When it was last purchased, for €565,000 in 2016 according to the Residential Property Price Register, the house at 9 St Mobhi Road in Glasnevin had no heating and had lain idle for about 15 years, its architect owners say.
Now the 132sq m (1,421sq ft) property has been totally transformed, with the bonus of a self-contained studio to the side. In turnkey condition, it is now on the market seeking €975,000.
Dating from about 1932, it was extended and fully refurbished in 2016 and high levels of external insulation and high-tech Velfac windows have resulted in a C3 Ber rating.
What attracted its owners to the house was that it was detached, something that is as rare as hen’s teeth on both St Mobhi Road and nearby Griffith Avenue. Its elevation on the site and the aspect from its west-facing garden, which floods the rooms with light, were also factors, as were the wealth of period details, such as high ceilings, coving and ceiling roses along with picture rails and a lovely hallway – typical of its era.
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However, original fireplaces from the reception rooms had been removed long ago, but after careful searching, the owners found two that match chimney pieces in a neighbour’s home at the former salvage site Bailey Gibson on the South Circular Road.
On the ground floor lie two interconnecting reception rooms that open to the sunny patio behind. Off this is a lovely kitchen designed by its occupants. With Japanese influence they used band-sawn timber which was then given a spray wash with Farrow and Ball shade Railings. It was then sanded, which goes to explain how the lovely grain and bandings are visible through the gunmetal hue. A wall of storage, including an appliance garage with electrical points, allows the room to be fully streamlined, as does the fact that there are no upper units on the walls that have glazing. This allows picture windows against an all-white palette to bring a sense of the garden right in to the room.
The garden is one of the reasons the family who live here are moving as they aspire to becoming more self-sufficient, and intend to buy a home with a garden extending to 40m in length to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Their endeavours at St Mobhi Road mean prospective new owners will have a great patch, where a host of vegetables grow including pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries and greens.
The house has four bedrooms, which share a family bathroom upstairs, while there is a Murphy bed in a former garage, now a studio for overnight guests.
Back in the 1700s, the now-leafy suburb of Glasnevin was where people would retire to “when any couple had a mind to be wicked”, according to the Protestant archbishop at the time. Today it is one of the most desirable suburbs close to the city on Dublin’s northside. The house is located near the Botanic Gardens and is also close to Albert College Park, with GAA pitches, tennis courts, a boules green and cricket crease, so a multitude of sports are covered. There’s also a host of schools and other amenities in the vicinity, which is a short distance to the city centre.
