Brighton Gardens is a road of terraced redbricks in Rathgar that is tucked in between Whitton Road and Tower Avenue. The houses around these Dublin 6 streets were built in the early 1900s with Rathgar shaking off Rathmines in 1930 to become a suburb in its own right. Number 27 Brighton Gardens is a three-bedroom house that was bought by its current owners in 2021. Even though the interior was quite dated, they fell in love with it immediately. After a surveyor gave the property the thumbs up, the owners set about upgrading and redecorating. Some minor repairs were needed to the roof, so while the scaffolding was up, it was decided to install a solar-powered Velux window to allow extra light and air circulate through the house. The original maple wood and oak floors were sanded down and varnished, and a runner was fitted on the stairs to give a “cosy feel” on the way up to the bedrooms. The main bathroom and en suite were ripped out and replaced with black shower enclosures and matching fittings. Both rooms have towel heaters and mirrors with Bluetooth speakers to encourage a bit of singing in the shower in the morning. Shutters that were installed on the windows in the front of the house offer a bit of extra privacy, and dimmable LED, low-energy lights were fitted throughout. On the ground floor of the 82 sq m (883 sq ft) house is a livingroom to the front that is painted in a dark teal colour to match the tiles of the hearth in the original fireplace. There is a diningroom behind this and the fully-fitted kitchen at the back of the house with a door out to the rear garden. On the first-floor return is one bedroom and the family bathroom. Up on the first floor are two more bedrooms. The principal bedroom is at the front of the house with two shuttered sash windows and an en suite bathroom behind a sliding door. The other bedroom, at the back of the house, is currently being used as a home office The south-facing back garden is the owners’ favourite thing about the house as it gets the sun all day and isn’t overlooked. The garden is large enough to allow for an extension at the back of the house, subject to planning, if required. All windows in the house are double-glazed and it is heated by gas-fired central heating and comes with a C3 Ber rating. Both Rathgar and Terenure are a short walk from the house, with many bus routes going through both villages. There are three crèches less than five minutes’ walk away, and within a 2km radius of Brighton Gardens there are 10 primary schools and 10 secondary schools, including The High School, Terenure College and Gonzaga. The owners love the fact that there are so many good food options in the area from the produce at Lotts & Co if they’re having people over for dinner, to the butcher at the Brown Pig, and the Corner Bakery for breads and treats. Every Thursday morning there is an organic fish market in Brighton Square and a farmers’ market takes place at weekends in Bushy Park. Number 27 is on the market with an asking price of €750,000, selling through agent Mullery O’Gara. Alison Gill, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about property Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC Dublin City Council is delighted to announce that it has completed the conversion of a former works depot building into a new tearoom and public toilets in Palmerston Park This 19th century designed semi-elliptical park is a much-loved local amenity which still retains many of its original design features such as the waterfall and pond and a quaint shelter Together with its variety of mature trees and playground the park is an important respite for all ages The operation of the tearooms will be offered by estate agents Colliers and it is envisaged that they will be open to the public in spring of 2025 The Palmerston park tearooms is the newest addition in Dublin City Council’s network of tearooms which provide facilities for visitors to stay longer and avail of the park amenities These tearooms also provide a sense of place where the local community can meet and socialize in a family friendly and healthy environment.  “The development of the tearooms and public toilets in this park will I know be a welcome amenity to the local community who take great pride in the heritage and appearance of the park.” The architect-designed tearooms comprise a generous light infused space which opens out to a sunny west facing courtyard which also gets the benefit of the morning sun through east facing glazed screens Two public toilets open directly onto the courtyard Decorative sliding steel screens at the entrance doors display an impression of the 19th century map of the park Outside the graveled courtyard Leinster granite kerbs enclose colourful pollinator friendly mixed planting beds   Parasols will provide shelter for those sunny or damp days.  McHUGH, Fiona (late of Rathgar, Dublin) 12th March 2025, peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, in tender care of Our Lady's Hospice, Harold's Cross, beloved wife of Paul and loving mother to Kate, Rory and Jack, much loved sister of Peter, Karen, Orla and Emer, daughter of the late Frankie and Norrie. To view Fiona's Funeral Mass (10am) and cremation service (1.45pm) please select the links below: Donations to Our Lady's Hospice in name of : Fiona McHugh Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Cremation / BurialDate Published: If you would like to make a donation to the chosen charity please click on the button below. memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one the oasis in the Marianella apartment complex hasn’t yet been taken under council control a pair of mothers brought their kids to a playground in the middle of a park just off the Orwell Road Traffic clogged the street outside its painted black fences which forms part of the Marianella apartment complex Some teenagers hung out on a long wooden bench next to a large sunken rectangular lawn A magpie hopped between a London plane and a lime tree its rattling caw attracting others to drop in But it wasn’t clear whether it was a public park or not All of the signage indicating park rules carried the Marianella brand It doesn’t convey the sense that people who don’t live in the complex are welcome to be there when it originally gave approval to these upscale apartments back in 2009 said that it would take charge of the park was to manage and maintain it for a minimum of two years before it could then offer that the council take it in charge Cairn Homes finished the job in 2018. back when it granted the development permission that the park would be made public permanently cannot happen until it assumes charge of the park A spokesperson for the council did not respond when asked what the hold-up was Originally, 75 Orwell Road was occupied by the Redemptorists Congregation a Catholic clerical organisation of priests and brothers as well as a Road Safety Authority driving test centre In August 2009, the Redemptorists applied to Dublin City Council to demolish the buildings on the site to build 12 houses and 263 apartments across six blocks The fathers and brethren got the council’s approval that September with one of the conditions saying that after managing the park for at least two years they should invite the council to take it in charge Those conditions also said that it would operate this as a public park in perpetuity In April 2015, the Redemptorists announced its sale in a statement in which they said its funds would – among other things – support their missions in the parish and Mozambique Then, in July 2016, Cairn Homes PLC, the buyer, applied to the council to amend the existing 10-year planning permission The council granted this in October 2016, with construction on the upmarket complex, six three-storey townhouses, and 10 detached houses being completed in 2018, according to CS Consulting While the council had originally said in its planning approval to the Redemptorists that the developer should offer the council to take charge of the park Neither Cairn Homes PLC nor Dublin City Council have responded to queries sent on Friday about why the park had not yet been taken in charge Local councillors haven’t been able to work it out either Social Democrats Councillor Eoin Hayes says the council’s parks department is scheduled to meet with the management company figure out what’s the best way of doing this.” It’s been on the council’s agenda for a while “The Rathgar Residents Association has called for this for at least the past year.” What may be the problem for the council is the challenge of taking on a new set of lands to manage “There’s obviously a cost and budgets and all that stuff.” “And I know that the residents are really happy with the way it’s being maintained at the moment.” But it would just be great if the council could move a bit quicker and open it up to the public properly it should serve a greater purpose in the Rathgar area “I just think that green spaces and play spaces Michael Lanigan is a reporter at Dublin Inquirer You can reach him at michael@dublininquirer.com You've successfully subscribed to Dublin InQuirer Check your email for magic link to sign-in This 200 year old home on Highfield Road in Dublin 6 offers just under 400 square metres of well-presented living space as well as exceptional private gardens My first job was as a nurse’s aid in St I then went on and trained to be a nurse where I gained invaluable experience in patient care and teamwork – skills that have been essential throughout my career Growing up in a family so dedicated to healthcare I was naturally drawn to a career where I could make a meaningful difference in people’s lives captured my interest because hearing health is often overlooked yet it has such a profound impact on overall well-being Being able to help people hear more clearly and improve their quality of life is incredibly fulfilling Establishing my own clinic in Rathgar and expanding my services to include ear wax removal has been a significant milestone Seeing the positive impact my work has on patients—whether it’s helping them hear more clearly or improving their overall ear health—is incredibly rewarding Every step in my career has shaped the committed professional I am today if I had known how fulfilling running my own clinic would be I might have taken the leap into business ownership sooner Success is making a meaningful difference in people’s lives while continuously growing and evolving in both my personal and professional journey and success will follow.” Providing excellent care and building trust with patients is the foundation of any great healthcare practice I stay motivated by focusing on the positive impact we have on our patients’ lives I also encourage a supportive work environment where everyone in Rathgar Audiology feels valued and motivated to provide the best care possible Challenges are a natural part of running a business and I approach them with a problem-solving mindset I believe in staying adaptable and positive and focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on the problem I love going for walks with my two energetic labradors and spending quality time with my husband and children Being outdoors and surrounded by loved ones helps me recharge and stay balanced I want to continue growing my clinic by expanding our range of services and reaching more people in need of expert hearing care John Ring, Operations Director with XtraPension Dave Thompson, Vice President UK & Ireland for Construction Information / Intelligence Services Derry Cronin, Group Business Development Director with EHS International A Unique Blend of Art and Poetry by Joe Boske and Michael Quinn Ireland - Celebrated local Galway artist Joe Boske and Galwegian and poet/author Michael Quinn have collaborated to create a unique blend of visual art and poetry in their upcoming publication The booklet is exclusively available from Charlie Byrnes Bookshop in Galway This limited edition publication features a dozen iconic prints by Joe Boske coupled with the engaging poem ‘Rathgar Odyssey’ by Michael Quinn The narrative takes readers on a captivating journey through Rathgar while dropping in the 108 pub for a few pints before tea praises the booklet as a "smooth and creamy combination" of Boske's vintage Galway visions and Quinn's lyrical ramblings poet and co-editor of Skylight 47 poetry magazine hails it as “a welcome showcase of work that beautifully pairs Boske's cultural lynchpin art with Quinn's picaresque poem.” adds “This Strikingly excellent poem by Michael Quinn highlights Joe Boske's brilliant iconic Art Quinn also cites another artist Oscar Wilde 'In old Reading town' As Wilde wrote 'We always hurt the things we love' Quinn ends with Nora's famous affirmation at the end of Ulysses with 'Yes' and links it with Anna Livia Plurabella in Finnegans Wake: 'Yes This special edition is limited to only 1000 signed copies The book serves as a nostalgic reminder of the early Galway Arts Festival and is expected to sell out quickly Don't miss your chance to own this exclusive piece of Galway's cultural history. Pre-order your copy now at www.charliebyrne.ie or contact Charlie Byrnes Bookshop directly at 091-561766 or info@charliebyrne.ie The official launch of "Rathgar Odyssey" will take place at Charlie Byrnes Bookshop Join us for an evening celebrating the fusion of art and literature A Dublin launch is panned for the 108 in Rathgar on Thrs Dec 5th at 6.00 Joe Boske is one of Ireland's most notable visual artists he has designed many iconic posters for the emerging arts scene in the West authored ‘Rathgar Odyssey’ in response to a workshop prompt from the late Galway poet Kevin Higgins He is currently working on his first poetry collection set to be published by Little Gull Publishing in 2025 For more information, or to order your copy please visit www.charliebyrne.ie In Print - Get the next four editions of the Boston Irish Magazine by USPS 1st Class Mail directly to your home  Order online. Number 64, which has just come on to the market through Mullery O’Gara with an asking price of €3.75 million, is a rare opportunity for someone to get their hands on one of the detached properties on the street. It has been in the same family for more than five decades and, while excellently maintained, is ready for a new owner to move in and put their own stamp on it. With a floor space of 352sq m (3,789sq ft) and a 0.4-acre garden, it’s an impressive city pad. Four steps lead up to the tiled porch with marble columns supporting the arch. The original features hit as soon as you walk into the hallway, with cornicing, dado and picture rails and a ceiling rose providing a warm welcome. The two more formal reception rooms are to the right and interconnect through sliding arched doors. There is a cosy livingroom across the hall with a marble fireplace and bay window to the front of the house. A few steps down bring you into a country-style kitchen with cream units and a blue Aga at its heart. Beyond this is a large conservatory and the doors to the garden. There is a back staircase up to a study, which would be an ideal spot for a quiet home office. On the first-floor return there is a large stained-glass window that floods the two floors with sunlight. The bedroom at this level has a separate storage area that would convert easily to an en suite. On the next floor there are four further bedrooms and the family bathroom. The sixth bedroom is up a small staircase with a bathroom and separate WC. One cannot ignore the finer details as you walk through the house, such as the carved wood and detailed ironwork along the staircase, the arches on the sash windows or the Victorian panelled doors. Considering they date from the early 1900s, their condition is a credit to past owners. The E2 Ber rating, however, is something that will need to be addressed with upgrades. It could be argued that the real star of the show is the south-facing, dual-level garden. It is mature and colourful with a gravelled patio just outside the house and a long private lawn beyond that, with a Victorian fountain to top it off. The property is a short walk from Rathgar village, with many schools in the area including The High School, Stratford College, St Mary’s College, Gonzaga and Sandford Park School. The glut of sales on the road have brought with it a fresh lease of life, with young families bringing homes back from a state of disrepair. The new owners of number 64 certainly won’t have to look too far for inspiration if they wish to modernise, with all of the renovation works going on around them. The current owner, however, will be very sad to leave it after so many happy years, but she feels it is the right time to downsize and allow someone else to move in, and hopefully enjoy the home as much as she did with her family. The carpark of Coman’s of Rathgar – once one of Dublin’s best-known pubs – is set to be entered onto the Derelict Sites Register Dublin City Council placed a notice on the site on Wednesday stating that it is of the opinion that the land is “derelict” within the meaning of the Derelict Sites Act Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Removal to Terenure College Chapel on Wednesday 19th February arriving at 5:30pm. Funeral Mass Thursday 20th February at 10:30am in Terenure College Chapel, followed by burial at St. Fintan’s Cemetery, Sutton. Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services, Harold's Cross. Enquiries to Fanagans Funeral Home, Rathfarnham 01-493 1000. Cremation / Burial.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: Rip.ie, The Irish Times Building, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Address: 19 Victoria Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6Price: €1,950,000 Agent: Sherry FitzGerald TerenureLittle disturbs the tranquillity of Victoria Road in Rathgar on a sunny spring morning other than birdsong from the tree-lined roads leading to it Number 19’s cheerful yellow front door gives the first hint of a late Victorian house that has been renovated with an intense consideration of design that is reflected in every part of the 226 sq m (2,432 sq ft) four-bed home Now being brought to the market by Sherry FitzGerald seeking €1.95 million it had been lived in by the same family for 60 years and the new owners lived in it for a full year doing little while they assessed the house’s potential and scope They then embarked on a thorough and painstaking renovation upgrading the insulation and replumbing and installing a new Solar panels on the roof plus the efficient levels of insulation mean the electricity bills are minimal and the internal temperatures are balmy all period features are present and correct with intricate coving and ceiling roses still in place benefiting from a triple-aspect bay window – and extensive planting in the front garden adds colour and privacy The floors here and in the connecting reception room are a warm polished brown with a cream marble with gold accents in the drawingroom and a deep-coral mottled marble in the second reception room Folding concertina-style glass doors lead through to the kitchen extension and the focal point is the L-shaped window overlooking the garden the owner says the design’s purpose was to follow the light through the day The layout is perfectly attuned to family life with a comprehensive run of kitchen units topped in quartz worktops and a pantry concealed behind a sliding door – opposite it lies a utility press with washing appliances Steps lead back to the hall and there’s a guest WC on the left Upstairs there’s a bathroom installed in what was a bedroom on the return It overlooks the garden and still has its original fireplace There’s a built-in desk – a good spot for working – and storage outside it and steps lead to the first floor with three bedrooms [ Grande dame 1830 Georgian at centre of new Delgany development for €2.35mOpens in new window ] The principal is lovely, with a large window and built in wardrobes flanking the fireplace. Two more bedrooms, both with fireplaces, lie to the front of the house. The last bedroom is in what would have been the attic, with sloping eaves, two big windows and a large closet that could be converted into a small bathroom. The garden is compact but well-planted with thriving olive trees, a large Yew tree and a golden privet shrub in the corner. There’s a shed built on to the side of the house for bikes and storage, and there is access to a lane that runs beside the house. Victoria Road is about a five-minute walk from Rathgar village and a 15-minute walk from Terenure village. Residential disk parking is available. Miriam Mulcahy, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about property 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-1sgza6o:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-1sgza6o:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-1sgza6o.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-w5p45x::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.css-w5p45x{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.css-w5p45x:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-w5p45x:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 0.26);}PrintShareSaveThe death has occurred of passed peacefully in the care of the staff at Beaumont Hospital Beloved daughter of the late Nora and Paddy McGuane Sadly missed and remembered by all her loving family Margaret will repose at JP Ward & Sons Funeral Home Sandyford Village on Wednesday (Jan 22nd) from 4pm to 6pm Removal on Thursday morning to the Church of the Three Patrons followed thereafter to Mount Jerome Crematorium Click here at 10am on Thursday morning to view live streaming of Funeral Mass. All enquiries to JP Ward & Sons Funeral Home, Sandyford Village Tel: (01) 2135905 Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday, memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one. The owners of a house in Rathgar, Dublin, stood “majestically aloof” from a planning process that declared as unauthorised one of the two car-parking spaces provided as part of the €1.64 million purchase of their dwelling, a High Court judge said. Mr Justice Richard Humphreys said Bronagh Hughes and Andrew Sinclair, three years after the purchase of the property on Bushy Park Road in 2021, “ended up in a painful legal tangle over a parking space”. While it would “activate the sympathy of a court”, it did not relieve them from choosing the correct legal route to resolve the problem, he said when dismissing their case. He said they had failed, among other things, to properly investigate the planning nonconformity of property they purchased and did not engage a surveyor or otherwise check the planning permission as against what had been completed on the ground. They brought judicial review proceedings against Dublin City Council seeking an order quashing a decision requiring that permission for the eight-unit development, which their house is part of, meant their second car space did not have planning permission. There was only permission granted for 12 spaces for the development built on the former site of number 59 Bushy Park Road by Red Rock BPRKH Ltd, which built 13 spaces. The developer then submitted a retention application for the 13th space to the city council but this was refused. It was the space bought by Mr Hughes and Ms Sinclair which was affected by that decision. They then sought to appeal that decision to An Bord Pleanála but the board ruled it could not deal with such an appeal because the council’s decision did not differ materially from the original permission granted for the development. They did not challenge the board’s decision but brought High Court proceedings seeking to challenge the city council’s decision. They claimed, among other things, that decision was irrational and was invalid because the developer did not have their consent when he applied for retention as it affected land owned by them. The city council opposed the action claiming, among other things, that they had failed to exhaust the available appeal procedures and/or other administrative remedies which were available to them before coming to court. Dismissing their case, Mr Justice Humphreys said their failure to participate in the process had been compounded by the further failure to challenge the board’s refusal of leave to appeal. The council was correct in saying there were at least four other remedies available to them, he said. Insofar as they said they had not participated in the process, including in the developer’s application for retention, because their consent had not been sought, “that is a dog-ate-my-homework excuse”, he said. The failure to exercise the available administrative remedies was disqualifying for relief by way of judicial review, he said. The judge also said that normally during the conveyancing process any nonconformity with the planning permission for the property is addressed, generally by way of a survey. In this case, he said the developer provided the certificate of compliance with the planning permission. But that did not seem to have been “meaningfully challenged or investigated on behalf of the applicants”. Why the development was certified as being compliant is one of the unanswered questions in this case, he said. One might also wonder why the developer and their solicitors didn’t notice that they were drafting documents for the sale of 13 spaces when only 12 were allowed, he said. If Ms Hughes and Mr Sinclair “haven’t become too embedded in their existing doomed strategy one can only encourage them to have a fresh look at their options”, he said. These could include making a fresh retention application, perhaps co-ordinated with the developer, he said. The others are complying with the permission and taking the loss and selling up. The death has occurred of Desmond Malone on the 19th April passed peacefully after a short illness at St Beloved husband of the late Brigid and pre-deceased by his brothers John and Jim We would like to thank the wonderful team at The Beacon Renal for the tender supportive care in recent years Des will be lying in Repose at Fanagan's Funeral Home, 92 Kimmage Road Lr., (Eircode D6W N279) on Monday 21st April from 3 p.m. until 5 p. m. Funeral arriving to St. Paul's Church, Mount Argus on Tuesday 22nd April for Funeral Mass at 11.30 a.m. followed by Burial in Deansgrange Cemetery. For those who cannot attend, the Mass can be viewed on the following link https://www.mountargusparish.ie Family Flowers only please. Donation in lieu to The Irish Kidney Association. The family very much appreciate your support and kindness at this sad time and would be grateful if you would express your messages of sympathy on the Condolence link below this notice. They undertook a huge job of renovations, re-roofing, rewiring, replumbing, replacing windows and upgrading the insulation to the extent that the five-bed with an exceptionally generous area of 371sq m (3,993sq ft) has a B3 Ber. Mullery O’Gara are bringing the beautifully appointed house to the market, seeking €3.25 million. The owners’ style is laid back and clever, and it’s obvious every element in the two-storey-plus-return house has been considered. The result is an elegant, relaxed home that flows seamlessly from one area to the next, with plenty of unexpected surprises along the way, such as a lovely interior courtyard, a sunroom, and a side passage that has been covered and fitted out as a utility space. “We wanted things to work, for everything to be simple and practical, not fighting for attention,” says one of the owners. They succeeded, creating a home where everything has its place and nothing is too much. The entrance hall is tiled and there are two formal reception rooms on either side of it. The drawingroom is painted a pale green, and the gold accents in the curtains, the huge mirror over the fireplace and the panels in the marble fireplace warm everything up. The use of the other front reception room as a study is surprising, until the rest of the house reveals itself. These rooms are north facing, so all the living and relaxing takes place in a suite of rooms at the back of the house. A pretty sunroom connects the drawingroom to the new extension, which houses a spectacular kitchen at the back. Behind the study on the left-hand side of the ground floor is a livingroom the family use for movies, and a sunny courtyard. Spanning the width of the house at the back is a south-facing triple-apex kitchen/living/diningroom, with three enormous sliding doors opening on to a patio. The owner knew exactly what she wanted from the kitchen; a few companies dismissed her designs before she found a collaborator in Langrell Kitchens in Wicklow, which understood her vision and executed it perfectly. On the return is a family bathroom. The owner chose the same classic tiling scheme for all the bathrooms throughout the house. A lovely bedroom with a pair of Juliet balconies also has a false wall behind the bed with wardrobes concealed behind it. The first floor has three more double bedrooms and a single: two of the bedrooms to the front are en suite, the main is another example of clever design with concealed wardrobes behind the bed. There’s another bathroom on the final return at the top of the house, as well as access to storage. It’s a super house for a family looking for a Rathgar base, with everything in walk-in condition and an exceptional garden ready to enjoy. the unassuming exterior of number 92 reveals little sign of the bright contemporary kitchen and living space to the rear of the home likely to attract interest from prospective buyers The addition of an extension to the back of the house in 2019 resulted in the well-laid-out kitchen To the right as you enter lies the kitchen with natural wooden units and white quartz countertops which continue up the wall to form the splashback It is bathed in light thanks to a rectangular skylight over the cooking area A central island is also white and houses the copper-look sink and provides storage space and seating A pantry/utility room off the kitchen provides further storage and keeps rarely used appliances out of sight The island delineates the kitchen from the dining space currently differentiated from the rest of the space by a Persian-style rug with copper globe pendant lights overhead – there is room enough to comfortably seat eight While enjoying a meal you can look out at the greenery of the back garden through floor-to-ceiling glazing to the rear which juts out at an angle to accommodate a snug living area furnished by a plump mustard-coloured velvet sofa bordered by trees and shrubs with a patio area where you could enjoy a rare sunny day Extending to 121 sq m (1,302 sq ft) with a B2 Ber this move-in-ready three-bedroom terraced home is on the market through DNG It features a small garden to the front – the neighbouring house has turned theirs into a driveway The teal front door opens on to the hallway which has chequerboard tiling underfoot alternating between shades of brown and cream [ Art-deco gem inspired by work of Finnish architect in Foxrock for €1.995mOpens in new window ] The sittingroom sits to the front of the ground floor with windows to the front garden adorned by shutters, a decorative black fireplace and built-in shelving in one corner, painted a dark-teal shade. The upstairs consists of the main bedroom to the rear as well as a second double and a single bedroom – which would make a good home office – to the front. The shower room completes the first-floor, with white hexagonal tiling contrasted with black grouting. Number 92 Orwell