Read article : Imagine if this was your back garden - stunning €895k Cork property offers unrivalled sea views
Radharc'We may be biased," say the current owners of Radharc, a contemporary four-bedroom house located 10 minutes' drive from Crosshaven, "but this is the nicest stretch of coast in the world".
Crosshaven is home, of course, to the Royal Irish Yacht Club, the oldest yacht club in the world, which hosts the famous Cork Week sailing event every two years. The current owners are members, and have lived at Radharc full-time, spending their summers sailing along the coast, stopping off at Kinsale, Glandore, Courtmacsherry, Baltimore, Schull, Cape Clear and Sherkin Island, sometimes even venturing as far as Dingle to the west.
Radharc enjoys an outstanding location on the Cork coastline with impressive views to be enjoyed from its many windows"We always wanted to be close to the water," they say. "We had been looking for a site for a long time when we found this 18 years ago. It took us two or three years to get planning permission but we persevered, because it was our dream project."
The owners persuaded their friend, architect Roddy Hogan, responsible for developments such as Lindville in Blackrock, to design a house that would make the most of the gloriously positioned site. Perched above Fountainstown Bay, Radharc enjoys exceptional views as it faces south and looks across to Ringabella beach, which is only accessible by boat, and to the green headland beyond.
"Roddy rarely does individual houses, but we knew that he would design something really special for us."
The owners were more than happy with the house that Hogan delivered, and have revelled in the ever-changing land and seascape outside their windows, enjoying spectacular sunrises and sunsets and swimming in the sea all-year round from the little beach a couple of minutes' walk from the house, where there is also a slipway.
Radharc"The living area of the house was designed from the kitchen forward," say the owners. "The kitchen is slightly raised, and there's an island unit, so that everyone can be involved in everything and there's no sense that the person cooking is isolated.
"The whole space is configured to make the most of the views over the water and, as the house is built into the hill, it is protected from the northerly winds. Because the house faces south, it is so warm in the winter that the temperature in the living room reaches 22C with no heating on."
The kitchen has an integrated double oven, microwave and dishwasher, the pantry features free-standing shelves for storage, and there is also a utility room.
A triple-aspect sun room has patio doors to the garden and to the deck that wraps around the house, while the living room has a large picture window and also opens directly onto the deck. A study has distracting views of the sea, which might impede the amount of work done there, and could be used as a playroom depending on the requirements of the new owners.
RadharcUpstairs, the master suite is configured as "a little apartment, akin to a luxurious hotel suite", with its own spacious bathroom that includes both a bath and separate shower and a well-equipped dressing room. The triple-aspect room has a balcony from which to enjoy the views and a seating area inside. Each of the other three bedrooms has sea views, and these share a family shower room. The house has been a joy to live in and easy to keep, say the owners.
There are primary and secondary schools in both Crosshaven and Carrigaline, while Cork city and the airport are both a 20-minute commute.
Crosshaven is a bustling boating village with good shops and plenty of pubs and restaurants. Bunnyconnellan's, renowned for excellent seafood, is a local favourite.
Having enjoyed what they describe as "14 magical years" at Radharc, the owners, with their family grown, hope to embark on a new project - a smaller version of their dream home - "while we still have the energy for it!"
They'll be staying in the area, hoping to find another dream site for another dream house.
Sunday Independent
No comments:
Post a Comment