Just one block from the seafront, the south Dublin village of Glasthule is steeped in Joycean heritage and has cafes and eateries aplenty. There seems to be a perpetual line outside Caviston’s while the street furniture and alfresco dining set-ups have only served to enrich its atmosphere with locals perched drinking coffee and catching up with each others’ news.
Hidden off the main street is Devitt Villas, a walkway that connects the village to Eden Road Lower, a stretch lined with double-fronted brick terraced houses built in the 1920s.
These charming homes all have private front hedging, mature shrubs and trees and you can spot the houses that have been recently upgraded by their swish finishes and new doors and windows.
The modernisation of number 9 is altogether a more discreet affair with its timber sash windows concealing a very smart interior.
Opening into a small hall there is a light-filled, dual-aspect sitting room to the right and a much smaller study or playroom to the left. While the ceiling heights are the standard 2.4m throughout, the space feels much more lofty thanks to the judicious use of large fenestrations and roof lights by its architect owner, Tomás O’Connor. The house looks and feels far warmer in real life than it appears in the sales photography.
The property is warmed by underfloor heating at ground-floor level under a poured concrete floor. It was inspired by O’Connor’s work with former employer Shaffrey Architects, on the Dún Laoghaire pier where the resurfacing includes tiny shell fragments.
An inner hall behind the stairs is where the home office is with a cat flap cleverly concealed from sight beneath the desk. The family bathroom is also here, and to its rear is a fine-size, eat-in kitchen with on-trend ply cabinetry by Vincent Croaker. This opens out to the small but well-stocked south-facing garden where the washing machine and dryer have also been installed.
Upstairs there are three bedrooms, two doubles and a single, with the main bedroom a restful, dual-aspected space with a shower en suite. The back accommodation overlooks the copper roof of the extension.
The property extends to 105sq m (1,130sq ft), has a C2 Ber rating and is seeking €825,000 through agents DNG.
While a short cut for pedestrians, the secret street is also accessible by vehicle with sizeable front gardens big enough for off-street parking for up to two cars.
