bring an architect to see its potential.

BRUFF, LIMERICK €375,000 Sq m: 325 (3,500 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 5 Broadband: Yes

BUILT only six years ago, this Tullybrackey, Bruff, Co Limerick home has all the space and level of finish a trading up-buyer might want. It is so well specified the owners even went so far as to put permanently wired-up Christmas lights into the fascias.

It’s got a lot of extras, and security features like extensive cameras, says estate agent Pat Dooley of the Dooley Group, as he markets the two-storey, detached home of 3,500 sq ft on a half acre rural site, with lots of features like adventure play areas and a play house.

Decor and finish levels are well above standard, the stairs with its several winders is a central feature in the hall, and there are lots of bright, open living spaces, plus conservatory. One of its five bedrooms is en suite, and another is at ground level and adaptable to lots of needs.

Pat Dooley (who’s recently opened a new office in Limerick city) say the home is near to Bruff ’s amenities and within a commute of Limerick city.

VERDICT: As it’s wired for Christmas lights, and has CCTV cameras at all four corners, it just might be the house to catch exclusive video footage of Santa arriving in 91 days time.

BALLINHASSIG, CORK €495,000 Sq m: 327 (3,500 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 6 Broadband: Yes

STRAIGHT after getting a change of agent, Blanchfield House went ‘sale agreed, within three days — but international money market turmoil appears to have hit the cash-buyer’s firm plans to buy — hence its market re-offering.

A period-style long farmhouse up above the N71 Cork-Bandon road between Halfway and Innishannon, it’s a six-bed home that has worked for its living, as a B&B up until this year and, for a while also, as a restaurant.

On four acres, it has scope for commercial uses, but now its €495,000 AMV with agent Henry O’Leary only seems to reflect its value as a private home. It’s a big house with 3,500 sq ft of space with a long approach avenue to its elevated base, and there’s a detached two-bed granny flat or guest cottage.

It’s about a 15 minute spin from Cork’s Bishopstown, so is an easy commute, and the paddock means space for kids and ponies, though there’s no yard or outbuildings yet.

Two of its six bedrooms are en suite, its main living rooms are a good size, but it needs some updating.

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

UNDER offer now and heading towards its €595,000 asking price is No 20, in the Hayfield development of big, comfortable detached family homes off Cork’s Model Farm Road. Tucked well away in a cul-de sac corner in the Ruden Homes quality development, No 20 has an off-standard site layout, which sees its front given over to a very large walled-in drive with perimeter planting. Behind is where you’ll find a more traditional garden layout, south-facing and added to by lots of decking, and with a crowing glory, a colourful,

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

SITE FOR SALE Reserve Not To Exceed €20,000

Exceptional road frontage.

Eyeries, Beara, Co. Cork Traditional farmhouse newly renovated on C.0.5 acre.

Panoramic views of Coulagh Bay.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Selection of Other Properties for Sale 7 Bedroom Detached House, Crookstown 4 Bedroom Detached House, Ballinhassig 4 Bedroom Detached House, Frankfield 2 Bedroom Apartment, Brentwood Court, Sarsfield Rd, Wilton 20 Bed, 4 Units, Fully let, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown

Reserve Not To Exceed €80,000

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• For Further Information & Viewings Contact The Auction Team Denis A Barrett Auctioneers, 81 South Mall, Cork Tel: 021 4278455 Web: www.denisbarrett.com Email: info@denisbarrett.com

Conor P. Flynn & ASSOCIATES

AUCTIONEERS, VALUERS & CHARTERED SURVEYORS

FOR SALE BY PRIVATE TREATY

“ARD MAHON”, TIVOLI ESTATE, TIVOLI, CORK.

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VERDICT: a lot of well-located old farmhouse for the money.

MODEL FARM ROAD, CORK €595,000 Sq m: Sq m 177 (1,904 sq ft) BER rating: Pending.

Kiskeam, Mallow, Co Cork

Located 3 miles from Cork City.

Generous Entitlements.

Reserve Not To Exceed €170,000

Reserve Not To Exceed €155,000

Coolowen, Blarney, Co Cork C.42 acres (17 Hectares).

Reserve Not To Exceed €125,000

Former Medical Centre/ Commercial Unit.

5 offices/rooms. Parking area to front. Unlimited Potential. Close to Douglas & Link Roads

For Sale By Private Treaty

retractable awning shielding the family room’s French doors from excess sun, or drizzle. Selling agents for No 20 are Norma Healy and Sheila O’Flynn of Sherry FitzGerald and design is by architects Roderick Hogan Associates. Hayfield houses feature their signature design touch, a family space off the kitchen/dining separated by a few steps down, and this allows the chillout room extra high ceilings. There’s a more formal reception room to the front, flooring is oak with underfloor heating at ground level, ceilings are coved and there’s also a ground floor guest WC, plus utility.

VERDICT: Early viewings have already resulted in offers.

Mature four bedroomed detached family residence.

Splendid elevated split level site in quiet cul-de-sac.

The house has spectacular southerly views overlooking the River Lee and down the harbour.

“Ardmahon” is a striking house with unlimited potential

Solicitor: Mr. Simon Murphy, Barry M O’Meara & Son, 18 South Mall, Cork

1A SOUTH MALL, CORK Tel. 021-4274747 Fax. 021-4274466 Web. www.conorpflynn.ie

PROPERTY

4� ��� BED ������ LUXURY ����� HOMES ���� FROM JUST � ������� ���� €199,950 ���� �������� ������� ������� ������� � ������� ��������

ADVERTISING? LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

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Our property section is viewed every week by a huge number of readers on the lookout. Make sure your ad is in the right place to be seen by all the right people.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

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STARTER HOMES

A corner of Douglas where a little bit of graft pays off handsomely

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PROPERTY

Dormer home in city’s doc-broker belt

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband: Best feature:

Coolmaine is one of the best offers at present in Cork’s western suburbs, says Tommy Barker

Model Farm Road, Cork €625,000 205 sq m (2,200 sq ft) 5 C3 Yes Great site and location

BELGOOLY, CORK €175,000 Sq m: 98 (1,050 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

VILLAGE life and services, proximity to the sea in south Cork, and speedy access to Kinsale and Cork city/airport come with No 11, Cramer’s Court in Belgooly. Selling agents, Sheehy Brothers, seek €175,000 for the end-townhouse, with its three bedrooms, smart decor, and south-facing back garden with rear access and parking.

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband:

VERDICT: The seaside’s a skip away, and Belgooly which grew tidily during the boom is well-serviced.

YOUGHAL, CO CORK €205,000 Sq m: 93 (1,000 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

METICULOUS care has gone into the keep of both the bungalow and the gardens at this property at Creighmore, Youghal, Co Cork. That’s according to Ardmore-based estate agent Brian Gleeson, who seeks offers close to €205,000 for the 1,000 sq ft three-bed home, near Gortroe village and off the Killeagh/ Youghal road, near beaches. It’s on a half acre of gardens, with garage, greenhouse and stores, and the buyer profile is first-time buyers, relocators, retirees.

VERDICT: A great package by the sea.

NORMALLY when a house reaches the end of the line, it’s demolition time — but it’s exactly the opposite in the case of 54A, Carrigdhoun.

This end-terrace three-bed home on Cork’s South Douglas Road (near the Cross Douglas Road) is a recent build, only four years old, and was grafted onto the end of the older house next door — No 54.

This is the A version, modern, bright, easy to heat, and with off-street parking for a couple of cars, with a choice of access points onto the city’s south ring and link roads, and both Douglas village and city centre are each a manageable walk away.

Estate agent Malcolm Tyrrell of Cohalan Downing

South Douglas Road, Cork €190,000 Sq m 93 (1,000 sq ft) 3 Pending Yes

seeks offers around €190,000, after a swift price reduction on No 54A from €240k, and adds that there’s a west-facing side garden.

Inside, are an inter-linked living room with bay window and a dining area, kitchen with double doors to the garden, and a guest loo all at ground level.

Overhead, are three bedrooms, one with en suite shower room, plus main bathroom. Heating is gas, windows are double glazed, so it’s all an easy-keep sort of home or investment.

Coolmaine is on the Model Farm Road in Cork.

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REBLE glazing in situ at the family home Coolmaine, on Cork’s Model Farm Road, shows it to be a quality job as it stands — and it has planning for more, such as new dormer and skylight windows behind.

The dormer home, dating to the mid1900s, is on a great c 0.2 acre site, about 210’ long, in fact, and 45’ wide, with the back of the house handily facing south.

