Newbridge Avenue is one of the thoroughfares connecting the Dublin 4 villages of Ballsbridge and Sandymount. The river Dodder provides a natural boundary between the two.
It’s a street with a strong connection to Ulysses, for in the book number 9 was the home of Paddy Dignam, whose memorial service takes place in the sixth episode of the James Joyce masterpiece.
According to lore, number 9 was vacant at the time the book was set but the literary association gives the residents great bragging rights.
Number 21 is an end-of-terrace villa-style property that has granite steps leading up its front door, at hall level. It has been sympathetically staged for sale by Fitout Interiors, whose choice of warm soft shades have refreshed the walls of this period property, which was built in the 1860s.
There’s a buttermilk on the walls in the hall where period features include a Victorian arch that helps to draw the eye down to the roof light at the far end. This helps brighten an area that can feel dark in some properties of this style.
The formal interconnecting reception rooms are painted a French grey with the sittingroom to the front and fold-back doors leading through to a room set up as a dining room. Both have white marble fireplaces, working shutters and ceiling heights of 3.25 m.
The return is divided into two rooms. A breakfast room painted a biscuit colour with steps leading up to the bright kitchen has an L-shaped design featuring white gloss doors and laminate worktops. This room is square in shape and has a door leading out to a timber deck. More could be done to knit the indoor rooms with the outside space.
The deck has a north-westerly aspect and so gets some evening sun. Although the outdoors is slightly weathered, the general design is good, with steps leading down to the garden and storage cleverly set underneath the platform.
The accommodation is at garden level with the master bedroom situated to the front of the house to get the morning sun. The room has a large walk-in closet of an old-fashioned kind and a shower ensuite.
Two more double bedrooms share the family bathroom. From the second double, French doors lead out to the garden where there is pedestrian side access to the front – an advantage when dealing with bins.
The house, which measures 176sq m / 1903sq ft, has an F Ber rating and is asking €950,000 through agents Savills.
Number 27 is also for sale. Situated on the same side of the street it is slightly smaller in size, measuring 157sq m / 1659sq ft, but with a slightly better building energy rating ( BER: D. It is asking €995,000 through agents SherryFitzGerald.
Number 27 first came to market in 2015 asking €875,000. In 1904, the year Ulysses is set, this residence, described as a "splendid house" in Newbridge Avenue, was advertised in The Irish Times for a yearly rental of £60. A similar house in Rathmines cost £40 at the time, one in Fairview £36.
In April number 7, Mr Dignam’s next door “neighbour”, sold for €1.265m, while number 5 sold for €900,000 in 2014.
The Dodder walkway attracts rafts of ducks to the waterway while braces of the birds, often in various stages of sleep, have taken up residence along its banks. Cyclists and runners frequent this amenity, which is situated the end of the road. Sandymount village and strand are just minutes away.
