Property 17-12-2011

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Tonnes of debris removed from 500-year-old former tower houseMarybrook revealed a Santa-sized inglenook fireplace

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Property17.12.2011

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PROPERTY PROPERTY

CONTENTS4/5 TRADED UP

We round up someof the year’s betterhouse sales.

7/8MARKET MOVESNAMA’s role wil lremain critical to theproperty market re-covery.

6 STARTERSThe budget brings2012 cheer to first-time buyers.

10 COVER STORYMarybrook Houseisn’t just forChristmas, parts dateback many centuries.

12 INTERIORS14 DIY19 HOME ECONOMICS20 IN THE GARDEN22 ANTIQUES

PROPERTY EDITORTommy Barker, 021 [email protected]

PROPERTY ADVERTISINGMarguerite Stafford, 021 [email protected]

INTERIORS ADVERTISINGGer Duggan, 021 [email protected]

INTERIORS EDITORIALSue O’Connor, 021 [email protected]

In search of the magic millionKitsborough was the biggest house sale in Cork this year, making over €1.5 million, writes Property Editor Tommy Barker

The Millpond at Kitsborough, Leemount, Carrigrohane, Co Cork, is a riverside estate of 70 acres, where you could walk your land in the morning and walkinto the city centre in the afternoon.

Ballybrack House, Donnybrook Hill, Cork is a 4,500 sq ft home on the edge of Douglas village, set on1.8 wooded acres.

Harbour Lodge B&B Kinsale, Co Cork.

I T’S a happy omen, of sorts. Thestrongest house sale of the year inCork (at €1.5 million-plus) was ahouse that featured extensively in

these Irish Examiner Property pages, onthe very weekend we launched our newlook Property and Interiors package.The successful sale was of a very

special property mix, a riverside estateof 70 acres, where you could walk yourland in the morning, and walk into thecity centre in the afternoon.Kitsborough House, on the Lee Road

by Carrigrohane featured over severalpages here on April 9, 2011, and wasbeing sold by the family of the latejudge Sean O’Leary. Although a modern1990s build, the 4,000 sq ft six-bed houseKitsborough had deep roots, replacing aQueen Anne house on this River Leeestate where previous owners includedthe Waggett family for the first 150years, the Riordan family and the Woodfamily — whose descendant RichardWood this past year sold off his prizedairy here from Rockrohan just acrossthe river by Inchigaggin.Kitsborough was put up for sale in

April guiding €2.2m by Sheila O’Flynnof Sherry FitzGerald, who later reducedthe asking price to €1.85 million for thetrophy package. It’s likely to have soldfor between €1.5m and the €1.85mguide, and was bought “as a lifestylemove” by a family living in the city.It marks the third year when Sherry

FitzGerald had some of the top Corkhouse sales, with Cregane Manor inRosscarbery back in 2009/2010, and aMontenotte home in an off-market dealin 2010, both selling for about €1.5/€1.6m.Gone ‘Sale Agreed’ and due to sign

before Christmas in Cork wasBallybrack, a Georgian family home of4,500 sq ft on the edge of Douglasvillage, on 1.8 luscious wooded acres. Ithit the market with CatherineMcAuliffe of Savills in June, guiding amodest €1.2m for a very special ‘hiddenoasis’ package, and is being sold for afigure understood to be between themagic €1m and the €1.2m asking price.It’s a matter of conjecture what it couldhave made a few years ago, and must bea banker of a solid buy for years tocome.“We have to be at the very bottom end

of the market for good houses like this,”said the Savills agent, while Savills andSherry FitzGerald jointly were involvedin Cork’s other known €1m-plusproperty sale. They handled the sale, fora receiver, of Harbour Lodge, a10-bed B&B in Scilly Walk, Kinsale,which was bought by Irish buyers forconversion back to a private residence.What’s clear from this mere trio of

2011 €1m-plus sales — apart from howhard it is to hit this sort of price level —is the primacy of location, and of coursethe sheer value compared to the peaktime mayhem of, say, 2005. Back in 2005,these pages were able to round up overtwo dozen Cork sales above the €1mmark, of which six were for over €2m.Headline makers of the boom 2004-

2006 period include Ballynatray, anestate of hundreds of acres on theBlackwater, selling for €11.2m (and now

open to paying guests) as well asGortalough and Inneskerr on greatgrounds on the Rochestown Road, eachmaking about €4m via Lisney in 2004and 2007. Record for a city houseremains Woodlawn, on a several acres inSunday’s Well, bought for over €5m by amotor dealer as a family home, sold viaMarshs who also hold the city’s auctionrecord, standing at €2.7m for Rosenheim,a Georgian villa on the Blackrock Road,sold in 2006 and which has beenmassively invested in since by itsshipping business family owners.The likes of those sales may never be

seen again. A ‘mere’ million issomething now to aim for.

REVIEW OF2011MARKET

Boom-time prices back down to basics: Left: Bondi Beach nightclub (previously the Maltings), sold in 2004 for over €5.5 million was bought back by one of its original owners for less than €1 million in 2011.Right: Walford, symbol of the market madness when it made €58 million, is under private offer for NAMA at around €10 million.

R ECOVERY in the property market? A bit likeKildare footballers, and Waterford hurlers, it’sa case of dragging out the cliche: “Maybe nextyear.”

We’re five years into a property downturn, the worldeconomy is teetering, NAMA owns half the countryand is busy flogging the cherry-picked bits of primeIrish-owned real estate overseas and finally there’ll bethe start of significant NAMA releases of Irish stock in2012.2011 was the year of distressed auctions, with the

bottom-feeders out for clear value. Hundreds ofproperties did shift via this auction route — to a mixof chagrin and relief among vendors, helping to put afloor of sorts under the market.Good news and decent deals were thin on the ground

in 2011 - but there were a few signs of a pulse in theyear now stuttering to a halt.Values of even the good residential stock is down 50

to 60%, bad stock is down by more, to the point ofsome stuff being worthless. For the better sitedproperties, with potential once the uplift comes, it’sbeen a year of some bargains, and 2012 will bringmany more, principally for cash purchasers as thebanks still aren’t lending.If and when we return to a stable residential market

— calculated by the new body Property IndustryIreland and agents like Sherry FitzGerald to be around30,000 new houses a year, plus a turnover of about 2.5%of existing house stock, to match the demographicneeds — it’s reckoned the financial sector will need tobe lending €11 billion a year for the residential sector:there’s no sign of anything like that amount ofnecessary money available yet.It mightn’t seem like it to most hard-pressed

workers, but there’s waves of money in the country —

in mattresses, saving accounts and overseas bankaccounts for bricks and mortar investments -especially with so much uncertainty hanging over theeuro, banks and even governments. Property might bedown, but its not entirely out — like stock marketsand bank shares.For every developer that goes into NAMA, there’s a

(almost always incorrect) rumour the ‘distressed’individual will buy back the assets at a discount.There’s one case of a property investor/developerhaving done a buy-back in Cork, but that was pureopportunity. The Sheahan family’s Maltings barcomplex near UCC sold back in 2004 to a UK group foraround €5.5 million: in 2011, they were was involvedin its purchase (named Bondi Beach) once more for asub€1 million sum. Opportunities are there, indeed.Equally left of field, Cork city’s other significant barsale was the Viscount, bought by Bishopstown CreditUnion for new offices for €1.5m.Some of Dublin’s top homes, in Hubris Height

addresses like Shrewsbury and Ailesbury Roads whichchanged hands in the boom for tens of millions ofeuros — such as the daft €58m paid for Walford andlinked to Sean Dunne’s wife Gayle — are findingbuyers at fractions of previous values, yet some aremaking €8m to €10m, even now. JP McManus hasbeen linked to the c€10m purchase of the formerAilesbury Road home of developer BernardMcNamara.In the general construction scene, building cranes

on the skyline are as rare a bird as the avian specieswould be on these shores, but some few projectstrickled on — such as Cork’s Marymount Hospice — tokeep a few builders in hard hats, and in the comingyear, there’s activity in City Gate in Mahon, and

€100m to be invested in Irish Distillers in Midleton.The Government’s budget 2012 hit most for six —

and the €100 property tax was just a small unpalatabletaste — but was otherwise notable for sensiblemeasures to foster some return to a functioningproperty market.The most optimistic commentators hope a bottom

will be reached in 2012, with activity levels building alittle, and hope continuing through the next year ortwo to recovery around 2015.

Tommy Barker reports

BRITISH INTEREST■ THE Queen of England

came to call on us in2011, and British-basedbuyers of Irish propertyare following in her wake.The re-emergence of UKbuyers in our market wasa feature of the past year,and between them andIrish ex-pats, there’s aclear niche in evidence.Tapping into that will beagents likeSherryFitzGerald who areresurrecting a Londonshowcase of Irishproperty, on February 4,with a number of theircountry wide firms to berepresented. They reveal

they had 60,000 websitevisits in 2011 via 859locations in the UK (37%from the Greater Londonarea alone) representing8% of their total websitetraffic, from UK investors,and Irish ex-pats.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


PROPERTY PROPERTY

CONTENTS4/5 TRADED UP

We round up someof the year’s betterhouse sales.