Estate agent Dennis Guerin of Frank

V Murphy & Co guides Coolmaine (called after a south-west Cork beach) at €625,000 and it is fairly firmly in stockbroker belt and doc-broker territory, given its proximity to the sprawling CUH hospital campus.

It has had recent upgrades and refurbishment, but still keeps a sort of faith with its era — there’s no real flashiness, just decency.

The detached house manages to fit in a good mix of living space and

bedrooms, with one ground floor ensuite bedroom and four more overhead, one of which is also en-suite.

The living space includes a front living room with bay window, original black slate fireplace and a ceiling finished with dark timber beams.

Across the hall another fine reception room has a similar deep bay window swagged in heavy drapes, with black marble fireplace and a coved ceiling.

Both rooms have varnished wood

floors, the latter room opening to a dining room, and then there’s garden and patio access via sliding doors.

In addition, there’s a study, a floored and finished attic above it, a kitchen/ breakfast room with oak units and patio access, plus a guest bathroom.

Gardens have been well planted and minded, with a back lawn and shed.

VERDICT: One of the best offers in the western suburbs right now.

VERDICT: A convenient address, and a fairly new build in a settled location.

First class opportunity for a back to school exercise near Bandon

“Kestrel Hall”, Kippagh, Newmarket, Co. Cork c. 8 acres

Castlejane Woods, Glanmire

• Attractive family residence c. 3,375 sq.ft on c. 8 acres of prime agricultural land.

• Accom: 4 reception rooms, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, large attic space converted and garage.

• Planning granted for 4 stables.

• Viewing highly recommended.

Showhouse open this Saturday & Sunday 2-4pm

Joint Agent: Liam Murphy, Strand St, Kanturk. TEL: 029-78023

Annsgrove, 33 Glasheen Road, Cork

MONAGEA, LIMERICK €195,000 Sq m 112 (1,200 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

IN immaculate, showroom condition after recent renovations is this former school-master’s residence in the midst of village facilities at Monagea, west Limerick, says agent Pat O’Donovan of O’Donovan Associates in Newcastlewest.

Pitched at singles, couples and traders-down, it’s ready to go, with central heating, double glazing, and new office/extenssion, plus former shop property/store 34’ by 16.’

VERDICT: As cute as they come, and already done up.

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

Location: Price: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband: FANCY a little Back to School Home Exercise? If so, then the old schoolhouse at Mount Pleasant, five miles out from west Cork’s Bandon town, could be an object lesson in home economics.

New to market, with an asking price of €70,000 quoted by Don Brennan of Sherry FitzGerald Brennan Busteed, it’s a total do-er upper, and homemaking/extension project.

But, the location near Newcestown is peaceful, the site’s about a half an acre, and there’s a bit of history to work with in what was a wee, local 600 sq ft two

Mount Pleasant, Bandon €70,000 2 classrooms N/A Available

room national school. The derelict building has most of its roof slates still on, the old timber sash windows are there but largely glassless, and there’s a chimney for a central fireplace, plus a small cloakroom annexe as well to the rear.

Right now, there’s only about 600 sq ft in the entire, but there’s a basic structure to work with.

VERDICT: A neat little project, it’s of a scale that even marginally above standard DIY skills could see good progress made.

CHOICE OF 2 bed townhouses 772 sq. ft 3 bed townhouses 842 sq. ft 3 bed semi detached 1024 sq. ft Last remaining 5 bed detached 2122 sq. ft Castlejane Woods offers the opportunity to live in the quiet but well located village of Glanmire close to all amenties of Cork City. Situated within minutes of Cork City Centre, Mahon and Blackpool Shopping Centres.

The development has been completed and finished to a high standard.

Developers: O’ Mahony Developments, Clash, Little Island, Cork

Prices from €165,000

17 Ashboro, Shanakiel, Cork

• 3 Bedroom Semidet residence with extra large gardens • Acc: Ent hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, 3 bed & bathroom • Ideal family home within walking distance of city centre, UCC etc.

• Off street secure parking Solr: Patricia O’Sullivan, Martin A.Harvey & Co., Georges Quay

• Substantial 5 Bedroom detached residence • Large private landscaped garden • Excellent condition

• Acc. 4 reception rooms, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms • Within walking distance of city centre, UCC and CUH. • Viewing highly recommended

23 SOUTH MALL, CORK (021) 4277606 email: info@irishandeuropean.ie www.irishandeuropean.ie IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

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PROPERTY FEATURE

PROPERTY FEATURE

Nautical, nice and remarkably neat Tommy Barker unearths wonderful and well-kept Whitegate House, a compact-enough period gem, dating to the later 1700s Pictures: Denis Scannell

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HE east cork coastline around Cork harbour is a bit of an unappreciated gem, with a string of sister villages — Rostellan, Aghada and Whitegate — low-lying by the water, and rooted to it from days of fishing and, now, pleasure craft bob at colourful buoys like a game of nautical join the dots.

And, one of the very oldest private houses in the vicinity which has surveyed all those changes and the tides of time is Whitegate House, a compactenough period gem, dating to the later 1700s, and always minded.

For over 100 years it was associated with the FitzGerald family (also linked to the Trabolgan estate) and the Stewarts, and was taken in care by the Day family in the early 1900s, and they’ve enjoyed it ever since.

It’s been carefully minded — brasses are gleaming, it’s dust free, all the paintwork is fresh, it shows the force of a houseproud owner, who also kept up with the times with curtain fabrics carefully changed in recent years. And, if there’s parts that feel like a museum piece, there’s a counter-balance that it was wholly lived-in family home too.

Even now, as it comes to market on four village-set acres with outbuildings as an executor sale, every one of the six bedrooms is freshly made up, free of fustiness.

That’s until you peer down to the basement, however. down here, almost unknownst to casual passersby, is a spread of half a dozen high-ceilinged rooms, some of which look like they haven’t been used (or never needed use) in a couple of centuries. It’s full of possibilities, and most rooms down here are remarkably dry, with windows boarded up, crying out for light. It’s a fairly

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blank, albeit faded and tatty, canvas, almost another house in size and scope.

But, perhaps leaving rooms to benign neglect is understandable when there’s so much house going on directly above, and thanks to its two staircases, and building history in two eras, it’s a fairly confusing place to come to grips and geography with.

So, let’s start at the outside: set just off the harbour-fringing road and glimpsed by passersby in it bow-end and creeperclad beauty, it’s stone-built, with blocks of cut stone visible behind some of the fading and dusty ochre-coloured lime plaster on its approach side.

Whitegate House’s distinguishing feature is the double-height curved bow end,

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

facing west over the harbour, giving segmented views of water from the main drawing room and the exceptional bedroom overhead, with its elegant plasterwork, part broad-cone shaped into the bow end. There’s an entrance porch with limestone detailing, part slate main roof with sections redone in recent years, and the whole house feels dry and crisp on its two main floors below.

Cornice work at ground level is ornate, as you’d expect, while the bedrooms have the simples of plasterwork treatments, highlighting the various rooms’ shapes. It’s understated masterwork, and, oh, most rooms are graced by appropriate fireplaces.

Unfortunately, while the hand-crafted curved sash

windows are in place in some of the key part of the house and bow, others were taken out a few years ago, and replaced with pvc double glazing which has ‘plasticised’ its architectural integrity, a bit like dressing a grande old dame in, well, slinky pvc. The good news, though, is the sashes that were taken out, and their weights, have been stored down in the basement, looking entirely renewable and praying for reinstatement.

So, Whitegate House, for all its finery, is a bit of project needing TLC, but it presents superbly, and will guide any restoration by virtue of its retained integrity.

It’s not so big it couldn’t just be a family home for someone of reasonable means and income, and its setting is quite special. Not only does it have its best rooms facing the immense waters and amenity prospects of Cork harbour, it also has its own private slip across the public road for any new owner who’ll be into boats.

But, Whitegate House could also work for its living and salvation, as it is on nearly four acres of land, most of it valuable woodland, and there’s a great mix of old stone buildings in its courtyard, a handy distance across the rear, reached via a tall stone arched entrance.

There could be outhouses, guest/craft cottages, artesian producers, tourism potential, boat repair, a suitable base for architectural salvage, even, with the house itself an example of best practice — once the blasted pvc interloper windows are evicted.