Gardens is in a convenient location, a short walk from the open green space of Dartry Park, a good spot for walking your dog or taking a breather when working from home. Milltown Luas stop on the green line is a 12-minute walk away, bringing you as far as Trinity College in the city centre in 22 minutes. With a smaller footprint of 69sq m (743sq ft), number 57 Orwell Gardens also came up for sale recently, seeking €595,000 through Sherry FitzGerald. Jessica Doyle writes about property for The Irish Times Plans to develop a “private Aviva” in a Victorian square in South Dublin have resulted in significant backlash from nearby residents who argue it will cause “irreversible damage” to the area’s biodiversity and heritage Passersby would be forgiven for thinking Kenilworth Square in Rathgar is a public park but it has been nothing of the sort for decades The three-hectare square has a long-standing and contentious history largely due to its private ownership which appears to have been at odds with residents for decades Originally a community space dating back to the construction of the houses in the 1850s it has acted as a sports grounds for St Mary’s College in Rathmines since its purchase in 1947 from a resident who owned the leasehold residents surrounding the square argue its proposed redevelopment will pose significant disruption to the community and cause “irreversible damage” to biodiversity The plans proposed by the school involve the replacement of three grass pitches with an AstroTurf pitch and a hybrid pitch This is alongside the erection of six 18m-high floodlights a spectators’ area and a new pavilion for changing rooms all of which prompted one resident to describe it as the school’s “own private Aviva” The plans also provide for a replanting programme to compensate for the removal of mature trees some of which residents say date back to the 1860s St Mary’s plans to make the grounds available to local sports clubs amid a scarcity of pitches in South Dublin with residents claiming it is purely a “commercial venture” “This is not a local spat of residents versus St Mary’s and it should concern all Dubliners,” said Martin Joyce who set up the Protect Kenilworth Square Committee along with three other residents “So much of Dublin’s heritage has been destroyed and with the recent passing of the landmark EU Nature Restoration Law the plans by St Mary’s College fly in the face of nature conservation,” he said A younger couple on the square questioned why they had to follow strict rules when upgrading their newly purchased home one of the 87 protected structures in the square while St Mary’s College can “tear up grass and lay down plastic” which were developed surrounding the plot of land are protected structures which are steeped in history For example, it was at the door of number 53 where Arthur Griffith stood moments before entering and handing Éamon de Valera the final draft of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on December 2nd The house acted as de Valera’s temporary presidential office during the negotiations after his house on Cross Avenue in Blackrock was raided by British soldiers Just two doors down, albeit roughly two decades later, Louis le Brocquy painted Tennis Courts in May, Kenilworth Square, Dublin, 1944 while residing at number 51. The proposed development is the latest hurdle in a long-running saga surrounding the park’s ownership. While residents maintained access to the land after its purchase in 1947, things took a turn for the worse when a fence was erected to stave off an increase in antisocial behaviour in the 1990s. Some residents still have a letter from 1999, seen by The Irish Times, which assured their continued access in light of new fencing. However, the gates were locked to residents and the public. That same year, locals took a Circuit Civil Court case seeking a declaration that they were entitled to a right of way to use the park. Judge John O’Hagan ruled that they were not entitled to a right of way or “private key” access, and since then they have found themselves looking in from the perimeter. “We raised two sons in this house, and neither has ever been in that park,” said a local mother who has lived there for more than 20 years. “There’s a sign there that says ‘no dogs allowed’ and ‘no trespassing’, they might as well say no dogs or locals,” said another resident. Mr Joyce, however, said the campaign, which is backed by conservationists and historians, was “not about access at all” but to protect the integrity of the square and “prevent its commercialisation”. “We have learned over 25 years to live with no access and have rallied now against the proposed destruction of the park and its vital wildlife habitats and ecology, nothing else,” he said. Since the plans were revealed in April, Mr Joyce said the committee had made numerous attempts to engage with the school and its planning consultants, but had been unable to secure meetings. St Mary’s College, which has not yet applied for planning permission, declined to comment. However, those familiar with the plans say the development is “not being seen as a commercial venture – rather a timely upgrade of facilities”. Jack White is a reporter for The Irish Times built in 1866 and home to the same family for more than 60 years is a stately semidetached redbrick five-bedroom house with a warm heart set well back from the road and bounded by a wall and a gate – widened in the past 20 years to allow cars to park on the gravelled driveway – sits on a wide plot that stretches southwards to Garville Drive This highlights part of the property’s appeal given the potential to follow the neighbours’ example and build a mews house in a single-storey entrance that’s offset to the right opens into an L-shaped hall with the 12ft ceiling height that continues throughout the 204sq m (2,196sq ft) house Immediately in front is a shower room with green-patterned glass above the door To the left are the main reception rooms: two long sash windows in the large drawingroom look out to the front lawn Many original features survive; in this room the acanthus-leaf ceiling rose within a larger ring is particularly pretty Large wooden doors open to the square diningroom where a pale grey marble fireplace matches that in the front room Through glass doors and down a few steps is the lean-to conservatory Also at this level are a quarry-tiled breakfastroom heated by an oil-fired Aga (the property is Ber-exempt) a small kitchen with cream-painted wooden units and This area opens to the garden and it is easy to envisage how a family might reconfigure and extend this part of the house into a kitchen-livingroom with a big sunny side patio and still have a huge south-facing garden There are trees along the edges of the grass and a sweet old swing spans the central concrete path picks up surprising speed towards the pedestrian gate and the large garage which has an inspection pit below and a corrugated roof above including a pair behind numbers 17 and 19 Garville Avenue and a row of eight opposite set a strong precedent for infill development [ Georgian beachfront home in Dungarvan with room for a céili for €2.45mOpens in new window ] the first-floor return is framed by a decorative arch another bedroom with a basin; it is tempting to imagine this bright wing done up as a main suite Also on this level are a small storage area and a linen room lit internally by the green glass seen from the hall and externally by windows in the side wall; this is plumbed and could become a family bathroom On the top landing are three further bedrooms The two at the front have sweet cast-iron fireplaces and bells to summon the maid; that at the back has a shower room cut out of one side Those looking to bring this house bang up to date will need time money and an imaginative architect to navigate the challenge and privilege of upgrading this fine protected structure into a modern Rathmines and Terenure villages and surrounded by schools is for sale through Mullery O’Gara with an asking price of €1.75 million [ Trendy, turnkey one-bed cottage in Ringsend for €295,000Opens in new window ] John died peacefully in Beechfield Manor Nursing Home relatives and so many friends and past colleagues from the Custom House John will be reposing in Byrne's Funeral Home Aughrim (Y14 T9C4) on Wednesday 19th February from 4pm-6pm Removal on Thursday morning at 10.15 to St John's Funeral Mass will be live streamed on the following link https://www.churchmedia.tv/rathdrum Condolences can be expressed through the condolence link below. CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday Hand washing is a vitally important measure for controlling infections Eilish O'ReganFri 23 Aug 2024 at 03:30The hospitals with the best and the worst scores for staff washing their hands – a key infection-control measure – have been revealed Recent inspections show some hospitals were still failing to meet the hand-washing staff target of 90pc when observed during various critical points around the care of patients The lowest score was recorded at St Luke’s Hospital in Rathgar Portiuncula Hospital in Galway and Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin both scored 87.1pc Cork University Hospital and Sligo University Hospital scored 87.6pc and St Luke’s Hospital Kilkenny got 88.1pc Our Lady’s Hospital Navan and Connolly Hospital Dublin were also below target with 89pc while Wexford General Hospital and Mayo University Hospital were at 89.5pc The best performer was Naas General Hospital Crumlin children’s hospital in Dublin scored 98.1pc These were followed by the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in Cork and the National Maternity Hospital with 97.6pc The National Rehabilitation Hospital was at 97.1pc while St James’s Hospital and St Columcille’s Hospital in Dublin scored 96.7pc the Beacon Hospital in Dublin scored highest with 97.6pc The lowest was the Mater Private in Dublin with 90pc The inspections took place between last October and December as hospitals experienced a rise in winter infections The most meticulous are nurses and midwives Doctors continue to be the least observant when it comes to hand-washing and nationally have failed to meet the 90pc target during all inspection periods from early summer of 2018 They reached a high of 87.4pc in the winter of 2020 but it was down to 83.3pc during the last inspection Auxiliary staff such as porters have become more diligent and achieved a score of 91.4pc while 93.2pc of staff grades such as physiotherapists are washing their hands the most meticulous are nurses and midwives who have a consistently good record with 94.8pc following the hand-washing guidelines Staff are judged at five points – before touching a patient; before carrying out a clean or aseptic procedure; after body fluid exposure risk; following touching a patient; and after touching patient surroundings Today's News in 90 seconds - 23rd August 2024 The point at which they are least likely to wash their hands is after touching patient surroundings The report said measuring hand hygiene compliance by direct observation is described as the gold standard Hospitals are required to measure healthcare worker compliance against 30 hand-hygiene opportunities surveyed by trained Significant numbers of hospital patients are catching infections after admission with nearly 1,000 suffering from a bug or virus at any time an estimated 7.5pc of Irish patients will have a healthcare-­associated infection Common bugs and viruses affecting patients include E coli Clostridium difficile and Enterococcus faecium all of which can be potentially serious for a patient they gathered for a marathon game of football in the park The green cage around the pitch in Herzog Park in Rathgar was decorated in Palestinian flags on Sunday 14 players – grown-ups and kids – were split into a red team and green team They were an hour into a six-hour marathon game of football, organised by 1815 F.C. – a community football club which plays in public pitches and parks across the city weekly –  and Irish Sport for Palestine the latest action in a campaign to get the council to change the name of the park “It had been in the back of our minds to do something The campaign is calling on Dublin City Council to rename the park in memory of Hind Rajab a five-year old girl who was killed by the Israeli Defence Forces on 29 January campaigners had hidden all references to Herzog A Palestinian flag cloaked the stone monument at the park entrance celebrating a visit by members of his family in 2018 Dublin City Council’s 2017 commemorative naming policy limits who city landmarks can be named after An individual must be dead for at least 20 years before they can be commemorated and the policy does not allow for city parks these days to be named in honour of individuals A spokesperson for Dublin City Council did not comment when asked if it would consider this proposal Herzog Park used to be called Orwell Quarry Park It sits on a former quartz and limestone quarry bought by the council in 1954, says the Dublin City Council website to mark the tri-millennium of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital He was raised in Dublin, and studied at Wesley College secondary school in Sandyford, before emigrating to Israel in 1935, according to the Israeli embassy’s website Herzog served in the Haganah paramilitary group fighting against the Palestinian uprising in 1936 to 1939 against British colonial rule and British support of the Zionist movement He went on to fight in the British Army in Europe as a tank commander during World War II participating in the liberation of several Nazi concentration camps He then returned to Palestine and fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War In November 1975, while serving as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Herzog defended the Zionist movement after the UN adopted a resolution which determined that it is a form of racial discrimination, according to the UN’s official general assembly report “For Zionism is nothing more – and nothing less – than the Jewish people’s sense of origin and destination in the land, linked eternally with its name,” he told the assembly, before concluding his speech by tearing up the resolution, footage from the Israel State Archives show. That position is one of the reasons why the campaign is calling for the park to be renamed Campaigners are conscious that Rathgar is an area with a strong local Jewish-Irish history a basketballer and member of Irish Sport for Palestine (ISP) “A lot of the names of the streets have a Jewish connection.” and Rathgar is also home to the Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation Dublin Hebrew Congregation and the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland – in Herzog House The group is in discussions with a coalition of independent councillors to deliver the idea and will also be engaging with locals in the area Herzog being removed is an absolute must.” There are a lot of other Jewish people in Irish history who the park could be named after but who aren’t Zionists citing the painter Estella Solomons as one possible alternative Dublin City Council’s commemorative naming policy currently poses an issue to the campaign The person proposed for commemoration must have been born or lived in Dublin Nominees have to either be dead for 20 years or have passed the centenary of their birth two years after the park was named after him was only approved by the council in June 2017 proposed an alternative to Hind Rajab – given the 20-year rule The council should rename the park after Edward Said, the Palestinian-American intellectual and activist, they said. It was going to be an emergency motion at the final monthly council meeting on 13 March This was because council