7/8MARKET MOVESNAMA’s role wil lremain critical to theproperty market re-covery.

6 STARTERSThe budget brings2012 cheer to first-time buyers.

10 COVER STORYMarybrook Houseisn’t just forChristmas, parts dateback many centuries.

12 INTERIORS14 DIY19 HOME ECONOMICS20 IN THE GARDEN22 ANTIQUES

PROPERTY EDITORTommy Barker, 021 [email protected]

PROPERTY ADVERTISINGMarguerite Stafford, 021 [email protected]

INTERIORS ADVERTISINGGer Duggan, 021 [email protected]

INTERIORS EDITORIALSue O’Connor, 021 [email protected]

In search of the magic millionKitsborough was the biggest house sale in Cork this year, making over €1.5 million, writes Property Editor Tommy Barker

The Millpond at Kitsborough, Leemount, Carrigrohane, Co Cork, is a riverside estate of 70 acres, where you could walk your land in the morning and walkinto the city centre in the afternoon.

Ballybrack House, Donnybrook Hill, Cork is a 4,500 sq ft home on the edge of Douglas village, set on1.8 wooded acres.

Harbour Lodge B&B Kinsale, Co Cork.

I T’S a happy omen, of sorts. Thestrongest house sale of the year inCork (at €1.5 million-plus) was ahouse that featured extensively in

these Irish Examiner Property pages, onthe very weekend we launched our newlook Property and Interiors package.The successful sale was of a very

special property mix, a riverside estateof 70 acres, where you could walk yourland in the morning, and walk into thecity centre in the afternoon.Kitsborough House, on the Lee Road

by Carrigrohane featured over severalpages here on April 9, 2011, and wasbeing sold by the family of the latejudge Sean O’Leary. Although a modern1990s build, the 4,000 sq ft six-bed houseKitsborough had deep roots, replacing aQueen Anne house on this River Leeestate where previous owners includedthe Waggett family for the first 150years, the Riordan family and the Woodfamily — whose descendant RichardWood this past year sold off his prizedairy here from Rockrohan just acrossthe river by Inchigaggin.Kitsborough was put up for sale in

April guiding €2.2m by Sheila O’Flynnof Sherry FitzGerald, who later reducedthe asking price to €1.85 million for thetrophy package. It’s likely to have soldfor between €1.5m and the €1.85mguide, and was bought “as a lifestylemove” by a family living in the city.It marks the third year when Sherry

FitzGerald had some of the top Corkhouse sales, with Cregane Manor inRosscarbery back in 2009/2010, and aMontenotte home in an off-market dealin 2010, both selling for about €1.5/€1.6m.Gone ‘Sale Agreed’ and due to sign

before Christmas in Cork wasBallybrack, a Georgian family home of4,500 sq ft on the edge of Douglasvillage, on 1.8 luscious wooded acres. Ithit the market with CatherineMcAuliffe of Savills in June, guiding amodest €1.2m for a very special ‘hiddenoasis’ package, and is being sold for afigure understood to be between themagic €1m and the €1.2m asking price.It’s a matter of conjecture what it couldhave made a few years ago, and must bea banker of a solid buy for years tocome.“We have to be at the very bottom end

of the market for good houses like this,”said the Savills agent, while Savills andSherry FitzGerald jointly were involvedin Cork’s other known €1m-plusproperty sale. They handled the sale, fora receiver, of Harbour Lodge, a10-bed B&B in Scilly Walk, Kinsale,which was bought by Irish buyers forconversion back to a private residence.What’s clear from this mere trio of

2011 €1m-plus sales — apart from howhard it is to hit this sort of price level —is the primacy of location, and of coursethe sheer value compared to the peaktime mayhem of, say, 2005. Back in 2005,these pages were able to round up overtwo dozen Cork sales above the €1mmark, of which six were for over €2m.Headline makers of the boom 2004-

2006 period include Ballynatray, anestate of hundreds of acres on theBlackwater, selling for €11.2m (and now

open to paying guests) as well asGortalough and Inneskerr on greatgrounds on the Rochestown Road, eachmaking about €4m via Lisney in 2004and 2007. Record for a city houseremains Woodlawn, on a several acres inSunday’s Well, bought for over €5m by amotor dealer as a family home, sold viaMarshs who also hold the city’s auctionrecord, standing at €2.7m for Rosenheim,a Georgian villa on the Blackrock Road,sold in 2006 and which has beenmassively invested in since by itsshipping business family owners.The likes of those sales may never be

seen again. A ‘mere’ million issomething now to aim for.

REVIEW OF2011MARKET

Boom-time prices back down to basics: Left: Bondi Beach nightclub (previously the Maltings), sold in 2004 for over €5.5 million was bought back by one of its original owners for less than €1 million in 2011.Right: Walford, symbol of the market madness when it made €58 million, is under private offer for NAMA at around €10 million.

R ECOVERY in the property market? A bit likeKildare footballers, and Waterford hurlers, it’sa case of dragging out the cliche: “Maybe nextyear.”

We’re five years into a property downturn, the worldeconomy is teetering, NAMA owns half the countryand is busy flogging the cherry-picked bits of primeIrish-owned real estate overseas and finally there’ll bethe start of significant NAMA releases of Irish stock in2012.2011 was the year of distressed auctions, with the

bottom-feeders out for clear value. Hundreds ofproperties did shift via this auction route — to a mixof chagrin and relief among vendors, helping to put afloor of sorts under the market.Good news and decent deals were thin on the ground

in 2011 - but there were a few signs of a pulse in theyear now stuttering to a halt.Values of even the good residential stock is down 50

to 60%, bad stock is down by more, to the point ofsome stuff being worthless. For the better sitedproperties, with potential once the uplift comes, it’sbeen a year of some bargains, and 2012 will bringmany more, principally for cash purchasers as thebanks still aren’t lending.If and when we return to a stable residential market

— calculated by the new body Property IndustryIreland and agents like Sherry FitzGerald to be around30,000 new houses a year, plus a turnover of about 2.5%of existing house stock, to match the demographicneeds — it’s reckoned the financial sector will need tobe lending €11 billion a year for the residential sector:there’s no sign of anything like that amount ofnecessary money available yet.It mightn’t seem like it to most hard-pressed

workers, but there’s waves of money in the country —

in mattresses, saving accounts and overseas bankaccounts for bricks and mortar investments -especially with so much uncertainty hanging over theeuro, banks and even governments. Property might bedown, but its not entirely out — like stock marketsand bank shares.For every developer that goes into NAMA, there’s a

(almost always incorrect) rumour the ‘distressed’individual will buy back the assets at a discount.There’s one case of a property investor/developerhaving done a buy-back in Cork, but that was pureopportunity. The Sheahan family’s Maltings barcomplex near UCC sold back in 2004 to a UK group foraround €5.5 million: in 2011, they were was involvedin its purchase (named Bondi Beach) once more for asub€1 million sum. Opportunities are there, indeed.Equally left of field, Cork city’s other significant barsale was the Viscount, bought by Bishopstown CreditUnion for new offices for €1.5m.Some of Dublin’s top homes, in Hubris Height

addresses like Shrewsbury and Ailesbury Roads whichchanged hands in the boom for tens of millions ofeuros — such as the daft €58m paid for Walford andlinked to Sean Dunne’s wife Gayle — are findingbuyers at fractions of previous values, yet some aremaking €8m to €10m, even now. JP McManus hasbeen linked to the c€10m purchase of the formerAilesbury Road home of developer BernardMcNamara.In the general construction scene, building cranes

on the skyline are as rare a bird as the avian specieswould be on these shores, but some few projectstrickled on — such as Cork’s Marymount Hospice — tokeep a few builders in hard hats, and in the comingyear, there’s activity in City Gate in Mahon, and

€100m to be invested in Irish Distillers in Midleton.The Government’s budget 2012 hit most for six —

and the €100 property tax was just a small unpalatabletaste — but was otherwise notable for sensiblemeasures to foster some return to a functioningproperty market.The most optimistic commentators hope a bottom

will be reached in 2012, with activity levels building alittle, and hope continuing through the next year ortwo to recovery around 2015.

Tommy Barker reports

BRITISH INTEREST■ THE Queen of England

came to call on us in2011, and British-basedbuyers of Irish propertyare following in her wake.The re-emergence of UKbuyers in our market wasa feature of the past year,and between them andIrish ex-pats, there’s aclear niche in evidence.Tapping into that will beagents likeSherryFitzGerald who areresurrecting a Londonshowcase of Irishproperty, on February 4,with a number of theircountry wide firms to berepresented. They reveal

they had 60,000 websitevisits in 2011 via 859locations in the UK (37%from the Greater Londonarea alone) representing8% of their total websitetraffic, from UK investors,and Irish ex-pats.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


FEATURE FEATURE

Bargains galore in thehigh-end house marketTommy Barker rounds up some of the movers and shakers inan otherwise depressed year on the domestic property front

Mori House in Co Kerry which was signed for about €520,000.

Bayswater, Currabinny Road in Carrigaline, Co Cork, which sold in the region of €800,000.