For those with any imagination, a bit of a budget, enthusiasm and a modicum of energy, Whitegate House is an exciting prospect, achievable grandeur, in an under-stated harbour village setting, 15 minutes from Midleton and an

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Best feature:

Whitegate, Cork €550,000 Sq m 375 (4,000 sq ft) 6 exempt (protected structure) Simply gorgeous

OOZING CLASS: Whitegate House, overlooking Cork harbour has been carefully minded — brasses are gleaming, it’s dust free, all the paintwork is fresh, it shows the force of a house-proud owner

It’s not so big it couldn’t just be a family home for someone of reasonable means and income, and its setting is special acceptable commute to Cork city also. It comes to market guided at €550,000 by Midleton estate agent Adrianna Hegarty, who says it is open to offers — and it’s also open to the sheer joy of getting one’s hands on a bit of a cracker.

VERDICT: Nearly 250 years old, Whitegate House is in remarkable shape, and will repay any investment.

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COVER STORY

COVER STORY

Worth a view... and the house isn’t bad either

GETTHELOOK

Some great ideas for you to use in your home and where to get them

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with underfloor heating throughout except in bedrooms, and there’s an Asco heat recovery system which works flawlessly in circulating heat from the more heavily glazed rooms to the less glazed, as well as giving a constant stream of fresh air, says Alan, adding “we’ve never had to turn on the heating”.

The five-bedroom house is set up for solar panels for water heating for the three/four bathrooms. There’s a central vacuum system established, and 150mm insulation in the cavity wall, with 50mm shelterboard internally. Where there are fireplaces, there’s scope to

put in stoves to copper-fasten the high BER rating. Airtightness is key and the main heat source (if and when needed) is oil-fired.

This dream-sited Kilbrittain west Cork home is within an easy drive of Cork city, the airport, ferry and even closer are Bandon, Clonakilty, Timoleague and Courtmacsherry.

It is new to market with Bandon agent Mark Kelly of Property On Line, and Malcolm Tyrrell of Cohalan Downing in Cork city, who seek offers close to the €750,000 mark.

Time was when do-er uppers on lesser sites made more than that, and the good stuff routinely went for over the €1 million mark.

Right now, it’s an unfinished project, but with an end clearly in sight. A halt was sensibly enough called by Alan and Hitoma at this final furlong stage, so that a buyer now can put their own final flourishes to it, in terms of flooring, tiling, decor and kitchen, and in fact is has been designed so that the kitchen will be in the very best perch in the house for see-through living space views to the bay beyond.

Depending on a new owner’s demands, a sum around €100,000 should see the whole thing wrapped up, to the same uncompromising high standard seen in the build so far.

Already, it is wired for alarm, electric gates etc, and the grass is coming up nicely

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Best feature:

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2 Turn a corner. Corner windows really give an air of floating lightness.

Here, a deep eaves overhand helps keep glass clean.

3 Treat yourself. Here, pretreated cedar cladding with a slight shadowgap and stainless steel screws all lined up show a level of perfectionist build.

Pictures: Denis Scannell

exposed coastal setting as a pitched tiled roof. “The wind will blow in under anything,” he argues, and if commercial buildings can stay impermeable with a flat roof, why shouldn’t a house?

So, on his house, Alan has put quality asphalt layers, lapped and set to shed water away from slender parapets, there are concrete eaves and in fact lots and lots of concrete, on floors, stairs, walls and more, with consequent huge thermal mass, softened by gently stained western red cedar.

It’s close to passive energy use, weighing in with a B1 BER cert, and but has been designed

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1 If life gives you rocks and boulders, make a rockery or stone feature.

On the level: Tommy Barker is impressed with this Grand Design level project which had the personal input of a skilled builder MOVE abroad, with his Japanese wife Hitomi and their new baby daughter, sees skilled and second-generation builder Alan Healy leaving his dream home at the 95% finished stage.

For most, leaving a personal version of a Grand Design at this stage, so close to fruition, would be a gut-ripping wrench.

But, he’s philosophical: “It’s only a house,” Alan reasons.

Maybe he can be a bit more sanguine about it knowing he could build like this anytime.

But getting the site wouldn’t be probable, possible, or even practical, and in fact it was only because Alan was born and reared nearby that he got planning for this steep field site, by the shoreline in Cork’s Kilbrittain and directly overlooking the mouth of Courmacsherry Bay. He has had to get approval now to offer it for re-sale. Japan beckons for the young family, who met up first in Australia.

Alan’s own father Dan Healy is a builder of strong local repute, and Alan has followed in his perfectionist boots. The evidence is all around in this singular build, on all its levels.

Like all the best house designs, this is a home that responds to its site, its gradient, aspect, views, orientation, location — the lot.

Design is by Bandon engineer Ross Coakley, who has a fair number of distinguished oneoffs under his belt around the county.

Alan’s own preference is also towards the contemporary, and that’s obvious here, and he’s a huge believer in a strong build, and a flat, sealed roof (and having a flat roof helps reduce the vertical visual bulk of a c 3,500 sq ft house, stepped back on its site, and over three levels.)

Here, Alan says his roofs will last twice as long in this

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4 Floor to ceiling windows, or sliding doors, really connect any room to its exterior. Here, all is primed for a courtyard breakfast area.

5 Keep external materials natural. Here, there’s a mix of sleeper timber steps with gravel, and sandstone wall capping.

6 Go flat out. Done properly, a flat roof can last for decades, and provide a platform for views, or even a grass sedum roof garden.

WOW... overlooking the mouth of Courmacsherry Bay, this five-bedroom beauty has a build quality to match the setting.

after the last few weeks of rain, while the drive curves and snakes sinuously down to the scenic coastal route below, with the Pink Elephant bar/ restaurant just around the bend to the east, and beaches beyond that again.

The house’s lower, entry level, has embracing walls curving around like arms in a caress, and it leads to a

Kilbrittain, Co Cork €750,000 Sq m 350 (3,650 sq ft) 5 B1/B2 setting and build quality

sheltered courtyard, doubleberth garage with electric roller doors, and off the covered, double height entry hall are two en suite bedrooms.

Next level up is home to over 2,000 sq ft of space, with three bedrooms, gallery, kitchen/ dining/living space, utility/ laundry, huge reception room/ den/gym, and several rooms open to a west-facing courtyard.

The top level is home to a view-commanding sitting room, like the bridge of a ship.

The whole lot is on a halfacre perch, with external works now in the final phase.

VERDICT A Grand Design level project, with the personal input of a skilled builder who is prepared to finish it out to a buyer’s last specification.

SOURCEBOOK Design: Ross Coakley BE, Consulting Engineer, 18 South Main Street Bandon, Cork. 087-8255077 ..................................................................................................

Builders: Alan and Dan Healy, Kilbrittain, Co Cork 087-2524875 ..................................................................................................

Windows, doors: Munster Joinery, Ballydesmond, Co Cork. wwwmunsterjoinery.ie ..................................................................................................

Pre-treated cedar: Adanack Ltd, Knockanish, The Spa Tralee, Kerry. www.adanack.com ..................................................................................................

Asphalt roof: O’K Asphalt, Lanes Cross, Killard Blarney 021-381908.

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INTERIORS

INTERIORS

We take a detailed look at one aspect of the home every week ...

The traditional fire has been reinvented with the 600i model,

by Boru Stoves (available at Toss Bryans, Fermoy, Co Cork) and claims to be 78.8% fuelefficient. It slots into your wall, so it doesn’t interfere with the streamlined emphasis of the modern living environment (€1,499 at most good stoves shops).

Hot stuff

Carol O’Callaghan says solid-fuel stoves are four times more efficient than an open fire at retaining heat in a room

COSY CLASSICS Get the look without breaking the bank ■ In August, Cork Craft Month showcased design talent in Cork. Among those featured was Corkbased Spaniard Jordi Joan Esquerda, who is turning out furniture pieces that blend the essentials of good design, function and beauty, to make an impressive collection.

Hall table made from walnut and oak laminate by Jordi Joan Esquerda.

Hot stuff for the home Every stove needs a practical container for supplies of coal, turf and logs.

No dashing out in the cold for logs. Store them in an attractive fire-side basket (€67 from M&S).

The handy two-in-one coal scuttle and shovel combined makes putting coal on the fire easy and clean (€28.99 from Atlantic Homecare).

For a touch of the traditional look, try a cauldron-style coal scuttle (€19.99 from Woodie’s).

Staying warm and cosy Who doesn’t love to accessorise? Finish off your newly installed stove with some cosy accessories

The Fiachra burns wood and solid fuel and fits on a standard hearth, but can also be fitted into a corner in the Scandinavianstyle, so rooms around it also benefit from the heat (RRP €699 from Boru Stoves).

