Property 10-03-2012 by Evening Echo

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Property

10.03.2012

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& Interiors

See the Sea

A cool coastal home called Seaclusion has a sweep of ocean views

Photo by Denis Scannell

PLUS • TRADING UP • STYLISH HOMES • GET THE LOOK • ANTIQUES • STEP BY STEP DIY

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HOUSE WEEK OF THE

Rose Martin reports

Pictures: Denis Scannell For Sale by Private Treaty On the instruction of Gerard Murphy, Gerard Murphy & Co. Accountants acting as receiver.

c.5.95 Acres, Bweeng, Co. Cork. The property is situated within the development boundary of Bweeng Village, has road frontage onto the public road and has the benefit of planning permission for site development works for 14 serviced sites, granted in January 2007. Maps and further details available from sole agents. Solicitor: James Riordan & Partners, 50 South Mall, Cork.

Academy Lodge, Fox’s Bridge, Blarney on c.075 Acres

ILLION-euro plus houses at Limeworth are Double doors can close off each area when necessary now hovering back down at the half million and the dining room has an Italian laquered suite, in mark, and that’s for the last new builds cream with dramatic cream and white wall paper remaining. But at No 2 Limeworth, one of highlights. the first built houses in the estate, the guide price is Wallpaper is also used to good effect in the main an attractive €485,000, for a significantly extended and hallway, which runs laterally from the entrance porch expensively finished house, on a large site. with the main staircase climbing from the right No 2 is a five-bed, detached house with a large sun between the kitchen/dining/sunroom and a snug, room extension and bathroom fittings that top €30,000, west-facing lounge. according to the owners. The piece de resistance of And if it’s a headache-free, the house, the formal living Location: Ballincollig, Co Cork easy to move into buy that’s room, has not been finished Price: €485,000 worth viewing. by the owners, who are These Limeworth houses but it’s a perfect Size: 195.1 sq m (2,100 sq ft) relocating, were created on the back of space for entertaining. Bedrooms: 5 the much-needed fast route to Running east-west, with the South Ring and the dimensions of 724’ by 13’, the BER rating: Pending entrance is minutes from the room overlooks the front Broadband: Yes slip road to the N22 and in a garden and has French doors handy position for the at the other end to a large, Best asset: Size and location western suburbs. patio at the rear. The centre of Settled in nicely over the the room is taken up with an last 10 years, the low density, detached-only scheme is impressive and quite unusual cast iron fireplace and a boon to on-call medics and safe for families with you could imagine cosy family Christmasses here — small children. The lower half of the estate has no it’s plenty big enough. through traffic and its central green is a perfect All of the ground floor rooms have elegant, wide playground. plank oak flooring, including the lounge which is a Set at the entrance to the Carriganarra scheme, No 2 perfect, telly-watching space. is not overlooked at the rear, (there is farmland and a On the upper level, the landing runs around a bit, country house entrance adjoining) and has a very priv giving a two-wing feel to the accommodation. Firstly, ate, enclosed rear garden. Here, there’s the sun room there’s the master suite which, along with the main addition which is double the average size and runs off bathroom, comes with some very high-falutin’shower the main kitchen/dining space. and bath systems. The main bathroom has an enclosed The kitchen is only a year old and is country style in corner tub that’s a jacuzzi, steam room, multi-jet vanilla, with black granite work top which run power shower and all round spa. The master through to the sun room and dining room. bedroom’s fitting are similar, but on an en suite scale.

CONTENTS 4

TRADING UP There are views looking down on Cork Airport from a Ballygarvan hilltop house.

The master connects to the second, double bedroom through the en suite, (handy for a nursery) and the third, smallest bedroom is now a fully shelved, dressing room. The fourth bedroom is also en suite and the final room is a good double: most of the bedrooms are fully fitted and storage is not a problem, plus, there’s attic space as well as a huge, garage/ shed to the rear of the house. The brand new Gaelscoil Úi Ríordáin, which is under construction a field away, will be just a minute’s walk from this house when completed. VERDICT: Not only has it plenty of room, in a good low density estate, but it’s also close to schools, shops and Ballincollig town centre while the Ballincollig bypass runs to the rear of the estate.

STARTERS Trees on the roadway give Fitzgerald Place a green city edge.

COVER STORY New and old houses combine at seaside Seaclusion, a quality job in an ace setting.

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

c.37 Acres, Macroney, Kilworth, Co. Cork.

Roadside agricultural holding in one or two lots.

• 4 Bedroom Farm Cottage within 2 miles of Cobh Town. • Top Class Agricultural land with benefit of road frontage onto 3 roads. • Viewing comes highly recommended. Solicitor: Mr. Tom Carroll, TJ Hegarty Solicitors, 58 South Mall, Cork.

“Ellesmere”, 19 Belvedere Lawn, Douglas Road.

Located c. 2km from Kilworth and c.6km from Fermoy the property has excellent road frontage along its northern boundary and a stream to the west and south. Primarily, all in pasture the property does lend itself to be spilt in lots. Maps and further details available from sole agents. Solicitor: Robert J. Baylor Solicitors, 2 O’ Rahilly Row, Fermoy, Co. Cork.

95A Beechwood Park, Ballinlough Road, Cork.

Charming residence within minutes of Douglas Village. • Pleasant enclosed grounds to front and rear with garage to side. • Accom: Ent Hall, Sitting Room, Lounge, Kitchen/ Dining Room, WC, Landing, 3 Bedrooms and Bathroom. Heating: GFCH Solicitor: Mr. Martin Archer, T.J. Hegarty & Co. Solicitors, 58 South Mall, Cork.

3 Sites, Ballymaw, Waterfall, Near Cork

• Conveniently located residential site approx 0.062 Acres with F.P.P. for the construction of a two storey west facing three bedroomed residence of c.127 sqm (1,366 sq.ft). • All relevant drawings are available on request. • Joint Agents: James G Coughlan, 27 Grand Parade, Cork. Solicitor: Maura Twomey, Babbington Clarke & Mooney Solicitors, 48 South Mall, Cork.

A rare opportunity to acquire such conveniently located sites within this much sought after location. • Sites vary in size from c. 0.27 acres to c. 0.6 acres all with the benefit of Outline Planning Permission for a detached residence. • Unrestricted zoning • Excellent location • Attractive country side views • For viewings and further information please contact selling agent.

23 SOUTH MALL, CORK (021) 4277606 email: info@irishandeuropean.ie www.irishandeuropean.ie

S�H�O �W � H�O �U �S �E �

KENMARE, CO. KERRY GLANEROUGHT

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A development within walking distance of Kenmare town PRICES FROM

FEATURES Viewing levels are up in Cork’s market this spring: 5 Ferndale is a prime example.

For Sale by Private Treaty On the instruction of the executors of the estate of the late AH Hamilton.

Small Residential Holding with yard, outhouses and barn.

Agent on Site Today 12 - 3pm

INTERIORS DIY IN THE GARDEN ANTIQUES CLASSIFIEDS

PROPERTY EDITOR Tommy Barker, 021 4802221 property@examiner.ie INTERIORS EDITORIAL Sue O’Connor, 021 4802386 interiors@examiner.ie INTERIORS ADVERTISING Ger Duggan, 021 4802192 interiorads@examiner.ie PROPERTY ADVERTISING Marguerite Stafford, 021 4802100 marguerite.stafford@examiner.ie

• Superior Family home (C. 3000sq.ft) • Finished to an extremely high standard. • Accom: Porch, Ent Hall, 3 Rec Rooms, Kitchen, 6 Beds 5 Ensuite, Guest w.c., Utility, Recreation Room, OFCH. • POA

C.7.18 Acres, Ballywilliam, Cobh

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3 bedroom Semi Detached Houses .............€90,000 Detached & Town Houses also available

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AUCTIONEER • VALUER • ESTATE AGENT • PROPERTY CONSULTANT

5 Kenmare Place, Killarney, Co.Kerry tel: +353 64 6633066, fax: +353 64 6633958 email: tspillane@eircom.net www.tomspillane.ie

88 South Mall, Cork. Tel: 021-4277717 Fax 021-4274820 email: info@cdacork.com www.cdacork.com

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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HOUSE WEEK OF THE

Rose Martin reports

Pictures: Denis Scannell For Sale by Private Treaty On the instruction of Gerard Murphy, Gerard Murphy & Co. Accountants acting as receiver.

Academy Lodge, Fox’s Bridge, Blarney on c.075 Acres

CONTENTS 4

TRADING UP There are views looking down on Cork Airport from a Ballygarvan hilltop house.

STARTERS Trees on the roadway give Fitzgerald Place a green city edge.

COVER STORY New and old houses combine at seaside Seaclusion, a quality job in an ace setting.

12 14 20 22 23

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

c.37 Acres, Macroney, Kilworth, Co. Cork.

Roadside agricultural holding in one or two lots.

“Ellesmere”, 19 Belvedere Lawn, Douglas Road.

95A Beechwood Park, Ballinlough Road, Cork.

3 Sites, Ballymaw, Waterfall, Near Cork

23 SOUTH MALL, CORK (021) 4277606 email: info@irishandeuropean.ie www.irishandeuropean.ie

S�H�O �W � H�O �U �S �E �

KENMARE, CO. KERRY GLANEROUGHT

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VI�C E D� A� � B ��L� ILA� A� � AV

A development within walking distance of Kenmare town PRICES FROM

FEATURES Viewing levels are up in Cork’s market this spring: 5 Ferndale is a prime example.

For Sale by Private Treaty On the instruction of the executors of the estate of the late AH Hamilton.

Small Residential Holding with yard, outhouses and barn.

Agent on Site Today 12 - 3pm

INTERIORS DIY IN THE GARDEN ANTIQUES CLASSIFIEDS

C.7.18 Acres, Ballywilliam, Cobh

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TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:08/03/2012Time:13:26:13Edition:10/03/2012PropertyXP1003Page:2

3 bedroom Semi Detached Houses .............€90,000 Detached & Town Houses also available

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AUCTIONEER • VALUER • ESTATE AGENT • PROPERTY CONSULTANT

5 Kenmare Place, Killarney, Co.Kerry tel: +353 64 6633066, fax: +353 64 6633958 email: tspillane@eircom.net www.tomspillane.ie

88 South Mall, Cork. Tel: 021-4277717 Fax 021-4274820 email: info@cdacork.com www.cdacork.com

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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PROPERTY

TRADING UP

BALLYGARVAN, CORK €425,000 Sq m: 315 (3,370 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 5 Broadband: Yes

NEWLY up for sale, and only recently finished, is this high-on-a-hill big dormer home — about on a height par with Cork Airport, which is visible to the north across a deep valley at this Ballygarvan location. Called Hunters Lodge, this isn’t a property that conceals itself, and the upside of its prominence on a half acre site is the views that open up below it. It’s new to market with Johnny O’Flynn of Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €425,000, and who says this overbasement home is built to a high standard, with underfloor heating and a pressurised water system. It has three of its five bedrooms (two at ground level) en suite, with a wet-room with large shower and bath in the main bathroom. The basement is given over to garage use — and the approach driveway past stone and brick pillars sort of sweeps down to the garage door. The site is sloping, with lawns and old railway sleepers cut up for steps, and while the agents describe the property as in turnkey condition it will need some finishing off and tweaks yet. Location is at Meadstown, Ballygarvan (which, finally, has a brand new national school,) about five miles from Cork city and two or three miles from Carriglaine, with swift access to Kinsale and West Cork. VERDICT: A commanding rural site.