HOUSE sales stayed slow in2011, but there were somenotable transactions, andsome spirited bidding and

happy buyers and sellers alike in themid and upper-markets.In Kerry, one of the top sales was

Mori House, a 2,600 sq ft modern early-2000s five-bed home, sold at one time forcirca €900,000, and making circa€520,000 by late 2011 via Tadg Gallivan.Other than that, most quality house

sales were in the €300,000 to €400,000bracket, says Michael Coghlan, whoreported good sites selling for up to€150,000, and with ex-pat interest nowbeing shown, from Britain in particular.For those high-end vendors in Kerry,

still thinking that large new-builds on afew acres were worth millions, the sub-€2m sale (essentially a lease with optionto buy in a few years) by John Brennan,of Dromquinna Manor on 38 waterfrontacres in Kenmare, was a salutaryreminder of how values haveplummeted.The Park Hotel figure aims to do a

“glamping” tourism product here, asexclusively reported in the IrishExaminer in April last (see image p 9).Another period home, and tourism

product, eventually selling in 2011 wasDuninga House in Kilkenny. This 10,000sq ft partially-restored house, with 14tax-incentive holiday homes on 48 acresof land, made a little over €1m viaSavills and Dominic Daly.Back in Cork city, just a handful of

top Cork city homes came close to the€1m mark (see other story p3 of €1m-plus sellers). They included builder TimLawton’s A-rated new builds by theCUH, at Bishopstown, with two of fourselling for about the €950,000 mark, thesecond of which is now being finishedoff, while work will start on the thirdwith a signed contract in place.The five-bed houses are 3,200 sq ft

each, finished extremely well.Another builder happy to sell quality

product was Killarney-based BrianGallivan, whose three energy-efficientInnishannon Cork homes at RosewoodManor sold after an autumn pricereduction. The showhouse (which wouldhave been pitched at the €1m mark asthe market turned) made between its€475,000 asking price and the €500kmark, while first-time buyers paid€360,000 for a three-bed, 2,250 sq ftdetached home at Rosewood. Morehouses here in the niche village scheme,ten miles west of Cork city will be built“on demand,” say Savills.They also had one of the most viewed

second-hand houses: the bungalowCoolfree, in The Orchard off FarranleaRoad/Model Farm Road. The four-bed,not flashy but with a wide appeal, hadover 60 viewings, four strong approvedkeen bidders, and went well past its€375,000 guide with Savills to make over€400,000. It was one we noted in our“Verdict” slot only in September “Don’tdither too long, it should be a quickseller.” Thankfully, we didn’t jinx it.

Another bungalow getting almost asmany viewings (but needing work) wasMarsala, on Dundanion Road inBeaumont: it made in the mid-€300,000swith O’Donoghue Clarke, who also hadsome good western suburban sales, andgood successes too in Monkstown, suchas the US-style Woodhaven, with 2,750sq ft of comfort, making in the mid-€600,000s, and the massive period end-terrace at 10 Alta Terrace, Monkstown,gone sale agreed at about €450,000,needing modest work, but a worthwhileperiod gem with huge potential to comeright.Back in Cork’s Blackrock, agent

Jeremy Murphy sold a large andupgraded three-bed, calledKnocknacura, within a month of goingto market, on the corner of BlackrockRoad and Crab Lane. It made in the lowto mid-€500,000s after ten viewings. OnCrab Lane, auctioneer Tim Sullivan solda tired bungalow, called Glenville, on asite with extension potential for wellover its asking price of €300,000, after 50viewings. And, notably “it won’t beknocked, the days of the concretewrecking ball are almost gone, they’llwork with it,” he says.He also had circa 50 viewings at a

period home called Idaville on VictoriaAvenue, selling it under its €380k guide.Across the city, the modern house on

a hillside perch just west of Sunday’sWell, Ardfionn, finally found a buyerafter over two years on the market.When first offered in 2009, the 2,800 sq ft

An A-rated new build near the CUH at HighfieldAvenue in Bishopstown, Cork, sold for about the€950,000 mark.

Left: Ardfionn, west of Sunday’s Well in Cork, sold in the latter half of 2011 for around €700,000.Above: Knocknacurra, Blackrock Road, Cork, was sold for a figure in the low to mid €500,000s.

Papers were signed for 10 Alta Terrace,Monkstown, Cork, for about €450,000.

high-spec home had a €1.1m priceguide, less than it cost to build on itsawkward site with great views. It soldin the latter half of 2011 with jointagents Cohalan Downing and Frank VMurphy for around €700,000.On the opposite end of Sunday’s Well,

a total do-er upper called LandscapeHouse sold after 20 fast viewings foraround its €220,000 guide via MichaelO’Donovan, of Sherry Fitzgerald.Other strong Sherry FitzGerald sales

(see also their “sale of the year” on p3)were a modern build at Bayswater,Carrigaline for around €800,000, and itsselling agent Ann O’Mahony also had aCharlement Heights Rochestown housemake about €575,000. Sherrys also solda 2,300 sq ft dormer Listarkin,Glenrichmond, Glanmire for under its€569,000 AMV, probably closer to the

€500,000 level.Making over €700,000 with Dennis

Guerin of Frank V Murphy, was a do-erupper, Bruaidhenabarra in MenloeGardens, Blackrock, a detached houseon one of this park’s best sites. It madeabout €720,000, having had a € 750kasking price. Also selling well forGuerin was an older five-bed, 2,200 sq ftMount Oval Rochestown red-brick, inthe mid €500,000s, as was a Woolharaestate, Douglas Road detached calledTolca, making about €600,000 andneeding modernisation. Buyers foralmost all of those had been waiting outthe market for a couple of years beforedeciding to buy, he said, but a difficultyfor buyers is houses needing work, asbanks are reluctant to lend for furtherexpenditure.

Tolca in Woolhara estate, Douglas Road, was sold for about €600,000.Bruaidhenabarra in Menloe Gardens, Blackrock, made in the region of€720,000.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


FEATURE FEATURE

Bargains galore in thehigh-end house marketTommy Barker rounds up some of the movers and shakers inan otherwise depressed year on the domestic property front

Mori House in Co Kerry which was signed for about €520,000.

Bayswater, Currabinny Road in Carrigaline, Co Cork, which sold in the region of €800,000.

HOUSE sales stayed slow in2011, but there were somenotable transactions, andsome spirited bidding and

happy buyers and sellers alike in themid and upper-markets.In Kerry, one of the top sales was

Mori House, a 2,600 sq ft modern early-2000s five-bed home, sold at one time forcirca €900,000, and making circa€520,000 by late 2011 via Tadg Gallivan.Other than that, most quality house

sales were in the €300,000 to €400,000bracket, says Michael Coghlan, whoreported good sites selling for up to€150,000, and with ex-pat interest nowbeing shown, from Britain in particular.For those high-end vendors in Kerry,

still thinking that large new-builds on afew acres were worth millions, the sub-€2m sale (essentially a lease with optionto buy in a few years) by John Brennan,of Dromquinna Manor on 38 waterfrontacres in Kenmare, was a salutaryreminder of how values haveplummeted.The Park Hotel figure aims to do a

“glamping” tourism product here, asexclusively reported in the IrishExaminer in April last (see image p 9).Another period home, and tourism

product, eventually selling in 2011 wasDuninga House in Kilkenny. This 10,000sq ft partially-restored house, with 14tax-incentive holiday homes on 48 acresof land, made a little over €1m viaSavills and Dominic Daly.Back in Cork city, just a handful of

top Cork city homes came close to the€1m mark (see other story p3 of €1m-plus sellers). They included builder TimLawton’s A-rated new builds by theCUH, at Bishopstown, with two of fourselling for about the €950,000 mark, thesecond of which is now being finishedoff, while work will start on the thirdwith a signed contract in place.The five-bed houses are 3,200 sq ft

each, finished extremely well.Another builder happy to sell quality

product was Killarney-based BrianGallivan, whose three energy-efficientInnishannon Cork homes at RosewoodManor sold after an autumn pricereduction. The showhouse (which wouldhave been pitched at the €1m mark asthe market turned) made between its€475,000 asking price and the €500kmark, while first-time buyers paid€360,000 for a three-bed, 2,250 sq ftdetached home at Rosewood. Morehouses here in the niche village scheme,ten miles west of Cork city will be built“on demand,” say Savills.They also had one of the most viewed

second-hand houses: the bungalowCoolfree, in The Orchard off FarranleaRoad/Model Farm Road. The four-bed,not flashy but with a wide appeal, hadover 60 viewings, four strong approvedkeen bidders, and went well past its€375,000 guide with Savills to make over€400,000. It was one we noted in our“Verdict” slot only in September “Don’tdither too long, it should be a quickseller.” Thankfully, we didn’t jinx it.

