The majority of houses on Leinster Square – which is really more of a street than a square – date from about 1830-1843 and were designed mainly by John de Courcy Butler, giving a lovely Georgian feel to this spot in the heart of Rathmines village.
Back when this area was first constructed, the two lines of terraces were known as Connaught and Ulster Terrace and were later named as Leinster Square, with houses renumbered consecutively.
Set back off the road with off-street parking, number 33, a two-storey-over-garden property, dates from about 1832 and is laid out with classical Georgian proportions.
It was last on the market back in 2010 when it was laid out as three flats, and sold for €500,000, according to the Property Price Register.
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The owner, who has a passion for period buildings, loved its details and location. Despite being in the heart of Rathmines (opposite the Swan Centre) the road is very quiet as is the rear garden which has access to a side lane.
Engaging the expertise of conservation architect David Sheehan of Sheehan Barry Architects, the 175sq m (1,884sq ft) house has been sympathetically restored to its original glory. This will be music to the ears of new owners, as, due to the fact that it is a protected structure, all the works have been completed.
At hall level are your typical reception spaces in the form of interconnected drawing and dining rooms. With original flooring – now with a dark stain – the drawing room retains a lovely period fireplace and ceiling rose, whereas the adjacent diningroom now has wall-to-wall bespoke shelving to accommodate the vendors’ vast literature collection. Here, again, details like the ceiling rose, sash windows and shutters have all been restored, thereby retaining its period feel. Also on this floor lie a butler’s pantry (accessed from a door in the diningroom) and a study.
It all gets contemporary at garden level – which has its own entrance under the granite steps out front – where an open-plan dining/kitchen and living space reside. Taking up the entire width of the house, a kitchen lies to the front, with a large island taking centre stage. There’s an abundance of storage behind a wall of handleless cupboards, with further storage in the livingroom, which has a wall of mirrors that helps to bounce light throughout the room.
From here there is access via French doors to a garden.
Though not as large as some of its peers further out in Rathmines, it’s still a great space given its central location. The garden has lovely views to the clock tower at Rathmines Town Hall, and is low maintenance and laid out over two levels with planted raised beds on a flagstone patio with a designated dining spot.
Upstairs, on the first floor, the layout mimics the hall level with two large rooms (both double bedrooms, one of which is en suite) alongside a family bathroom. When works were being carried out, half of one (now restored) shutter in one of the bedrooms was missing – only later to be found propping up an old water tank in the attic.
There’s a good choice of shops, and, at the Swan Centre across the road, a multiplex cinema, leisure centre and an adjacent library. It’s a location that will have you at St Stephen’s Green within a short walk.
Nearby schools include Kildare Street Place, St Mary’s and Alexandra College, while Trinity College is also within walking distance.
Number 33 Leinster Square, which is in excellent order, fully restored and Ber exempt, is now on the market through estate agent DNG seeking €1.45 million.