Sq m: 93 (1,000 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Swift interest shown for 4-bed home

We scan a selection of trading up homes around the country

ABBEYDORNEY, KERRY €199,000

CORK CITY €245,000 Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

There are few probate sale houses in this area of Cork city on the market in such good condition, says auctioneer Jeremy Murphy. Mr Murphy is referring to Rochelle, at Kilcrea Park, a three-bed house new to the market near UCC but which is in very good condition. Better than good, in fact, and it’s a move-in buy, which means there should be no heavy investment before the house is liveable, as is usually the case with properties of this vintage. It comes with a good sitting room, a cute living room with sandstone fireplace and small add-ons in glass out in the garden, which is immaculately maintained. The kitchen is fully fitted with an extended utility area and shed at the side door, which is cleverly covered-in for convenience. In fact, the attached garage could be converted to provide a large, kitchen/ dining room at the side, as it gets southerly and westerly light. The upper level has three good bedrooms and all of the rooms come with good built-ins: the main bathroom is also fresh and in good nick. VERDICT: This is a great location for a family, it’s close to town, has a school up the road and is a minute’s walk to UCC and the Bon Secours hospital.

Sq m: 171 (1,830 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4/5 Broadband: Yes

Set just outside Abbeydorney village at Derryvrin in north Kerry is this fullfinished and well-decorated family home, on a good rural three-quarter acre site, with significant price reduction — it’s down now to €199,000 from an earlier guide of just under €300k. Selling agents Sherry FitzGerald Stephenson Crean say the setting is very attractive with southerly views, it’s not remote as the village is nearby, and the interior is to a high specification, with four bathrooms, good living areas, a Cherrywood kitchen and cherry doors and architraves, and it has a heat recovery system for energy efficiency. Floors in the main rooms are oak, and the stairs is in quality timber also. The dormer home has a 15’ by 13’ living room painted in lime green, the kitchen/breakfast is 22’ by 13’, with utility and guest WC nearby, and two of the four bedrooms have en suite bathrooms, making for four WCs in all, and there’s a pressurised water system. Externally, this part brick-faced 1,800 sq ft home has stone entrance pillars, and behind is 350 sq ft of decking, large patio, shed/garage, and a dog run. VERDICT: The price reduction makes this good value for the level of finish and space that’s here.

This Carrigaline house in south Cork is selling itself, hears Tommy Barker

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

Carrigaline, Co Cork €249,000 135 sq m (1,450 sq ft) 4 C2 Yes Spick and span

MOUNT OVAL, CORK €355,000 Sq m: 141 (1,550 sq ft) BER rating: C1

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

Aspiring traders-up could do well to take steps towards 38 Dewberry, a threestorey family home with four bedrooms and four bathrooms — and a few steps down to a sunken family room by the back garden. The detached 1,550 sq ft home in Cork’s Mount Oval Village was built about nine years ago, and the current owners have kept it right up to speed internally and externally, with a contemporary decor, says auctioneer Claire O’Sullivan of Savills. She guides it at €355,000. No 38 is in a cul de sac within the O’Flynn Construction scheme in Rochestown, and the gardens have also had lots of input and effort, she says. The 17’ by 12’ front living room is maple floored, as is the hall, and maple’s also the floor timber of choice in the family room (with a cherry timber fireplace) down a few steps off the 20’ by 12’ kitchen/dining space which also has maple units. The accommodating ground level manages to fit in a utility too, plus guest WC, while each of the first floor’s two bedrooms have en-suites, with a fourth bathroom at the top level for the two more, uppermost, bedrooms. VERDICT: The house is as good as you’d hope for, and the gardens are even better, with lots of planting and seating areas.

CROSSBARRY, CO CORK €290,000

Sq m: 180 (1,940 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

KEEPING it simple is a good design motto — one used to good effect with this standard, one-off build at Killeen, Crossbarry, Co Cork. Yes, it has a familiar style on the outside, but inside it has a fresh, contemporary feel. There are no gewgaws or unnecessary flourishes here, only simple quality fittings in an essentially, open plan layout. The house has one separate, ‘good room’, but the second reception opens onto the kitchen diner which runs across the back of the house and is fitted in cream and black with an integrated sun room area at the dining end: the kitchen also comes with an island unit.

Another clever touch is that full panel doors can close off the kitchen area, giving more privacy, when needed to the living room. This is nicely decorated and comes with a simple fire opening and cast iron stove. Located just around the corner from the local garage, shop and pub, the four bed includes a master suite, main bathroom and guest bathroom, along with utility and is set on a decent, acre site.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

VERDICT: Good house, south-west facing garden and a price which could be negotiated. What’s not to like? Norma Healy of Sherry FitzGerald is the selling agent.

STATE agents with decent houses to sell in Cork are reporting a good surge of early 2012 property viewings. And with more banks now eventually lending and stressing they are open to new mortgages, they expect the level of interest being shown to be translated into extra completed sales by late summer/autumn. At the risk of overstating the anticipated increased activity, some are saying that there won’t be enough new supply of

attractive trading up houses to meet the need being shown. The selling agent of 5 Ferndale, on the Cork side of Carrigaline in south Cork, has a prime example of a good mover: Dan Howard of Dooley & Howard auctioneers reports 20 viewings in the first ten days that this immaculate, McInerney-built four-bed semi-d has been on the market, many being firsttime buyers who have been busy saving for the past three or four years. Most are couples, with Cork harbour

pharma or civil service jobs, and that level of combined income puts this 1,450 sq ft house within FTB’s buying grasp: Mr Howard is guiding €249,000, and this week it was already in the mid €230,000s in early offers. He says he doesn’t expect it to be around for long, such is the swift reaction to it. Extended into the side for a third reception room, described as a playroom and long, at 16’ by 8’ wide, it has two other very good interlinked reception rooms, front and back, and

one has a powerful 7kw solid fuel stove for real heating oomph. The house has had its walls pumped for extra insulation, the attic has been reinsulated, and the gardens (pictured here last summer) are immaculate, as is the four-bed, three bathroom home. It has a guest WC, master bed en suite, and a main family bathroom VERDICT: At the risk of doing himself out of a fee, the auctioneer confidently says this house “is selling itself ”.

Properties on the move 6 Dun Eoin Meadows, Carrigaline • Attractive 4 bed semi • Beautifully decorated • En-Suite in master bedroom • Quite location cul de sac • Spacious rear garden not overlooked • Cork Side of Carrigaline

Price € 215,000

Dooley & Howard 42 South Mall, Cork T: 021 4273800 dan@dooleyandhoward.com

No. 5 Ferndale, Cork Road, Carrigaline • Spacious 4 bed semi-detached • Prime location, Cork side of Carrigaline • Insulation upgraded to C2 energy rating • Walking distance to Primary & Secondary schools • Short commute to Douglas & City Centre • Beautiful family home • Low density park • Insulated shed to rear with power

Property Under Offer

Dooley & Howard

42 South Mall, Cork T: 021 4273800 M: 087 2833109 dan@dooleyandhoward.com

TO ADVERTISE YOUR RESALE PROPERTIES 021 4802 100 IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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PROPERTY

TRADING UP

BALLYGARVAN, CORK €425,000 Sq m: 315 (3,370 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 5 Broadband: Yes

Sq m: 93 (1,000 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Swift interest shown for 4-bed home

We scan a selection of trading up homes around the country

ABBEYDORNEY, KERRY €199,000

CORK CITY €245,000 Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

Sq m: 171 (1,830 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4/5 Broadband: Yes

This Carrigaline house in south Cork is selling itself, hears Tommy Barker

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

Carrigaline, Co Cork €249,000 135 sq m (1,450 sq ft) 4 C2 Yes Spick and span

MOUNT OVAL, CORK €355,000 Sq m: 141 (1,550 sq ft) BER rating: C1

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

CROSSBARRY, CO CORK €290,000

Sq m: 180 (1,940 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

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Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

VERDICT: Good house, south-west facing garden and a price which could be negotiated. What’s not to like? Norma Healy of Sherry FitzGerald is the selling agent.

Price € 215,000

Dooley & Howard 42 South Mall, Cork T: 021 4273800 dan@dooleyandhoward.com

Property Under Offer

Dooley & Howard

42 South Mall, Cork T: 021 4273800 M: 087 2833109 dan@dooleyandhoward.com

TO ADVERTISE YOUR RESALE PROPERTIES 021 4802 100 IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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STARTER HOMES

Tucked away property has old city charm

No 5 Fitzgerald Place comes at an affordable price and also has some privacy, Tommy Barker reports

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PROPERTY FEATURE

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

Old Blackrock Road, Cork €175,000 80 sq m (850 sq ft) 2 Pending Yes

Super Cooradarigan

Stylish finish puts West Cork property above the average, writes Rose Martin

CHARLEVILLE, CO CORK €60,000 Sq m: 107 (1,150 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

It needs a good bit of work, insulation, new windows and a heating system, but this semi is on offer at a low price. Derry Walsh, of Sherry FitzGerald Walsh says the house has a living room, dining room and kitchen, with three beds and a bathroom overhead. VERDICT: Cheap guide price, but renovation can be expensive.

GLOUNTHAUNE, CORK €230,000 Sq m: 115 (1,210 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

ALTHOUGH it needs a bit of updating, the three-bed bungalow Pine Tree Lodge on its half acre just north east of Cork city holds huge promise. Thanks to its elevated site above Glounthaune, it gets Cork harbour views, says Claire O’Sullivan of Savills, seeking €230,000. Rooms include a 24’ by 11’ living room, a 20’ by 10’ kitchen/diner, conservatory and two bathrooms. VERDICT: A handy rural setting with views.

