The Dublin 4 home owned by the man who was once one of Ireland’s highest-profile business figures, has just come on to the market. Number 87 Ailesbury Road in Ballsbridge belonged to the late Chris Comerford, who was the chief executive of Greencore.
In the 1980s, Comerford helped to transform Irish Sugar, which was then a semi-State company. Under his direction, the newly established Greencore took over the business in the first State privatisation in Ireland in 1991, bringing it from a loss-making company to a profitable agribusiness.
While Comerford stepped down from his role at Greencore in 1991 “in the interests of the company”, following a bitter row with several of his fellow senior executives over the proceeds of the sale of shares in a subsidiary of Irish Sugar, he remained a relevant figure within the international business world until his retirement from his consultancy work, which included projects with big names such as Fyffes. He also went on to serve as the chief executive of Geest Ltd (a joint venture between Fyffes and Wibdeco) and on the board of exploration company US Oil & Gas.
The constants throughout his extensive career were his family and his home on Ailesbury Road. The road has long been popular with successful businesspeople who enjoy the status of the address and the proximity to the city. Number 87, or St Catherine’s as it is named, is at the Anglesea Road end, with quick access to both Ballsbridge and Donnybrook villages. One of the most affluent residential roads in the capital, Ailesbury is probably best known for being home to a number of embassies.
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Prices on the road vary wildly depending on which side you are on and the work done and additions a property may have undergone over the years. Last year, in one of the biggest sales of 2024, number 81 achieved €10 million, according to the Property Price Register. The fully refurbished house came with a two-bedroom self-contained apartment, which no doubt pushed the price higher.
Number 87 has come to the market with an asking price of €7.5 million through Sherry FitzGerald. It has been in the Comerford family for decades and has been well-maintained with all period features intact.
The house is on the sunny side of the stretch, set well back from the road behind electronic security gates with beautifully mature trees screening it from the outside world. It is one of the few houses on the road to have an unusually wide side passage, creating potential to add to its already generous footprint.
Inside there is 448sq m (4,820sq ft) of floor space over three levels with various returns. It is exactly what you would expect from a home of such stature, with the high ceilings, decorative plasterwork, original stained glass and imposing archways.
At entrance level there are three reception rooms. The drawingroom and diningroom are to the left and are connected by the original sliding pocket doors and feature matching marble fireplaces. The desire to live on this bright side of the road is evident in these rooms when you experience the sunlight flooding into them in the early afternoon.
Back out beyond the hall is a study that leads into what is arguably the most charming of the reception rooms. It’s not as imposing as the others but has character in spades and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out to the rear garden.
At garden level, there is a fully fitted kitchen and a breakfastroom that has direct access to the garden. At the heart of the room is a double Aga, which also has a gas hob.
There is a more casual family room beside the kitchen, as well as a bathroom. Also on this level is a large bedroom with en suite bathroom.
Up the stairs on the first-floor return is a bedroom and a separate bathroom. On the first floor itself is the main bedroom (also en suite) with two large sash windows overlooking the front garden. There are two more bedrooms at this level, and a sixth bedroom up on the top return, along with a shower room.
The gardens of these houses are a huge selling point. At number 87, there are double timber gates as well as a pedestrian gate for access to the back from the front driveway. This is where there is ample space to extend to the side or build a small mews if required, subject to planning permission.
As you walk around from the side of the house, you notice the bare wisteria branches wrapping around the external staircase, just waiting for its time to shine in the coming months. There is something about this area with the well-established climbers and the original garage with gardener’s outhouse that allows you to appreciate the history.
The garden itself is about 38m (125ft) in length and is planted extensively with shrubs and trees. The maturity and height of the trees ensure total privacy from the world outside, making it hard to believe that the city centre is a mere 10-minute car journey away.
To the side of the house is a sheltered patio area where one can appreciate the craftsmanship that went into the stonework of the house when it was built back in the mid-19th century.
According to selling agent Simon Ensor of Sherry FitzGerald, the parties that show interest in houses along this road are usually expats or, more recently, professionals who have sold on their businesses and find themselves with the means to invest in a statement home.
