Farmhouse by the Boyne with a tradition of entertaining

CO MEATH €1.1M:THE TRADITIONAL selling season for country homes and estates is getting under way and a renovated and extended Irish country property goes on the market today close to the River Boyne, near Slane, Co Meath.

Gilltown Farmhouse has been meticulously renovated and refurbished over the past five years and a substantial extension added to bring the overall living space up to about 465sq m (5,000sq ft). The house stands on over 11.3 acres.

Selling agent Knight Frank is quoting €1.1m-plus for the property, a price that seems to under value it given that the home is in immaculate condition and within easy hitting distance of Dublin along the upgraded Ashbourne road.

Land prices in Meath frequently range around €20,000 per acre.

Gilltown is located one-third of a mile off what is one of the last unspoiled roads in Meath – it runs from the Slane Road along the River Boyne to Newgrange and on to Donore village.

The original farmhouse dates from the middle of the 18th century and is full of charm and character.

It is now largely used for entertaining and for guests staying overnight; it is linked by a broad hallway to the newly-built extension at the rear.

There are double doors from a newly created courtyard into the hallway which has high ceilings, large windows and ceramic-tiled floors.

The highlight of the modern accommodation is the drawingroom at one end with a 5.4-metre high ceiling and a floor-to-ceiling window looking out on the rich Meath farmland.

There are Canadian walnut floors everywhere, including the formal diningroom. One of the two doors in this room leads directly into a modern kitchen with ceramic-tiled floors, cream solid wood kitchen units and other impressive fittings including a double Belfast sink, Range Master cooker and an American-style fridge freezer.

The main bedroom has an en suite and a dressingroom and a second bedroom is also en suite. There are another three bedrooms and a sittingroom in the original house as well as an office and central lobby.

The owners have also gone to great trouble to restore a “speakeasy” – otherwise known as a shebeen – for which Gilltown Farmhouse was known far and wide along the Boyne Valley.

A former owner, renowned for his heavy drinking, part-funded his habit for many years by selling drink to farm workers and trekkers. Even the local pubs find it difficult to attract such custom these days.