Consider an option like the Cara Insert, by Waterford Stanley (available at Co Op Superstores) which claims to reduce fuel consumption by up to 50% and fits into a standard 10” or 18” x 22” fireplace (from €999, and from €1,299 for back-boiler models.

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HE eco brigade have us all recycling, and rightly, but we give little thought to the environmental impact of burning oil, gas and coal in winter. The threat of increases to our energy bills this year may have us switching off lights and turning the central heating thermostat down a degree or two, but we’ll compensate by throwing extra sods of turf or blocks of wood on the fire.

Lovely though the traditional fireplace may be, most of the heat goes up the chimney. Solid-fuel stoves are reckoned to be three to four times more efficient at keeping heat in the room, so anyone who shivered their way through last year’s harsh winter may want to consider this more efficient means of

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heating their home and saving money.

Many people have already installed solid-fuel stoves this summer in anticipation of what some weather soothsayers claim will be an even worse winter than last year. Veterans of solidfuel stove heating wax hot with fiery enthusiasm about their efficiency and cost-effectiveness, as indeed will anyone who ever sat before one and witnessed the tremendous amount of heat they throw out.

But a word or two of caution if you decide to abandon your open fire: make sure you do your research and that the one you choose is not just based on good looks, but will address your heating needs and your pocket.

Versions range from sophisticated models to heat-a-back-fire boiler and

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

radiators, to a simple free-standing stove to occupy your existing hearth.

Whichever you choose, it’s advisable to opt for one that will burn a variety of materials such as coal, wood, turf and briquettes, so if you’re iced in as so many were last November and December, you’re not dependent on only one type of fuel if the coal man can’t get up the hill to your house.

If a free-standing stove is not to your taste and you don’t want to interfere with the look of the fire surround you already have, consider a model that will slot into your existing fire place. There’s even some new technology to tackle the grizzly bug-bear of how rapidly the inside of the stove’s glass door becomes caked with soot and debris.

Now the invention of self-cleaning

glass, which emits water while the fire is burning and leaves your door perfectly clear, is a welcome development for those who could not give up the simple pleasure of gazing at the burning embers of a fire, and also for anyone dreading the greasing of elbows in order to do the grimy job themselves.

So with your new-found enthusiasm for stoves and the prospect of reducing your energy costs, a hint to get the maximum efficiency from your fuel is to make sure your turf and wood are as dry as possible before you throw them on, and if you’re having them delivered, they’ll cost less by weight if dry.

Next week we make a visit to the boudoir to check out the revival of the dressing table

Thick snow outside will prompt the filling of hot water bottles to snuggle on the sofa (€6 from Pennys). As the evenings close in, a cosy throw will keep chilly knees warm (approx. €10 at Heatons).

The T-Eye, by Tonwerk, features a storage core which captures the heat produced and slowly releases it back.

Available in granite and soapstone finishes, €5,500 at www.smartheat.ie.

The finish of the Oisin solid-fuel stove, by Waterford Stanley, is available in a variety of colours for €899, and in matt black for €499 (from good stove suppliers nationwide).

Choose patterns for your hearth rug as they’re better at hiding inevitable coal and soot stains (Persisk Gabbeh range €499 at Ikea).

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DIY

DIY

Leave the dirt at the door

DIYTIPS

How to lay a vinyl floor

Follow our guide to tailor a small area for your first time floor. Cover any floorboard in hardboard and properly level concrete with a compound before starting. Remove thresholds of doors where possible WHAT YOU NEED: ■ Vinyl floor of 2m, 3m or 4m to suit allowing 100mm all round. Ensure it’s a grade suited to heavy wear.

Cushioned flooring can scuff. Warm it up by leaving it in the room for 24 hours

There are a variety of handy knickknacks available to keep your house spotless, finds Kya deLongchamps

■ Straight edge

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M I THE only one still stunned by the amount of work it takes simply to (as they say in 1930s RKO flickers) ‘keep house’.

When my mother moved into her first house in the late ’60s, my usually retiring, chain-smoking grandmother arrived expressionless at the front door, with two burly men and a roll of marmalade-coloured carpet patterned with some receding Japanese garden imaginings strained through an LSD nightmare.

She unhinged the Major from the puckered bow of her lipstick long enough to snap out ‘it will hide the dirt.’

And do you know — it did. Nothing got past that snarling 100% wool Cleary’s workhorse. It was the flat plains of Narnia, swallowing the lot until vacuuming day.

TOXIC SOLES Shoe-borne dirt is a charming mixture of earth, petrochemicals and rubbish from public pavements all tied up in the major ingredient of dust — a hefty sprinkle of human skin. Today, it’s not merely the domestic shame that in the past put legions of Irish women like my nana on their knees scrubbing out the front step.

We know that dirt can damage our flooring, irritate lungs and skin and in the case of those suffering from allergies make life utterly miserable.

According to the US Environmental Agency, 50% of illness in Americans is caused by indoor air pollution. Sealed up in our own micro-climate, good housekeeping practices are more important than ever.

TAKING DOWN THE PRESSURE Decompression zones form a vital pause between the outside and inside world, a place to stop, slough off our outer skin and take a breath.

Front halls can be as classy as you choose, but for the daily grind the main runway into the house has to be up to the job.

Tough natural materials, including slate or textured ceramic flooring matched to scuff and waterproof emulsion, are an excellent choice, and can dress up a dishevelled practical room in the guise of shabby rustic chic.

Tile should have a good key and a long-life finish and wood several coats of a varnish to toughen its face. A wax finish will slough off puddles and preventing cupping.

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■ Paint scraper ■ Tape measure

ROOM FOR MUD The full blown ‘mud room’ as its name suggests is a place to kick off your boots and shoes and throw wet coats up on hooks without having too much regard to your surroundings. A couple of dedicated metres can take considerable pressure off the kitchen as a much maligned dumping ground immediately adjoining vulnerable civilised areas.

A shallow-hinged bench and bootjack, allow the family to sit down and rinse off their footwear before taking them off, and storing them. A tough metal scraper set over a pit to catch dirt is often seen in public buildings and is easily applicable at home using a shallow removable tray set into a shallow impression in cement outdoors or integrated in the floor indoors.

GARAGED AND PORCH ENTRANCES You don’t have to go indoors to corral nature’s little gifts. A decompression area could be a small porch or open paved space under some sort of shelter that adjoins the house. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a room marked out by conventional walls and doors at all, but this does render any domestic ‘stuff ’ left in this area unsecured.

Ensure that wind-driven rain is kept out by even a two-sided roofed enclosure even if it’s just a place to slough off the clay from gardening.

The attached garage can interrupt an approach to the indoors. If you’re laying out the house or putting on a garage, traffic the scruffy return from school and sport over a cement floor to a changing area of hooks, shelving and cubbies.

If your lads are heavy duty sportsmen, a heavy duty washing machine could be a keen ally in this area. A low level tap set over a shore and drain allows boots, muddy paws and wheelchair wheels to be rinsed off.

Ensure the surrounding surfaces if brick, plasterboard or block are shielded. Exterior grade masonry paint can provide an effective, waterproof splash-back.

TEN-POINT WINTER MUD MURDER PLAN: 1. Yes, I know it’s not 1940, but the front step is generally filthy and should be periodically washed down. Keep these areas at the very least swept from time to time. Power washers will drive off mould, but be careful not to force water under the threshold.

2. The first mat you feet touch on

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

■ Ballpoint pen (these work best for marking up the vinyl) ■ Double sided flooring tape ■ A small block of wood

Mobility goes off the wire. Go battery or mains with the new Hybrid Vacuum from Miele. €600.

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Take off your shoes Unroll the vinyl. Place it in the chosen direction parallel to the long walls Fit it in place, making careful vertical downward cuts with your craft knife to get it to sit close to the floor. Leave plenty of excess Trim away some of the waste around the full edge, leaving about 25mm marked with your pen.

Using your straight edge force the flooring right into the join between floor and wall, make the final trim with your forearm against the wall and making fluid, steady cuts.

Roll back the from one end to a central point and (if not self flattening) apply adhesive to the underside. Replace. Roll back the other side and repeat Press the edges under cabinets and skirting where possible using a flat paint scraper. Using double sided carpet tape at doorways.

Use a broom to force out bubbles and flatten the vinyl. Replace thresholds.

Q&A

Do you have a DIY question you would like answered?

Send it to interiors@examiner.ie

Q. My house has a mixture of hard flooring and carpet. I have mobility issues and I don’t have much room to store even a cylinder. Ideas?

Two rows of Tjusig racks (€9.99) and stout Stuva storage benches, strong enough to sit up on (€85), task manage in this busy family hall from IKEA.