policy also says a city park cannot be named after an individual a petition launched on 20 April in support of renaming the park after Rajab has gathered 2,098 signatures Campaigners are trying to secure a meeting with council officials because it’s a winnable thing and a good action of solidarity.” Local residents gather at Kenilworth Square against proposals to create an astroturf playing pitch The astroturf pitch is being planned for Kenilworth Square in Rathgar A Protect Kenilworth Square committee has been established by local residents Sarah BurkeFri 16 Aug 2024 at 11:40Plans by a south Dublin school to install an astroturf sports pitch at Kenilworth Square in Rathgar, have sparked outrage among local residents. Originally a community space when the houses were built in the 1850s, the three-hectare park has been used as sports grounds by St Mary’s College in Rathmines since 1947, when the college bought it from a previous leaseholder. Now, residents are concerned that the proposed redevelopment will significantly disrupt the community and cause “irreversible biodiversity damage” to the area’s natural environment. St Mary’s College applied for a planning exemption on July 29, seeking a declaration that the proposed astroturf pitch and 1.2-metre high fencing would be classified as exempt under Section Five of the Planning and Development Act. The plans have sparked concern among residents due to their potential environmental impact, including the removal of mature trees. Residents also fear the potential later addition of 18-metre-high floodlights if the pitch development goes ahead. The Protect Kenilworth Square Committee, formed by local residents, has been actively involved in opposing the plan. “The overall sense is one of shock, disappointment, and concern,” one resident said. “The lack of consideration for biodiversity, heritage, and the community is of huge concern. “The committee made numerous efforts to communicate with St Mary’s College. However, the college and its planning consultants either declined or ignored our efforts to engage. It has left us with no option but to go public.” They emphasised that the square is of significant importance as a Victorian garden square, stating that conservationists understand the value of the unique area, which is part of the “rich Victorian heritage of Dublin”. Residents in the area say there has been “no communication” from St Mary’s College to the residents surrounding the square. “This is despite the residents being supportive of, and facilitating, regular crowds, buses, and parked cars at school events around Kenilworth Square throughout the year,” they said. “The residents have always been supportive of sports being played in the square and of children, such as boy scouts, enjoying the natural environment. This brings great delight to the local community.” They also fear the school is creating what they describe as a “commercial opportunity” to rent out the space to sports clubs in the wider area. However, a source familiar with the plans on behalf of St Mary’s College said this was not the case, and any income derived from clubs using the pitches would “merely cover the costs of keeping the facility open in the evenings”. “This is not being seen as a commercial venture – rather a timely upgrade to facilities,” they said. “There is a huge shortage of playing pitches for local sports clubs in the D6/D8 areas; hence this will be a very welcome resource for many local communities. “While it is necessary to take down some ‘end-of-life’ trees at present for health and safety reasons, believed to be around eight, there are three times the number of new trees being replanted to replace the end-of-life trees.” A member of the Protect Kenilworth Square committee confirmed they have engaged with legal and planning professionals to write to DCC to object to any potential planning exemption. A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said they “do not comment on live applications”. “The purpose of Section 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, is to establish if a particular development is or is not an exempted development within the meaning of the Act,” they added. “Under Section 5 of the Act, a person can seek a formal declaration from the planning authority to establish if there is a requirement for planning permission for a specific proposal. “A decision is issued in four weeks, and the applicant may appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála.” St Mary’s College has been contacted for comment. CommentKsenia Samotiy: Blaming immigration for all your problems is easy to do, but it doesn’t solve anythingThere was a big anti-immigration march in Dublin the weekend before last. There were chants of “whose streets? our streets”, calls for mass deportation, and Conor McGregor posting encouraging tweets for the protesters. Derivative sentiments about … Now with anthracite windows and front door – matching the railings out front – it’s in turnkey condition and its Ber of B2 is impressive given it retains its coving, period details and original fireplaces. Off the front hallway are two interconnecting reception rooms laid out as a family room and a livingroom respectively. To the front, an elegant livingroom has an inset wood-burning stove in the fireplace. Beyond that, the more laid-back family room has walls of storage, and exposed stone marks the spot where a range would have been – used to cook food and warm the room – when this Victorian house was first inhabited. To the rear is a large open-plan kitchen, living and dining area that benefits from lots of light beaming in through walls of glass thanks to its southerly aspect. It’s a great space centred by a large marble-topped island complete with a Belfast sink and brass hardware. Upstairs are three bedrooms, the principal of which occupies the entire width of the house. It is en suite and has a natural stone fireplace with an electric fire insert. Also up here lies the family bathroom and large utility room, which benefits from good storage and is plumbed for a washing and a dryer. Another flight of stairs will take you to the attic. Now full of light thanks to three Velux windows, it has additional built-in storage alongside lots of storage space under the eaves. Outside to the rear lies a 45ft-long garden. Not overlooked, it has been landscaped and features a variety of plants and a patio, accessed from large sliding doors in the kitchen-livingroom. It’s come a long way since Number 11 Garville Road was last on the market, which is reflected in its asking price of €1.75 million, selling through DNG. Elizabeth Birdthistle, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about property, fine arts, antiques and collectables Back then, the house, built in 1850, had been in the same family since 1927. At first glance, the 250sq m (2,690sq ft) residence, which had ceiling heights of 3.65m at hall level and over 3m at garden level, required serious attention. The garden level was damp, and the entire property needed to be rewired and replumbed. “It was really run-down,” says builder Brian Moore of Gavin Design & Build. The property still had many of its original features, which have all been sympathetically restored. Its decorative cornicing is a standout detail. On the entrance hall return there is a large, round window with leaded and coloured glass that refracts on to the party wall, a feature that won the owners over. The owners turned to Moore to rehabilitate the property. “We like doing these period houses,” he says. “They’re challenging but there’s a sense of accomplishment when you see colour and life breathed back into them.” The project took six months. Under conservation architect Kevin Blackwood of Blackwood Associates, Moore’s firm excavated the garden level to about 1.5m to give the house a proper core and sub floor. Previously it had compacted soil. This level was also tanked and damp-proofed. Now, when you enter the house under the granite front steps into the traditional-style kitchen, it radiates warmth from its six-door inky blue Aga. The dark, original hall has been knocked through to open it to the kitchen, so that the room now spans the width of the property. The rest of this floor comprises a self-contained one-bedroom flat with a light-filled sittingroom overlooking the garden. The next proprietors might look to open this room to the kitchen, but this will require structural work and planning permission as the building is a protected structure, Blackwood says. The first of the property’s potential five bedrooms is in the dual-aspect return where there is access to the garden. At hall level the house still has its original front door, restored and repaired by Moore. The original fold-back doors in the interconnecting rooms were restored and still possess their original door pulls. These match those on the shutters and on the bell pull by the rear fireplace, one of two grey marble designs in the rooms. The single-glaze windows were restored or replaced throughout by Co Galway-based Geraghty Joinery. “We couldn’t put in curtains,” one of the owners says. “It would interfere with the light.” And the rooms are bright and perfectly proportioned for everyday living. There’s another lovely dual-aspect room in the return currently set-up as a home office. Back in the hall, if you look up the stairs to the return you see the property’s most impressive feature, a round window, its curves echoed in double arches below. All bear the fleur de lis motif. Here is where the family bathroom is located. A room made for indulgence, it has a deep, free-standing tub in the centre. At the top of the house there are three double bedrooms and a shower room. There are views of the mountains from the back room. The southwest facing garden extends to 30.5m in length and has vehicular rear access. The planting includes a pair of truffle trees, an old pear tree and roses and hydrangea, designed by Murphy & Sheanon. The roof was replaced with salvaged Bangor slates selected by hand by the architect and the chimneys repaired and repointed. The Ber-exempt property is seeking €1.975 million through agents Mullery O’Gara. Alanna Gallagher is a property journalist with The Irish Times The house has a number of surprises such as a grand atrium diningroom off the entrance hall, a sauna off a downstairs shower room, a serious temperature-controlled wine cellar in the mews/garage at the back of the house, some small stained-glass windows, and on the top floor, a large family room with a mezzanine space. The bright reception rooms on the left of the hall that run from the front to the back of the house are divided by two sets of French doors in wide Georgian-style arches. The drawingroom at the front opens into a conservatory at the front of the house, which in turn opens into a large, private front patio. The sittingroom and diningroom at the back look on to the back garden through a wide conservatory-style bay window. Both reception rooms have Adams-style marble fireplaces. The Dalkey Design kitchen/breakfastroom off the diningroom is all modern, with pale oak units, a Silestone-topped island, a pale white Aga and a large American sub-zero fridge. A hallway off the kitchen – oak-floored, like many of the rooms in the house – leads to an enviably large utility room with a Belfast sink and marble-tiled floor. A shower room beside it has Villeroy & Boch sanitary ware and a Finnish sauna off it. The hall then leads into a good-sized study with a fitted Oakline desk and bookcase at the front of the house. Outside, the walled back garden is all patio and relatively small given the size of the house; it’s partly divided by a trellis fence and has outdoor lighting making it an outdoor dining space at night. The 100sq m (1,076sq ft) mews/garage is being used for storage and as a home gym. It has a fitted kitchen and potential to be converted into more accommodation. The wine cellar is concealed inside this space: with wine racks variously labelled “dessert wine”, “South African”, “Rhône” and so on. It’s clearly owned by wine connoisseurs. There’s plenty of off-street parking at the front of The Gables behind tall electronic gates. Oaklands Drive is a road off Highfield Road leading to the entrance of St Luke’s Hospital. It’s a short walk from Rathgar village. Frances O'Rourke, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about homes and property They were drawn to its fine period features, lofty ceiling heights and practical layout. There are three rooms at entrance level, two square rooms to the left of the Portuguese limestone floored hall, and a large dual-aspect drawingroom that runs the depth of the property. The smaller rooms are used as home offices. A talking point feature of the front room is its swaggy drapes, which the owner describes as her “presidential” curtains. These are said to have came out of the office of former presidential candidate, Seán Gallagher’s, according to the owner’s then-decorator, Gwen Kenny. The larger room to the rear is a library and a place some of the children come to read and this is part of its appeal. There are rooms enough here for every member of the family to inhabit. At garden level there are two principal rooms, each extending from front to back. Cooks will love the kitchen where there is a gas-fired Aga and a separate six-burner Smeg range cooker. The space has coffered ceilings that are just over 2.4 metres at their highest point, and the exposed granite arches in the eat-in part have been uplit to dramatic effect. From here, doors open out to the garden, one of the property’s real draws, for it is as wide as it is long. Bounded by granite walls and mature trees punctuating its lawn and flagstone paving, it gets sun in different spots all through the day. In the evening there is an electric-powered awning that encloses the patio with infra-red heaters to create a warm, outdoor room. The TV room is also light-filled, but this is a room where the family likes to congregate watching films on the 72-inch TV screen which the owner says gives a full cinema effect. The house also has a good-sized, dual-aspect utility with space to set up clothes-horses on the days you need indoor drying, and with separate garden access. On the first floor there are four good-sized double bedrooms. The main bedroom has a large en suite with separate shower and bath. Extending to about 278sq m/3,000sq ft, the BER exempt property is seeking €1.795 million through agent SherryFitzGerald. The owners bought the Ber-exempt property six years ago and redecorated extensively, enjoying the challenge of transforming the 255sq m (2,744sq ft) house. All floors except the basement were carpeted in a neutral taupe, and textured wallpaper by French firm Casamance was used throughout the house, with subtly different colours used for reception rooms and bedrooms. The house is well set back from the road, and the gravelled front drive has parking for two cars, an electric charging point and steps leading down to an entrance in the basement. Granite steps lead to the hallway, where vast French mirrors, antique furniture and a much-loved art collection give the ground-floor rooms a unique ambience and charm. Interconnecting reception rooms have working, open fireplaces with marble surrounds, cast-iron inserts and slate hearths, and original wooden doors with ornate plinths between the rooms. The owner used the dining room as an office, and it could be retained as such with beautiful views over the back garden. Another option would be to open these rooms up into one and benefit from the perfect flow of light; the drawing room faces east and the dining room west, ensuring morning and evening light. The kitchen is in the basement, accessed by a flight of stairs. It’s a lovely room, with an island separating