1960s turnaround in Co Meath for €715,000

In the 12th century, Drogheda was two separate towns; Drogheda-in-Meath and Drogheda-in-Oriel – which later became County Louth.

Skara Brae lies on the south side of the town just a 10 minutes' drive from the beach at Bettystown and 25 minutes from Dublin Airport.

Scotsman John Rioch, and his wife Samantha purchased the house in 2012, when the property was in a state of disrepair. "It was almost derelict – the windows were gone and all the copper pipes had been stolen," says John.

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The couple set about rebuilding the house – increasing the footprint to 310 sq m.

“We used a local architect to draw up the plans,” says John, “but as it was our fifth house – we really knew what we wanted, so I looked after the structural design while Samantha took care of the features”.

The result bears little semblance to its original form, as an outdated 1960s house with minimal insulation.

The highlight of the light-filled property is the spacious L-shaped living/dining and kitchen area to the rear. With the addition of two sets of concertina doors, the entire back of the house opens out on to a 113 sq m patio in the south-facing garden. The handmade kitchen by McAuley Design features a central island with a wine cooler and inbuilt dining area in addition to a more formal dining space.

Small touches

Painted in warm greys by Farrow and Ball, it has an Insinkerator hot tap, waste disposal unit, and small touches like sunken plugs create a streamlined effect.

Two further reception rooms and a utility lie on the ground floor. The house has five bedrooms in total, three of which are en suite, and two share a Jack and Jill bathroom.

Skara Brae, is a renowned Neolithic settlement in Scotland. Older than the pyramids and built into the ground for protection, there is little comparison to this contemporary, well-insulated house of the same name.

The Rioch's are downsizing and the house is for sale through REA O'Brien Collins asking €715,000.