Sir Horace Plunkett, the architect of Ireland’s agricultural co-operative movement, built Kilteragh House, an imposing mansion on a large site in Foxrock, in 1903, with elements of both the arts-and-crafts style and the burgeoning modernist movement. Plunkett, a senator, reformer and supporter of Home Rule, entertained the great and good at Kilteragh, including George Bernard Shaw, HG Wells, Arthur Griffith, Roger Casement, Constance Markievicz, Lady Gregory and – just four days before he was assassinated in Béal na Bláth – Michael Collins.
In 1923 Kilteragh was badly gutted when republican paramilitaries set fire to it. The house was rebuilt a few years later, this time as six separate houses, Kilteragh Pines. Number three is one of the larger of the houses, taking up a good chunk of Kilteragh’s main block, and stands as a superb period home of its own, with a strong Continental style evident in the Italian Carrara marble flooring, and the stunning French-style marble and limestone fireplace that dominates the drawing/diningroom.
The owner of number 3 has lived here for 21 years, the family enjoying the sylvan setting, fresh air and tranquillity that originally attracted Plunkett to the area, and also getting the benefit of the private communal park to the rear of Kilteragh with its yew trees, winding pathways, sweeping lawns and clematis-clad pergola giving the impression of being transported to a remote country estate. All this just a short walk from the N11 and the Luas stop at Central Park.
A circular driveway leads to the pedimented hall door of number 3, which leads into a sizeable reception hall, with a marble fireplace offering a warm welcome.
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Carrara marble flooring runs through the downstairs creating a sense of elegance. You can already see into the reception rooms through the double-glazed inner doors, and out to the garden and patio as the light floods in.
The open-plan drawing/diningroom is to the back of the house, with French doors leading to the back garden, and the centrepiece is the grand marble fireplace in its own recessed arch. The living/family room is also to the back, off the inner hall, and has a wide and shallow bay window that efficiently brings in the light.
There’s a guest WC off the inner hall and a door out to the gorgeous back garden, which is wrapped in its original granite walls, with a large lawn for play and a south-facing patio paved with original flagstones.
At the end of the garden is another half-moon shaped patio area to catch the westerly sun in the early evening. A small gate leads to the communal park for residents’ use, with a woodland walk bringing you around the perimeter of the estate. An opening in the garden wall leads to a small “secret” courtyard garden.
The open-plan kitchen/breakfastroom is to the front of the house, butterflying out to the left of the front entrance, and giving views out to the quiet cul-de-sac. It is tastefully fitted with soft grey wall and floor units, a breakfast counter with four high stools, and a larder unit in the corner with a double fridge. There’s a cosy fireplace here too, and the entire room has solid wood panelling. Off that is a butler’s pantry with lots of storage presses and handy pocket worktops that can be discreetly tucked away when not in use.
There are four big double bedrooms on the first floor, plus one single, which is currently being put to good use as a home gym, with a rubber tile floor and a fully mirrored wall.
The main bedroom has a wide, shallow bay window overlooking the back garden and park, with louvred wardrobes and shoe closet providing ample storage, plus an en suite.
There are two more large double bedrooms looking out the rear, one with a large storage closet and an en suite with ceramic-tiled floor. Bedroom four faces out to the front, along with bedroom five – now a home gym – and the family bathroom, fully tiled in rich Italian marble tiling.
The laundry room is tucked away neatly upstairs and the second floor is a converted attic room/study with exposed brick wall, Velux windows and chimney bay with stove heater.
Number 3 Kilteragh Pines, measuring 297 sq m (3,196 sq ft) and Ber-exempt, is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald asking €1.795 million.