Picture: Getty

arrival should be a heavy bristle outdoor muscle run in coir, coconut, rubber or plastic. Prices run from around €10-€30.

3. Moisture-trapping walk-off mats set just inside the entryways really do sop up dirt and sand (which can act like sandpaper). JML offer a jumbo-sized thirsty 90X120 Magic Carpet at €35 in a range of colours. www.jmldirect.com.

4 If you have a gap under the front door, every wisp of wind will inject dirt into your hallways. Insulate the door

with strips and brushes. Draught proof the house stem to stern.

5. Place a bench close to the main door so family can get their shoes off without hopping a highland fling. Some sort of shoe rack or boot tray will get footwear up off the floor to dry out.

6. Hooks should be generous, height appropriate and well spaced to allow items to air. We’re hooked on IKEA Tjusig hanging racks. Ideal for a double storey. €9.99.

7. Argos has a 200cm jute striped

runner ideal to discreetly protect a hall at €34 in terracotta or green. A reversible large rug in cotton or polypropylene can wear on both sides and made non-slip with the addition of a dedicated webbing laid to the underside.

Try Natural from Woodies DIY, €18.99 for a 5ftx3ft pad.

8. In a utility room or back hall use a wipe-down paint finish on walls and skirting and any furnishings for quick clean ups such as Dulux Tough Satin for skirting and other woodwork.

9. Vacuum, sweep or dust mop as needed to remove dirt and grit before cleaning your floors. In carpeted popular areas in bad weather, this means getting the machine out at every couple of days. Closet the vacuum close-by for encouragement.

10. Go shoes-off indoors, and your hammer toes will spread back to their natural shoe size. Go utterly barefoot or provide socks with grip soles for traversing all hard flooring, minimising the risk of dangerous falls.

A. The lightweight, cordless vacuum has come a long way. Two brands are worth consideration. The Dyson Multifloor includes a way to make it operate like a cylinder, a dedicated stair cleaning tool and a motorised floor tool. It’s 22.2V battery recharges quickly and the entire machine is a featherweight 2.2kg; €260. Less power, but less money, Gtech power sweepers are now at Argos, from €54.99.

Q. Are compact steam cleaners worth the investment? Do they clean better than a hot wet rag and a dash of bleach?

A. The advantage of steam cleaning is its ability to deep clean without chemical detergents. Top brands, including Shark and Polti, are highly

versatile, taking on everything from bathroom tiles to windows and curtains, with just the power of water lifting out the dirt and bacteria load.

The British Allergy Foundation recommends their use. Replacement pads can be pricey, so shop around, and compare ‘heat up’ and ‘steaming’ times.

Q. What is best, bags or bagless, in a vacuum?

A. Purely a matter of preference, but for anyone with an allergy problem, bags are generally easier to contain when dumping. The larger the bin, theoretically the less trouble to empty it, but as it fills, most bins and bags incrementally reduce suction. Hoover’s Turbo-Power uprights boast up to four litres in a bin with turbo power to maintain powerful suction. From €322.

■ Answers by Kya deLongchamps

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WISH LIST Looking for some inspiration to brighten up your interiors? Esther N McCarthy has a peek to see what’s hot this week

Get creative with your very own indoor tree, using removable and reusable wall stickers. Made of adhesive polyester, they promise to remain sticky and will adhere to most surfaces. Available from Garrendenny Lane for €85. www.garrendennylane.com.

Brighten up the dining table with John Rocha’s Pico red cereal bowl, €8.50, and dinner plate, €10.50, available from Debenhams.

Relax in style with the Fjord armchair, it’s available from Marks and Spencer for €630.

Russell Hobbs gets intelligent in the kitchen with the two- in- one Allure salt and pepper grinder. Available from Dwyers Electrical, Flor Griffin, Fitzgerald Electrical, Phil O’Sullivan Electrical, Soundstore and Murphy’s Electrical. For a full list of suppliers see www.electricalretailers.ie.

Get organised with the walnut Barcelona bedside chest by Peter Mac Cann. It features a handy adjustable internal glass shelf and chrome steel base. Available for €275 from No Fixed Abode, www.nofixedabode.ie.

Get in the pink with this armchair cute enough for the princess of the house, available from Next Interiors for €139.

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This funky Macaroon clock has different coloured macaroons for each hour. Get your hands on one at The Contemporary Home for €51, www.tch.net.

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Go loopy for the chrome Fruitloop fruitbowl, available from Black and Blum for €40 www.black-blum.com.

������������������ � �������������������� IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

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INTERIORS

HOME ECONOMICS

ASK THE

DESIGNER

Q

Our new home is currently being designed — but we can’t decide on a layout.

What are the most common mistakes to avoid?

A. Often, the exterior of a house gets a lot of attention, but the interior is neglected — resulting in bad layout, poor room access and circulation which can be expensive to fix later on. All rooms should be a reasonable size and located to suit their function and benefit from natural light. Inappropriate connecting rooms such as a bathroom off the kitchen should be avoided. Also avoid narrow hallways and keep corridors as short as possible. If it’s two storey, your stairs should be a design statement with a quarter landing and, if possible, a landing window. Have your architect present the plans in 3D so you can take a virtual tour of your home and make any changes.

Big budget doesn’t necessarily mean good design — you can still achieve a wonderful result on a small budget.

Generally though, painting an average size bedroom takes around 5 litres of paint, so choose wisely. A 5-litre Farrow & Ball paint costs around €77, for instance — whereas a 5-litre Dulux Matt Emulsion is only about €43. Good wallpaper costs between €40-€90 per roll, but you can save money by just papering one feature wall and painting the rest. Designer fabrics can be pricey, so watch for end-of-range styles – try www.windowinteriors.ie. My advice is to get the best you can afford for the main features of the bedroom, and scrimp on less important areas.”

Obviously, a good 24 hour monitored alarm system is a must for every home.

But don’t confuse ‘detection’ with ‘prevention’ — it’s important to make it as difficult as possible for someone to break in in the first place. Statistics show a well-lit home is the most effective deterrent against theft. As most break-ins are through a door, there are also a number of attractive security doors on the market. Consider installing new Secur Flap to windows and patio doors — a security venetian blind made

Often referred to as Environmental or Sustainable Design, in the simplest terms, it means finding a way for people and nature to live in harmony in the home. EcoDesign takes into consideration how the design of a product impacts on the environment during its lifecycle. As consumers, we can help by choosing energy-efficient products that need to be replaced less frequently and can be recycled once exhausted — thereby minimising waste.

Things like insulation, solar heating

WEB WATCH

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Left: Suited to floors, rafters and even stud walls, pure wool batts are safe enough to self install without protective eyewear, gloves or mask. sheepwoolinsulaiton.ie 0404-46100.

I want to redecorate my bedroom, which is 12ft x 12ft x 8ft — how much do you think I should budget?

I hear a lot about ‘EcoDesign’ — what exactly does it mean and how does it affect me in my home?

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In our weekly series on getting your home ready for winter, Kya deLongchamps asks whether you can afford not to improve the insulation in your roof, considering the amount of heat you can lose through it

from double aluminium that looks no different to regular blinds. See www.aguard.ie.

I live in a detatched house just outside the city and am concerned about security — how can I protect against burglary without ruining the look of my home?

Atlantic blankets

Self-financing DIY

Interior architect Gerry Condon of Gerry Condon Design, a lecturer at Griffith College Dublin and Home Makeover Design Course in Fermoy, Co Cork, answers your questions Email: interiors@examiner.ie

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A

N ATTIC floor with no insulation present will merrily conduct 30%-35% of the heat in your home straight up through gaps, cracks, conduit runs and the ceiling itself straight out through the roof. Thin listless insulation below the recommended standard is short changing your home too, so get a perfectly tailored “hat” on the house before winter arrives in full force.

systems, renewable energy systems, waste treatment or even just energysaving lightbulbs can all go a long way towards making your home more ecofriendly — and reducing the collective carbon footprint we leave behind.

Every week Sue O’Connor picks her top three interiors sites. If you have a favourite you’d like to see featured, email: interiors@examiner.ie

Buckley & Associates Fine Art

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Drink Stuff

A dose of the chickenpox led to this company setting up. Comforting windswept plaids, marvellous herringbone or cosy fleece picnic baskets, this site has every type of blanket you could wish for. With soft hues and an array of different fabrics this is the perfect site to hunt down a blanket with a 100% snuggle rating.