BALLINCOLLIG, CO CORK €250,000 Sq m: 141 (1,518 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

Close to the West End Shopping Centre and EMC, this house at 9 Wyndham Downs is at the higher end for a starter home, but offers space and a good location. Set in a private, mature development the detached house has a large kitchen extension and a great, southfacing corner site. It has two reception rooms, two bathrooms, good kitchen/diner and is ideal for a firsttime buyer, says Norma Healy of Sherry FitzGerald. VERDICT: Good house, good location.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

There seems to be something just a little bit special about the location of Fitzgerald Place — or, maybe it’s just the way the trees grow up in the middle of the roadway here. The trees make it a bit hard for cars to get in and out, sometimes, but that’s probably no harm — it kinda says ’stay away, private:’ that could be handy given the sheer proximity of the South Infirmary hospital complex to this tucked-away enclave on Cork’s Old Blackrock Road. Here, agent Timothy Sullivan is selling No 5, a mid-terraced extended house in good overall condition, and with a nice open ground floor layout. At its €175,000 guide, it’s the sort of price level you might have got an apartment at a year or so ago, but this option has its own front door,

residents’ on-street parking, and an enclosed private west facing back garden/yard that gives that allimportant sitting out space. Despite the fact it has been recently done up, the heating options right now are confined to back boiler/ fireplace in the kitchen with electric storage heating, so about the only thing a new owner looking for controllability might want to do is put in a gas boiler for the rads. Rooms inside include a sitting room with fireplace, a kitchen linked through an arch to a breakfast room, and a ground floor bathroom with shower. Upstairs are two spacious bedrooms (one is full width of the front of the house, with two windows). VERDICT: The location has a bit of old city charm, thanks to the trees.

Halo of eco goodness in Macroom No 7 Sunnyside offers solar panels and heat exchange units, Rose Martin reports Back in 2004, Sunnyside was Ireland’s first eco estate. A scheme of 12 terraced houses in the grounds of an older house, the three-bed houses are still ahead of their time nearly six years later. Offering elements such as heat exchange units, rain water harvesting, pellet stoves and solar panels, they still outflank a market where this level of insulation and finish is quite rare. And No 7 Sunnyside is the first resale in the little horseshoe estate and is priced to sell at €110,000. A three bed, it’s been outgrown by its present owners and represents very good value for first-time buyers, says Tom Heffernan of Sherry FitzGerald Hinchion. “It’s a lovely house inside and comes with a designer kitchen and good quality timber floors — and it’s for sale at a good price — what you’d pay in rent, you’d pay in a mortgage here.” The house has a living room, open plan kitchen/dining room, three bedrooms and three bathrooms, including en suite master, and windows are Swedish and triple-glazed with matching doors. VERDICT: Right in the centre of Macroom town and part of a quiet horseshoe of houses, this little house has a halo of eco goodness.

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

Macroom Town, Cork €110,000 92 sq m (995 sq ft) 3 B1 Yes

The bedroom wing has three good double rooms, with EA views, that’s the holy grail of West Cork a main bathroom on the ground floor and holiday homes and this house at Weaver’s comprehensive master suite on the first floor. This Cove also goes one further — it’s jlittle more area also includes a than a stone’s throw galleried lounge of 30’ off Cadogan Strand on Schull by 16’ that overlooks Harbour, so a swim is a mere Location: Schull, West Cork the living room. stroll away. Price: €695,000 Finally, there’s the And along with top of the separate guest annex or list requirements like location Size: 241 sq m (2,600 sq ft) playroom, set to the and views, this Cooradarigan Bedrooms: 4 rear of the house and house is in superb order, with double doors stylishly finished and well BER rating: C2 leading to the garden: a above average, says Martin Broadband: Yes spiral staircase leads to Swanton of Martin Swanton a first floor area and Properties. Best feature: Site and location the annex measures a Big, bright rooms, full good, 24’ by 16’. height windows and a large, The property is open to offers, says Martin Swanton, curved sun room are some of its attractive features, and viewers looking for a high level holiday home, or although the internal country pine finish might even, retirement should definitely take a look at prompt a revamp with off-white eggshell paint. Weaver’s Cove. Not only does it have privacy, good But that’s a mere fly in the ointment of a property space and sea views, but it’s also a short drive to that extends to an acre of south-facing grounds with Schull village. sensitive planting, a long driveway from the main road, (with electronic access gates) and a naturalised VERDICT: A handsome house, with fine finishes and garden pond in one corner of the site. decorated to a high standard. A move-in proposition, The main house offers a substantial living room of properties of this quality are hard to get, so worth 33’ by 23’, a dining room/ conservatory, fitted kitchen with pine units and Belfast sink and a separate utility. pitching an offer if it passes muster.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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STARTER HOMES

Tucked away property has old city charm

No 5 Fitzgerald Place comes at an affordable price and also has some privacy, Tommy Barker reports

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PROPERTY FEATURE

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

Old Blackrock Road, Cork €175,000 80 sq m (850 sq ft) 2 Pending Yes

Super Cooradarigan

Stylish finish puts West Cork property above the average, writes Rose Martin

CHARLEVILLE, CO CORK €60,000 Sq m: 107 (1,150 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

GLOUNTHAUNE, CORK €230,000 Sq m: 115 (1,210 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

BALLINCOLLIG, CO CORK €250,000 Sq m: 141 (1,518 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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

Macroom Town, Cork €110,000 92 sq m (995 sq ft) 3 B1 Yes

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COVER STORY

Seaclusion is more than the sum of its parts

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

Rosscarbery, West Cork circa €1.5 million 325 Sq m (3.500 Sq ft ) 2+2 B2 + C3 High end home in an elevated coastal setting

Contemporary coastal home is private and set on eight landscaped Pictures: Denis Scannell acres in West Cork, writes Tommy Barker

HERE’S a knowing, modern eye and sensibility that oversaw the design and delivery of this nicely aloof property — you can sense it from the almost ironic use of a grass strip up its long, snaking approach drive. That drive to the door is like a green Mohican haircut between twin tracks of fresh concrete, a sort of stairway to heaven, West Cork-style. A package that is considerably more than the sum of it parts, this contemporary and private coastal home, with a punning house name Seaclusion, is a new to market arrival to a spring/summer market that will win over visitors in almost any weather conditions. Sunny is still probably the best for first viewings, but stormy is good too, while the sweep of a lighthouse beam from the Galley Head is an allnight reminder of the presence and proximity of the sea. You’ll hear the sea, too, and smell it, and with salt in the air, well, most of the senses are catered for: as for touching it, well dive right on in. Set on eight acres of sloping landscaped site overlooking Galley Head lighthouse, Warren Strand and Rosscarbery, Cork, Seaclusion is a modern arrival on the site of an older, cluster of vernacular stone dwellings. The best of the old has been kept, and is now a Bangor slateroofed, stone-built two-bed guest cottage that holds its head up with the best of old farmhouse conversions, right down to its winsome half door and warming antique cast iron radiators. But it’s the main house built in front of it which is the premier production. Of this property of two unequal halves, the new half ’s a wholly high-end, highceilinged main home with

spectacular combination living/dining/cooking area opening to an unrivalled viewing terrace and patio with ocean and landscape views to warm the heart and charge the senses. It makes up the front part of the respectful modern courtyard cluster by architect Michael Shanahan, with its 150year-old antecedent (now the detached guest cottage) while further enclosure is provided by a large utility house/

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boathouse/storehouse with kitchen. Retained old trees, one in the midst of the courtyard, help to anchor the newly-gathered cluster to the top of its eight acre site, while gravel drives and flagstone-paved paths arcing all around also help to tie the considerable ground works into the exacting drystone walls in both associated (but generations apart) dwellings. What’s old has been kept ‘old,

but comfortable’, whilst the new build is more bells and whistles, with things like geothermal heating, rainwater harvesting for garden sprinklers, and solar panels hidden away behind the house, which also has underfloor heating, Super low-e glazing in the new build, plus a swish Italian kitchen, and sleek, tactile finishes in abundance. Then, there’s sophistication and wizardry in things like 4MB broadband and satellite communication links, TV points aplenty, CCTV and an alarm that will tip you off on your phone anywhere in the world if anything untoward happens on your homestead. Luck was on the side of where to site the house at Seaclusion; the views are in the same direction as the sun, so that the very efficient 40’ sweep of sliding glazing right across the front of the house draws in solar gain, and locks in heat, while on finer days the smooth action doors pull back to allow the outside in and the inhabitants out. The owners of Seaclusion, have backgrounds in design and building/architecture, and the grounds have been adorned by garden and architectural salvage, from places like Dublin’s Georgian homes, from France, Spain and Italy. The antique mix starts with the house’s secure Pier Road entrance, with cast-iron Victorian entrance gates apparently made by the firm responsible for the main gates and railings for Trinity College Dublin. Other pieces are rare, or just well-chosen, and include a mid-19th-century Parisian cast-iron gas street light, now electrified and with Italian shades, a 19th-century Italian marble well head with wheel and chain, from Verona, Italian limestone plinths from a demolished 18th-century, an Italian limestone birdbath, a metal grotto from a Breton

village, converted into a seat facing the Galley Head peninsula, and old terracotta planters. The immediate grounds have been recently, and expensively, landscaped in swirls and walkways and will similarly age with grace. Accommodation here swells to about 3,500 sq ft in all, across the two distinct buildings, each with two bedrooms, each extremely comfortable, and while there’s similarities like high ceilings, treatments are entirely different — sort of ageappropriate. The main single storey (but

over basement) house is T- or L-shaped, with part-slate and part-zinc metal roof, and has some dry-stone walling to visually tie back and refer/ defer to the older cottage cluster across the graveled courtyard which it shares with the boathouse/garage. It fits in the main living/ dining/kitchen area with its southerly wall of Shuco sliding doors to the sun terrace; there’s a master bedroom suite with high pitched ceilings, top-notch bathroom and dressing room, plus guest bedroom and adjoining bathroom, utility, stores. The basement could

make for a further third en suite bedroom, gym, media room, etc., and already houses the ‘brains’ of the house, its IT equipment and geothermal back-up and tanks. As you’d expect, the interior is high-end, yet low-key, with finishes like American oak flooring (with underfloor heating) in the main house (the guest cottage is reclaimed pitch pine) and the kitchen is by the Italian company Schiffini Mobili. Apart from the front wall of glass there’s a pictureperfectly placed east gable window at head height for rolling estuary and wooded

hillside views towards Cregane Manor, as well as three toplevel opening eyelet windows at the top of the 16’ high back wall. That wall, adorned with art and supporting the large monopitch slate roof, is pierced by a large open fireplace, with the chimney’s slick letterbox opening above the roof being a bit of design feature, crowning Seaclusion’s presence on the landscape. The fireplace is a matt finish ribbed black castiron work, made locally, and while it burns logs, it’s also plumbed for gas. The kitchen here, at the

western end of this great 40’ by 17’ airy space, is in high-gloss and brushed aluminium finishes by with marble countertops, lots of storage and an unstinting appliance specification that includes Siemens, Gaggenau, Nordmende and a Franke sink, with a Blanco sink in the utility/boot room. Smaller and select feature windows in the house are chamfered, or splayed back at the sides, and show the attention to detail in both the design and the execution. Furniture came from various sources, but >>>

Seaclusion is a modern arrival on the site of an older, cluster of stone dwellings.

