Sea views from a Sandymount terrace for €1.395m

The benefits of living in the coastal village of Sandymount became most apparent during the recent Covid-19 lockdowns. Not only is the area within walking distance of town, but having a long stretch of sandy coastline with its ever-changing tides for walks and fresh air, was a solace in the tedium of 5km restrictions. Add to this a good selection of independent cafes, restaurants and the pretty village square, and the allure of the shoreland formerly known as Brickfields is evident.

This was not always the case. In the 18th century the area had a sparse population – in 1766 there were just 10 families recorded as living there – but now the location is one of the most desirable in south Co Dublin.

Strand Road, which hugs the coastline from Seán Moore Park to Merrion Gates, has a mixture of housing types, and No 54 was once part of a larger home. It was, along with its neighbour, subdivided into two homes. It still retains 195sq m (2,099sq ft) of floor space, but has a smaller entrance hall than you would expect. The trade-off with next door was that it retained the balcony on the upper floor, while the adjacent house was given the sweeping staircase.

In 2005, former owners, who sold the three-bedroom house in 2019 for €1.275m, gave the property a complete overhaul, whereby the garden level became two large rooms: an eat-in kitchen and informal living room, both of which open to the front and rear gardens. They also fitted bifolding doors at hall level, which really open up the space, while also allowing more light into the hall.

The views and proximity to the seafront will attract house hunters, along with the rear garden, which is laid out as lawn, flanked by mop-head hydrangeas and tree ferns. The property, which dates from 1840 and has a BER rating of E1, is now on the market seeking €1.395m through DNG.