As a young man, Brian Conroy, a former competitive swimmer, patrolled Killiney Beach as a lifeguard and he promised himself that some day he would return and buy a house close to the beach.
In 2000, Conroy made good on his promise and purchased the Beach House, then a nearly new three-bedroom detached property situated on the site of the former Killiney station house which was demolished in 1996. The attraction was the property’s sea views and its direct access to the beach.
In the early morning he sees trawlers chugging past to pick up the lobster pots they set the night before. “Every night up to 50 swimmers, mainly triathletes in training hit the beach,” Conroy says. “From the house you can see them swimming around the buoys.”
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Five months ago, he set about completely refurbishing it for sale. Now the house has an open reception area with the front door opening directly into the dining-cum-livingrooms which are divided by a sizeable chimney stack. There are two sitting areas; one facing the fireplace with a window seat framing broad views of the horizon. The second area faces bookshelves. The space is fresh looking and newly painted in fashionable sludgy neutrals, but it’s not enormous. Off it is a narrow, galley-style kitchen in keeping with the nautical motif that features in much of the art and decor.
Almost perfect Sliding doors from the lounge area open out to a large limestone paved patio that has one of the best views in Dublin. The sea stretches the length of the property, giving 110 metres of view. It is almost perfect, save for the fact that the house abuts a railway line that transports the Dart, from 6.45am to 11.30pm daily, mainline services between Dublin and Rosslare Europort and freight. The house has three bedrooms, two singles and a double. All have sea views. The master bedroom has a shower ensuite. The family bathroom is a shower room.
Lane access
Running behind the house is a lane that connects directly to the beach – this house’s key selling point. You could, in theory, leave the house in your swimsuit and be in the water in moments. The access is via a lane that the public also have access to via the top of Strathmore Road and leads under the railway line to the beach. On the other side of the lane is the boundary of Bono’s property.
The garden is a great stretch of lawn upon which two enormous beach huts stand guard. The super-sized structures have a New England feel but little inside by way of a view. The glorified garden sheds add drama to a garden that is also home to a fountain flanked by two stately lion statues. The view and the soothing sound of the ebb and flow of the tide over the shingle on Killiney Beach is what will really win over househunters.
The house, which measures 134sq m (1,445sq ft) is asking €1.45 million through agents Lisney. The property had planning permission to extend it by 93sq m (1,000sq ft). This has lapsed.