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COVER STORY

Seaclusion is more than the sum of its parts

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

Rosscarbery, West Cork circa €1.5 million 325 Sq m (3.500 Sq ft ) 2+2 B2 + C3 High end home in an elevated coastal setting

Contemporary coastal home is private and set on eight landscaped Pictures: Denis Scannell acres in West Cork, writes Tommy Barker

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Seaclusion is a modern arrival on the site of an older, cluster of stone dwellings.

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GETTHELOOK

Some great ideas for you to use in your home and where to get them 1

1 Crisp lines can be carried to any heights — such as the letterbox-like chimney top

2 Get a grip: these circular door handles are by highend ironmongery specialists Pamar

3 Tea caddy: there’s nothing like a pot of tea or coffee in bed, so break out the auld china

4 How green is my valley? grass between the drive’s tracks recall old country roads

5 Splayed windowsills are a feature in their own right, working well with thick walls

6 Test your metals: a bedroom wing’s zinc roof glimpsed through a wrought-iron gate

>>> most notably from Skibbereen-based Embellish Interiors, who have sourced designer one-offs, and pieces from the likes of Stephen Shell Furniture who they sell a lot for, especially his painted mahogany pieces as well as distressed French works. Lighting is a mix of old Italian and new chandeliers, as well as designer fittings like the TAL architectural cube wall lights, which coat the ceilings and walls with ambient light after dark. Flooring is either American oak or Porcelenosa tiling, while in the more traditional country-style cottage it’s richhued old pitch pine, buffed up, contrasting with the pine sheeted high ceilings: also salvaged here are the cast iron radiators. Linking sections of the grounds are in materials like gravel. lawn, and concentric sections in Kota green flagstones, edged with salvaged antique cobblestones and shrubberies. Old granite steps, meanwhile, lead to the secret garden behind the houses, an ideal sitting and reading spot. The setting’s the star act at Seaclusion, an hour and bit from Cork city, airport and ferries. There’s spectacular scenery, plus progressive towns like Skibbereen and Clonakilty on either side, and thriving

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Rosscarbery is a walk away, with good bars, restaurants, coffee shops, galleries and more, as well as a host of visitor amenities. Beaches nearby are top notch, with formal and informal walks and treks, and the ocean’s the backdrop, with passing ships, whales, dolphins and seals. Selling agent for this gem-set package is John Hodnett of Hodnett Forde, who guides it at around €1.5 million and who feels it’s going to have an international appeal. There’ll be an attraction as well to the better-heeled, discriminating Irish buyer looking for a quality spread that’s going to be easy to keep, lock up and leave, and return frequently to. It could attract lifestyle retirees too, and one of West Cork’s few €1m to €2m sales in the past couple of years was Cregane Manor, on 36 acres just across the tidal inlet from Seaclusion. Cregane was bought by a working, professional Irish couple who clearly valued the setting. Now, Seaclusion joins the set. VERDICT: Money wasn’t spared in creating the quality mix on offer here, driven by the combined attractions of the location, and an eye for style.

SOURCEBOOK Estate agents: Hodnett Forde, Clonakilty: 023-8833367 .................................................................................................. Furniture, etc: Embellish Home Interiors Skibbereen: Cork 028-40185 .................................................................................................. Antiques, garden and salvage: Roverantiques, Sourcing Specialists (chandeliers, outdoor lighting, gates, garden items, door furniture, etc Dublin: 086-2551299) .................................................................................................. Kitchen: Interni Mobili & Design Schiffini Kitchens (bespoke kitchen manufacturers Milan, Italy) email: administrazione@internionline.it .................................................................................................. Joinery, cottage cabinets, etc: Clohane Wood Products, Skibbereen: 028-21922 .................................................................................................. Groundworks, driveway, interior fitout: Martin O’Sullivan Construction, Timoleague: 087-2077209 .................................................................................................. Technical advice and supervision: Aidan O’Donovan Construction & Interior Design, Clonakilty: 023-8833771 ..................................................................................................

Architect: Martin Shanahan, Clonakilty: 023-8833353, www.msaarchitects.ie .................................................................................................. Denis Casey, LightPlus, www.lightplus.co.uk .................................................................................................. Garden Design: Rachel Lamb Dublin: 01-6672519

.................................................................................................. Windows: Duggan Systems Limited Windows: Schuco Aluminium Window Systems, Limerick 061-355377 .................................................................................................. Oak doors: Design Warehouse Cork: 021-4976002 .................................................................................................. Landscaping, planting: Patrick Murphy Landscaping Clonakilty: 086-2676453

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COVER STORY

GETTHELOOK

Some great ideas for you to use in your home and where to get them 1

1 Crisp lines can be carried to any heights — such as the letterbox-like chimney top

2 Get a grip: these circular door handles are by highend ironmongery specialists Pamar

3 Tea caddy: there’s nothing like a pot of tea or coffee in bed, so break out the auld china

4 How green is my valley? grass between the drive’s tracks recall old country roads

5 Splayed windowsills are a feature in their own right, working well with thick walls

6 Test your metals: a bedroom wing’s zinc roof glimpsed through a wrought-iron gate

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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INTERIORS

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

Versatile

Multifunctional furniture is a welcome ‘trend’ where substance is on an equal footing with style, writes Carol O’Callaghan

SOMETHINGEXTRA This week we love...

■ ... the Clementine from Horizon Furniture. This table, designed along straight, minimal contemporary lines, is begging to be given multi-functional use. Opt for a colour finish that best reflects your own personal style (€1,600 www.horizonfurniture.ie)

Bookcases are an incredibly versatile piece of furniture with both display and storage functions. Check out the simple lightweight chair attached to the wall in the right of this picture as a fun way of making more storage and display space in a small room (bookcases from €25.41, Bertil chair €29.48 at Ikea)

At your service ... A piece of occasional furniture that serves more than one function is especially useful in smaller homes where space is at a premium. Thermo Pot allows the storage of hot and cold food and drinks (€42 at www.black-blum.com).

The two-in-one Knife Pot store knives safely with space for other utensils (€54 from Lost Weekend).

Try using chunky tinted drinking glasses as holders for tealights (tumbler from M&S approx €9).

Making space with tables Even the smallest accessories can be multi-functional and space saving Take a look at the furniture you currently have in your home. Can any of it be redeployed elsewhere? Try a low- level bookcase in the hall filled with baskets for shoes and with a mirror mounted above it, or use it as a buffet table in the dining room. A box style side table also provides a place for magazines and newspapers (Delamere bookcases from €279, cube side tables €275 for two at Next Interiors)

Multi-function has been built into the design of the Skovby table which features a reversible centre with wood on one side and metal on the other for hot pots. A pull-out cupboard means table linens or condiments can be stored in it, particularly helpful when you use the table as a buffet when entertaining. Drop one of its leaves and turn it into a desk, or drop both leaves and it’s simple to store (from Casey’s Furniture €1,465)

ULTI-FUNCTION is the buzz word in interiors these days. Mercifully, it’s not another trend to stress our pockets, but a way of looking at furniture we have in our homes and finding new applications and locations for it to help refresh our surroundings. It’s also a very practical way of approaching a new purchase that adds long-term value to the item by opting for furniture which can serve more than one purpose. This is particularly relevant where space in the home is tight, and having a piece with multi-function is the best solution to furniture requirements and space restrictions. But it’s not all about practicality and the money savings that might be made by buying one thing rather than two.

There’s also the very pleasing aesthetic that can be achieved by applying the multi-functional approach to what you already have. If you’re currently in the midst of domestic chaos or enjoying a coffee in your favourite cafe while indulging in a home interiors day-dream, picture for a moment your bookcases, if you have some. Are they chock-a-block full of books looming above your head? This is wonderful if you have a dedicated library, but if you’ve gone for the library look in an average room that is also squeezing in television watching and general relaxing and living activities, then you may be overwhelmed by the books. Try removing half of your books from a few random shelves and clear one

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

entire shelf. Place the books on the under-shelf, if you have one, of your coffee table. Then pull out of cupboards those items you’ve wanted to have on display but had no space for and place them in the gaps left by the books. If you regularly dump household bills in a pile at the end of the kitchen counter, tidy them into attractive box files and fill some of the new space with these also. The resulting aesthetic will not only feel lighter but the bookcases will have taken on a multi-functional role as both storage and display. Next look at your hall table, dressing table or dining room console. These tend to be more or less the same shape and are surprisingly interchangeable as a result so try swapping them around. The console, which is only ever put to

use when you have friends round for dinner, might be better in the hall as a place for car keys, to drop a handbag, or just to pose a lovely vase of daffodils to brighten up the space. Place a mirror on the wall and it becomes a station to apply last minute make-up before leaving home, if the bathroom is occupied. If you’re compelled by the urge to go out and make a purchase of something new, bear the buzz word in mind, and if you need a little side table next to the sofa, wouldn’t a box style be more practical that a regular table? Just think about how much more sturdy it will be and about the extra storage it can provide. Next week we tackle the hallway with tips on how to make the most of this space

Try the TurniTable: it works for all the family and can become a compact coffee table for adult use (€380 + delivery at thesecretplaycompany.com)

Is it a coffee table, a side table, a mini-bookcase or a wall unit? It’s all four combined in the Balance by Terence Conran for The Conran Shop (€549)

Something as simple as a cover to keep an ugly radiator out of sight, also doubles as a place to put bottles and potions in the bathroom. (Rhode Island radiator cover from €99.99 at Woodies)

A solid chest of drawers is a very versatile piece of furniture. Place it in the bedroom to store socks and undies and place a mirror on top so it doubles up as a dressing table. (Orchard chest from M&S €629)

The Embrace coffee table combines book and magazine storage. It can be split into two tables when needed €320 + delivery at mocha.uk.com

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INTERIORS

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

Versatile

Multifunctional furniture is a welcome ‘trend’ where substance is on an equal footing with style, writes Carol O’Callaghan

SOMETHINGEXTRA This week we love...

The two-in-one Knife Pot store knives safely with space for other utensils (€54 from Lost Weekend).

Try using chunky tinted drinking glasses as holders for tealights (tumbler from M&S approx €9).