the work and dining areas and further delineation provided by a pantry/utility, screened from the kitchen by a sliding pocket door. The worktops are a creamy granite flecked with red and gold. A door leads outside to the front garden and there is storage space under the steps, perfect for storing the wine collection. Outside the kitchen there’s a smart shower-room, tiled in fresh green, and an impressive bank of open shelving laden with the owners’ glassware, serving ware and books. The corridor opens up on to an unexpected living space at the back, designed by architect Eileen Fitzgerald. A sloped glass ceiling with ribs allows light to pour into an already vividly bright space, that could serve as a great secondary living area. Double doors open from here into the garden, which is west facing, maintenance free and fully planted with mature trees and shrubs, including jasmine, decades-old roses and magnolia. It’s completely private and a door in the end wall leads out to Winton Mews off Winton Avenue. There is a family bathroom on the first return and windows are framed by abundant roses. There is another outdoor space on the roof above the bathroom: a door on the second return swings out on to a small terrace, screened on one side by a high slatted fence, with room to bask in the sun or to enjoy an evening drink. A wallpaper panel featuring Van Gogh’s almond blossom adds a splash of interest to the first floor, which has three double bedrooms, two at the front and the main to the back with its impressive bank of built-in wardrobes providing plenty of storage and keeping the beautifully decorated room streamlined. The last return of the house holds the third bathroom, newly renovated. The house is a stone’s throw from Rathgar village, with a bus stop right outside the front gate. The owners are downsizing but hoping to stay in Rathgar as they love the community they are now a part of and all the amenities this village has to offer. For sale through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €1.695 million. The railed front garden was redone two years ago and combines hard landscaping with hedging that hides the bins and complements the old granite wall, and there’s a lovely sunny spot to sit outside the kitchen windows, beside the door that they use every day rather than climbing the steps to the pale green hall door. Through that main door, the hall is imposing, with a deep arch and beautifully preserved ceiling plasterwork. To the left are a pair of graceful reception rooms connected by folding doors, with decorative cornices and centre roses, matching pale grey marble fireplaces, and tall sash windows. One of the owners has their desk in the rear room; the other works in a book-lined study in the original return that could easily be a fourth bedroom. Beside this is a guest bathroom. Upstairs, the top level of the return is a roomy yellow nursery with a cute cast-iron fireplace; from here, and from the bigger back bedroom above, the owners point out the Guinness Storehouse and the Gravity Bar, and they enjoy the view of city lights at night. The main bathroom is also at this level. Off the top landing are the two biggest bedrooms with very high ceilings; there are shelves built cleverly into a void in the back room. The main bedroom is at the front, with a tiled fireplace, two big south-facing windows, and a skylit en suite shower room, recently redone by Elegant John. The Ber is C3. The combination of a prime residential location and the relative scarcity of land available for development in the immediate Dublin 6 area should see strong interest from developers in the former Murphy & Gunn Hyundai showroom in Rathgar. Located at the corner of Kenilworth Square South and Rathgar Avenue, it occupies a site of 0.9 acres and is being offered to the market by agent Knight Frank at a guide price of €8.5 million. The sale of the property comes just over three months on from Rohan Holdings’ €7 million purchase of Murphy & Gunn’s former BMW car showroom site in nearby Milltown. The Rathgar site is zoned objective Z2 Residential Neighbourhoods (conservation area within the current Dublin City Council Development Plan). A feasibility study prepared by Ferreira Architects suggests it could accommodate a scheme of 90 apartments, subject to planning permission. The proposal consists of a linear block that creates a new street edge along Rathgar Avenue of four storeys with a partial fifth-floor setback. The site currently comprises a car sales showroom, parts and service centre with ancillary office accommodation and secure rear yard which the selling agent believes would command a high existing-use value. The site has significant frontage to Rathgar Avenue (57m), Kenilworth Square South (40m) and Garville Lane (71m) with vehicular access from all three roads. The property is situated 2.5km southwest of St Stephen’s Green while the local area benefits from a high level of amenities with Kenilworth Square, Rathgar and Rathmines villages, Palmerston Park and Bushy Park all in close proximity, while Castle Golf Club and Milltown Golf Club are within 2km. There are several schools in this sought-after residential area. Ronald Quinlan is Property Editor of The Irish Times Social tenants in a luxury apartment complex in Dublin say they are being “discriminated” against as they are not allowed to use the property’s gym, meeting rooms or roof terrace, keep pets or attend residents’ meetings. The exclusion of households nominated by Dublin City Council from facilities enjoyed by their private neighbours in the Marianella complex in Rathgar is “just the latest example” says Independent councillor Mannix Flynn of “social exclusion operating under the guise of social inclusion”. He is calling on the council to “take responsibility” to ensure households it nominates to live in private developments are treated “with equity, dignity and respect”. Finished in 2017, Marianella’s 210 apartments on the site of a former monastery on Orwell Road, were priced in the region of €700,000 and €950,000. The developer sold 19 units to Dublin City Council, fulfilling its obligations under part five of the 2000 Housing Act to offer 10 per cent of units in developments of 10 or more homes, for social housing. Department of Housing guidelines explain that part of part five’s aim is to “advance the aim of achieving a social mix in new developments”. Approved housing body (AHB) Fold Housing manages Marianella’s part five apartments, the Orwell Grove* block, on behalf of the council. One resident, Tenia Karim says soon after he moved into his one-bedroom apartment in January 2019 he left his gym in nearby Dartry to join the gym on his doorstep. However Mr Karim was told he could not join because he lives in Orwell Grove. Following protracted contact with management company, Petra Property, in which he asked to pay to use the gym, he received an email dated November 25th, 2019, saying management had “decided that no change will be made to the access to the gym and will remain for those it was originally intended”. A spokeswoman for Fold Housing, which made unsuccessful representations on his behalf, explained that as it has paid reduced management fees its tenants could not access the gym. “But this does not explain why we are not even allowed pay to join,” argues Mr Karim. Originally from Kurdistan, he says: “I was brought up with principles and dignity. This hurts my dignity. They do not like when I say ‘discrimination’ but what other word do they want to use?” Jane Doyle-Reilly and her husband Robert Reilly moved in January 2019, from a council flat in the city centre. They had applied for a transfer after the death of a son in an accident in 2012, and the subsequent suicide of their only other child, a younger son, in 2014. “We were in a really bad place when we moved here. We wanted to join the gym but were told very bluntly, ‘Oh no, Orwell (Grove), we don’t deal with them’.” They had to give up their younger son’s dog before moving. Fold has a strict no-pets policy while private residents can have pets. “He was a Shih Tzu cross, a gorgeous ball of fluff,” says Ms Doyle-Reilly. “I cried giving him up. When I was here a few days and I saw everyone else here walking their dogs, I was fit to be tied.” She is “disappointed” Orwell Grove residents cannot access the decked roof space, while residents in other blocks can use theirs. Fold says the roof is for maintenance access only. “They are lovely apartments but what’s going on, we are stigmatised here,” says Ms Doyle-Reilly. “You feel it every day. If we could go back to Cuffe Street I’d go in the blink of an eye.” Resident Angela O’Mahony had to give her Chihuahua, Toby, to family. “It’s not fair when you see all the other dogs.” Other tenants who did not want to be named said there had been occasions where the concierge refused to accept their parcels due to their address. All mentioned not being allowed to use the gym. The Fold spokeswoman said all tenants were made aware of its “no pet policy” prior to moving in. Fold “does not pay for the concierge service and tenants were made aware of this,” she said. “Feedback from our tenants in Marianella is that they are very happy . . . Our service agreement does not provide for membership of the gym/resident’s club. We are a charitable organisation of limited resources and they are focused on the provision of housing to our tenants.” Petra management did not respond to several requests for interview. Describing the different regimes as “social apartheid”, Mr Flynn said responsibility lies with local authorities. “What’s happening here is disempowerment and social exclusion operating under the guise of social inclusion. Dublin City Council is responsible for ensuring its households are treated with equity, dignity and respect”. A council spokesman said the authority had service level agreements with all AHBs managing council units. “All tenants sign up to a tenancy agreement with the AHB as the named landlord. The AHB must register all tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board. AHBs provide a thorough explanation of the tenancy agreement and the rights and obligations of the landlord and the tenant.” The council did “not regard access to a gym as a welfare issue”. *This article was amended on Saturday November 21st, 2020. Kitty Holland is Social Affairs Correspondent of The Irish Times Although there’s a comfortable suburban feel to the area, it is well-connected, with a bus from the top of the road that takes you into the city in about 30 minutes and Milltown green line Luas stop within walking distance. Number 57 Orwell Gardens, a midterrace home extending to 70sq m (753sq ft) with three bedrooms and a lovely back garden, is on the market through DNG, seeking €575,000. The Ber is a rather low E1, which prospective buyers may look to improve. The front yard has loose stones for off-street parking, while the property’s facade features white-framed double-glazed windows and a grey front door. The owners put dark laminate wood flooring down on the ground floor when they first moved in and swapped the beige walls throughout for fresh white and varying shades of blue. As well as general upkeep, they had a new kitchen fitted and a new bathroom installed in 2018. A living room sits to the front of the ground floor with the chimney breast painted a deep blue and built-in shelving. Down the hall is the kitchen, which is partly partitioned from the dining room, which has an original cast-iron fireplace, also present in the living room and two of the bedrooms, and French doors out to the back garden. The kitchen has been given a gorgeous, fresh upgrade with white units, semi-solid wood countertops, diamond-patterned tiling underfoot, floating wooden shelving and a pop of teal on the wall. It gets light from a glazed back door to the rear. The washing machine and dryer are stored in a block-built shed in the back garden for convenience. The back garden is very pretty, featuring a patio and lawn bordered by plum, apple and pear trees, and a second paved seating area at the back of the garden to catch the sun. Upstairs the bathroom is modern and low-maintenance with a grey tiling and a bath/shower. The main bedroom sits to the rear of the first floor painted in a relaxing shade of blue, with trees by the Dodder out the window. A second double and a spacious single bedroom complete the first floor, while the attic above is floored for storage. This property is likely to suit a family, a couple or an individual looking to set down roots in this sought-after location. Agar Commercial Property is seeking offers in excess of €1.25 million for a high-profile site with potential for the development of 18 apartments in the much sought-after residential location of Rathgar. Situated at the intersection between Rathgar Avenue and Orwell Road, the subject site served for many years as the car park of the landmark Comans pub. The plot extends to 6,436sq ft and offers scope for the delivery of 10 two-bedroom apartments (75sq m) and eight one-bedroom apartments (52.8sq m) according to the feasibility study prepared by Adrian Hill Architects. The proposal suggests that one of the units could be designed for use as an office or showroom fronting on to Rathgar Avenue. The Comans site is zoned Z2, which includes residential use under the terms of the current Dublin City Council Development Plan. The draft development plan for 2022 to 2028, meanwhile, seeks proposals for higher density in new developments. This article is over 4 years oldAddress: 67 Garville Avenue Upper Rathgar Dublin 6Price: €1,325,000 Agent: Sherry FitzGeraldThe late Dr Vincent Barry may not be a household name, but the Cork native and youngest of 11 children may have helped save the lives of 15 million people. In the 1940s, at the request of the government Dr Barry established the Medical Research Laboratory at Trinity College and led a research team that discovered the drug Clofazimine, which by 1981 had become the mandatory cure for leprosy. Along with Stanley McElhinney, he negotiated the introduction of the drug with the Indian government, which meant it became readily available in the developing world to those who needed it most. Dr Barry and his wife, Angela, purchased 67 Garville Avenue Upper, a handsome double-fronted property in Rathgar, soon after his move to Dublin and after his death in 1975 the family home was purchased by his son Philip and daughter-in-law Gemma de Barra. “His first research was into tuberculosis, and he found that the two diseases [TB and leprosy] were very similar. After treating Irish people in sanatoriums for TB, he then travelled the world to raise funds for research,” recalls Gemma. “He was a Gaeilgeoir too – which is why all his children have the surname de Barra, and he was so modest and unassuming, he travelled everywhere by bus.” This elegant Victorian property has been home to two generations of the family and is now on the market for the first time in almost 70 years. “If the walls could talk they’d have some stories to tell. We have celebrated every family occasion here, from 18th and 21st birthdays to engagements, christenings and weddings,” says Gemma. Now in their 70th years, Gemma and Philip are moving, but the pair are not going too far. They are in the process of building a new energy efficient home right next door. “From talking to our friends who want to downsize the problem is always ‘where do you go’ but we are so lucky that we can build next door, so are staying in the area that has been home for the past 43 years.” As it stands, Number 67 is an end of terrace house, but will be mid-terrace when the de Barra’s new home is completed next door. The interior, which extends to 205sq m (2,200sq ft), had five bedrooms, but with the build next door one of these rooms – which has the addition of a new skylight – is now listed as a study as the main window has been blocked to give privacy. The property is in excellent order, retains all its period features and has the benefit of a south-facing rear garden. Its location is a popular spot for house hunters given the number of private schools, local eateries and its proximity to the city centre. Sherry FitzGerald is handling the sale of number 67, which is seeking €1.325million. The principal rooms have grand proportions –a major selling point in these houses – notably the interconnecting reception rooms and spacious hall which feature fine ceiling plasterwork. Many of the rooms, including the reception rooms, have their original fireplaces, and working shutters on the tall sash windows. Over the years, the owners have looked to architect Philippa Buckley from Studio 44 to help design the interiors so the look throughout is classic, calm and restrained. The grandest bedrooms are the two on the top floor with the main bedroom running the width of the house to the front with two windows, the lovely oriel bay window and a tall sash. The house’s position on this leafy road and its height means there are glimpses of the mountains from these windows. A dressing area has been discretely incorporated in the room and there is a large en suite. Down at garden level there is a good-sized, eat-in kitchen with glazed doors opening to the back garden. There’s also a shower room, guest WC and a utility which was renovated and refitted before lockdown. Indeed the owners have throughout their time here constantly updated and refreshed the interior, including the kitchen and bathrooms, so buyers will find it all in walk-in condition. The rear garden, which incorporates a large patio area, was professionally landscaped and is mature with deep-filled beds, trees and a modernist water feature. There is vehicular access down the side of house, which makes for easy garden maintenance. To the front, the previous owners of number 2 and its neighbour reached an informal agreement which saw the division between the front gardens taken down so that both houses have greatly increased parking. Number 2 has parking for at least three cars. New owners may want to reinstate the railing but the arrangement has worked happily for decades. The couple are now downsizing and number 2 Orwell Park, is for sale through Mullery O’Gara, asking €2.5 million. Bernice Harrison is an Irish Times journalist and cohost of In the News podcast The retail unit extends to 1,370 sqft over two floors The retail unit extends to 1,370 sqft over two floors Donal BuckleyThu 1 Feb 2024 at 03:30A retail premises is for sale in the busy south Dublin village of Rathgar and agent Quinn Agnew is seeking offers in excess of €725,000 for a deal which is not subject to Vat. Located at 4-6 Orwell Road, it is close to the junction with Terenure Road East and comprises a ground-floor retail unit and a self-contained first-floor commercial space. Extending to 1,370 sqft over two floors, the unit will be sold with vacant possession. Its ground floor extends to 800 sqft of retail space, which previously traded as Rathgar Hair Studio and the owner is retiring after 35 years. The self-contained first-floor commercial space extends to 570 sqft. Orwell Road leads to a number of new apartment developments and schools. Trainee medics working in two South Dublin shops rushed to the aid of an injured worker after a fire broke out in a garage on Tuesday morning Emergency services were alerted to the blaze at the Moto Pitstop premises on Orwell Road in Rathgar just after 10am Staff at the nearby Rathgar Pharmacy initially felt the heat of the fire at the back of their premises despite the freezing conditions outside and later heard a series of small explosions who was understood to have been wearing protective clothing managed to escape from the premises with injuries below the waist He was immediately attended to by a trainee nurse working at the pharmacy as well as a student doctor working at another shop Emergency services scrambled to the scene and began battling the blaze which had sent thick black smoke in the direction of nearby shops and homes Video footage captured large red flames and plumes of smoke rising above the rooftops #RathgarWe've made good progress at the fire in Rathgar village2️⃣ Two fire engines remain on sceneEarlier, a turntable ladder was deployed to fight the fire from above pic.twitter.com/sRQ3UaQUTy The injured employee was initially moved to the street and then to two business premises where he was given medical attention before being quickly taken to St James’s Hospital for treatment. He was understood to be recovering on Tuesday night. A number of businesses were closed following the fire, although some were later able to reopen. Kate O’Connell, the former Fine Gael TD and owner of Rathgar Pharmacy, was alerted to the blaze by staff just after 10am. “I met a sealed-off village [on arrival] and my shop was in darkness because the electricity had been cut off and we had no access. And we had to leave quickly so we could make no provision [initially] to sort out patients,” she said. “The amount of smoke was huge. The wind was very steady. So instead of the village becoming caught in smoke, the wind moved [it] toward St Luke’s Hospital and actually it was blown away from the village. The village probably would have had to have been evacuated such was the thickness of the smoke.” A bad smell loitered in the area and businesses lost power. Gas inspectors and officials from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) attended the scene. A garda spokeswoman said they and emergency services were dispatched to the business premises on Orwell Road at approximately 10.30am. “Orwell Road remains closed and local diversions are in place. Motorists are asked to take alternative routes,” she said. Dublin Fire Brigade posted live updates and images of two units and turntable ladder which had been scrambled to get the blaze under control. Mark Hilliard is a reporter with The Irish Times #RathgarWe've made good progress at the fire in Rathgar village2️⃣ Two fire engines remain on sceneEarlier, a turntable ladder was deployed to fight the fire from above pic.twitter.com/sRQ3UaQUTy As well as these big things, her award-winning design also involved tweaks and touches that make it all sit together seamlessly: chunky door handles, herringbone floors by the Hardwood Floor Company, and light fittings that, as she puts it, “celebrate the curve” of the kitchen roof rather than competing with it. There’s drama, too, in the colours; in the rear reception room, the inky blue walls, bookcases and ceiling, about 12ft above, set off the fine plasterwork which is in fine condition given the house dates from 1860. The interconnecting reception rooms, with the front room painted a bone white colour, make a good party space, with their restrained furniture and grand fireplaces (the house is Ber-exempt) benefiting from an integrated sound system. The rear room, which leads on to the kitchen through substantial glass doors framed by the original architraves and shutters, is a cosy retreat; the front room overlooks the front garden through a bay window. Off the hall is a cloakroom that used to be a bathroom but now swallows all the coats, bags and shoes on the way to the kitchen. And behind it, replacing the old lean-to, are a smartly fitted and mosaic-floored guest toilet and utility room, which has great attic storage. A door opens from here to the side passage; go left for the insulated garage, now fitted out as a gym and den, or go right for the garden. Out here a wide patio wraps around the L, with a dining table — reflecting that inside the large picture window — and a sofa positioned for the sun; the square-ish southwesterly garden, 68ft long, is mostly in grass with a play area at the end shaded by birch trees and a giant ash. Looking back at the extension and coming in through the large sliding doors to the living area, it’s easier to appreciate the curving roofline that sails above the island, where the brassware lends subtle, cool modernity and the wooden units and glass-fronted pantry press are offset by a Calacatta marble splashback under one of two deep lightwells. A bedroom currently used as a study, with lovely ribbed obscure glass panels in the double doors, occupies the extended upstairs and there’s a horizontal slot of window from which when sitting you can take in the treetops, or when standing you can admire the undulations of the zinc-clad kitchen roof. Two double bedrooms face the front and two, including the main one, are at the back; most have unobtrusive fitted wardrobes and very appealing fireplaces. The sensitive refurbishment also added rooflights to the double-pitched roof to draw light from north and south. This finely tuned family home, with 260 sq m (2,800 sq ft) of well-thought-out space, is beautifully set for another family — the owners describe the road as very neighbourly, and since 2015 only four houses appear to have sold. Number 29 is on the market through Mullery O’Gara with an asking price of €2.25 million. Many of the neighbouring houses have been turned over and refurbished, with owners tending to preserve the period interconnecting reception rooms and fine hallways and staircases, instead focusing the renovation efforts on the kitchens, which are to be found a few steps down on the return. On entering through the red front door, set back from Victoria Road with cast-iron gate and railings, it’s obvious this is the home of an art lover. Paintings march up the stairs above the original dado rail and a pop of cerise surrounds the ceiling rose in the hall. Modern furniture sits beside quirky old pieces that accentuate and gently tell the story of the house’s history; a bell that would once have been used to summon the staff is still in place beside the fireplace. The ceilings are 3.6m (12ft) high, giving these rooms their glorious proportions. Period doors still contain the stained-glass windows installed in Edwardian times, and one of these doors opens from a small return into the long kitchen, which has a quarry-tile floor and sleek grey units. There’s a charming breakfast nook and utility at the end of the kitchen. The side windows overlook a wooden shed that proves to be the first of many outbuildings in the garden. Large, meandering and L-shaped, the garden overlooks Stratford College. At the end of the garden, as well as a self-contained studio, there’s a large double garage with access to a lane. If planning approval were sought, the possibilities here are endless, with potential to convert the existing studio and garage into accommodation. There is also a right-of-way attached to the house that allows access into the Stratford grounds, though the owner chose not to exercise it. The final room at the top of the house is a large attic conversion, with yet more shelves, track lighting, Velux windows and enough room for a desk and bed. With the shower room outside the door, this would make the perfect teen or student den. Ber-exempt and with 196sq m (2,110sq ft) of living space, 20 Victoria Road is on the market with Mullery O’Gara, seeking €1.75 million. Footage shows smoke rising from scene of Rathgar blaze The fact a mechanic survived a large fire at a workshop in Dublin this morning was a “miracle” The owner of the Moto Pitstop motorcycle service centre in Rathgar with bikes for sale and repair destroyed in the blaze But the most important thing for him was “human life” and that his employee “He has burns on his legs and hand,” Mr Smith said He told how the mechanic had walked away from the blaze dazed but was “doing well” in St James’ Hospital in Dublin We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity “I’ve just left James’s Hospital and his partner is in there with him I wasn't there (at the workshop) at the time this happened,” he said I was out collecting parts in the van and when I came back the whole of Rathgar was closed “Someone had rang me and said the place was on fire I thought it was just a bit of smoke (from a repair) But I rang the shop and then his mobile and it went straight to voicemail and that never happens “So I dumped the van at home and went straight in on my bike I got there and then I saw what everyone else has seen.” A spokesperson for Dublin Fire Brigade said they were making “good progress" and that two fire engines remained at the scene in addition to a foam tender a turntable ladder was deployed to fight the fire from above "A water tanker has also been sent to augment water supplies to the fireground One person has been taken to hospital from the scene,” they said Road closures remain in place on Terenure Road East Mr Smith said the intensity of the blaze would have been as a result of the workshop obviously containing a lot of oil I have no idea how much I’ve lost but my business is gone I know he will be OK but it’ll be a hard time for a while Mr Smith said the mechanic was stable in hospital He added: “I am just trying to get through today and tomorrow now.” An onlooker from a business nearby took video footage of the scene and audible popping sounds could be heard from inside the workshop Images online show clouds of black smoke rising from the scene of the incident who works at Howley Souhan Estate Agents across from the workshop said he and colleagues heard a small explosion about 10.20am “I don't think anyone quite knows what caused it A huge amount of smoke came out of the workshop and there was a thick tyre smell,” he said I think he was the only one in there at the time “We were worried that there might be other people in there but it seemed to be just him in there at the time “You could hear the popping of the engines of the bikes that were in the shop But the fire brigade were there so quickly A spokesperson for Dublin Fire Brigade said: “At 10.18am Dublin Fire Brigade received reports of a fire in a workshop in Rathgar village Rathfarnham and Dolphins Barn fire stations responded to the location where a well-developed fire had taken hold and we have asked nearby residents to take precautions if they are affected Road closures are in place and road users are advised to avoid the area.” One of the reception rooms at No5 Orwell Park Mark KeenanFri 1 Jul 2022 at 03:305 Orwell Park Dublin 6 Asking price: €2.75m Agent: Sherry Fitzgerald (01) 4907433 Newspaper reports five years ago announced that the missing former banker William MacHutchison of 5 Orwell Park in Dublin 6 William had disappeared 99 years previously The last time anyone had seen Lieutenant William Frederick MacHutchison alive he had just been shot in the head during a battle at Morcourt on March 27 1918 at the height of the German Spring Offensive on the Western Front He was apparently still able to walk and was last observed heading towards a dressing station at nearby Lamotte William was never seen again by anyone who could identify him Six days previously the Germans had launched their last big offensive of the Great War Using artillery to pulverise the Allied front lines and then pushing their infantry into the resulting bedlam they advanced almost 40 miles in a week; over the same ground that hosted 1916’s famously bloody Battle of the Somme MacHutchison had been among the troops continually smashed and pushed back until they at last regrouped at Villers Bretonneaux and made a stand wore them down and finally they were driven back Villers Bretonneaux would be the high tide mark of the German Great War effort and the beginning of its end The failed offensive would account for a half a million casualties And it was in the cemetery at Villers Bretonneaux where the British and French halted the Germans that his family found William at last in 2017 Research by British