Only a place as arresting as Galway could be colloquially deemed “the graveyard of ambition” – a place so good, you’ll give up on your lofty hopes and dreams to stay there. Of course, the tongue-in-cheek expression couldn’t be further from the truth, when you take into account the county and city’s bustling tourism industry, renowned arts scene, excellent restaurants, and thriving colleges and universities. It is also home to a number of multinational companies including SAP, Medtronic, IBM, Diligent and Boston Scientific.
There are wide-ranging opportunities when it comes to buying a property in Galway with attractive city, coastal and rural options. Asked for his take on the county’s residential property market, Colm O’Donnellan, senior partner at O’Donnellan & Joyce Auctioneers, says: “The market in some areas is still very strong, whereas prices seem to be levelling off in other areas.
“We’ve had a lot of movement of people moving from the east of the country following the Covid-19 pandemic, for quality of life and for better value. That demand started to peter off about two months ago.
“We have quite a few people buying properties [in and around Galway city] for their children, who may be going to college or working in the city, to put them on the ladder instead of renting rooms, and because rentals are in such short supply,” he says.
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Three-bed
7 Croi an Bhaile, Carrabane, Athenry
This three-bedroom semidetached home in the village of Carrabane is within walking distance of the local primary school and nearby forest. The home, extending to 110.7sq m (1,192sq ft), has a spacious living area, with French doors leading out to the back garden. The kitchen-diner has been well kept but could do with a cosmetic refresh. The main bedroom has an en suite and a balcony which looks out over the countryside. The Ber rating of this home is C1.
Carrabane is just a five-minute drive from the town of Loughrea, which has shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Number 7 Croi an Bhaile is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald Madden, seeking €255,000.
Five-bed
Coose South, Whitegate
This unique five-bed stone-built home sits in a rural setting close to the border with east Clare. It is a short walk from the banks of Lough Derg, with Portumna and its amenities a 20-minute drive away. Stone walls create a beautiful feature throughout the house, as well as the stone hearth in the livingroom. The home extends to a generous 240sq m (2,583sq ft), including a sunroom and a games room on the ground floor, both of which lead out to the back garden.
The home sits on 0.81 acres and is surrounded by green fields on all sides. It could make a family home or possibly a guesthouse. A potential buyer may look to improve the Ber rating, which stands at D1. This home is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald Madden, seeking €379,000.
Downsizer
12 Dun Alainn, Cappagh Road, Knocknacarra
This two-bedroom ground-floor apartment is an attractive downsizing option for someone looking to live close to Galway city. The property, extending to 60sq m (646sq ft), has been finished to a high standard, with a modern kitchen. It has a private patio area to the back with ample space for a table and chairs and potted plants. The main bedroom has an en suite and a door to the back patio. The property, which has a C3 Ber rating, has upgraded electric heating and triple-glazed windows.
Located on Cappagh road, the property offers convenient access to public transport into Galway city, which is just a 15-minute drive away. The Dun Alainn development is across the road from Cappagh Park, and Barna Woods, Rusheen Bay and Silver Strand beach are within walking distance. This home is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald Galway, seeking €235,000.
Buy-to-let
2 Sruthan Mhuirlinne, Ballybane
This ground-floor two-bedroom apartment in Ballybane, with a C3 Ber rating, is in turnkey condition, leaving very little for an investor to do. It has a private paved back garden, open-plan kitchen-living-dining area, two double bedrooms and a family bathroom with a bath.
It is a much sought-after location as it’s just a 10-minute walk from the Galway campus of the Atlantic Technological University (formerly GMIT) and a 15-minute drive from the city centre. An online search shows similar properties seeking €1,400 and over per month in rent. Number 2 Sruthan Mhuirlinne, extending to 65.6sq m (706sq ft), is on the market through O’Donnellan & Joyce Auctioneers, seeking €195,000.
Holiday home
Courthouse Square, Clifden
This two-bedroom ground-floor apartment, with a B2 Ber, is in the popular seaside town of Clifden. Known as “the capital of Connemara”, the town has beautiful sandy beaches, rich landscape, and excellent bars and restaurants.
Extending to 91sq m (980sq ft), the apartment has a bright and spacious kitchen-dining-living area, a double bedroom with large en suite wet room, a single bedroom and a guest WC. This property is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald Mangan, seeking €215,000.
Fixer-upper
Inishturk South
If you really want to get away from it all, this three-bedroom cottage on the small island of Inishturk, off the coast of Clifden, could provide an ideal hideaway. The property is in need of complete renovation but its breathtaking location offers so much potential; it looks out over the bay towards Eyrephort beach and the Kingstown headland, and the peaks of some of the Twelve Bens mountains are also visible. A potential buyer would likely look to improve the property’s insulation to boost the G Ber rating.
The home is already connected to electricity, but there is no connected water supply; the owners have harvested rainwater. A rib boat with a trailer is also included in the sale, as well as a fibreglass boat. The property, which sits on a plot of about 0.46 acres and has direct access to the sea, is on the market through Matt O’Sullivan Auctioneers, seeking €199,000.