Their outdoor rug section makes you want to fill up a thermal flask and head for the hills. Donegal tweed, Shetland, Aran and lambswool are just the tip of the iceberg with the many styles the company uses.

Want to snap up some artwork but don’t want to trek the streets searching for exhibitions? Well Buckley & Associates Fine Art will help you in your journey. An extensive list of artists graces their website, some employing a slideshow to give you a taste of their best work. It also gives a biography of the artists and where to find more of their work. Perfect for a rainy day viewing before you take a look at it in person. Check out this picture from Judy O’Connell, Summer July Evening, Inchydoney, framed acrylic on canvas, signed for €1,450.

Perfect for bachelor pads, student dens or milk shake fans check out the Cadillac sofa furniture on drinkstuff.com. The website is ideal for someone renovating or opening a pub or restaurant or if you’re looking for a touch of a1950s diner for your kitchen. It’s got home cinema seating, cocktail shakers and a yard glass for ale. Everything you would expect at an American frat party. Explore the memorabilia at your peril — you could end of thinking about where a life size statues of the Blues Brothers would sit best in your own home.

■ www.atlanticblankets.com

■ www.buckleyfineart.com

■ www.drinkstuff.com

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

A monitored alarm system, a well-lit house and a good door are among the main deterrants that will keep burgulars away from your home.

Picture: Getty

Judy O’Connell, Summer July Evening, Inchydoney framed acrylic on canvas, signed for €1,450. See www.buckleyfineart.com

YOU AND ‘U’ VALUE The lower the “U” value in W/m²K (a measure of thermal conductivity) of the insulation, the greater its efficiency. Some materials such as sheep’s wool have a very low “U” value, and at 250mm can perform as well as the standard 300mm of glass or mineral fibre with the additional benefits of being safe and easy to handle without gloves or masks.

When you’re sorting through competing products remember that the Building Regulations present the minimum acceptable performance, not the ideal. Exceed these demands wherever possible with highly efficient insulators in environmentally sound materials to future-proof your home.

BATTS OR LOOSE FILL? Most insulation materials are good for 40 years or more, so this is a long term investment in quality.

For insulation between joists, mineral wool or fibre glass rolls (or quilts) are easy to stuff into a standard car, highly affordable and a simple install.

In highly environmentally friendly choices, pure wool rolls have a devoted following, but the price difference is something of a hair-shirt. Fire ratings for natural materials including wool and cellulose are surprisingly good.

Treated with a fire resistant substance, they smolder for longer periods without igniting and furthermore they don’t release poisonous gases as they go.

Wool also neatly wicks away condensation during its lifetime. without collapsing as other materials do.

Good behaviour aloft in the attic Top tips to stay safe

Right: Cellulose insulation recycled from newspaper is blown softly into position by a member of the team at Ecocel. www.ecocel.ie.

Loose and blown fill comes in cellulose (Ecocel boast Irish credentials, www.ecocel.ie), or shredded glass or mineral fibre (Rockwool Rock Prime is popular and has its roots in natural materials). Once poured out or blown into position, fill nestles into irregular, inaccessible shapes, and levelled and left undisturbed is a superb insulator, holding heat and deadening sound.

1 down to soffit vents conducting the fresh air across your attic. Cuddle batt ends together and fish the insulation into any slightly out of reach places without flattening.

PRICE POINT Insulating the attic will save you around 20% of your heating bill (SEAI), so expect the project to pay for itself with standard fibreglass rolls properly installed in two to three years. VAT ADDING UP. If your roll insulation already reaches inclusive, insulating the floor of a typical 50Sq metre unconverted attic the level of the joists, the most economical DIY route to 300mm, is to lay from scratch will cost in the area of: ● Mineral or glass fibre rolls, 300mm a second blanket of medium density installed: €400-500 quilt in the opposite direction over the joists. Topping up with real wool over a ● Cellulose (Ecocel.ie), 330mm installed: €600. mineral or glass-fibre insulation will ● Pure wool rolls. secure the more toxic material cutting down on airborne toxic fibre. Assuming (SheepsWoolInsulation.ie) 250mm: €1550. 150mm: €970 (top up). Both selfyou have a vapour barrier in place on install. the first layer, the top up should not For many, the peace of mind of a safe include a vapour barrier. If you intend ecological product is worth every cent to use a new roll with a barrier, slit it of investment. In the case of cellulose open with a Stanley knife along its we’re talking about just €12 per metre, length. compared to €10 for standard fibre rolls.

If you are storing goods or walking around the attic, some floor will have to If your house was built before 2006 and the work you are carrying out costs in be laid over the insulation, potentially excess of €400, you may be eligible for a flattening valuable air pockets. There Better Energy Homes Scheme grant are two solutions: towards these works. You can find more ● Install a dedicated insulated flooring information at www.seai.ie. system in expanded or extruded Once the attic is insulated from polystyrene downstairs, it will be a great deal colder. ● Cross the joists in the storage area Include enough in your budget to also with new joists to accommodate a fully insulate your water-tank and pipes, fluffed second layer of quilt and then leaving the base of the water tank bare install your supporting floor. to the ceiling. This will help to warm it very slightly avoiding any danger of the FIDGETY BITS water freezing in severe weather.

Match the size of the insulation blanket to the size of gaps between the joists (400mm or 600mm), aiming for a tight fit. Batt products with a flexible edge such as Flexi from Rockwool, can be compressed safely to fit narrow areas.

Otherwise let the excess on the bat curl up the sides of joists rather than trimming it down.

The joist insulation should butt up against the insulation on the wall plates tucking up the attic in a cosy envelope.

Leave 50mm free in a sloping wedge

Most insulation materials are good for 40 years or more, so this is a long term investment in quality

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Except in the case of a very clean attic and 100% natural materials such as pure wool batts, wear a paper mask, gloves and a plastic shower style cap.

It’s hot up there, but tucking your trouser ends, sleeves (into the gloves) and zipping up a boiler suit to the chin will keep irritating fibres from wandering inside your clothes.

There’s a challenging hop required from the top of most step-ladders to an attic hatch, have someone hold the ladder.

No torch-songs please. If there is no proper light in your attic run a cable to caged light unit clamped to a rafter or truss. Close the attic hatch while working.

Open rolls insulation gently as not to raise irritating fibres in the air.

Cut open rolls inflate to a much greater size Place planks across the joists and step on those. Don’t wire-walk up the joists themselves.

A colder attic will tickle up damp or condensation issues so take a stern look at ventilation problems while clambering through the rafters.

Bring any loose electrical wiring up above the insulation, securing it to the sides of the joists. Recessed lights in the ceiling below demand a surrounding 75mm clearance.

Where any insulation covers joists, be extra careful not to disturb it or fall through it. Never step on exposed ceiling or insulation.

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If you are having blown-fill material installed, prepare the attic to seal off any cracks, gaps in conduit and run-offs to the eaves before the team arrive.

It’s a quick job with the right preparation.

Wash the clothes you’ve used around mineral or glass fibre separately from your other washing.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

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IN THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK

Fungi — magical but so dangerous

by Charlie Wilkins

BUDDLEJA DAVIDII: This is a great summerflowering shrub but it is inclined to be invasive and it self-seeds with great determination on waste ground and from cracks in stonework on buildings.

The seed itself is tiny and a single inflorescence can produce more than 45,000 seeds. The best attribute of this popular plant apart from its distinctly attractive blooms, is its ability to attract and feed scores of butterflies, bees, moths and hoverflies. It would not be unusual during September to see all these still gathering nectar from the lilac-shaped blooms. To stop Buddleja davidii from self-seeding all over the garden and beyond, prune the blooms once they have faded.

by Charlie Wilkins

A

ROSES: Such is our affection for roses, that you enter dangerous territory by uttering a word against them! But, if truth be told, they can look downright ugly in winter, especially when freshly pruned. Any pleasure that can be taken in them must only be by way of anticipation. There is an exception however; patio roses, now plentiful in garden centres with an even greater variety choice. Little beauties like “Happy Birthday”, “Sweet Dream”, “Regensberg” and “Gentle Touch”, are just four which I can highly recommend. Provided that one takes care to feed these from time to time with a potash-rich fertiliser, they will be exceptionally floriferous and ideal for use in very small gardens.

ANEMONES: Perhaps it is time to look more carefully at Japanese anemones for they’re really colourful as a late flowerer in the autumn garden.

These come into bloom during August and resemble in many ways the flowers of spring. They manage, by mid September, to suggest the lightness of spring flowers with all their colouring and freshness. Tall, bold and stiff, they come up every year and may indeed be regarded as a weed in the garden so luxuriantly do they increase. Mainly found in white or pink colours they can be seen now at all good garden centres.

