Set just off Howth Road in Killester, this 210sq m (2,260sq ft) house, Moyderwell, dates from the 1960s and was constructed on the grounds and former orchard of Furry House, a Quaker-built property. Furry House was once was home to Moya Llewelyn Davies, a republican activist and acquaintance of Michael Collins, who provided a safe house for the Irish revolutionary during the War of Independence. Interestingly, Moya, who was born Elizabeth O’Connor, lost her mother and four sisters in 1890, all of whom died after eating contaminated mussels gathered on the seashore across the bay in south county Dublin, in what became known as the Seapoint Tragedy.
Lying on 0.39 of an acre at the end of a private driveway, the house, which is set over two floors, is elevated and surrounded by a raised patio that gives lovely views to the well-stocked gardens and old orchard walls.
The current owners bought this house in 2000 and undertook a full renovation of the property in 2007, when they extended, adding a new kitchen and larger livingroom. At the time they also went upstairs, adding two attic bedrooms and a bathroom, while turning the old kitchen downstairs into a playroom/study.
With a nod to Georgian features, as rooms run into one another and French doors and an internal arch have Georgian-style fanlights, interiors are bright thanks to lots of glazing, including skylights in the kitchen and a dual-aspect principal bedroom.
On entering, living accommodation is to the left, with a well-lit living/diningroom with solid-oak floors warmed by a solid marble open fire; the room has access to the garden via French doors. From here, there is access to a country-style kitchen – complete with a lovely corbel hood over a smart range – which also has a matching set of French doors that open to a raised sun terrace.
To the right of the hallway lie three of the five bedrooms, along with a playroom and two bathrooms, one of which is an en suite for the principal bedroom. Both the main bathroom and en suite have been recently upgraded.
Owners love the aspect and seclusion of their home, saying: “In summer the sun rises in the main bedroom and follows around to the livingroom by midday. In winter it rises on the red brick wall [the old orchard boundary] and lights it up, while the wall itself comes alive in the summer with wild flowers and bees”.
The gardens are secluded, laid out mainly in lawn, with lots of mature trees, shrubs and plants that provide year-round colour and interest.
There is ample room to extend or indeed for further construction – subject to planning permission – on this slice of prime residential land, which is on the doorstep of the village of Killester, where shops, cafes and supermarkets can be found. For beachgoers, Dollymount Strand – ever-popular with kite surfers – is nearby, as is the Dart, St Anne’s Golf Club and Clontarf Sailing Club.
The Ber is E1, which new owners will likely want to address, for which they can research SEAI grants. The current owners are downsizing, placing their five-bedroom home on the market through Sherry FitzGerald seeking €1.095 million.
