A world apart at gate lodge beside UCD for €695k

Brookville is a single-storey gate lodge hidden from the busy Clonskeagh Road by a high stone wall and gates.

The pretty two-bed house was one of two gate lodges to Roebuck House, home to Maud Gonne MacBride and her son Seán. They inherited the house from Gonne’s estranged husband Maj John MacBride on his execution following the 1916 Rising and lived there from 1922 until her death in 1953. It was sold by Seán soon afterwards.

The first of the gate lodges, situated further along the Clonskeagh Road, a 144sq m property came to market in 2016 seeking €750,000. It sold in March of that year for €745,000.

Brookville, its smaller two-bed sister, is situated almost directly across the road from the Wynnward Drive entrance to UCD. Its current owner bought the property from her uncle, the late District Court judge David Maughan who as president of UCD rugby club lived beside what his clan referred to in his family notice as “his other family” and the playing fields of UCD.

The 97sq m (1, 044sq ft) bungalow is tucked away behind smartly pointed stone walls with vehicular access through a large timber gate. It has been remodelled and upgraded by his niece and now opens into a bright hall.

The property has a large sitting room, where a smart fireplace with tiled insert framing a wood-burning stove is the focal point. This dual aspect space is light-filled and overlooks the private walled garden that is set out in lawn and has both southerly and westerly aspects.

This leads through to a roomy inner hall, with space for a desk, off which are the two double bedrooms. The master is set to the front of the property while the second double, formerly the judge’s study, overlooks the garden.

The eat-in kitchen is a bright room with timber flooring and painted units set along one wall. These have polished black granite countertops. Sliding doors lead out to sandstone slab patio and there is a very sizeable utility at the far end where there is plenty of room to dry clothes out of sight as well as lots of storage.

This was once off-street parking and was enclosed by the owners. It explains the large second timber gate to the front. It is lit from above by roof light.

The property is incredibly private and there is very little traffic audible inside the house.

The house is asking €695,000 through Young’s Estate Agents.