CLEAR away any bedding plants that have finished flowering and place them on the compost heap. Dig up the bedding without trying to dig up the weeds, especially if they are perennial ones such as bindweed, ground elder, or nettles for these have extensive root systems. If you leave the weeds clean and intact you can simply spray the weed leaves with Roundup to kill them — roots and all. Trail the bindweed over the bare earth and then spray on a calm day when spray drift will not present a big problem to other plants. Pick a dry day when no rain is expected, for the weed-killer needs up to six hours of dryness on the leaf in order to be fully effective.

WINTER PLANTS: There is such a stunning selection of plants available now to use in winter baskets and containers that it is not surprising that this is one of the fastest growing areas in ornamental gardening. All can be planted with spring bulbs — especially tubs which can have multi-layers of bulbs that will give a succession of

Take care to feed roses from time to time with a potash-rich fertiliser.

colour. Plant daffodils deepest followed by hyacinths and then crocus. Top off every container with winter flowering bedding. Look out for daisies (Bellis) and

winter pansies in all their various colours. You can buy pansies in single orange and lemon colours or a mix of colours.

Good enough to eat ...

Hannah Stephenson has a sweet idea for a potato with a difference

S

WEET potatoes have become popular in the last decade for their rich, tasty orange flesh which adds colour and texture to many dishes. They are fantastic roasted with other vegetables, or mixed in warming stews when the weather turns cooler. Many mothers boil and puree them when weaning their babies because of their high amount of nutrients.

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As they are widely grown in tropical countries, they do need a sunny and sheltered spot in rich, sandy soil, dug over with compost and a general fertiliser. They are mainly grown from ‘slips’ in this country and need four months to mature, so you need to plant tubers in May. However, you’ll need to warm your soil first with cloches or black polythene, as

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

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the soil needs to be at least 12C (52F) for them to succeed. Plant them 6in (15cm) deep and 12in (30cm) apart with at least two leaf nodes under the soil. Keep them warm by growing them under cloches or through fleece and they’ll need to be well watered regularly. They can then be harvested the same way as potatoes in September. They’re one to keep in mind for next year.

UTUMN comes to my southern garden with the arrival of the soft purple and ivory of the autumn crocus Colchicum autumnalis, growing at the base of an old brick pier at a time when nearby plants are looking tired and tattered.

It amazes me how anything so demurely pink and white and gleaming could find it easy to live in such inhospitable surroundings. Nearby there are other pink and white and gleaming growths which announce the impending winter; fungi and mushrooms of every shape and size, both edible and poisonous, appearing as if by magic during the damp and darkness of the lengthening night.

We gardeners are rightly suspicious of all fungi (with the exception perhaps of the field mushroom). This antipathy may derive from the fact that toadstools and mushrooms were once associated with the devil and witches and some are hallucinogenic if eaten.

On the continent, however, mushroom collecting is something of an occupation, whilst in Russia mushroom hunting parties are a regular feature of autumn.

Along with knowing their fungi by their botanical names they also call them by their weird and common names; puff ball, horn of plenty, ceps, horse mushrooms, even destroying angel.

But what are fungi? The word fungus covers everything from the mould on gable end walls and lichen on rooftops to what can appear between your toes, so let’s use the much nicer word, mushroom. Some, like the pale brown miniature parasols found under the canopy of large trees, are certainly more deserving of the name toadstools, the furniture of the fairies. Others are more corporeal; the clammy soft feel of the Oyster’s cap feels like brown suede, and underneath, the perfection and off-white colour of the tightly packed gills show as neat and geometric as the seed heads of alliums or the now wasting heads of hybrid agapanthus.

All lack chlorophyll and cannot use direct sunlight to provide them with energy; instead they get their energy from decomposing matter which contains sugars and starches.

Mushrooms are found in many places during September but by October they usually get hidden by a thick carpet of fallen leaves. The autumnal rains are the trigger for most species whilst the first frosts usually put an end to their growth.

In the meantime, if you tire of these on the lawn or in borders, then use Jeyes Fluid (an eggcup of fluid to a watering can of water).

Many types of toadstool are capable of growing in lawn turf and a few scattered here and there over the lawn are not particularly objectionable. The usual cause is buried organic debris (especially roots of long demolished trees) and

IN THE GARDEN

GARDENNOTES ■ Douglas Union of Parishes, in conjunction with Cork Flower Club and Friends will hold a Harvest Flower Festival in St Luke’s Church Douglas this weekend. Viewing and refreshments today up to 6pm (admission €10). At 8pm, a concert Music Amongst the Flowers takes place (admission €15 by ticket only). Sunday viewing is from 10am to 2pm (admission €10). The closing and Harvest Thanksgiving Service will be conducted by Rt Rev John Neill (former archbishop of Dublin). Additional attractions in Canon Packham Hall include cakes and jams, plants and country produce, crafts, books, toys, etc.

■ Glenville Flower and Garden Club host Sarah Evans and Alan Pitcher of Secret Garden Newmarket to talk on Autumn and Winter Colour on Tuesday next at 8.30pm in the Kades Kounty, Glenville. Non members welcome.

■ Hosfords of Enniskeane welcome harpist Máire Ní Chathasaigh and guitarist Chris Newman for a concert on Thursday October 6 at 8pm in the Blue Geranium Café.

Advance booking recommended.

Free bulb planting demonstrations today at 11am and 3pm.

■ Mitchelstown Flower and Garden Club will host an evening of cookery with Eileen Drinan on Thursday next in the Ozanam Centre at 8pm.

■ Free Gardening talks at Atkins Garden World every Thursday morning from 10am to noon. For September the theme is Bulbs and Autumn Planting. Further details from 4933433.

■ Longueville House Mallow, Co Cork will hold their 10th Annual Mushroom Hunt on Sunday October 16 and 30. Enjoy a weekend at Longueville or arrive for a day. Both are packed with activities, advice, and fun.

■ Putting your Garden to Sleep is the title of a talk to be given by Kitty Scully at the Owenabue Garden Club meeting on Monday next at 8pm in the C of I National School Carrigaline.

■ Mallow RAPID co-ordinator Margaret Desmond invites the public to view the results (and pictures) of the winning gardens in this year’s garden competition on Monday October 10 at the Community Platform.

Oyster mushrooms can be seen this month growing in tiers on tree stumps, fallen branches and rotting logs of hardwoods, particularly those of beech.

removing these will often eliminate clumps of toadstools. Not all grow in lawns however and some, like the oyster mushroom grow in tiers on tree stumps, logs and branches of hardwoods, particularly beech.

Please be careful when collecting wild mushrooms. If you cannot properly identify them they are best left unpicked.

They could easily make you a memorable feast (or a more memorable bout of food poisoning) so instead, take what’s pre-

packed and stripped of dirt and found on offer on supermarket shelves.

Cook them by melting some butter or oil in a pan and frying several rashers in this to begin. Remove the bacon when cooked and keep it hot. In the same butter/oil fry sliced mushrooms to a golden colour and notice how they absorb both as they cook. Pour them dripping with juice on to the rashers and server atop fresh toast. Pure magic, and you’ll not suffer any nasty after-effects.

■ Lough Flower and Garden Club host a demonstration by Margot Allen in the SMA Hall, Wilton, on Tuesday next at 8pm. The annual dinner takes place on October 25.

■ Dermot O’Neill is leading an autumn break to Monet’s garden and Versailles from October 7-10 next. The carrier is Aer lingus and departure is from Dublin. There will be ample time for other activities and sightseeing. Contact traveldepartment.ie for full details.

■ The Slug Club, Dripsey Garden Centre, meets today for another fun session at 3pm. For info; 7334286.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

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ANTIQUES & FINE ART

ADVERTISING

Sale of the centuries

Martin McGuinness’s towering ambition

With 1,853 lots on offer Durrow is the place to be, says Des O’Sullivan

T

HE Legacy of the Big House is the title of a three day sale at Sheppards in Durrow, Co Laois, next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

On offer are three centuries of period furniture, art, decorative art and Asian art. A total of 1,853 lots, including a Regency Cork clock by John Mountjoy (estimated at €2,000€3,000), are due to come

under the hammer.

The sale on Thursday will be devoted entirely to Asian art and will feature 453 lots. Viewing from 2pm to 6pm on today, tomorrow and Monday.

■ Viewing starts tomorrow for the 212-lot sale of Important Irish Art at James Adam on St Stephen’s Green next Wednesday at 6pm.

