At the end of a tree-lined driveway off Eglinton Road, in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, is Glaunsharoon, a 1940s detached five-bedroom house on two-thirds of an acre of sheltered gardens.
The property is on the market for the first time in over 50 years. It will be auctioned by Lisney on March 30th, when it could make over £1.5 million. This is an outstanding property in many respects. It has privacy, lots of space, and glorious grounds all within a few minutes drive of the city centre.
Inevitably, there will be interest from developers who will eye the garden as a site for townhouses. However, selling agent Peter Kieran is confident the property will go to a private buyer who simply wants a lovely family home. Lived in by a prominent Dublin family since the late 1940s, the two-storey house now needs refurbishment. However, it has a very good layout and a total floor area of around 3,500 sq ft. One of the most impressive features is the wide central hall with its dark polished timber floor. There are four reception rooms downstairs, a sittingroom, diningroom, large drawingroom and a 19 ft-long library with picture windows and French doors overlooking the garden. The kitchen is a superb 1940s period piece with its chequered green and cream terazzo floor, double Aga and original fitted units. There is also a butler's pantry and a guest lavatory. An impressive staircase with a chunky art deco-style handrail rises to the first floor, where there is a very large landing.
There are four double bedrooms and one single room at this level and all share a family bathroom with vivid yellow and black tiling and original sanitary fittings. There is also a separate lavatory. New owners will almost certainly take a slice off one or two of the bedrooms to create one or two en suite bathrooms. From the bedrooms, there are clear views over the garden and over a neighbouring tennis club towards the rugby stand at Donnybrook. The garden is bounded on one side by a lovely old granite wall and screened by trees and hedges on the other sides. There is a large area of lawn, a tennis court and a kitchen garden.