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Try the TurniTable: it works for all the family and can become a compact coffee table for adult use (€380 + delivery at thesecretplaycompany.com)

Is it a coffee table, a side table, a mini-bookcase or a wall unit? It’s all four combined in the Balance by Terence Conran for The Conran Shop (€549)

Something as simple as a cover to keep an ugly radiator out of sight, also doubles as a place to put bottles and potions in the bathroom. (Rhode Island radiator cover from €99.99 at Woodies)

The Embrace coffee table combines book and magazine storage. It can be split into two tables when needed €320 + delivery at mocha.uk.com

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DIY

RESTORING A PERIOD BEAUTY TO PERFECTION

DIYTIPS

Some simple cornice repairs If you have some small minor damage to a modest ceiling rose or cornice, root out some of your children’s Playdough and try this recipe to repair. WHAT YOU NEED: ■ A lump of non-firing play clay. ■ Gripfill, a standard rubber based, flexible trade adhesive. ■ Some ready to mix plaster and hot water. Any reasonable plaster will do.

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Improving a period home must be done the right way or you may pay a high price, Kya deLongchamps reports

uying into the soul-stirring loveliness of an old building is the stuff of many a fantasy, and has drained the emotional and financial reserves of countless souls brave enough to shoulder a full project. It could be a collapsed cottage, a sadly faded farmhouse or a loftier piece of Georgian grandeur, but the problem of approach is often the same. The vast majority of period buildings in Ireland have little protection against unsympathetic improvements, and the results are scattered all over the country, a showcase to confused intentions. BEYOND THE DREAM It’s vital to decide if you really want a genuine old house as opposed to a new home constructed to look like an old one. There’s nothing to stop you building the chassis of a Victorian-style villa bar planning permission. Authentic old buildings, however, are not standardised. Cranking them open to retrofit the comforts and fashions of modern life may do more damage to the integrity of the house and your wallet than starting from scratch. Radical period purists are determined creatures, going as far as stabilising bulging walls and foregoing central heating if the fabric of the building or its contents would be in any way compromised by its inclusion. Happily, most old houses don’t demand this level of self sacrifice. It is possible to strike a balance- protecting even a humble slice of our architectural heritage and producing a liveable family home. Considerable research of the right materials and professionals with experience and passion for their field is critical to making the right decision for the building inside and out. GETTING IT RIGHT Hugh Dorian works in the highly specialised field of building conservation. His celebrated Stoneware Studio near Youghal in County Cork, is a first point of call for many getting to grips with the lime-based mortars and paints. These materials are not simply traditional but best in terms of performance for many old buildings inside and out. “Often,” Hugh argues, “people don’t embrace the concept of restoration wholeheartedly. Some are attracted to an old building for all its charms and ‘character’ and then proceed to do their utmost to change it. When colleagues from abroad visit they are taken aback

with our fascination with plastic. Plastic windows, plastic doors, plastic gutters and pipes, even plastic paints. With masses of online information it is now so easy to do a little research and learn how to repair correctly. How to maintain an old buildings style, to appreciate and respect its construction type, the stone, brick, slate, thatch, wood, iron and lime mortar, that makes it special.” If you think this is all over-sensitivity about perfecting the proportions of 19th century dados and civilising cast iron downpipes, think again. When you come to sell, a house vandalised with rude renovations, positions orphaned of their original features and dodgy repairs will be noticed for all the wrong reasons. Hugh Dorian explains that a period project needs balance above all. “It’s is a simple algorithm between authenticity, comfort and cost. Good insulation, good ventilation and good heating can all be incorporated into old buildings, listed or otherwise, using the appropriate materials and techniques. The main culprit for cold and draughty houses is often not the building itself, but the inappropriate repairs that have occurred over the last 30 or 40 years. The challenge is to reverse these and restore the comfort.” KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Traditional materials and the skills associated with their application are now in high vogue as their beauty, sustainability and health benefits are appreciated in new builds. This revival offers home owners with period properties a catalogue of formerly buried skills, so there really is no excuse. Well, bar one excuse and, of course, it’s financial. Re-building, extending and/or restoring a period building can cost more metre per metre than building a bog standard new home. Get to know the building as intimately as possible before you do anything to titillate it cosmetically. If the survey was made by your mortgage company, their non-specialising surveyor has probably presented you with a ghoulish list of problems. If the state of the house demands it, now is the time to bring in a conservation specialist. If the place is a wreck and you are determined to do a first class job, your money will be concentrated on stabilising and improving that essential envelope of the building — roof, walls, floors, windows and exterior doors. Hugh emphasises that most conservation specialists are passionate

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Pick a piece of undamaged small detail to copy and clean with soapy water and let dry. Mould the dough over the detail leaving finger imprints on the outside. Mix up your plaster and hot water and fashion over the back of the dough to make a steady support for the dough mould. Use scrim to give more stability for a large piece. Leave to set before carefully taking off the plaster support, setting aside and then the dough imprint of the details. Put the two pieces together again, aligning them carefully by the fingerprints and shape. Pour in more plaster mixture to make your positive casting. When dry set, turn out and set on damaged area with Gripfill.

Intricate plasterwork needs tender loving care.

Restored plasterwork around this pillar at Fota House.

Q&A

Do you have a DIY question you would like answered? Send it to interiors@examiner.ie

Q. My sash windows are rattling and very inefficient at keeping out draughts. Should I have them refurbished or would PVC equivalents look as good?

Intricate Plasterwork in the Ballroom, Slane Castle, Slane, Co, Meath

about the past but very much living in the present. “Some of us are just as comfortable with nano-technology facade protection and cleaning systems as we are with lime putty and horse hair plasters. If you have a damp patch in your basement, or if you have to fill a crack that keeps re-opening, a modern solution might be the way to go. Someone advising or supplying you with materials and services should have alternatives to discuss to allow you to choose.” Intense detective work on the fabric and layout of the building will establish what really has to be done, and provide

a chronology of what has been carried out to change or maintain the building in the past. If the house is listed with your local planning authority as a protected structure you will have to apply to their conservation officer before carrying out any changes. You cannot, say, stick up a satellite dish without permission. HOME AGAIN What makes most old buildings fascinating is the successful layering of additions that add up to create them. Finding a bridge between the periods can be a real challenge, but the results

Fota House restored with the help of Stoneware Studios.

can be fantastic, allowing dramatic changes from extensions to floor changes that still respect what was there before your family history was imprinted on the building. Hugh adds a final piece of great advice for anyone with their heart tangled up with an older property. “Save, protect and freshen-up as much as possible with materials compatible or similar to what was originally used. This doesn’t have to cost the earth. A pot of distemper to refresh a wall, a bag of lime mortar to repair some cracks and holes, etc., may be all that is required.’

■ With thanks to Hugh Dorian of the Stoneware Studios Ltd., Pilmore, Youghal, Co. Cork. Tel: 024 90117. www.stonewarestudios.com.

■ Useful Contacts: The Irish Georgian Society www.igs.ie. (Building Skills register, funding and lots of information on the period home). The National Heritage Council www.heritagecouncil.ie. Tel: 056-7770777. Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government www.environ.ie. Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland www.riai.ie. Tel: 01-6761703.

A.The visual impact of uPVC windows is not in keeping with the character of historic buildings. Energy efficiency in historic single-glazed windows can be improved through repairs, draughtproofing and shutters or curtains. Double-glazing to existing sashes is possible but it should not be to the detriment of the historic fabric or frame proportions. Q. I am considering extending my property which is a standard Irish farmhouse c.1890. Would a modern extension finished in wood cladding look all wrong and how can I find the right architect for the job? A. An addition should not detract from the existing structure and setting and a conservation expert should be consulted. Conservation expertise is

available via the RIAI website and the Irish Georgian Society Skills Register. Q. Would the installation of central heating with radiators damage a very old house if it’s put in to supplement open fires and stove heating? A. Introducing new services can damage existing historic fabric and requires careful consideration. Where possible, existing service routes and vents should be re-used. Q. A house I’m viewing is a protected structure. What does this mean for future improvements to the house? A. The owner of a protected structure is legally obliged to prevent it becoming endangered. Improvements are possible but should be discussed with the local authority conservation officer. ■ Answers provided by Helen Devitt MRIAI, of Helen Devitt Architects. Website: www.helendevitt.com. info@helendevitt.com.

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DIY

RESTORING A PERIOD BEAUTY TO PERFECTION

DIYTIPS

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Improving a period home must be done the right way or you may pay a high price, Kya deLongchamps reports

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Intricate plasterwork needs tender loving care.

Restored plasterwork around this pillar at Fota House.

Q&A

Do you have a DIY question you would like answered? Send it to interiors@examiner.ie

Q. My sash windows are rattling and very inefficient at keeping out draughts. Should I have them refurbished or would PVC equivalents look as good?

Intricate Plasterwork in the Ballroom, Slane Castle, Slane, Co, Meath

Fota House restored with the help of Stoneware Studios.

■ With thanks to Hugh Dorian of the Stoneware Studios Ltd., Pilmore, Youghal, Co. Cork. Tel: 024 90117. www.stonewarestudios.com.

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WISH LIST

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Is the little stretch in the evenings prompting a spring home interiors revamp? Carol O’Callaghan has been shopping for new goodies to add to your project wish list Domestically challenged goddesses who wouldn’t dream of whipping up a batch of creamy cupcakes might like instead the Iced Fancies tray (from Debenhams €25).

Happiness in a box is presented beautifully by Neom Organics. Wafting white neroli, mimosa and lemon, it’s the perfect antidote to a stressful day (Happiness candle from Brown Thomas and Aghadoe Heights, Killarney €49, or €17 for travel size).

Eating on the run and tired of sandwiches at your desk? Prepare something tasty the night before and store in the Box Appetit. Comes with handy and colour co-ordinated fork (€19.95 at Sublime, Waterford).

The delightfully feminine Josephine sofa curves in all the right places. Draped elegantly in soft velvety blue, this Spanish beauty by design house Fama oozes style and sophistication (€1,795 from New Furniture Centre). Cushion soft comfort is on offer from the Atlantic Ocean range finished in on-trend nautical style (€14.95 at Meadows & Byrne).

Looking for a circular rug to relieve the straight lines of rooms and hallways? This colourful suede and leather version is Spot-On and comes in two sizes, 1.5m and 2.5m diameter (Spot-On small €699, large €999 from Aoki Interiors).

Hate limescale?

Amazing Water Softener SALE others don’t want you to find out about!

WAS €1,296

Soft velour towels are an alternative to terry towelling, and a great option while we’re still drying laundry indoors as velour won’t go hard and scratchy like terry (Blue Spot velour towels from Heatons, starting at €4.50).