Another bungalow getting almost asmany viewings (but needing work) wasMarsala, on Dundanion Road inBeaumont: it made in the mid-€300,000swith O’Donoghue Clarke, who also hadsome good western suburban sales, andgood successes too in Monkstown, suchas the US-style Woodhaven, with 2,750sq ft of comfort, making in the mid-€600,000s, and the massive period end-terrace at 10 Alta Terrace, Monkstown,gone sale agreed at about €450,000,needing modest work, but a worthwhileperiod gem with huge potential to comeright.Back in Cork’s Blackrock, agent

Jeremy Murphy sold a large andupgraded three-bed, calledKnocknacura, within a month of goingto market, on the corner of BlackrockRoad and Crab Lane. It made in the lowto mid-€500,000s after ten viewings. OnCrab Lane, auctioneer Tim Sullivan solda tired bungalow, called Glenville, on asite with extension potential for wellover its asking price of €300,000, after 50viewings. And, notably “it won’t beknocked, the days of the concretewrecking ball are almost gone, they’llwork with it,” he says.He also had circa 50 viewings at a

period home called Idaville on VictoriaAvenue, selling it under its €380k guide.Across the city, the modern house on

a hillside perch just west of Sunday’sWell, Ardfionn, finally found a buyerafter over two years on the market.When first offered in 2009, the 2,800 sq ft

An A-rated new build near the CUH at HighfieldAvenue in Bishopstown, Cork, sold for about the€950,000 mark.

Left: Ardfionn, west of Sunday’s Well in Cork, sold in the latter half of 2011 for around €700,000.Above: Knocknacurra, Blackrock Road, Cork, was sold for a figure in the low to mid €500,000s.

Papers were signed for 10 Alta Terrace,Monkstown, Cork, for about €450,000.

high-spec home had a €1.1m priceguide, less than it cost to build on itsawkward site with great views. It soldin the latter half of 2011 with jointagents Cohalan Downing and Frank VMurphy for around €700,000.On the opposite end of Sunday’s Well,

a total do-er upper called LandscapeHouse sold after 20 fast viewings foraround its €220,000 guide via MichaelO’Donovan, of Sherry Fitzgerald.Other strong Sherry FitzGerald sales

(see also their “sale of the year” on p3)were a modern build at Bayswater,Carrigaline for around €800,000, and itsselling agent Ann O’Mahony also had aCharlement Heights Rochestown housemake about €575,000. Sherrys also solda 2,300 sq ft dormer Listarkin,Glenrichmond, Glanmire for under its€569,000 AMV, probably closer to the

€500,000 level.Making over €700,000 with Dennis

Guerin of Frank V Murphy, was a do-erupper, Bruaidhenabarra in MenloeGardens, Blackrock, a detached houseon one of this park’s best sites. It madeabout €720,000, having had a € 750kasking price. Also selling well forGuerin was an older five-bed, 2,200 sq ftMount Oval Rochestown red-brick, inthe mid €500,000s, as was a Woolharaestate, Douglas Road detached calledTolca, making about €600,000 andneeding modernisation. Buyers foralmost all of those had been waiting outthe market for a couple of years beforedeciding to buy, he said, but a difficultyfor buyers is houses needing work, asbanks are reluctant to lend for furtherexpenditure.

Tolca in Woolhara estate, Douglas Road, was sold for about €600,000.Bruaidhenabarra in Menloe Gardens, Blackrock, made in the region of€720,000.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


PROPERTY FEATURE

Opportunities and value all over the country for first time buyers.

First-timer’s home helpMortgage relief of 25% is a welcome boon for the young and for Irish property market, writes Trish Dromey

“The EBS/DKM affordabilityindex figures released inNovember showed that the costof funding a mortgage on a newhome for the average first-timebuyer working couple stood at12.4% of joint income. This hascome down from a figure of 26.4%in 2006.”

THE end of the tunnel may not yet be in sightfor the Irish property market, but the offer of25% mortgage relief to first-time buyers(FTBs) next year has shed a little light in a

gloomy place.Designed to stimulate the market, and increase first-

time buyer activity, the mortgage relief measure hasbeen welcomed. Commentators say the budget didn’tfree up credit from the banks, which is what is mostneeded to stimulate the housing market.But amidst all the economic gloom, the looming

Euro crisis, and the fallout from a punitive budget,this availability of 25% relief is good news for youngcouples and singles who want a home of their own.Also encouraging is the fact that mortgage rates

have come down.But the main positive for potential buyers is that

house prices have continued to fall.The third-quarter figures from the Central Statistics

Office show that house prices have fallen by 45% sincetheir highest level in 2007. These figures show adecrease of 53% in Dublin prices and a 42% decreasein the rest of the country during this period. The CSOrecords a 15% decrease in house prices nationally forthe first three quarters of this year just ending.Sherry FitzGerald report an even steeper fall and

say that prices have fallen back to 2001 levels. At theend of the third quarter, they reported that housesprices had fallen nationally by 57.5%, and by 62.3 % inDublin since 2006.They say that between October, 2010 and October,

2011 house prices have fallen by 16.9% nationally.Their figure for Dublin is 18% and 12.9% for Cork.The EBS/DKM affordability index figures released

in November showed that the cost of funding amortgage on a new home for the average FTB workingcouple stood at 12.4% of joint income. This has comedown from a figure of 26.4% in 2006.According to this report, the average house price in

September this year was €178,400 nationally, and forFTBs was €148,000.But the key difficulty for many FTBs is that they are

unable to take advantage of falling house prices,simply because they cannot get credit from the banks.This is clearly shown by the latest figures from the

Irish Banking Federation, with mortgage loans drawndown for the third quarter this year just 50% on thethird quarter last year (from €1.24bn to €623m). In2010, the total figure for mortgages was €4.75bn, whilethe figure for the first three quarters of this year was€1.82bn.In this contracting mortgage market, first-time

buyers have been increasing their share. In the thirdquarter this year, they accounted for 47% of allmortgages approved, which Irish Banking Federationsay is their highest share yet since current recordsstarted in 2005.Savills Cork director, Catherine McAuliffe, reports

an increase in cash buyers this year and says theirsales to first-time buyers in Cork accounted for 40% ofthe market, while they put the figure nationally at35%, up on 30% in 2010.“We did see an increase in first-time buyer activity

before the budget and we are now expecting anincrease in the new year because of new mortgageinterest relief,” she says.Given that first-time buyers are taking the major

share of mortgages, it might have been expected thatthey were increasing their share of house purchases.However, in its third-quarter report Sherry FitzGeraldsays the FTB share of purchases has dropped, due toan increase in activity of other owner-occupiers whoare both trading up and down. This increase is mainlydue to the reduction in stamp duty in the previousyear’s budget.“First-time buyers are still the most active cohort,

but have decreased from 51% last year to 38%, whilein Dublin the figure is 27%,” says Sherry FitzGerald’schief economist, Marian Finnegan.

She says that there has been an increase in cashbuyers and that 28% of active buyers registered withSherry FitzGerald now have cash. Given the decline inthe level of mortgage approval, it might have beenexpected that overall sales would be down, but becauseof the increase in cash buyers, Finnegan says SherryFitzGerald has not found this to be the case.“Overall sales are largely on par with 2010, and in

Cork sales are forecast to be up 15% on 2010 by theyear end,” she says.While welcoming the new mortgage interest relief

measures for first-time buyers, Finnegan has beencritical of the Government for not using the budget tointroduce specific residential lending targets for thebanks.She says that this is the way to restore the market to

normality, which she says has now over-corrected.“The banks have been recapitalised, they should beable to lend,” she says.Given that prices are still falling, commentators

have mostly given up predicting when the market willbottom out, but most say it will be difficult for this tohappen until the freeze on mortgage lending ends.For 2012, FTBs with mortgage approval can take

advantage of the reduced prices and increased

mortgage interest relief.Meanwhile, would-be FTBs who are waiting either

for mortgage approval, or for the market to bottomout, will be watching very carefully.

Building and sales have continued in schemes like Manor Farm in Lehenaghbeg in Cork.

PROPERTY FEATURE

Getting back to normal

Grape of Wrath: Like Ireland, Greece has its own NAMA — only in its case, it is a sweet red wine, popular on the island of Santorini. Ironically, here inIreland, the best blog on NAMA is called — of all things — namawinelake.wordpress.com Picture: Denis Scannell

NAMA has to engage with the market in 2012 and funding for buyers must improve, writes Peter O’Flynn

■ Peter O’Flynn is a director of DTZ SherryFitzGerald based in Cork.

