Listing of the Day
Location: Dalkey, Ireland
Price: €8.5m (US$8.96 million)
It may seem extraordinary now to have a summer retreat just 10 miles from your main mansion, but in the Georgian and Victorian era such was the fashion for the richest businessmen and medics in Dublin.
This romantic castellated mansion in Dalkey, an area now considered very much part of the Irish capital city, was built in 1847 for renowned physician Sir Dominic Corrigan, who first diagnosed the heart condition Corrigan's Pulse. Inniscorrig, set on the edge of Dublin Bay, was his holiday home, where he invited royal guests including Kings Edward VII and George V of England to enjoy the sea air. Either side of the front door remains a crown and star, set in pebbles into the patio terraces to commemorate their visits.
This is a particularly unusual example of a house that has its own private harbor. "There are others that may share a harbor, but even they are few and far between," says agent Simon Ensor, of Sherry FitzGerald, part of Christie's International Real Estate. "You could count the number of houses on the Dublin coast with their own private harbor, certainly of this scale, on one hand, and I’m not sure you’d use up all your fingers."
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Stats
The house is 5,773 square feet with five bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and a separate lodge house at the entrance, with a further bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchenette. Both are set within 0.75 acres of grounds.
Design pedigree
While not actually a castle, the mansion is grandly neo-gothic in style built in granite stone with an impressive central turret offering dazzling views over the sea.
Very little of the period character has been changed, despite the interiors being upgraded for modern use. The hallways, for example, have original unusual ceiling moulding, cornicing and timber paneling. The only difference is it would all have once been dark mahogany. Now it has been painted a modern white to brighten the rooms up. Ornate plasterwork throughout the house includes Tudor roses and mosaics, a further reference to the visits of English kings.
The current owners, who are downsizing, added the only non-original feature, a wrap-around conservatory, to exploit the view, which stretches from Dun Laoghaire over the bay to Howth peninsula, Dalkey Island and The Muglins. From here you can regularly spot dolphins and seals.
More:Ireland’s Luxury Market Bounces Back, Cautiously
Amenities
Within the private harbor is a seawater swimming pool, which is filled with water that recycles with the tide, though this is only for the bravest swimmers during biting winters.
For sailors there’s a boat house and a hoist to lift vessels out of the water.
The lower ground floor has a family or movie room, home office and a boiler room ideal for drying wetsuits or sailing gear. Staff or family could stay in the separate self-contained lodge house next to the electric security gates. A large graveled forecourt has substantial parking.
Neighborhood notes
Dalkey is still one of the most sought after areas of Ireland, and many celebrities have homes in the area including U2’s Bono.
Inniscorrig is set on the edge of Dalkey town, a quaint and picturesque Irish heritage town, with restaurants and bars, a butcher, fishmongers and delicatessen and a weekly market, where you might spot Irish A-listers having a stroll or picking up their groceries. It’s a city suburb steeped in history too, with a 10th century church and two Norman castles on the main street.
An owner could commute into Dublin city center within 30 minutes on the DART train, while Dublin International Airport is 16 miles away.
Agent: Simon Ensor, Sherry FitzGerald, part of Christie's International Real Estate
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