Like many houses on the road at the time, number 46 Oakley Road in Ranelagh was laid out in bedsits when the owners bought it in 1986. They would spend the next few years moving from bedsit to bedsit as they did the house up one room at a time.
It didn’t take long for others to follow suit, as new neighbours moved in and brought the other houses on the road back to cohesive homes. The road’s population is now made up of families – young and old – in houses of all ages, shapes and sizes.
Number 46, known as Oakley Manor, is at the end of a short terrace of four two-storey-over-garden-level houses that were built in 1845. It is for sale through DNG with an asking price of €1.895 million.
The street is steeped in Irish history, with four of its past residents taking part in the Easter Rising. Éamonn Ceannt, Thomas MacDonagh, and Willie and Patrick Pearse all lived there for a time, with Pearse opening Scoil Éanna Irish language school at Cullenswood House in 1908.
Although the house was carved up into bedsits, many of the original features remain intact. The fireplaces had been boarded up and plywood was used to separate rooms, which acted like a barrier and saved the double doors between the two reception rooms from being destroyed. As the house is a protected structure, the sash windows could not be replaced but the owners had them reconditioned and all the shutters restored.
The house has a floor area of 250sq m (2,691sq ft) and is laid out over three storeys. Gone are the gas meters and public telephone, and in their place is a home full of character and light.
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The gently worn granite steps lead up to the front door, with the original fanlight above. The door opens into a high-ceilinged hallway with restored plasterwork and an archway into the inner hall. The storage press to the right was once home to the dumbwaiter that went down to the kitchen.
To the left are the interconnecting drawingroom and diningroom. Both have original working fireplaces and beautifully restored cornicing and centre roses. The sash windows at the front flood the room with light and the chandeliers add to the charm.
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Upstairs there is a bedroom on the return, which has been converted into a private and peaceful home office. There are two large bedrooms at the top of the house. The principal room is over the drawingroom and, like the room below, has two shuttered sash windows and an original fireplace.
The bathroom on the hall return has been recently renovated to accommodate a new double shower.
Down at garden level is the breakfastroom and galley-style kitchen. The separate rooms have a serving hatch between them, but new owners would probably want to knock the wall to make one large kitchen.
There are two more bedrooms on this level – one double and one single – as well as a guest WC.
The back door opens out to a garden that is approximately 26m (86ft) in length, leaving scope to extend the house if required, subject to planning.
It is set out in paving and gravel, with a variety of shrubs and trees on the borders. There is a block-built shed at the back and pedestrian access to a private laneway. The Luas runs along the back of the properties, but the hum is barely audible as it glides by.
The house, which is Ber-exempt, uses gas-fired central heating and is fitted with an alarm and CCTV.
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In an area where parking can be tricky, the front driveway can fit three cars, or four if parked like a pro. It is easy to get around without the car, however, as the Beechwood Luas station is at one end of the road and the Ranelagh stop at the other.
Ranelagh village is a few minutes away on foot, with a great selection of cafes, restaurants and shops. The schools in the area are a big factor for house-hunting families, with Sandford, Gonzaga, St Mary’s, Muckross Park and the Multi-Denominational School all in the postcode.
Restoring and living in Oakley Manor for 39 years has been a joy for the owners, who will be sad to say goodbye to the old gem. But now that their sons have grown up and left home, they feel the time is right for them to find something more suitable for just the two of them.
“We’re going to hate leaving, but we have to be practical. It has been a great home for us on a fantastic road,” say the owners.