LAST year I predicted here thatthere would be opportunities inthe market and NAMA wouldstart disposing of its Irish

portfolio: unfortunately my predictionwas not fulfilled.It may not be politically correct, and

is certainly not a media friendlymessage to portray, but Ireland is inneed of a functioning property marketwhich will assist in the nationaleconomic recovery. We will never goback to the poorly managed positionwhere such a high percentage of publicfunds was derived from theconstruction industry, but thependulum has now swung in theopposite direction which is equallyunhealthy from an economic standpoint. The reality is a functioningproperty industry encouragesconstruction and this generatesemployment.Transactions in the commercial

property sector have all been at astandstill since 2008 with the lack ofconfidence coinciding with theGovernment’s (two governments) lackof action towards the proposed changesto the retrospective upward only rentreviews.The biggest challenge within the

sector is that the property industry isnow almost totally dependent ongovernment and, by extension, NAMA.With a directive from government tocontinue the disposal of Irish propertyand slash €7.5 billion off its €13bn debtby the end of 2013, NAMA has to engagewith the market in 2012. NAMA CEOBrendan McDonagh publicly stated theywould not be disposing of any assets atmore then a 10% discount on theirpurchase price in November 2009.Realistically, prices in real terms havefallen 20% since that date so we can seethis as an obvious problem for themarket place.The Government in some of their

budget decisions have obviously tried toadd some stimulus to the market placeand as an essential industry these havegenerally been welcomed.The political games had to be played

on the rent review issue, but the correctdecision has finally been made. Anyinternational investment funds lookingat Ireland were never going to investuntil this issue was off the table. Theother measures introduced, includingthe reduction in stamp duty, capitalgains tax incentives and mortgageinterest reliefs, should assist in the re-engagement of the Irish propertymarket.We are now close, if not at the bottom

of the market, with all property valuesdown between 50%-60% across theboard which, in addition to the otherstimulus, should look attractive toinvestors.The principal difficulty that will

remain is funding. NAMA will assist insome of the larger acquisitions, butunless we have a healthy and activebanking system in place, the fundingwill remain a problem going forward.Understanding that Irish bank balancesare still over-invested in property, you

can see their reluctance to reengage atany significant level.The introduction of Real Estate

Investment Trusts (REITS), part of theFine Gael election manifesto, wouldcertainly help in allowing investorsgetting involved at a lower level ofinvestment and bring capital to theproperty market outside the standardbanking system. These are common inmany countries around Europe and theUS and are professional managed fundswhich can form part of an investmentportfolio, working in parallel with moretraditional pension funds. Indeed manypension funds invest in REITS as part oftheir overall portfolios. Unless we canlook at alternatives such as REITS,funding will remain one of the majorobstacles.The main ingredients for recovery of

both the commercial and residentialproperty sectors will continue to beaffordability, funding, demand andcontinued population growth. Forinstance, in the 3rd generation officemarket in Cork city centre, we arealready beginning to see a shortage interms of supply, however, constructioncosts are now substantially higher thenprevailing prices and this willinevitability lead to some priceincreases in the long term. The ForeignDirect Investment (FDI) remainscritically important to Ireland in termsof the export market and attracting newemployment driven industry. TheGovernment, IDA, Enterprise Boardsand local interests remain active in

trying to attract new FDI to theirspecific regions.One element of this that is starting to

become a problem is the provision ofgood quality 3rd generation office spacebeing available for these enquiries whenthey arise. The lead in period tends tobe between 3-6 months and if product isnot in place for viewing at the initialstage it is highly unlikely the locationwill remain on the list of possibilities.In an industry where effectivedevelopment has all but ceased, this willbecome a real issue going forward forIreland as an attractive FDI location.Construction activity has all but ceasedin both the industrial and officemarkets in Cork, Galway and Limerick.The only active site in Cork is City Gatein Mahon where 200,000 sq ft of officesis currently under construction, with athird of this already accounted for byQuest Computing, the leadingmanagement information systemspecialists.In the Cork market, levels of uptake in

office space for 2011 will be in theregion of 12,000 sq m. However, with anumber of strong enquiries currently inthe market we would expect this toincrease to over 15,000 sq m for 2012.The industrial market remains weak

and although the uptake for 2011 will bein the region of 15,000 sq m, rents andcapital values have plummeted sharplyfrom their peak level. Unfortunately,2012 will remain difficult, but there willcertainly be opportunities in thismarket as any product for sale in this

sector will inevitability be atcompetitive levels.The retail market, the most vocal in

terms of its opposite to the upward onlyrent reviews, has actually preformedreasonably well in the Cork market, andalthough there are vacancies insecondary areas, the prime locationshave remained popular, albeit at muchreduced rents. Although relationshipsbetween landlord and tenants will havebeen tested over the last few years, thereality is if landlords are not preparedto be reasonable in terms of theirnegotiations with tenants, they will endup having empty units, which is the lastthing required in the current market.The German discounters, Aldi and Lidl,and Tesco have remained activethroughout 2011 and the big story forthe retail market for 2011 was theacquisition of Superquinn by theMusgrave Group.A mood of cautious optimism is now

prevailing in commercial propertymarkets. The budget has certainlyhelped in terms of providing somestimulus to investors and NAMA haveclearly directed their borrowers to placeportions of their portfolios for sale onthe market in 2012. The challenge to theindustry will be to find the purchaserswith the financial backing in place.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


PROPERTY FEATURE

Opportunities and value all over the country for first time buyers.

First-timer’s home helpMortgage relief of 25% is a welcome boon for the young and for Irish property market, writes Trish Dromey

“The EBS/DKM affordabilityindex figures released inNovember showed that the costof funding a mortgage on a newhome for the average first-timebuyer working couple stood at12.4% of joint income. This hascome down from a figure of 26.4%in 2006.”

THE end of the tunnel may not yet be in sightfor the Irish property market, but the offer of25% mortgage relief to first-time buyers(FTBs) next year has shed a little light in a

gloomy place.Designed to stimulate the market, and increase first-

time buyer activity, the mortgage relief measure hasbeen welcomed. Commentators say the budget didn’tfree up credit from the banks, which is what is mostneeded to stimulate the housing market.But amidst all the economic gloom, the looming

Euro crisis, and the fallout from a punitive budget,this availability of 25% relief is good news for youngcouples and singles who want a home of their own.Also encouraging is the fact that mortgage rates

have come down.But the main positive for potential buyers is that

house prices have continued to fall.The third-quarter figures from the Central Statistics

Office show that house prices have fallen by 45% sincetheir highest level in 2007. These figures show adecrease of 53% in Dublin prices and a 42% decreasein the rest of the country during this period. The CSOrecords a 15% decrease in house prices nationally forthe first three quarters of this year just ending.Sherry FitzGerald report an even steeper fall and

say that prices have fallen back to 2001 levels. At theend of the third quarter, they reported that housesprices had fallen nationally by 57.5%, and by 62.3 % inDublin since 2006.They say that between October, 2010 and October,

2011 house prices have fallen by 16.9% nationally.Their figure for Dublin is 18% and 12.9% for Cork.The EBS/DKM affordability index figures released

in November showed that the cost of funding amortgage on a new home for the average FTB workingcouple stood at 12.4% of joint income. This has comedown from a figure of 26.4% in 2006.According to this report, the average house price in

September this year was €178,400 nationally, and forFTBs was €148,000.But the key difficulty for many FTBs is that they are

unable to take advantage of falling house prices,simply because they cannot get credit from the banks.This is clearly shown by the latest figures from the

Irish Banking Federation, with mortgage loans drawndown for the third quarter this year just 50% on thethird quarter last year (from €1.24bn to €623m). In2010, the total figure for mortgages was €4.75bn, whilethe figure for the first three quarters of this year was€1.82bn.In this contracting mortgage market, first-time

buyers have been increasing their share. In the thirdquarter this year, they accounted for 47% of allmortgages approved, which Irish Banking Federationsay is their highest share yet since current recordsstarted in 2005.Savills Cork director, Catherine McAuliffe, reports

an increase in cash buyers this year and says theirsales to first-time buyers in Cork accounted for 40% ofthe market, while they put the figure nationally at35%, up on 30% in 2010.“We did see an increase in first-time buyer activity

before the budget and we are now expecting anincrease in the new year because of new mortgageinterest relief,” she says.Given that first-time buyers are taking the major

share of mortgages, it might have been expected thatthey were increasing their share of house purchases.However, in its third-quarter report Sherry FitzGeraldsays the FTB share of purchases has dropped, due toan increase in activity of other owner-occupiers whoare both trading up and down. This increase is mainlydue to the reduction in stamp duty in the previousyear’s budget.“First-time buyers are still the most active cohort,

but have decreased from 51% last year to 38%, whilein Dublin the figure is 27%,” says Sherry FitzGerald’schief economist, Marian Finnegan.

She says that there has been an increase in cashbuyers and that 28% of active buyers registered withSherry FitzGerald now have cash. Given the decline inthe level of mortgage approval, it might have beenexpected that overall sales would be down, but becauseof the increase in cash buyers, Finnegan says SherryFitzGerald has not found this to be the case.“Overall sales are largely on par with 2010, and in

Cork sales are forecast to be up 15% on 2010 by theyear end,” she says.While welcoming the new mortgage interest relief

measures for first-time buyers, Finnegan has beencritical of the Government for not using the budget tointroduce specific residential lending targets for thebanks.She says that this is the way to restore the market to

normality, which she says has now over-corrected.“The banks have been recapitalised, they should beable to lend,” she says.Given that prices are still falling, commentators

have mostly given up predicting when the market willbottom out, but most say it will be difficult for this tohappen until the freeze on mortgage lending ends.For 2012, FTBs with mortgage approval can take

advantage of the reduced prices and increased

mortgage interest relief.Meanwhile, would-be FTBs who are waiting either

for mortgage approval, or for the market to bottomout, will be watching very carefully.

Building and sales have continued in schemes like Manor Farm in Lehenaghbeg in Cork.

PROPERTY FEATURE

Getting back to normal

Grape of Wrath: Like Ireland, Greece has its own NAMA — only in its case, it is a sweet red wine, popular on the island of Santorini. Ironically, here inIreland, the best blog on NAMA is called — of all things — namawinelake.wordpress.com Picture: Denis Scannell

NAMA has to engage with the market in 2012 and funding for buyers must improve, writes Peter O’Flynn

■ Peter O’Flynn is a director of DTZ SherryFitzGerald based in Cork.

