A quiet tree-lined cul-de-sac connecting the Grand Canal with Adelaide Road, Harcourt Terrace is a city centre gem. Being a cul-de-sac it gets little to no traffic, save for the fortunate few who live in this hideaway about five minutes’ walk from St Stephen’s Green.
Over the years it attracted artistic sorts including artist Sarah Purser, who resided at number 11 between 1887 and 1909. Here Purser – whose work is part of the national collection – operated a noted studio that was often visited by the likes of Irish revolutionary Maud Gonne, poet WB Yeats and playwright and republican Edward Martyn.
More revolutionary rumblings happened around 1920, when Mary Flannery Woods of Cumann na mBan purchased a safe house for leading figure in the struggle for Irish independence, Michael Collins. There was even a concealed cupboard in the house for ammunition storage back then. Over the past decade there had been a bit of confusion as to whether it was number 17 or 18 Harcourt Terrace that hid “the Big Fella”. This is clarified by James Mackay in the biography, Michael Collins: A Life, in which he confirms that it was number 17 where the country lad who went on to become leader of the Free State hid during the War of Independence.
Having undergone a dramatic change since it was last purchased in 2016 (for €965,000, according to the Property Price Register) it has now been listed for sale through Sherry FitzGerald.
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It is worthwhile looking at the before and after images so you can really see the extent of the transformation it underwent. What were dark rooms where wallpapers, carpets and curtains clashed with headache-inducing patterns, is now a swish streamlined Victorian home with contemporary conveniences.
Extending to 187sq m (2,015sq ft) it has three bedrooms upstairs, two of which have e suite shower rooms, while the principal bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe. The attic, accessed via a stairs on the landing, has been fully converted with a multitude of uses.
At hall level it’s your typical Victorian layout with two fine reception rooms to the front, but details like subtle tones and lots of timber panelling add a level of sophistication to this pad just a short stroll from the Shelbourne Hotel.
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Even the exterior, nicely mirroring next door, has smart gunmetal grey windows and doors, and its brickwork is as fresh as the day it was first laid.
Beyond the two interconnecting reception rooms lies the most remarkable space the house: its kitchen and dining space.
At its core is a large island with light pouring in from an atrium-style roof light above. Here Miele and Siemens appliances are set in bespoke black units surrounding the island. You can just picture the clinking of glasses for a pre-theatre supper here – where you can pop out the door ten minutes before the act begins at the National Concert Hall – as its just a six-minute walk away.
Number 17, which has side access and a Ber of B2 is now on the market seeking €2 million through Sherry FitzGerald. Its neighbour, number 19 of similar proportions, Ber and in turnkey condition (but also having a garden room) has just appeared on the Property Price Register as having sold for €2.3 million earlier this summer.