NOW €674

Voted Irish Business of the Year 2011 by Action Coach International

HURRY LIMITED OFFER! ENDS 5PM TUESDAY 13TH MARCH Help the wine to Flow with this simple wall-mounted rack that holds eight bottles of your tipple. Its unobtrusive design means it won’t take up valuable storage space (Flow €45 from Stowaway Crafts, Bantry and Henry Volkes, Adare).

SAVE UP TO €800 A YEAR WITH EWT SOFTENED WATER ��

��

BONUS OFFER! Order before 5pm Tuesday 13th March & receive FREE S2000 Drinking Water System worth €190 FREE Installation worth €70

SAVE €300+ yearly. Limefree water can reduce hot water costs by 25%

Remember what your mother always said? Don’t put the milk bottle on the table, and there’s no excuse with the cute and floral Cornelia jug by Greengate (€32 at The Honey Pot, Clonmel and Twomey Walsh, Ennis).

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Bring in the Outback multi-functional unit as a place for the television, dvd players, dvds and remotes in the family room, or as an end of bed unit, or even as a low-level hall table (€399 at EZ Living Furniture).

Less cleaning time on bathrooms. Save on cleaning products and elbow grease

Cleaner clothes 50% reduction in washing powder. Stop damage to your appliances.

Reduce shampoos, moisturisers, cleaners etc by 30%

Cleaner dishes 6 times more effective at reducing spotting and filming.

Great drinking water No need to buy expensive bottled water with an EWT S2000 Water filter!

Enjoy invigorating soft water showers. Prevent Limescale damage to appliances.

€260 EXTRA VALUE FREE!

when you order before 5pm Tuesday 13th March

LO-CALL 1850 39 28 37

Email: info@ewtechnologies.ie / www.ewtechnologies.ie IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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WISH LIST

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Hate limescale?

Amazing Water Softener SALE others don’t want you to find out about!

WAS €1,296

NOW €674

Voted Irish Business of the Year 2011 by Action Coach International

SAVE UP TO €800 A YEAR WITH EWT SOFTENED WATER ��

��

BONUS OFFER! Order before 5pm Tuesday 13th March & receive FREE S2000 Drinking Water System worth €190 FREE Installation worth €70

SAVE €300+ yearly. Limefree water can reduce hot water costs by 25%

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Less cleaning time on bathrooms. Save on cleaning products and elbow grease

Cleaner clothes 50% reduction in washing powder. Stop damage to your appliances.

Reduce shampoos, moisturisers, cleaners etc by 30%

Cleaner dishes 6 times more effective at reducing spotting and filming.

Great drinking water No need to buy expensive bottled water with an EWT S2000 Water filter!

Enjoy invigorating soft water showers. Prevent Limescale damage to appliances.

€260 EXTRA VALUE FREE!

when you order before 5pm Tuesday 13th March

LO-CALL 1850 39 28 37

Email: info@ewtechnologies.ie / www.ewtechnologies.ie IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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INTERIORS

HOME ECONOMICS

ASK THE

DESIGNER

My new bathroom suite is white — but should I paint the bathroom white too?

A. As the bathroom is one of the smallest rooms in the house, most people use a light paint to open them up. However, as white is also the most common fixture colour, I’d suggest some subtle colour to liven up the room. Ontrend grey is a chic alternative to white or cream for bathrooms and goes with most colour schemes. Try a soft grey such as Dulux Chic Shadow or Grey Pebble to create a calming spa effect. Consider splashes of yellow or yellow and grey striped shower curtain to brighten up a grey bathroom. Q. The bottom half of my bathroom walls have wood panels and the top is painted — any ideas for redecorating?

A. The type of wall covering you’re talking about is ‘wainscoting’ — panels placed on the top or bottom half of the wall for decorative effect, with the rest of the wall either painted or papered. The most popular type of wainscot is beadboard (also known as ‘tongue and groove’ board) — the vertical lines of which can add instant character to your bathroom. Classic white wainscoting looks great against a darker wall — ranging from neutral taupe to bright lime green or even dramatic navy blue. Or you could go for the reverse: light walls with dark painted or stained wainscoting. Patterned wallpaper on top is another good option. But be sure to invest in thicker, vinyl-coated paper suitable for rooms with a high moisture content and stick to a soft neutral

The Design Basket

Q. I love all things vintage — but do you think the interior trend is too over-the-top for my bathroom? A. Kitchens and bedrooms have already been given a glamorous vintage makeover — and this Spring, lavatories are getting the 1920s treatment too. Retro splashes of colour, geometric patterns and vintage-style sinks, faucets and bathtubs are just some of the ways to achieve the look in your loo. White, pale pink or green porcelain tiles, mosaic floors and black accents — all the rage in the twenties — are also making a comeback. In keeping with the era, opt for freestanding bathroom furniture and built-in cabinets. Finish with pretty but practical Art Deco accessories such a towel ring, soap dispenser tissue box and vanity jar. Q. I’m replacing my old bath. What type should I go for and where can I buy it? A. First decide if you want a tub at all. As the standard Irish bathroom is quite small and concerns over water conservation have increased, showering has become more popular than bathing. If you’re not into bubble baths, consider either going without or a P-shape shower bath that gives the best of both worlds. When it comes to picking a tub, it’s all about location, location, location — save on plumbing costs by keeping your new bath in its original location. Three-wall alcove baths (also known as recessed

Above: Wainscoting ideas for the bathroom. Right: Linea 'Vintage' flower soap dispenser, €22 mirror, €24, soap dish €14.50 and tumbler €17 available from House of Fraser, Dundrum

baths) are the most commonly installed type of tub. But some other options included a corner tub or jacuzzi bath for two or drop-in tub, which may be raised on a platform or set below floor level. To make a statement as you soak, go for an antique-style freestanding tub. Take a look on Bathrooms.com and Idealbathrooms.ie for ideas.

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

Anglepoise

Cherish Me

What a gorgeous site this is. Full of soul, intregity and imagination, this site truly delights. It was born of the idea of bringing Irish craftmakers and designers from the secret enclaves of local markets to the online world. And it works. Each piece is lovingly described in detail as is the creative process bringing it to life. The home section caters for clocks, lighting, kitchen ware and tablecloths, wallpaper, notice boards and a ‘for the parlour’ section. It also has stationary and card sets for all your correspondence needs.

Just when you thought you had seen it all in the lighting sphere a site comes along like this to show you just how diverse things can get. Floor-toceiling lamps and everything in between, LED, table, wall lights and more can be found here. All have a gracious angle, hence the perfect name — anglepoise. These lamps have real structure in vivid colours whether it is for reading or creating an ambient light throughout your room. Check out the pendant ceiling shades that bring elegance to any room.

For all things nursery-related this site is a good starting point. Primarily a baby clothing and gift site, it has a nursery accessories section which can help you deck out a room before your bundle of joy arrives. Funky wall stickers, bean bags, storage boxes, pretty canvases feature among its collections. Removable black-out blinds, that you can bring anywhere, are also in stock which may suit not just the baby of the house but the parents in need of some shut eye.

■ www.thedesignbasket.com

■ www.anglepoise.com

■ www.cherishme.ie

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Open up your home A B&B option, or even renting a spare room to a student, can help pay those pesky bills, Kya deLongchamps reports

colour that complements the paper on the panels. Try www.charlesnewhaven.ie.

WEB WATCH 1

Interior designer Deirdre Coleman of Escale Design in Clare, www.escaledesign.ie, answers your bathroom queries. Email: interiors@examiner.ie

This notice board was ‘handmade with love’ in a stone cottage in Kilmessan, Co Meath. €24.95 from thedesignbasket.com

any families hard pressed by the recession live in homes with even occasionally unoccupied bedrooms. Open your mind and you could make those square metres count by taking in a paying guest to help foot those bills. If your house is rangy enough, with adequate fire escapes, insurance, bathrooms (preferably en-suite), boasting local amenities or a route to places of interest, you could consider opening a B&B business. Approval and a start rating by Fáilte Ireland (www.discoverireland.ie) is preferable but not necessary or even compulsory. If you’re not with the body, you will need to get on board with other marketing groups online such as GoIreland.com to get your property out there in good view for foreign and domestic travellers. These services charge a fixed annual fee or take a commission on bookings, but allow potential guests to search your area and find you quickly. If you have something extra, for example, taking in pets or gorgeous walks on the doorstep, this will make your property shine. Stick to less than four guest suites and you will not need planning permission for change of use, but if you have more ambitious plans contact your local planning office for advice as soon as possible. If you do take on more than four suites, and are working alone, key in the cost of occasional help to ‘turn’ the rooms in high season. The greatest single challenge beyond start up costs will be the periodic invasion of your private spaces, as B&B guests will generally expect a homely environment over a formal hotel atmosphere. You will be effectively self-employed and responsible for submitting your income after costs from the business to the Revenue each year. A short course on simple marketing and how to keep small business accounts is advisable for a beginner. Have your guests recommend their stay on Trip Advisor if they claim to have had a great time. This will draw more business. Take in a lodger: like B&B work, this can prove a seasonal financial relief, but here’s a key piece of information to get you started. “Where a room in a persons’ principle private residence is let as residential accommodation and the gross annual rental income is less than €10,000 per annum this rental income is exempt from tax. Where it exceeds €10,000 the rent is taxable in full.” The tenant will also be eligible for tax relief in the form of credits, (www.taxation.ie). The tenant can be on a short-term stay to attend a college course, or be present year round for personal or business reasons. Most lodgers will eat at least some of their meals with you, or will expect set times to use the kitchen to summon up their own meals.

B&B. Dream job or nightmare intrusion?

A farmhouse B&B option may be just the way to bring in some handy cash for you and your family.

Large local companies, hospitals, educational centres and even busy smaller firms may have need of occasional hospitality, so do some local research. Keep in mind that all public/ private crossover areas, especially for business-style guests, will now have to be maintained to a high standard. Hosting younger visitors here in Ireland to learn English and enjoy a cultural exchange will be more demanding than entertaining a fully independent adult. However, if you’re temperamentally suited and have more time on your hands, it’s a fertile form of income. Horror stories of wildly over demanding diva children running up the immersion bills and abruptly disappearing with their friends after hours, do exist, but courses for language students from overseas are tightly run and well managed, offering host families plenty of support. Transport is key, and if you are taking youngsters for a few weeks, a straightforward bus route to their learning centre or the ability to give them lifts will be expected. Students often stay in groups of two or more, and will be minded by you, with their supervisors from the home country

staying elsewhere. If you have children of close in age to the host children all the better. This kind of work particularly suits teachers with free time in the summer to take on host children. If you’re up to the challenge of taking total responsibility for a teenage or young person, including their English lessons, there are agencies that place travellers in specific types of home, such as farms, for an intimate cultural exchange. Language Travel Ireland. www.englishireland.com. MEI are an association of 51 English language schools located at 120 locations throughout the country always interested in accommodation in safe residential areas. www.mei.ie.