LAST year I predicted here thatthere would be opportunities inthe market and NAMA wouldstart disposing of its Irish

portfolio: unfortunately my predictionwas not fulfilled.It may not be politically correct, and

is certainly not a media friendlymessage to portray, but Ireland is inneed of a functioning property marketwhich will assist in the nationaleconomic recovery. We will never goback to the poorly managed positionwhere such a high percentage of publicfunds was derived from theconstruction industry, but thependulum has now swung in theopposite direction which is equallyunhealthy from an economic standpoint. The reality is a functioningproperty industry encouragesconstruction and this generatesemployment.Transactions in the commercial

property sector have all been at astandstill since 2008 with the lack ofconfidence coinciding with theGovernment’s (two governments) lackof action towards the proposed changesto the retrospective upward only rentreviews.The biggest challenge within the

sector is that the property industry isnow almost totally dependent ongovernment and, by extension, NAMA.With a directive from government tocontinue the disposal of Irish propertyand slash €7.5 billion off its €13bn debtby the end of 2013, NAMA has to engagewith the market in 2012. NAMA CEOBrendan McDonagh publicly stated theywould not be disposing of any assets atmore then a 10% discount on theirpurchase price in November 2009.Realistically, prices in real terms havefallen 20% since that date so we can seethis as an obvious problem for themarket place.The Government in some of their

budget decisions have obviously tried toadd some stimulus to the market placeand as an essential industry these havegenerally been welcomed.The political games had to be played

on the rent review issue, but the correctdecision has finally been made. Anyinternational investment funds lookingat Ireland were never going to investuntil this issue was off the table. Theother measures introduced, includingthe reduction in stamp duty, capitalgains tax incentives and mortgageinterest reliefs, should assist in the re-engagement of the Irish propertymarket.We are now close, if not at the bottom

of the market, with all property valuesdown between 50%-60% across theboard which, in addition to the otherstimulus, should look attractive toinvestors.The principal difficulty that will

remain is funding. NAMA will assist insome of the larger acquisitions, butunless we have a healthy and activebanking system in place, the fundingwill remain a problem going forward.Understanding that Irish bank balancesare still over-invested in property, you

can see their reluctance to reengage atany significant level.The introduction of Real Estate

Investment Trusts (REITS), part of theFine Gael election manifesto, wouldcertainly help in allowing investorsgetting involved at a lower level ofinvestment and bring capital to theproperty market outside the standardbanking system. These are common inmany countries around Europe and theUS and are professional managed fundswhich can form part of an investmentportfolio, working in parallel with moretraditional pension funds. Indeed manypension funds invest in REITS as part oftheir overall portfolios. Unless we canlook at alternatives such as REITS,funding will remain one of the majorobstacles.The main ingredients for recovery of

both the commercial and residentialproperty sectors will continue to beaffordability, funding, demand andcontinued population growth. Forinstance, in the 3rd generation officemarket in Cork city centre, we arealready beginning to see a shortage interms of supply, however, constructioncosts are now substantially higher thenprevailing prices and this willinevitability lead to some priceincreases in the long term. The ForeignDirect Investment (FDI) remainscritically important to Ireland in termsof the export market and attracting newemployment driven industry. TheGovernment, IDA, Enterprise Boardsand local interests remain active in

trying to attract new FDI to theirspecific regions.One element of this that is starting to

become a problem is the provision ofgood quality 3rd generation office spacebeing available for these enquiries whenthey arise. The lead in period tends tobe between 3-6 months and if product isnot in place for viewing at the initialstage it is highly unlikely the locationwill remain on the list of possibilities.In an industry where effectivedevelopment has all but ceased, this willbecome a real issue going forward forIreland as an attractive FDI location.Construction activity has all but ceasedin both the industrial and officemarkets in Cork, Galway and Limerick.The only active site in Cork is City Gatein Mahon where 200,000 sq ft of officesis currently under construction, with athird of this already accounted for byQuest Computing, the leadingmanagement information systemspecialists.In the Cork market, levels of uptake in

office space for 2011 will be in theregion of 12,000 sq m. However, with anumber of strong enquiries currently inthe market we would expect this toincrease to over 15,000 sq m for 2012.The industrial market remains weak

and although the uptake for 2011 will bein the region of 15,000 sq m, rents andcapital values have plummeted sharplyfrom their peak level. Unfortunately,2012 will remain difficult, but there willcertainly be opportunities in thismarket as any product for sale in this

sector will inevitability be atcompetitive levels.The retail market, the most vocal in

terms of its opposite to the upward onlyrent reviews, has actually preformedreasonably well in the Cork market, andalthough there are vacancies insecondary areas, the prime locationshave remained popular, albeit at muchreduced rents. Although relationshipsbetween landlord and tenants will havebeen tested over the last few years, thereality is if landlords are not preparedto be reasonable in terms of theirnegotiations with tenants, they will endup having empty units, which is the lastthing required in the current market.The German discounters, Aldi and Lidl,and Tesco have remained activethroughout 2011 and the big story forthe retail market for 2011 was theacquisition of Superquinn by theMusgrave Group.A mood of cautious optimism is now

prevailing in commercial propertymarkets. The budget has certainlyhelped in terms of providing somestimulus to investors and NAMA haveclearly directed their borrowers to placeportions of their portfolios for sale onthe market in 2012. The challenge to theindustry will be to find the purchaserswith the financial backing in place.


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PROPERTY PROPERTY

Pictures: Denis Scannell

Focus on country homesThere are encouraging signs of an appetite for Irish country houses, writesMichael H Daniels

A LTHOUGH acknowledging the Irish economyis in rough shape, the New York Timescommented this month that many arepointing to us as a model for how to get out of

trouble — as Europe’s leaders scramble to overcomethe continent’s debt problems.Recent praise too from Merkel and Sarkozy… “an

outstanding example” and “almost out of the crisis”. Anice change for us to be perceived as anything but aneconomic basket case fit only for ridicule. Then again,we had obligingly just coughed up billions when‘asked’ to by our friendly European bank bondholders,who had helped us make that same basket withdecades of cheap credit.All markets crave stability and we are showing the

world that we are willing to take the hair shirt, just asthe Greeks have shown they are not. The medicine hasbeen beyond unpalatable, and the human cost brutal,with a real threat of too much damage being done tothe economy with so much belt-tightening.It is stability that breeds confidence and there is a

real sense that if the eurozone debt crisis can besolved, the scales could tip from property bust toproperty opportunity.It is hard to imagine that there are prospective

international buyers looking at buying in Ireland — aswe suffer with flagellation and penance for ourcollective sins — but there are signs of an appetite forIrish country property returning from home andforeign shores.Dr Sean Kay, a professor of politics at Ohio

University and the author of a recent book examiningour crisis, was also quoted by the New York Times —“The Irish are being praised for doing what they wereasked to do, which is important for bringing investorsback to the country“.In an undoubted statement of confidence, a highlight

this year was the sale of Coolmore House in Kilkennywith 250 acres for a figure believed to be in the €3.25million region to a Hong Kong businessman. To investsuch a sum in a shattered market takes courage, yetthe buyer and the vast majority of agents would agreethat this deal was excellent value for money.The ideal of a Georgian house with acres is still

alive for those with necessary funds and footlooseaspirations. Those with Irish blood abroad and whostill dream of a return are now moving to takeadvantage of the huge reduction in prices which haveseen entry levels plummet from around € €1.5m to€500,000 for a good period house with some acres.Prices at the top end of the market have fallen with

jaw dropping speed for three years………down 25% inDublin in the last year, according to Knight Frank’sPrime International Index, some way behind Dubaiwhere values fell by 10%. We are now at levels wherethe attraction of purchasing is perceived as beginningto equal if not outweigh the risk of further falls.

