Two Rose Cottages - one in Co Limerick and another in Co Roscommon - bear the hallmarks of romantic weekend retreats, writes Kate McMorrow

White Rose Cottage, Lugnashammer

Sherry FitzGerald Farrell is quoting in the region of €290,000 for White Rose Cottage, which is in Lugnashammer, near Croghan and not far from Boyle in Co Roscommon.

This charming Victorian cottage once belonged to the Church of Ireland and was occupied by the church sexton from the late 19th century until the early part of the 1980s.

New owners extended and restored the property in 1990, ending up with three bedrooms, two good reception rooms and a study.

In addition, an oil-fired central heating system has been installed.

The cottage stands on a three-quarter-acre mature garden sheltered by well-grown deciduous trees.

Climbing roses and pyracantha on the stone walls create a very pretty picture in summer time.

The restored interior is sensitively done, with original features retained where possible. A sitting/diningroom, for example, has exposed wooden ceiling beams, and decorative window shutters. There is also a good-sized fitted kitchen, a timber-floored study and a formal sittingroom with a cast-iron fireplace and polished pine floor.

Upstairs, all three bedrooms and the family bathroom have wood floors, some with original pitch pine boards.

Outside the house, there is a double garage, a large timber-floored shed, a terrace, vegetable plot and lawns.

Rose Cottage, Clarina

Rose Cottage in Clarina, Co Limerick is quoting in the region of €320,000 with Sherry FitzGerald O'Malley. Built in the 1840s, this quaint timbered house is full of old-world character.

The three-bedroom Tudor-style cottage has been well-maintained by the current owners, who have lived here for about 16 years.

New owners are likely to instal central heating, although there is a useful oil-fired range in the kitchen. At 171 sq m (1,845 sq ft) and with half an acre of garden, there is plenty of space for a good-sized family.

The village of Clarina is about six miles from Limerick city on the road to Listowel. There are plans afoot to develop the area, something a potential purchaser will either love or hate.

Many of the original period features remain at Rose Cottage, including shuttered windows, cast iron fireplaces, ceiling coving and picture rails. The sittingroom and formal diningroom have original pine doors and polished wood floors, with antique open fireplaces in both rooms.

Kitchen units are oak, with an oil-fired range. A sun room has been added to catch the afternoon sun.

Two good double bedrooms are off the upstairs landing, with a smaller single room leading off the main bedroom and a back staircase from here.

Mainly in lawn with a selection of specimen trees and shrubs, the gardens are well cared for, with terraces and colourful herbaceous borders. A group of outbuildings provide useful storage.