Stick to less than four guest suites and you will not need planning for change of use

nyone running a B&B or renting out accommodation on a rolling, short-term basis will tell you it’s far from ‘easy money’. Even letting self-contained accommodation requires effort and your presence on-site if things go wrong. Having the guests on your side of the door offers even greater personal challenges. Laundry, cleaning and cooking must be served up with an ever present glow of gracious welcome, even if your jaw is atrophied with inane grinning as you weather incessant demands and fault finding by the clientele. Breakfast is not at one time, but over a period, starting as early as individual guests demand. Americans are notoriously spry in the early hours. If you’re not a morning person this is going to be a tough learning curve. For a larger guest house, breakfast alone can devour four hours of every day before rooms are even ‘turned’. A continental breakfast of toast/ croissant/fruit and yoghurt may satisfy some visitors, but a full Irish option is expected in quality Irish accommodation. Weekends away will be a mere dream in high season, so how are you going to organise your own holidays? If you love a busy household, can travel off season, cook for strangers at dawn, and still be cheery enough to recommend a good pub at 9pm that night, B&B might still be for you.

Grub’s Up: The full Irish is expected in quality accommodation.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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INTERIORS

HOME ECONOMICS

ASK THE

DESIGNER

My new bathroom suite is white — but should I paint the bathroom white too?

The Design Basket

Above: Wainscoting ideas for the bathroom. Right: Linea 'Vintage' flower soap dispenser, €22 mirror, €24, soap dish €14.50 and tumbler €17 available from House of Fraser, Dundrum

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

Anglepoise

Cherish Me

■ www.thedesignbasket.com

■ www.anglepoise.com

■ www.cherishme.ie

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Open up your home A B&B option, or even renting a spare room to a student, can help pay those pesky bills, Kya deLongchamps reports

colour that complements the paper on the panels. Try www.charlesnewhaven.ie.

WEB WATCH 1

Interior designer Deirdre Coleman of Escale Design in Clare, www.escaledesign.ie, answers your bathroom queries. Email: interiors@examiner.ie

This notice board was ‘handmade with love’ in a stone cottage in Kilmessan, Co Meath. €24.95 from thedesignbasket.com

B&B. Dream job or nightmare intrusion?

A farmhouse B&B option may be just the way to bring in some handy cash for you and your family.

Stick to less than four guest suites and you will not need planning for change of use

Grub’s Up: The full Irish is expected in quality accommodation.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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IN THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK SPRING BULBS herald the opening days of March, but by the end of the month their thunder is stolen by the early magnolias, in particular the variety stellata which takes on the look of a white bridal hat joining the riot of blossom on the almonds and ornamental cherries in neighbouring gardens. Like nasal hairs their flowers creep up on you — nothing one day then suddenly, there they are right before your eyes. To ignore them is impossible and this year they are earlier than ever. On naked branches, the star-shaped, pristine white blooms of stellata look wonderful, filling dull spots and drab corners alike (light shade suits them admirably) in much the same way as snow does. This variety may be one of the very best for a small garden, but it is by no means the only contender. There are dozens to choose from and now is the time to visit nurseries where they can be seen and inspected. AN EARLY SENSATION: Have I introduced you in the past to the Clematis ‘Early Sensation’? This evergreen variety bears early, creamy-yellow flowers which open during late February as the strengthening sun finally begins to warm the cold ground. The foliage of this upper class beauty is quite unlike any of the larger hybrids for it is tidy in habit, has foliage which is deeply cut and excitingly curly like the better strains of culinary parsley. Because of this, and the fact that the plant will only reach in total to six feet (eventually it may achieve a similar spread) it would look handsome grown on a wall painted a soft shade of terra-cotta! On the other hand, it looks perfect growing up through the likes of a rhododendron or other evergreen. No pruning needed and certainly no staking or supporting.

GARDENNOTES

by Charlie Wilkins

prevent surge growth immediately after application, thus keeping the lawn richer and greener for up to 8 weeks. Those with large areas should use the cheaper potato fertiliser sold as 7.6.17. Do not use 10.10.20. This latter is fine for cows, silage, and haymaking but it is useless for building up a quality sward. The rate of application for the potato fertiliser is a fist-full per square yard. Let the weather wash it in. Moss, if you want to use a DIY method, is easily controlled with sulphate of iron mixed at the rate of one small tea cup to 2 gallons of water applied via a sprayer or watering can. Do not overdo the mixing rate or burning of the lawn will occur. PROTECT: Take precautions with the emerging growths on delphiniums, lupins and other perennial plants. Slugs are very active just now so lay pellets thinly around vulnerable plants (please cover with a piece of tile) or water the surrounding soil with liquid SlugClear. Owners of inquisitive pets prefer to use the liquid method for no bait is visible on the ground. Re-apply the liquid following

heavy rainfall. TOPICAL TIP: Feed spring bulbs during and after flowering with any brand of liquid food applied over the foliage and around where roots are spreading. This will encourage plump bulbs to form for the following year’s display. If you can follow with a mulch of rotted manure or garden compost you’ll leave them smug, satisfied, and utterly contented. RHODODENDRONS AND AZALEAS: Azaleas, rhododendrons and many other ericaceous plants are about to burst into bloom following heavy rains and they now need a feed to give of their best. When planted out in the garden too many rhododendrons and azaleas fail to maintain the fresh vibrant look when first purchased. Like us, they need a good supply of balanced nutrients for strong growth. Applying osmocote about their positions will ensure adequate nourishment over the entire summer and through to autumn when they begin to form new buds for the following year. Mulches also help so attend to this also.

■ Devonshire Day at Lismore Castle takes place on Sunday, Mar 18 (Mother’s Day). Enjoy afternoon tea in the Pugin Room at Lismore Castle and experience a unique preview of Lismore Castle Spring Gardens. Tours at 11.30 am, 12.50pm, 1.50pm, 3.00pm and 4.10 pm. Tickets from the Immrama office and Lismore Heritage Centre cost €20. Enquiries and bookings contact 058-53803or 058-54975. ■ The garden of Neil & Sonia Williams of Baneshane Midleton will open on Saturday and Sunday, Mar 24 and 25. Sandy McCarthy of Perennial Plants will have plants for sale, including several varieties of Raymond Evison clematis, hellebores and snowdrops. ■ Clonakilty Flower Club will host a grow your own vegetables talk by Caroline Robinson on Monday at 8pm in Fernhill House Hotel. ■ Innishannon Flower and Garden Club host Michael Clancy of Fota Gardens on Wednesday at 8pm in Barretts Lounge. Refreshments and raffle and all welcome. ■ Bandon Flower Club will host a work Night featuring ‘flexiglass’ and tapestry on Monday in The Munster Arms Hotel at 8pm. ■ Youghal Flower and Garden Club will host Susan Turner-Garden of Ballymaloe to speak on spring gardening on Tuesday at 8pm in the Walter Raleigh Hotel. ■ Kanturk Flower and Garden Club will meet on Wednesday in the Temperance Hall (next to Alley Bar) at 8pm. Guest Sheelagh Crean will give a talk on how to grow organic vegetables and herbs. All welcome. Club outing to Bloom Festival will be discussed and names and deposits taken. ■ Skibbereen Flower and Garden Club will have Eleanor Barrett to demonstrate Easter flowers on Wednesday at 8.15pm in Abbeystrewry Hall. ■ Ballincollig Flower & Garden club will have a garden talk by Deborah Begley on Monday at 8pm in Oriel Hotel Ballicollig. Visitors Welcome.

MIND-YOUR-OWN-BUSINESS: Soleirolia, which looks for all the world like tiny shamrock, has become a real nuisance in recent years due no doubt to all the rain and perpetual damp. It can be very invasive once it gets established. Control is possible using a selective lawn weed-killer (if it is growing in a lawn) with D50, available at Co-Op Superstores. Mind-your-own-business is successful because it seeds freely and the smallest piece left uncollected will take root. Just imagine how many new plants could be formed by failing to use the grass box whilst mowing! The secret of success therefore is perseverance and the removal of all clippings. LAWNS: Do not neglect the feeding of lawns, especially following treatment for moss control. Use the best lawn food you can afford. All contain preparations that contain slow release nitrogen to give a fast initial green up and then, long-term feeding to the roots. Controlling the rate of nitrogen uptake helps to

■ Ballymoney Garden Club meet on Monday at 8.30pm at Ballymoney Hall, Ballineen. Mary O’Leary will speak on pet care and Mary Sweetman will speak on spring gardening.

■ Alpine/Hardy Plant Society present Ian Christie, Scotland, to speak on woodland plants and workshop on Wednesday at 8pm in the Lavanagh Centre, Ballintemple. Members plant sale and all welcome. ■ Horticultural expert Margaret Griffin will host a demonstration on how to design and plant a rockery on Monday, Wednesday and Friday next at noon in Griffins, Dripsey. Talk, lunch, and rock plant gift €10. ■ An exhibition by Elles Innemee continues at Hosfords Blue Geranium Café Enniskeane. Daily life snapshots of West Cork, scenery, flowers, and skyscapes are featured in her latest work. ■ Free vegetable growing demonstrations take place tomorrow at The Secret Garden Newmarket at 3pm. Demonstrations, advice, and special offers. Repeats Mar 18 and 25 at 3pm. Call 029 60084 www.thesecretgardener.com.

On naked branches, the star-shaped, pristine white blooms of Magnolia stellata look wonderful, filling dull spots and drab corners alike in much the same way as snow does.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

■ The Pavilion Garden Centre, Ballygarvan, continues their weekly leisure learning programme on Wednesday at 10.30am, Topic: an introduction to beekeeping. Contact 021 4888134, www.thepavilion.ie

Pale green foliage and delicate, pink-spurred flowers only a few inches tall are the hallmarks of Corydalis Beth Evans, a woodlander that loves Irish weather conditions and the kind of soil that remains moist even in the height of summer.