The agricultural land market is tied closely to thecountry house market. In marked contrast, 2011 maywell be seen as the year in which land prices bottomedout as there is plenty of evidence to suggest that theymay come back strongly in the coming year. Themattress money salted away prior to the crash andsitting idle since is beginning to find a home again inland — the alternatives are far from attractive, as fewof the certainties in life remain untouched by thecurrent recession.The herd mentality hard-wired into all of us dictates

that we buy when everyone is buying and sell wheneveryone is selling. However, it is the clever moneythat manages to jump the circuit, and there areindications that there is a gathering demand buildingfor country property.This has yet to transform intovisible sales data, but

it has always been difficult to read the sector due tothe peculiar qualities pertaining to it even in ‘normal’as the country house market is able to operate where asizeable percentage of properties for sale are notactually advertised or promoted to the open market.Foreign buyers are almost always surprised by this,

expecting a plethora of opportunities such as thosewhich adorn the glossy pages of the UK bible, CountryLife. This off-market approach, where perhaps asmuch as 60 % of the available stock is not offered tothe open market, has always been an important facetof the country market, but the proportion offered viathe private market has shot up in recent times for anumber of reasons.The main reason is that sales can be achieved this

way and it is certainly less painful if a bid can beachieved in confidence. The market is very thin with

Hopes for 2012 activity

A DEQUATE access to finance, transparencyaround real property prices and enhancedconsumer protection and regulation of estateagents, coupled with the Budget 2012

incentives, have the potential to put our propertymarket on a sound footing for the future.The budget measures to increase mortgage interest

relief of up to €5,000 per year for seven years for first-time buyers in 2012 was unexpected, and, along withhistorically-low interest rates, provides a compellingreason for first-time buyers to consider buying theirown homes. However, access to finance remains thekey issue.According to the recent Irish Banking Federation/

PwC Mortgage Market Profile, the volume of lendingin quarter-three of 2011 was down 50% compared tothe previous year. And while we welcome the recentannouncement that Bank of Ireland will make €1.5bnin loans available for first-time buyers, it remains tobe seen how many will be granted mortgages. Whileno one wants a repeat of the frenzied demand formortgage and properties witnessed during the boomyears, a return to normal levels of demand isnecessary for any properly-functioning economy.Transparency in the property market is clearly

needed to provide consumers with confidence andcertainty. The CSO Residential House Price Index forOctober, 2011 reported that property prices in Dublinwere down 51% since the peak in 2007, and 42%throughout the rest of Ireland. The experience of manymembers of the Society of Chartered SurveyorsIreland, who are auctioneers, is that selling prices areeven lower, at around 60%, and even further in someparts of the Munster region, where prices are down byup to 70% in some locations.While we have many reports of property prices,

some of which are based on asking prices, whatconsumers need is access to real transaction prices.The Property Services (Regulation) Bill, 2009, which isdue to be enacted before the end of the year, willprovide for the establishment of a National PropertyPrice Register. This register will list actual propertysales prices and will be available online for the public.This data is available in Britain and many otherEuropean countries and it is long overdue in Ireland.This information, when integrated with other spatialand economic data, should provide a better foundationfor planning for future development in Ireland.The Property Services Bill will also license and

regulate auctioneers, estate agents, and, for the firsttime, property management agents. The bill, oncepassed into legislation, will establish the PropertyServices Regulatory Authority (PSRA) on a statutorybasis. While the PSRA was set up several years ago, itdid not have the statutory powers to regulate andinvestigate consumer complaints. The societywelcomes this as it will require higher standards inthe property services sector, which are needed morethan ever.The decision by the minister to reduce stamp duty

on commercial property from 6% to 2%, and not tointerfere with existing lease contracts, gives a strongsignal to international investors that Ireland is openfor business. Previously, the commercial propertymarket was at a standstill compared to only a fewyears ago and this was largely due to the uncertaintyaround rent-review clauses in pre-2010 leases, as wellas a lack of access to finance.According to research by CBRE, investment levels

dropped to about €180m in 2011, compared to €3bn in2006. The SCSI expects the new measures willstimulate the market and boost investment andemployment opportunities.While the decision to retain upwards-only rent

reviews in pre-2010 leases was not welcomed byretailers, we would encourage tenants who are inserious financial difficulties to engage with landlords.

The new NAMA guidance note, available on itswebsite, should also help.The €100 household charge introduced in the budget

was inevitable and well-flagged, and while it isanother imposition on hard-pressed homeowners, itshould provide a more sustainable and stable source offunding for the exchequer than that provided by stampduty, which was dependent on the level oftransactions.Furthermore, the income from the levy should be

ring-fenced for local government, and the publicshould see an improvement in the services deliveredas a result.At a regional level, we believe that it is essential

that local authorities have adequate funding tosupport the delivery of local services and keydevelopments. In Limerick, plans to redevelop theOpera site have been welcomed as a boost to the city,and the merger of Limerick city and county councilswill ensure that the overall management of Limerickwill be more progressive under one local authority.In Cork, the final publication of the Local Area Plan

is expected imminently and it is interesting to notethat “de-zoning” of land has taken place in someperipheral locations, while flooding issues have alsobeen addressed, to some degree, in accordance withrecent government directivesMembers of the Society of Chartered Surveyors in

the mid-west region have made a formal submissionin respect of the master plan presently being preparedby the Shannon Foynes Port Company in relation tothe Shannon estuary. This includes a series of

recommendations to put in place a definite land-useplan to accommodate further, future expansion anddevelopment of the estuary with a view to attractinginvestment and industry.Environment Minister Phil Hogan recently

addressed SCSI members and reiterated the need forhigher standards in construction, and we welcome hisannouncements of measures to improve compliancewith building regulations as part of a more rigorousinspection regime. British building pathology expertProfessor Malcolm Hollis says regulation, developedfor the protection of the consumer, should be enforcedto the highest of standards and recommends that asystem, similar to that used in Britain, be adopted inIreland, whereby approved independent inspectorswork with the developer before, during and afterconstruction to ensure a stringent approach tocompliance with building regulations.While we appreciate the fact that local authorities

are starved of resources, perhaps funds raised fromthe new household charge could finance their role inensuring supervision and inspection of projectsthroughout the construction process. This is essentialif situations like the one we have seen in Priory Hallrecently are to be avoided in future.

■ PJ Power is chair of the southern region of the Society ofChartered Surveyors Ireland, recently formed as a result of amerger between the Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCS)and the Irish Auctioneers & Valuers Institute (IAVI). Its role isto enhance, advance and enforce professional standards inproperty, land and construction in Ireland.

Budget 2012 has offered a lifeline to the property market and has the potential to bring aboutmuch-needed stability and confidence to a sector which has been hard hit in recent years, writes PJ Power

Up to 2,000 jobs will be based in City Gate, Mahon, Cork when phase 11 now under speedy construction will be finished in 2012. The €50million block seen here is 40% committed, with Quest Softwear taking 80,000 sq ft for 150 workers by August, capable of swelling to 500staff.

Coolmore House, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny which was reportedlysold for about €3.25m to a Hong Kong businessman this year.

While not quite country estates, the sales in 2011 of two period properties with tourism potential shows the drop in values for countrypads with land. Left: Kerry’s superbly-sited Dromquinna Manor’s lease/purchase was agreed at a sub€2 million sum by John Brennan, ofRTÉ and Park Hotel Kenmare fame, who intends to run an upmarket camping or glamping venture there. Right: In Kilkenny the 10,000 sqft Duninga House, Goresbridge, with 14 tax incentive rental holiday homes on 48 acres of land, made under its revised €1.25 m guide viaSavills and Dominic Daly.

an overall stock of few properties in the prime areas ofdemand; as compared to other European countries —it is also very specialised in terms of agents whoactually cover the market.To be on the market is often seen as weakening one’s

position with an almost automatic but incorrectassumption that there is pressure to sell. The risk ofbeing stuck on the market, in full view for aconsiderable time, is not a pleasant prospect as is theprobable attraction of overzealous parties wishing topress unwelcome ‘distressed-auction’ level bids.It takes courage and perseverance for foreign buyers

to find and buy here, where things are rarely certain,even for initiated big-hitting buyers used tonegotiating on their own terms. Both parties arehampered by the lack of a price register, which canserve only to erode the confidence of both parties todeal — often vendors are reluctant, casting nostalgicglances to the past whilst buyers try to bring their‘buyer’s market’ hardball ‘A’ game into play. The off-market property often has no official price whilst thebuyer has little or no on-market evidence againstwhich to weigh an offer.This leads to considerable casualties amongst

overseas buyers who are defeated by this process.There is too little clarity for them, coupled with theunrelenting backdrop of negativity they encounterfrom many advisors. Undoubtedly the fall in houseprices has been exacerbated by a lack of facts andfigures — just as the crazy rise in the bubble yearswas. The price crash is also now in danger ofbecoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, whereby thosewho cannot see an end to the fall in prices will surelyensure that this is the case.Although some of the cloak of secrecy will be lifted

by such a move, the setting up of a property priceregister will be a most welcome development and canonly instil confidence and trust in the market at a timewhen it needs it most.

■ Michael Daniels, SCSI, is the principal of Michael H Daniels &Co., country house specialists, based in Fermoy, Co Cork.www.michaelhdaniels.com

Left: Earlier in 2011, Apple leased the top two floors of Owen O’Callaghan’s €75 million Half Moon Street building for 350 new staff.Right: The Opera site in Limerick city centre is being bought from NAMA by Limerick City Council for €12.5 million for a publicly-backedcivic and residential development. It was assembled at a cost of over €100 million for a retail-led and Anglo-backed project, spearheadedby developers Terry Sweeney, Jerry O’Reilly and David Courtney.


