Few parts of Dublin city have such a rich and varied history as the Liberties. The name is derived from various jurisdictions or liberties which lay outside the medieval city walls and while linked to the city retained their own authority and administration. Many of the French Huguenots, on the run from Louis XIV, settled in the Liberties and established thriving tanning and woollen industries.
The 1699 Wool Act banned the exportation of wool and the once prosperous area was described in Dublin Castle records from 1790 as a scene of "the most abject poverty and deplorable sickness".
Today this vibrant community attracts young couples who wish to live within a stone’s throw of the city centre.
Number 29 Gray Street, an end-of-terrace redbrick standing at 72sq m (774sq ft), has been completely renovated with contemporary flair and includes oak flooring and a custom build steel fireplace in the living-cum-dining area.
A modern kitchen in grey hues leads to a bamboo-lined patio through French doors perfect for al fresco dining.
Upstairs are two bedrooms, the master of which has unusual encaustic wax plaster walls and peeks out over the quiet, tree-lined street.
The second bedroom, currently used as a study, sits alongside the bathroom which is complete with a giant, freestanding bath.
Next door, number 30, a 56sq m (604sq ft) house in need of renovation, sold for €130,500 this year; and across the street number 24, a 54sq m (581sq ft) also in need of upgrading, is asking €199,000 through O'Gorman Properties. Number 29, in excellent condition is available through estate agent Sherry FitzGerald with an asking price of €325,000.
