Bright and warm ivy-clad Victorian in Harold’s Cross

Saoirse, a handsome Victorian property, lies on the boundary of Harold’s Cross and Terenure. The ivy-clad terraced house is laid out over three floors as owners have converted the attic.

Chequered tiles in the hall, despite being new, are in keeping with the property’s Victorian heritage, and match the period tiles in the front porch. They flow the entire way into the kitchen and beyond into the utility.

Interconnected reception rooms have most of their period features intact, including impressive white marble fireplaces with black horseshoe hearths and ornate coving and ceiling roses.

New narrow-plank maple flooring gives the rooms a fresh feel as does the yellow ochre wallpaper which warms the north-facing room.

Both rooms are well lit thanks to a large bay window in the front room, and French windows from the south-facing garden.

The kitchen is the heart of the house, and warmed by a small stove framed by a large brick surround giving a country vibe.

A vaulted ceiling with exposed beams gives the illusion of greater space, assisted by recessed lights which highlight the beams.

Stained-glass window

The return is also floodlit thanks to an arched stained-glass window, and houses a shower room.

On the first floor lie three double bedrooms, all of which have period fireplaces. Two dressing rooms sit back to back between two of the rooms allowing the bedrooms to be clutter free.

The powder-blue bedroom with plantation shutters overlooking the garden is particularly impressive.

The converted attic is used as a fourth bedroom and provides lots of storage hidden behind a door to the eaves.

The rear garden is in the form of a small south-facing courtyard framed by a mixture of glass blocks and brickwork, as most of the garden has been forfeited for off-street parking.

Prices for period houses in Harold’s Cross vary dramatically and increase with proximity to the villages of Terenure and Rathgar.

Saoirse at Harold's Cross Road, in turnkey condition and at 130sq m (1,399sq ft), is on the market through estate agent Sherry FitzGerald for €625,000.

Location, location

Closer to town, 5 Parnell Road, on the canal, a refurbished double-fronted five-bedroom property, with a footprint of 208sq m (2,238sq ft) and 100ft rear garden, is for sale at €650,000 also through Sherry FitzGerald.

Just opposite the park, 88 Harold’s Cross Road, a five-bedroom two storey over basement, 146sq m (1,571sq ft) house, in need of refurbishment, sold this August for €380,000, and next door number 88 (94sq m/1,011sq ft), also in need of refurbishment, achieved €282,000 this August.

There is, it appears a certain magnetism to reside closer to Dublin 6 and the prices reflect this.