historian Tom Tulloch Marshall and advances in DNA science identified him in a grave marked “Unknown Dublin Fusilier.” His descendants flew in from Belfast to a recommemoration service in that year at which the local mayor of the town officiated It’s a long way from the elegant family home at affluent Orwell Park in Rathgar and a street that itself has marked the high tide mark of the British Empire in Dublin With nationalists already beginning to dominate in the city centre and moving into D3 the city’s unionists made D6 their neighbourhood of choice in the Edwardian era were the top addresses then in an area which would elect a Unionist representative until 1930 Scots and colonials to fill positions in Dublin So the roll call of residents in the 1911 census for Orwell Park represented Presbyterians His father John MacHutchison was a Scottish-born oil merchant and his mother Jane was a Townly from Co Down No4 next door had been home to civil servant turned author At No 3 just before the war we find Mary Isabella Trevor At No16 is Raj-born Lieutenant Colonel Dudley Ridout (No16) and his British South African-born wife Maude There’s civil servant Arthur Quekett (No 13) Quaker laundry entrepreneur Robert Benson (No 11) and Colonel Fred Smerdon (No10) the latter living here with his Raj-born children Edgar and Nino Young William attended St Andrew’s College in Dublin and by 1911 at 17 he is a banker’s clerk with the Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) aged 21 he enlists in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers with many of his friends from the area joining the 7th battalion in Egypt to fight the Turks then Malta and the Struma Valley in the Balkans where he was shot battling Bulgarians and sent home with his wounds he rejoined his battalion in France just before that last big German push Two factors rapidly reduced Rathgar’s then thriving unionist community The rise of nationalism in earnest from 1916 and the War of Independence caused many to simply leave the country But the Great War was also a big factor because it decimated the younger generation they served longest and therefore sustained inordinately heavy casualties John and Jane MacHutchison would wait three years before finally posting his death notice Today he and his lost comrades are commemorated on the roll of honour at Christ Church in Rathgar Village one of the most beautiful Presbyterian churches in Ireland the houses at Orwell Park have more recently been home to the likes of Bill Whelan (Riverdance) and Michael Colgan (former director of the Gate theatre) They were designed at the height of Arts and Crafts in Ireland and would have been ultra-modern in their day flourishes and attention to detail make them as sought after then as now Recently No5 was spruced up with a view to selling it It has a C BER rating and could be higher through sealing its open fireplaces But the job of showing off its arts and crafts interior to the optimum was handed to local interior and garden designer Cormac Rowell of Rowell Design Initially studying economics and architecture he instead “osmosed interior design” from his mother Bronagh Newell well known from her Harriet’s House outlets “When you’re furnishing a big Victorian or Edwardian house like this in the receptions we used the red period drapes as the reference “The scalloped pelmet has a vaguely Indian flavour so we touched these off with oranges pinks and some wall mounted Indian inspired tapestry mirrors are great and it’s essential not to repeat all the hackneyed pieces you see elsewhere we went for Farrow & Ball Inchyra Blue which is a deep Teal In the garden we have two patios and I used vines lemon trees and olive trees and the latter two are fruiting right now.” Accommodation includes two large interlinking receptions At the heart of the home is a its expansive open plan kitchen living and dining space which overlooks the garden Upstairs are four double bedrooms all of which are en suite the master running the full width of the house There’s vehicular side access with secure park high standard advances in DNA sciences ensure William’s lost comrades continue to ‘come home.’ Only last week 29-year-old second lieutenant Osmund Wordsworth was recommemorated in France “I’m happy to have a well-run hub in my area to house people who are homeless Well-run is the important part,” says Labour Councillor Mary Freehill Residents living around the former Rostrevor nursing home in Rathgar say they wish Dublin City Council had told them about its new plans for the site The council has plans to open a so-called “hub” for homeless families to stay in on the site at 66 Orwell Road Residents said they learned of the plans only after inquiring about recent works to the building Green Party Councillor Patrick Costello says the council doesn’t want to do public consultation until the lease is signed The Dublin Region Homeless Executive declined to respond to queries about the hub two weeks ago They didn’t respond to queries last week about the hub and whether they would consult local residents A spokesperson from Dublin City Council also declined to comment “We will be consulting with Local Councillors and local residents in the first instance and arrangements are being put in place to do this,” they said Labour Councillor Mary Freehill says she hasn’t “received complaints locally” about plans to give these homeless families somewhere to stay that are being “negative” about the proposed Rathgar hub “I’m just amazed at the negativity of the press and the media,” Freehill says says he can accept the family hub as long as it is “well-managed” But last month someone sent a letter to the council and local councillors raising concerns about plans for the hub at the intersection of Orwell Road and Zion Road The letter says “a number of owner-occupiers on Zion Road” were concerned at the proposed change of use of a protected property “without planning consent” “The few neighbours I have spoken to are very concerned that such a change of use can be ‘foisted’ on our local community without any regard for our democratic rights health and safety issues and without any local consultation from any politicians The person who wrote the letter could not be reached Several Zion Road residents said they had little or no knowledge of the proposed hub plans Tom Lyons lives a little ways down from the former nursing home He says he was concerned about what he says were recent changes to the protected structure “Slates have been replaced to the roof which do not match in colour tone or age of the existing Internal plasterwork has been compromised,” he said in an email to the council The council’s planning department sent him back a lengthy reply on 21 July stating that works had taken place during the time the nursing home was in use but that “there was no evidence of any of the recent works” that would have altered it The letter he received said the property would be leased by Dublin City Council “to provide temporary residential accommodation to homeless families with management It also said the former nursing home can be used to provide residential accommodation and care to people in need of care Lyons still thinks the council should have had to get planning permission though And that residents should have been consulted “I do think that it would be reasonable that they would go to people and say ‘We’re doing this and we just want to let you know this is how we’re doing it’,” he said Residents say the council should have consulted them beforehand but often it is the service provider who does community outreach – after a hub’s location has been decided says the service provider chosen to manage the hub should do some community outreach as soon as possible and they showed the sorts of people they would have the policies and how they would link with people on an ongoing basis,” Costello says did huge work in meeting residents and finding policies and procedures to address those,” he says Respond operates family hubs in Tallaght, Clontarf and Drumcondra it had an official opening for their hub in Tallaght local stakeholders and the media to meet with families Respond’s head of advocacy and communications says the organisation has been “very lucky” with the communities they’ve engaged with “They accept what we’re doing it,” she says “Again it’s important how we’re doing it and why we’re doing it.” “Very often it’s about responding very very quickly to a need It’s the nature of a housing emergency,” she says “So you have to take that into the equation.” The Salvation Army opened a family hub on Clonard Road in Crumlin in 2017. Robert Byrne, service manager at the hub on Clonard Road, said over email the service had worked with the council’s community liaison team to inform local people about their service. “This consultation was led by the council through a series of local meetings and media articles,” Byrne said. “Since then we have continued to build on our relationship with the community who fully understand that we are open and transparent, and will work them on any concerns they have regarding our clients or our service delivery,” he said. The question shouldn’t be how best to put a hub in a particular neighbourhood, and deal with local residents, says Peter Dooley. The question should be how to do away with hubs for homeless families altogether, says Dooley, co-founder of the Dublin Renters’ Union. “We’re against hubs, full stop. We don’t think anybody should be put in any homeless accommodation. It’s becoming a permanent solution to the housing crisis,” he says. “I’ve seen a few around the city,” Dooley says. “They’re disgraceful. People have to be in by certain times, people have to sign in and out. It’s institutionalised living.” Dooley says he thinks hubs have a negative effect on children: “They can’t have friends over. They can’t regular childhoods.” Social Democrats Councillor Tara Deacy says hubs should only be a “temporary measure”. Welcome back! You've successfully signed in. You've successfully subscribed to Dublin InQuirer. Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in. Success! Your billing info has been updated. This article is over 3 years oldAddress: Innisfail, 6 Bushy Park Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6Price: €3,250,000 Agent: Sherry FitzGeraldWhat a joy it was to hear children laughing and playing in the schoolyard again after months of eerily quiet lockdown, says the owner of Innisfáil, 6 Bushy Park Road, which is across the road from Zion parish church and national school beside Rathgar village in Dublin 6. The church spire is lit up at night, exuding a warm glow through the front windows of this fine Victorian house. The current owners bought it after auction in 2006 for a sum considerably higher than the AMV of €3.5 million and undertook a comprehensive refurbishment, replumbing and rewiring job of such quality that the works they completed in 2008 at a cost of about €700,000 give the 120-year old property a C1 Ber. As well as ensuring the works would future-proof the 376sq m (4,050sq ft) house, the engineer owner designed a three-storey extension to the rear, making use of the southerly light without impinging on the 150ft garden. The plan reconfigured it from a six-bed to a four-bed, turning smaller bedrooms in the old part into en suite bathrooms for the two new bedrooms in the extension. Up the wide granite steps, the door opens into a bright square hall with a pretty arched stained-glass window. To the left are two enormous reception rooms, the front with two windows looking across to the church and the rear used as a formal dining room. There are folding doors to close them off, though when they’re open you can admire the matching marble fireplaces and plasterwork. Most period features were intact, but the restoration included taking a mould of the ceiling rose in the dining room to make a new one for the front. With 12ft ceilings, there was plenty of capacity to add under-floor geothermal heating throughout and not lose any of the airy feel. The grand scale continues upstairs, with the main bedroom at the front benefitting from a walk-in wardrobe and spacious en suite made from another small bedroom. The guest bedroom at the back, like the two bedrooms in the extension, looks across the garden and the green of High School’s playing fields to the mountains. All the bathrooms are very well fitted out and have natural light. At garden level, there is good storage under the front steps and a study looks out to the cobblelocked garden with mature birch and cherry trees. Next to this is a cosy TV room, and there’s a guest bathroom floored, like most of the downstairs, in Travertine stone. On buying the house, the owners were told Michael Collins stayed a night here during the War of Independence but, having reared their children here very happily, they have more long-term aspirations for the next family. It’s well set up for them, within sight and sound of so many schools as well as lots of shops, restaurants, parks and sports clubs, and almost no work to do on the house. Innisfáil is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald with an asking price of €3.25 million. Last Saturday number 59 Brighton Road had a busy viewing schedule when the early afternoon sun brought its period features to life. There was plenty to admire from ceiling heights of over 3.4 metres, to marble and cast iron mantlepieces, cornicing, picture rails and architraving. Its reception rooms are washed in light with the east-facing room to the front enjoying morning light through the bay window. But the fine garden and the fact the property is already move in ready is bound to attract the attention of many of the young families viewing. The kitchen, down a set of steps, on the hall return, has been gently modernised. It features a Victorian-style black and terracotta tiled floor that is in keeping with the original quarry tiles of the cosy sitting room cum study, which is set around a wood burning stove. There’s a small timber conservatory off the kitchen where the owner’s prize tomato and courgette plants are flourishing in the sun-drenched space. From here you can really appreciate the breadth of the outside space, which extends about 23m and is home to a garage with vehicular rear access via a lane that is an extension of Tower Avenue. The garden is private with its side access area bordered by pretty cast-iron railing. You could extend out here without losing much of a sense of the home’s rich ambiance because the property sits on a very wide plot. Upstairs on the return is the first of the property’s five bedrooms. It is used as a fine study with academic tomes filling its shelves and a lovely old-fashioned kneehole desk with a tooled leather top. There are three more bedrooms on the first floor, two fine doubles and a good single. The fifth-bedroom is on the first floor return, where the family bathroom is also located. Elegantly proportioned throughout the property extends to 249sq m ( 2680sq ft) and is seeking €1.2 million through agent DNG. This article is over 3 years oldAddress: 32 Villiers Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6Price: €1,690,000 Agent: Sherry FitzGeraldA little over 10 years ago, number 32 Villiers Road came up for sale in a sluggish market which at the time was showing little sign of recovery. Even given its location on the quiet Rathgar road, there wasn’t strong interest and the mid-terrace red-brick sold at auction for €450,000 on a guide price of €495,000. Then it was in poor condition and subdivided into several flats, but – even allowing for all the work involved in bringing the Edwardian property back to a smart and comfortable single family home – its sale in 2018 for €1.43 million proved how canny that auction bidder had been. The present