A Fair day in Mayo, by Jack B Yeats, is the top lot. It is estimated at €500,000-€800,000.

SHEPPARD’S Irish Auction House The Legacy of the Big House

27 – 29 September 2011 at 10:30 each day

Important three-day Sale (1854 lots)

three centuries of period furniture, decorative art, fine art, and Asian art from private collections and Irish country houses including Emo Court, Russborough House, Knocklofty House, Castlecomer House, and Dunkettle House

(located 90 minutes NE of Cork City: M8 (N), at J3 take R433 (R434) to Durrow)

VIEWING

2:00–6:00pm Sat: 24 September Sun: 25 September Mon: 26 September SALE-DAYS Tues: 27 Sept Weds: 28 Sept Thurs: 29 Sept

Enquiries: Michelle Brophy 057 874 0000

Lot 1393: Important Irish Regency period gilt console table

Illustrated colour catalogues: vols. I & II: 057 874 0000 Fully searchable e-catalogues: www.sheppards.ie

Bid Live via: www.sheppards.ie

D u r r o w • L a o i s Te l : 0 5 7 8 7 4 0 0 0 0 ANTIQUE AUCTION in DONERAILE, Co. CORK Auction on Saturday 1st October @ 1.00 pm.

THE AUTUMN SALE: Our Auctions consist of approx 500 lots with interesting items for every room in the house. Our auctions appeal to everyone as we have items to suit every budget.

To include the contents from properties in Rochestown and the Model Farm Road among others.

Antiques, Paintings, Collectables, Books, Period and later furniture, Clocks, Ceramics, Glassware, Pictures and prints, Dining Tables, Sets of Chairs, Bedroom Cabinets, Wardrobes, Chest of Drawers, Occasional Tables and Chairs etc.

More and more Interior designers and first time house buyers are turning to auctions for value.

Our site is well worth viewing. All items will be photographed & available on our website on Thurs 29th Sept. 2011.

For fully illustrated catalogue go to www.irishcountryhome.com or call Aidan if you have any queries on the auction VIEWING IN OUR AUCTION ROOMS Friday 30th September (2-8pm) and the morning of the sale from 11am to start of sale at 1pm.

Aidan Foley Antique & Fine Art Auctioneer

The Old Schoolhouse Auction Rooms, Doneraile, Mallow, Co. Cork. Tel. 022-72992/086-8290680

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

Now that Martin McGuinness is a presidential candidate there should be extra interest in a work of art he made with matchsticks which features at Whyte’s history, literature and collectibles sale in Dublin today. This Irish round tower was made by McGuinness while a prisoner in Portlaoise jail in 1974. The wooden base is inscribed: “To Fr Jimmy from Martin, Portlaoise Jail 1974”. McGuinness spent time in Portlaoise prison after he was convicted of being an IRA member in 1974 by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The piece is estimated at €1,000-€1,500.

Babe Ruth GAA tour bat among the lots at Mealys THE Mealy’s book and collectors sale in Castlecomer at 10.30am next Wednesday (sep 28) offers everything from a History of Yachting in the South of Ireland 1720-1908 by “Corinthian” (100-150) to a book titled Ireland’s Case Against Conscription by Éamon de Valera (120-170).

There is even an original Spalding B12 Baseball Bat given by “Babe” Ruth to Frank McGrath who, in 1926, brought the first ever Inter-County team from Ireland to the USA under the banner of the GAA (€4,000-€5,000).

Viewing is from 9.30am to 5pm on Monday and Tuesday.

■ In Dublin there will be a 412 lot auction of jewellery and silverware at O’Reilly’s of Francis St next Wednesday at 1pm.

The auction features a selection of diamond rings, earrings, brooches, pendants, necklaces, gold bracelets, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, opals, pearls and watches, gold sovereigns, silver buttons, Irish and English silver and a small selection of Irish art.

DIARY NAMA ... GOING, GOING A total of 14 paintings formerly owned by the Irish developer Derek Quinlan — including works by Warhol, Roderick O’Conor, William Scott and Paul Henry — are to be sold by Christie’s in London and New York on behalf of NAMA, the National Asset Management Agency. The most valuable, Dollar Sign

by Andy Warhol, will be sold at the Post-War and Contemporary Art auction in New York on November 9. Eleven works come under the hammer in London on November 17. ............................................................... .

FAIR DEALING The 46th annual Irish Antique Dealers Association Fair continues at the RDS today and tomorrow. Opening times are from 11am to 7pm today and from 11am to 6pm tomorrow. ............................................................... .

KINGERLEE SELLOUT The retrospective John Kingerlee sale organised

by Morgan O’Driscoll in Cork was a sellout last Sunday. In general lots made from one quarter to one half of the low estimate in a sale of 136 lots which brought in €128,000. Kilcatherine Landscape, which sold for €9,000, was to top lot. ............................................................... .

SCANLAN SALE In Tralee there is a sale of books and coins at Kerry Auction Rooms at noon today. It includes the collection of the late Eleanor Scanlan, Listowel, who was closely associated with Writers’ Week. ............................................................... .

DOUBLE AUCTION At Shanagolden, Co Limerick, O’Donovan and Associates of Newcastlewest will hold a house clearance auction at Reidy’s, Main St, Shanagolden on September 24 at 11am.

Hibernian Antique Fairs are at the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny tomorrow from 11am to 6pm. ............................................................... .

PEDESTALS SOLD A pair of 19th century ebonised pedestals with pietra dura panels made €7,600 at Lynes and Lynes in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, last Saturday. Nearly everything on the catalogue was sold.

Auctioneer Denis Lynes reports that interest in antiques remains very strong.

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL Ger Duggan Tel: 021-4802192 email: interiorads@examiner.ie

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www.portas.ie

TERAPROOF:User:desodriscollDate:22/09/2011Time:14:05:38Edition:24/09/2011PropertyXP2409Page:22

Opening of our new PORTAS Outlet, 10am to 6pm Colomane, Bantry, Co. Cork.

(approx 6miles outside Bantry, next to Willie Pa’s Rest.)

Give us a call on: We renovate & modernise your existing: Interior Doors Entrance Doors Staircases

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 24.09.2011

23

TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:22/09/2011Time:12:42:28Edition:24/09/2011PropertyXP2409Page:24

Zone:XP1

XP1 - V1

Ballincollig 021 4873466 Macroom 026 41244 COOLCOWER, MACROOM, CO. CORK “On the Banks of My Own Lovely Lee”

Unbelievable location.

Spacious 4 bedroom bungalow with detached garage on mature site.

Direct access to the River and adjacent to the N22.

Cork City 20 mins Price guide: €255,000

3 Bedroom semi-detached.

Excellent condition throughout.

Walled in site.

Overlooking green area.

Walking distance to Town Centre.

All amenities adjacent.

EXCELLENT VALUE

A MUST SEE

Contact Orlagh Lucey on 021.4873466

Price guide: €199,000

34 OLD QUARRY, COOLROE, BALLINCOLLIG, CO. CORK.

Extremely spacious 2 bedroomed first floor corner apartment.

Beautifully maintained and decorated throughout.

Offers Master bedroom en-suite, Kitchen / Diningroom with balcony off.

Separate lounge with fireplace feature. Excellent security in a top class setting.

RENTAL HOUSES URGENTLY WANTED IN BALLINCOLLIG 2, 3, & 4 bedroom houses Clients ready to move in!!

Price guide: €165,000

8 OAK AVENUE, BRIDEWOOD, OVENS, CO. CORK Superb 3 bedroom semi-detached house.

Set on a spacious walled in site.

Quiet cul-de-sac setting – overlooking green area.

Excellent location adjacent to Link Road.

201 THE WILLOWS, BALLINCOLLIG, CO. CORK

COMMENDED VIEWING HIGHLY RE

NEWS FLASH

WE HAVE 50 HOUSES SOLD IN BALLINCOLLIG THIS YEAR

Continuously Selling... ...Continuously available Here 6 days a week

Price on request.

Lisheen Fields

Ballincollig, Co. Cork

HOUSE TO VIEW SUNDAY 3-5pm Price:

€290,000

• Luxury new 4 bedroom detached houses • Choice of 3 house types – 1,900sq. ft, 1,700 sq. ft. & 1,360 sq. ft • Situated in an exclusive development of detached houses only • Superior Finished house • Excellent location. Adjacent to all amenities and the link road network. (opposite Ballincollig Rugby Club)

Ballincollig Macroom

021 4873466 026 41244

3 Main Street Ballincollig, Co. Cork. 021 4873466 Email: omwreception@eircom.net