Meet Beth Evans.... Corydalis is the gift that keeps on giving... and giving, Charlie Wilkins reports

ragile-looking plants sometimes surprise by turning up year after year with little or no help from me! Garden treasures are like that; they come and go, sometimes in places I least expect. Over time, many ‘buried treasures’ have come to me from like-minded friends, some long gone, but never forgotten. But then we all pass on, our gardens change, many disappearing or disintegrating in just a few seasons. That is of little importance. What matters is the continuing cycle of sharing and learning about plants, and perhaps a little bit of us will come to mind when plants given as gifts, suddenly re-emerge in someone else’s early spring garden. Three weeks ago, a plant with tufts of ferny pale green foliage and delicate, pink-spurred flowers, only a few inches tall, emerged in a rather neglected spot in the back garden. Sourced years ago, the plant had once again decided to grace a shady spot which smells decidedly of decaying leaves, rotting timber, peat and pineneedles. I recognised it as Corydalis solida ‘Beth Evans’, a six-inch high slightly spreading

beauty which can at times seed among other shade-loving woodlanders. Apart from those distinctive pink-spurred blooms and attractive ferny foliage, it is one of those accommodating plants that die back quickly once its time in the spotlight is over, without leaving messy foliage. There are a couple of hundred species of Corydalis, many of which come from China and Tibet, but solida is mostly found in the mountainous regions of Romania. Being tuberous (bulb-like), it needs good drainage whilst enjoying ample moisture right throughout the year. ‘Beth Evans’ behaves perfectly under such conditions but I should warn that her morals are fairly loose and as such many of her offspring are, to say the least, variable. This becomes evident when seedlings are allowed to develop following their lifting and potting on (****???). As a result, there are wishy-washy impostors masquerading under her name and that of ‘George Baker’ (which shows more of a red colouring than pink). A strong plant will double up yearly given the sharp drainage mentioned, along with some

dappled shade and summer moisture. It dislikes intensely any soil which allows it to bake in hot sun. Mark Beth’s position with a proper label or apply a mulch of ornamental gravel over its crown as it dies down in April. Divide in late summer or early autumn. Woodland plants like Beth enjoy their season in bloom until the overhead canopy of tree begins to fill with new leaves. Wisely, they then go to sleep, so try to emulate this by planting and partnering with the likes of Hostas which break into leaf just as the Corydalis vanish. They will also grow well with early flowers — those that give the impression of flowering against the odds; Hellebores, Iris reticulate and trembling snowdrops. If you secretly crave a small, early garden planting but never quite get round to it, then try sourcing a few Corydalis and be pleasantly satisfied each and every spring. You will most definitely come across these at the plant fair today at Belfield House, Shinrone, Birr, Co Offaly or the forthcoming plant fair at Fota Arboretum in April, details of which will appear on this page as the date approaches.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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IN THE GARDEN

GARDENNOTES

by Charlie Wilkins

■ Ballymoney Garden Club meet on Monday at 8.30pm at Ballymoney Hall, Ballineen. Mary O’Leary will speak on pet care and Mary Sweetman will speak on spring gardening.

On naked branches, the star-shaped, pristine white blooms of Magnolia stellata look wonderful, filling dull spots and drab corners alike in much the same way as snow does.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

■ The Pavilion Garden Centre, Ballygarvan, continues their weekly leisure learning programme on Wednesday at 10.30am, Topic: an introduction to beekeeping. Contact 021 4888134, www.thepavilion.ie

Meet Beth Evans.... Corydalis is the gift that keeps on giving... and giving, Charlie Wilkins reports

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

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ANTIQUES & FINE ART

ADVERTISING

Noteworthy works of art on the Banks

IN BRIEF

Des O’Sullivan on AIB’s collection at Crawford

HE exciting, notto-be-missed show now on at the Crawford Gallery in Cork represents a significant coup for the southern capital. Gifted to the State and donated to the Crawford, the AIB Collection was built up in the way any corporate collection properly needs to be — with professional advice. The best Irish art is under appreciated in this country. AIB, to their credit, set out to collect it properly and succeeded in

building up a collection of immense value. The result is a museum quality collection which considerably enhances the Crawford Gallery holdings and confers a significant cultural shotin-the-arm to Cork. Works by Jack B Yeats, John Luke, William Scott and FE McWilliam are among 39 prime pieces on exhibition at the Crawford Gallery until April 14. The collection brings work by leading Irish artists — who continue to be insufficiently

Roderic O’Conor Red Rocks Near Pont Aven 1898 from the AIB Collection, now in the legal ownership of the State and on show at the Crawford Gallery in Cork.

recognised and feted both at home and abroad — to a new audience. The bank will make almost

1,000 additional artworks available for public exhibition. After April 14 the Crawford will return

27 of the works to AIB on a temporary basis, the remaining 12 will stay at the Crawford.

Big names, big sale at Whytes

eats, Colin Middleton, Dan O’Neill, Robert Ballagh Sarah Purser, Grace Henry, Norah McGuinness, Percy French, Harry Kernoff, Ernest Hayes and Henry Gandy all feature at Whytes auction of 270 works at Clyde Hall in the RDS, Dublin next Monday at 6pm. Viewing: 10am to 6pm over the next three days. At St Stephen’s Green James Adam will hold a sale of furniture, paintings, silver and decorative arts next Wednesday at 10.30am Viewing gets

underway tomorrow afternoon and is from 9.30am to 5pm on Monday and Tuesday. Meantime there will be an auction at Kerry Auction Rooms, Moyderwell, Tralee at noon on Tuesday, March 13. It features antique furniture, art, 400 lots of porcelain, military medals, books and coins. Collectible items include an enamel sign advertising Lee Footwear, clothing, hosiery and shirts complete with an illustration of Blackrock Castle, Cork.

TOP: George II side table c1740-60 from the collection of Simon Sainsbury at Christie’s London is estimated at £20,000-£30,000. ABOVE: George IV sofa table with estimate of €1,500-2,000.

The Munster Antique Fair MORAN’S SILVER SPRINGS HOTEL This Sunday 11th March, 11am - 6pm

OVER 30 STANDS OUR BIGGEST FAIR IN CORK EVER

Don’t Miss The National Antique & Art Fair March 18th 19th South Court Limerick 0ver 70 Stands Including 15 Members Of The Irish Antique Dealers Association. Hibernian Antique Fairs 22

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Lovers in a Garden by Charles Edward Perugini (1839-1918), estimate is €50,000-€70,000 is on offer at Whyte’s sale of Irish and British art at the RDS on Monday next at 6pm.

ANTIQUE FAIR Hibernian Antique Fairs will have dealers from around the country at The Munster Antique Fair at Moran’s Silver Springs Hotel in Cork tomorrow from 11am to 6pm. There will be 35 stands featuring a wide variety of furniture and collectible items. Visitors include Gallery Zozimus, Dublin, Treasures Irish Art, Athlone, Weldon’s, Dublin, Hugo Greene from Co. Leitrim, Maguire Antiques from Mayo, Donegal Antiques and Kevin McCreesh from Newry. .................................................................................................. ART FAIR Hibernian will organise the National Antique and Art Fair at the South Court Hotel in Limerick next weekend. The two day fair on Mar 18 and 19 will bring 70 dealers from all over the country and beyond to Limerick. .................................................................................................. CORK SALE The Lynes and Lynes sale of 250 lots, including a number of antique Cork furniture pieces, gets underway at East Link Business Park, Carrigtwohill, at noon today. The sale also features Waterford glass, silver, books, paintings and porcelain. .................................................................................................. MONTHLY AUCTION In Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick O’Donovan and Associates will hold their monthly auction at 11am today. There is a collection of Waterford Crystal, art, furniture, gold, silver and collectibles, including an Irish War of Independence Medal. .................................................................................................. MARSH AUCTION In Cork city the Marsh’s auction starts at noon today with viewing at Rochford’s Lane (off Grand Parade-South Mall) from 10am. There is antique furniture, porcelain, clocks, books and collectibles. Matthews of Oldcastle, Co. Meath, will hold a house contents auction at Castlecor House, Oldcastle, at 1.30pm tomorrow. .................................................................................................. STUDENT SHOW The Student of the Year show at the Lavit Gallery in Cork features ceramic work by Sinéad Fagan and acrylic paintings by Raphael Llewellyn. The Student of the Year Award has been granted for the past 45 years by the Lavit Gallery to a graduate of the Crawford College of Art and Design who shows promise and potential. The show continues until Mar 21. .................................................................................................. FINE ART No less than 260 leading art and antiques dealers from 16 countries will bring their treasures to The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) silver jubilee in Maastricht, The Netherlands, from Mar 16-25. TEFAF attracts collectors, curators and connoisseurs from more than 50 countries. Last year 30,000 people visited on the opening weekend, and there were 125 private jets. .................................................................................................. THREE COLLECTIONS Christie’s sale of three collections, including Mount Kennedy in Co. Wicklow in London next Friday, will feature some top quality Irish antique side tables estimated at up to £60,000. There are 56 Irish lots in all on offer.

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL

Ger Duggan Tel: 021-4802192 email: interiorads@examiner.ie

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:08/03/2012Time:14:30:05Edition:10/03/2012PropertyXP1003Page:22

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ANTIQUES & FINE ART

ADVERTISING

Noteworthy works of art on the Banks

IN BRIEF

Des O’Sullivan on AIB’s collection at Crawford

Roderic O’Conor Red Rocks Near Pont Aven 1898 from the AIB Collection, now in the legal ownership of the State and on show at the Crawford Gallery in Cork.

recognised and feted both at home and abroad — to a new audience. The bank will make almost

1,000 additional artworks available for public exhibition. After April 14 the Crawford will return

27 of the works to AIB on a temporary basis, the remaining 12 will stay at the Crawford.

Big names, big sale at Whytes

TOP: George II side table c1740-60 from the collection of Simon Sainsbury at Christie’s London is estimated at £20,000-£30,000. ABOVE: George IV sofa table with estimate of €1,500-2,000.

The Munster Antique Fair MORAN’S SILVER SPRINGS HOTEL This Sunday 11th March, 11am - 6pm

OVER 30 STANDS OUR BIGGEST FAIR IN CORK EVER

Don’t Miss The National Antique & Art Fair March 18th 19th South Court Limerick 0ver 70 Stands Including 15 Members Of The Irish Antique Dealers Association. Hibernian Antique Fairs 22

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

Lovers in a Garden by Charles Edward Perugini (1839-1918), estimate is €50,000-€70,000 is on offer at Whyte’s sale of Irish and British art at the RDS on Monday next at 6pm.

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL

Ger Duggan Tel: 021-4802192 email: interiorads@examiner.ie

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R id OUwers & R T! Y U T mo

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Lawnmowers, Ride-On Mowers & Tractors from as little as

€16 per week!

From €1,599

Flexible Finance Available

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From €219

Courthouse Road, Fermoy, Co. Cork Tel. 025 31833 Web. www.tossbryangarden.ie

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 10.03.2012

TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:08/03/2012Time:12:03:25Edition:10/03/2012PropertyXP1003Page:24

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