owners, a young couple, walked into a turnkey, unpack your boxes and move in home – and that’s the same appealing proposition for buyers this time around, maybe even more so given the scarcity of builders. Back in 2018 the house had been staged for sale and they even bought some of the furniture, making their move seamless. Inside, the 211sq m (2,271sq ft) of accommodation is spread over three floors and there are five bedrooms, with the largest located at the top of the house where it has an en suite shower room and a vast dressing area fitted with a wall of wardrobes. The four other bedrooms are below – two doubles and two singles, all low on storage – and a very large family bathroom as well as a separate shower room. The back garden is east facing, with a limestone patio directly outside the back door, an artificial lawn and an electric roller gate out to the vehicular lane that runs behind these houses. Several houses on the road have built garages or small studios at the end of their gardens, perhaps to facilitate working from home, although with five bedrooms in number 32 there’s plenty of options inside for that. One measure of the quality of the 10-year old renovation is the Ber: of B2, a very good rating for an Edwardian-era property. The front garden was landscaped for low maintenance and, after more than a decade, still looks smart. Number 32 Villiers Road is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald asking €1,690,00. A home that once belonged to artist George Russell and was later owned by the conservator who restored the Book of Kells is on the market The exterior of 17 Rathgar Avenue in Dublin 6 The plaque dedicated to George Russell outside the house Erin McCaffertyFri 22 Jul 2022 at 03:3017 Rathgar Avenue, Dublin 6. Asking price: €1.395m. Agent: Sherry FitzGerald Terenure (01) 490 7433 There’s a round plaque on the wall of 17 Rathgar Avenue stating that George Russell, ‘The poet, painter, economist and mystic’ lived there from 1911 to 1933. Russell, who wrote under the pseudonym of AE, was a central figure in the Irish literary revival of the late 19th century and a supporter of national politics. An assistant secretary of the Irish Agricultural Organisation, he was also the editor of several papers affiliated with it, and a prolific writer of essays, plays, poetry and novels. You could say that the five-bedroom, 2,465 sq ft Victorian villa, which still retains many of its original features, played an integral part in the literary revival of the time. It served as a meeting place for artists, writers, poets, politicians, and nationalists. Russell, a cultured and social man, and his wife Violet held ‘at homes’ in the library at back of the house. WB Yeats, Michael Collins, Oliver St John Gogarty and even James Joyce, were among the noteworthy figures in regular attendance. George Moore, the writer, said of him: “He settles everybody’s difficulties and consoles the afflicted.” WB Yeats, who he’d met at the Metropolitan School of Art in his early days, was a lifelong friend, and both were painters. The front room of 17 Rathgar Avenue served as AE’s studio, and it was here he painted and exhibited. Both were advocates of theosophy, a late 19th century movement purporting that divine wisdom controls our lives, and mysticism, and these were the subjects he wrote about. We can conclude that these and other topics, including the politics of the time, were discussed at Number 17. When Violet died in 1932, Russell sold number 17 and moved to Bournemouth in England, where he died three years later. It is apt, however, that a later owner, Anthony Cains, also played a part in the history of the State. Cains, originally from London, was a world-renowned book restorer who played an integral part in restoring the Book of Kells, among other projects, and was the director of conservation at Trinity College. The most significant development in his career came in 1966 when he travelled to Italy to respond to the catastrophic flooding of the River Arno in Florence. There, he was appointed technical director of conservation at the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze (the National Central Library in Florence) where he managed a staff of 90 in rescuing and restoring thousands of mud- and water-damaged books over six years. On moving to Ireland in 1972, Anthony bought 17 Rathgar Avenue and lived there with his wife Elaine and their three young sons — Matthew, Andrew and Timothy, who, following the death of their father in 2020, are now selling the house, despite their strong attachment to it. Matt, the eldest, is also a conservator, and works in the National Library of Ireland. He points out that during his lifetime, his father treated the house much like the books he conserved. “He never really wanted to change or remove anything. He wanted to make good what was there,” he says. As a result, the house, built in the 1840s, still retains many of its original features. The front door for example, accessed via a flight of stone steps, is original. Underneath these steps is a door which leads to a small lobby on the ground floor. This in turn leads to the kitchen/breakfast room and the conservatory, which opens to the back garden on one side, and three bedrooms on the other. Upstairs, can be found two more bedrooms, a bathroom which has a little art deco stain glass window above the door, the dining room, which was AE’s library, and the sitting room — AE’s studio. “We actually found an old easel peg, splattered with oil paint, when Dad was working on the electrics in the house. We like to entertain the thought that it belonged to AE Russell,” says Matt. The ceilings of the upstairs rooms are notably high and typical of the era. They still retain much of the original intricate cornicing, some of which was restored by Anthony. “He was incredibly active,” says Matt of his father. “He had an amazing drive to learn and discover new things. He was an artist really.” The conservatory is also an addition. It gets the sun in the evening and opens to the back garden, which is 103 ft x 38 ft. Matt’s mother Elaine looked after it until she died in 2017. “Up to that point, it was immaculate,” says Matt. “We tried to preserve it as best we could, but it needs a little care now.” Considering that not much has been changed, the house is in remarkably good condition. It’s a two-minute walk from Rathgar Village, which is a hive of coffee shops, delis and restaurants, and just 10 minutes from Dublin city centre. “The house has this serene quality,” says Matt. “When you’re in it, you’re really not aware that you’re living in a city.” Matt and his brothers shared a happy childhood here and it won’t be easy for them to part with it. “I hope that its new owners will give it the love and attention it deserves,” he says. “I hope they don’t gut the place and make it into some sort of modern bijou loft. But that instead they appreciate its beautiful character and its wonderful history.” Like many of the Victorian houses in the area, it was set out in bedsits when the owners bought and they had a lot of work to do to turn it back into a single family home. They replumbed, rewired, put in central heating, painted and papered the walls – and 13 years ago, extended the entire property by adding a very bright kitchen/living extension. The four/five-bed end-of-terrace Victorian now extends to 253sq m (2,723sq ft) and is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald seeking €1.35 million. The property has an interesting passing link to second World War history: a German professor of mathematics, Ludwig Hopf, once an assistant to Albert Einstein, lived at number 65 in 1939, after escaping the Nazi regime to become a professor in Trinity College; he wrote to friends in Germany that he was living in a "very beautiful, very famous and very expensive corner of Europe". He stayed in the house from July until December 1939, when he died suddenly: he was eulogised at his funeral by colleague Erwin Schrödinger as “a friend of the great geniuses of his time – indeed, he was one of them”. The house retains to this day many of its original period details – high ceilings, marble fireplaces, a centre rose and elaborate cornicing in the hall – undamaged by the many years it was set out in bedsits. New owners are likely to want to redecorate the house and revamp it to meet their needs, but there’s lots of room to manoeuvre, with so many rooms arranged over the three floors. The reception rooms, for example, include interconnecting rooms on the ground floor as well as a drawing room on the first floor spanning the width of the house. The ground-floor reception rooms are currently set out as livingrooms-cum-offices, connected by original stripped pine double doors. The front room has a deep bay window with stained-glass panels, and a white marble fireplace with cast-iron and pretty tiles inset; the other room also has an open fireplace with timber surround and French doors opening into a rear courtyard. The kitchen/family diningroom located to the rear of the property is really the heart of the house. Floored, like the front hall, with beige Travertine tiles, it’s a long, very bright, warm space with no less than eight Velux roof windows along with a number of windows along one side. The kitchen features cream gloss units, timber countertops and a door opening into a courtyard at the side of the house. An arch leads to the dining/family room which has a vaulted ceiling, coal-effect gas fire and plenty of room for a dining table and large sofas for lounging. French doors open into the back patio garden. There’s a fully-tiled shower room off the front hall. The wide drawing room on the first floor at the front of the house is a reminder of the piano nobile style, when the original grand reception rooms were located on the first floor of older period period properties. This one has two tall sash windows and a large marble fireplace. New owners may like to revamp this as another very grand and elegant bedroom, possibly incorporating an en suite; in fact it is likely they will update bathrooms in the house generally. The main bedroom is currently located above this room again on the second floor and like it, spans the width of the house, has two sash windows and a fine marble fireplace. There are three other bedrooms, some set out as studies, a shower room on the first return and a bathroom at the top of the house with a clawfoot bath. The modest-sized rear garden is paved with Indian sandstone, and has original stone walls bordered with raised flowerbeds and a pear tree. There’s also a paved courtyard to the side of the house. The neat, railed front garden is in lawn; there is residents’ permit on street parking. Number 65 is situated at the junction of Leicester Avenue and Kenilworth Square South, a short walk from the Church of the Three Patrons on Rathgar Road. This article is over 5 years oldAddress: 55 Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin 6Price: €2,750,000 Agent: DNGThe downsizing phase on Orwell Park continues with number 55 the latest to come on the market. One of Rathgar’s leafiest roads, it is lined with very large family homes with substantial gardens, and recent years have seen several sales as homeowners, who have been there for decades while their families were growing up, move on to smaller properties. The houses differ in style with number 55 a semi-detached Victorian redbrick featuring a pretty timber-trimmed porch and accommodation spread over three floors. It is on the more popular side of the road because the back of the houses are south-facing. It was the rear garden at number 55 that sold the current owners on the house 25 years ago – the property sits on a quarter of an acre and they have nurtured it ever since. Indeed about 10 years ago they installed a Shomera to the side, to be used as a garden room, its glazed wall looking out over the lush greenery, to more fully appreciate the garden in peace. The 267sq m (2,873sq ft) house does not feel, or indeed look like a typical downsizer property. Ongoing decoration and visible maintenance – the redbrick façade was cleaned and repointed in recent years and a new roof added – mean that new owners will have little to do. One of the unusual features that the current owners had to remove when they moved in was a lift. As well as restoring the decorative plasterwork and finding suitable chimneypieces for the main reception rooms, they decorated the house to reflect its 1880s origins with dark colours and polished floorboards. They also added a small extension to the rear, opening out to the garden to make space for an open-plan dining and seating area off the kitchen. In more recent years the decoration has taken on a less-cluttered, more Scandinavian feel with the interconnecting reception rooms and hall floored in new lime-washed timber planks to replace the draughty original floorboards. A calm bright colour scheme is carried throughout – apart from the exuberant green in the kitchen. There is off-street parking for several cars to the front. Extension and renovation work continues apace on next door, number 56 Orwell Park which sold in 2018 for €2.515 million, while number 57 sold in 2017 for €2.4 million. Agent Pat Mullery of DNG is selling 55 Orwell Park seeking €2.75 million. This article is over 6 years oldAddress: 16 Rostrevor Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6Price: €1,950,000 Agent: Sherry FitzGeraldHouses on Rostrevor Road in Rathgar don’t come on the market that often. Since they were built, buyers, when they move into the solid two-storey redbricks tend to stay put for at least one generation. The cul-de-sac is lined mostly with semi-ds - but at the end there is a trio of detached houses, much larger than the others and with bigger gardens. Number 16 is one such house; it has been lived in by the same family since the 1980s – they are now moving to an apartment – and they leave behind a well maintained four-bed full of the original features that make Stringer-built houses from the 1920s so desirable. The recently-restored timber framed verandah-style porch to the front and the double-door entrance is an immediately appealing feature while inside the hall – a bright square room with timber beamed ceiling – gives a welcoming atmosphere. There’s a large formal dining room to the front, but new owners who may be less inclined to give over such a lovely room to formal entertaining could use this as a living room. To the rear and opening to the garden via its original French windows is a cosy living room as well as the kitchen. It was extended in the 1980s to add a dining space, a bathroom and an additional room now used as an office. It is ready for another turnaround – if nothing else the timber-slat ceiling makes it dark. New owners will probably rethink this flat-roof extension entirely if only to give better views of the private back garden. At present number 17 has 240 sq m/2,583 sq ft making it an appealing option for families trading up. Upstairs off the roomy and bright landing, the ceiling heights are good and there are four bedrooms – the largest mirroring the downstairs dining room has an en suite. The bathroom is a good size but like the kitchen is ready for updating. The house was built on a wide site and mature planting and a tall granite wall (on to the High School) make for an atmospheric rear garden while to the side there is a detached garage – although there is plenty of parking in the front garden. The Ber is E2 which suggests improvements could be made in energy efficiency. The Property Price Register shows number 17 in 2015 made the highest price in recent times on the road at €2.225 million but that was a very different style house. 16 Rostrevor Road is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald for €1.95 million.