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PROPERTY PROPERTY


Focus on country homesThere are encouraging signs of an appetite for Irish country houses, writesMichael H Daniels

A LTHOUGH acknowledging the Irish economyis in rough shape, the New York Timescommented this month that many arepointing to us as a model for how to get out of

trouble — as Europe’s leaders scramble to overcomethe continent’s debt problems.Recent praise too from Merkel and Sarkozy… “an

outstanding example” and “almost out of the crisis”. Anice change for us to be perceived as anything but aneconomic basket case fit only for ridicule. Then again,we had obligingly just coughed up billions when‘asked’ to by our friendly European bank bondholders,who had helped us make that same basket withdecades of cheap credit.All markets crave stability and we are showing the

world that we are willing to take the hair shirt, just asthe Greeks have shown they are not. The medicine hasbeen beyond unpalatable, and the human cost brutal,with a real threat of too much damage being done tothe economy with so much belt-tightening.It is stability that breeds confidence and there is a

real sense that if the eurozone debt crisis can besolved, the scales could tip from property bust toproperty opportunity.It is hard to imagine that there are prospective

international buyers looking at buying in Ireland — aswe suffer with flagellation and penance for ourcollective sins — but there are signs of an appetite forIrish country property returning from home andforeign shores.Dr Sean Kay, a professor of politics at Ohio

University and the author of a recent book examiningour crisis, was also quoted by the New York Times —“The Irish are being praised for doing what they wereasked to do, which is important for bringing investorsback to the country“.In an undoubted statement of confidence, a highlight

this year was the sale of Coolmore House in Kilkennywith 250 acres for a figure believed to be in the €3.25million region to a Hong Kong businessman. To investsuch a sum in a shattered market takes courage, yetthe buyer and the vast majority of agents would agreethat this deal was excellent value for money.The ideal of a Georgian house with acres is still

alive for those with necessary funds and footlooseaspirations. Those with Irish blood abroad and whostill dream of a return are now moving to takeadvantage of the huge reduction in prices which haveseen entry levels plummet from around € €1.5m to€500,000 for a good period house with some acres.Prices at the top end of the market have fallen with

jaw dropping speed for three years………down 25% inDublin in the last year, according to Knight Frank’sPrime International Index, some way behind Dubaiwhere values fell by 10%. We are now at levels wherethe attraction of purchasing is perceived as beginningto equal if not outweigh the risk of further falls.

The agricultural land market is tied closely to thecountry house market. In marked contrast, 2011 maywell be seen as the year in which land prices bottomedout as there is plenty of evidence to suggest that theymay come back strongly in the coming year. Themattress money salted away prior to the crash andsitting idle since is beginning to find a home again inland — the alternatives are far from attractive, as fewof the certainties in life remain untouched by thecurrent recession.The herd mentality hard-wired into all of us dictates

that we buy when everyone is buying and sell wheneveryone is selling. However, it is the clever moneythat manages to jump the circuit, and there areindications that there is a gathering demand buildingfor country property.This has yet to transform intovisible sales data, but

it has always been difficult to read the sector due tothe peculiar qualities pertaining to it even in ‘normal’as the country house market is able to operate where asizeable percentage of properties for sale are notactually advertised or promoted to the open market.Foreign buyers are almost always surprised by this,

expecting a plethora of opportunities such as thosewhich adorn the glossy pages of the UK bible, CountryLife. This off-market approach, where perhaps asmuch as 60 % of the available stock is not offered tothe open market, has always been an important facetof the country market, but the proportion offered viathe private market has shot up in recent times for anumber of reasons.The main reason is that sales can be achieved this

way and it is certainly less painful if a bid can beachieved in confidence. The market is very thin with

Hopes for 2012 activity

A DEQUATE access to finance, transparencyaround real property prices and enhancedconsumer protection and regulation of estateagents, coupled with the Budget 2012

incentives, have the potential to put our propertymarket on a sound footing for the future.The budget measures to increase mortgage interest

relief of up to €5,000 per year for seven years for first-time buyers in 2012 was unexpected, and, along withhistorically-low interest rates, provides a compellingreason for first-time buyers to consider buying theirown homes. However, access to finance remains thekey issue.According to the recent Irish Banking Federation/

PwC Mortgage Market Profile, the volume of lendingin quarter-three of 2011 was down 50% compared tothe previous year. And while we welcome the recentannouncement that Bank of Ireland will make €1.5bnin loans available for first-time buyers, it remains tobe seen how many will be granted mortgages. Whileno one wants a repeat of the frenzied demand formortgage and properties witnessed during the boomyears, a return to normal levels of demand isnecessary for any properly-functioning economy.Transparency in the property market is clearly

needed to provide consumers with confidence andcertainty. The CSO Residential House Price Index forOctober, 2011 reported that property prices in Dublinwere down 51% since the peak in 2007, and 42%throughout the rest of Ireland. The experience of manymembers of the Society of Chartered SurveyorsIreland, who are auctioneers, is that selling prices areeven lower, at around 60%, and even further in someparts of the Munster region, where prices are down byup to 70% in some locations.While we have many reports of property prices,

some of which are based on asking prices, whatconsumers need is access to real transaction prices.The Property Services (Regulation) Bill, 2009, which isdue to be enacted before the end of the year, willprovide for the establishment of a National PropertyPrice Register. This register will list actual propertysales prices and will be available online for the public.This data is available in Britain and many otherEuropean countries and it is long overdue in Ireland.This information, when integrated with other spatialand economic data, should provide a better foundationfor planning for future development in Ireland.The Property Services Bill will also license and

regulate auctioneers, estate agents, and, for the firsttime, property management agents. The bill, oncepassed into legislation, will establish the PropertyServices Regulatory Authority (PSRA) on a statutorybasis. While the PSRA was set up several years ago, itdid not have the statutory powers to regulate andinvestigate consumer complaints. The societywelcomes this as it will require higher standards inthe property services sector, which are needed morethan ever.The decision by the minister to reduce stamp duty

on commercial property from 6% to 2%, and not tointerfere with existing lease contracts, gives a strongsignal to international investors that Ireland is openfor business. Previously, the commercial propertymarket was at a standstill compared to only a fewyears ago and this was largely due to the uncertaintyaround rent-review clauses in pre-2010 leases, as wellas a lack of access to finance.According to research by CBRE, investment levels

dropped to about €180m in 2011, compared to €3bn in2006. The SCSI expects the new measures willstimulate the market and boost investment andemployment opportunities.While the decision to retain upwards-only rent

reviews in pre-2010 leases was not welcomed byretailers, we would encourage tenants who are inserious financial difficulties to engage with landlords.

The new NAMA guidance note, available on itswebsite, should also help.The €100 household charge introduced in the budget

was inevitable and well-flagged, and while it isanother imposition on hard-pressed homeowners, itshould provide a more sustainable and stable source offunding for the exchequer than that provided by stampduty, which was dependent on the level oftransactions.Furthermore, the income from the levy should be

ring-fenced for local government, and the publicshould see an improvement in the services deliveredas a result.At a regional level, we believe that it is essential

that local authorities have adequate funding tosupport the delivery of local services and keydevelopments. In Limerick, plans to redevelop theOpera site have been welcomed as a boost to the city,and the merger of Limerick city and county councilswill ensure that the overall management of Limerickwill be more progressive under one local authority.In Cork, the final publication of the Local Area Plan

is expected imminently and it is interesting to notethat “de-zoning” of land has taken place in someperipheral locations, while flooding issues have alsobeen addressed, to some degree, in accordance withrecent government directivesMembers of the Society of Chartered Surveyors in

the mid-west region have made a formal submissionin respect of the master plan presently being preparedby the Shannon Foynes Port Company in relation tothe Shannon estuary. This includes a series of

recommendations to put in place a definite land-useplan to accommodate further, future expansion anddevelopment of the estuary with a view to attractinginvestment and industry.Environment Minister Phil Hogan recently

addressed SCSI members and reiterated the need forhigher standards in construction, and we welcome hisannouncements of measures to improve compliancewith building regulations as part of a more rigorousinspection regime. British building pathology expertProfessor Malcolm Hollis says regulation, developedfor the protection of the consumer, should be enforcedto the highest of standards and recommends that asystem, similar to that used in Britain, be adopted inIreland, whereby approved independent inspectorswork with the developer before, during and afterconstruction to ensure a stringent approach tocompliance with building regulations.While we appreciate the fact that local authorities

are starved of resources, perhaps funds raised fromthe new household charge could finance their role inensuring supervision and inspection of projectsthroughout the construction process. This is essentialif situations like the one we have seen in Priory Hallrecently are to be avoided in future.

■ PJ Power is chair of the southern region of the Society ofChartered Surveyors Ireland, recently formed as a result of amerger between the Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCS)and the Irish Auctioneers & Valuers Institute (IAVI). Its role isto enhance, advance and enforce professional standards inproperty, land and construction in Ireland.

Budget 2012 has offered a lifeline to the property market and has the potential to bring aboutmuch-needed stability and confidence to a sector which has been hard hit in recent years, writes PJ Power

Up to 2,000 jobs will be based in City Gate, Mahon, Cork when phase 11 now under speedy construction will be finished in 2012. The €50million block seen here is 40% committed, with Quest Softwear taking 80,000 sq ft for 150 workers by August, capable of swelling to 500staff.

Coolmore House, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny which was reportedlysold for about €3.25m to a Hong Kong businessman this year.

While not quite country estates, the sales in 2011 of two period properties with tourism potential shows the drop in values for countrypads with land. Left: Kerry’s superbly-sited Dromquinna Manor’s lease/purchase was agreed at a sub€2 million sum by John Brennan, ofRTÉ and Park Hotel Kenmare fame, who intends to run an upmarket camping or glamping venture there. Right: In Kilkenny the 10,000 sqft Duninga House, Goresbridge, with 14 tax incentive rental holiday homes on 48 acres of land, made under its revised €1.25 m guide viaSavills and Dominic Daly.

an overall stock of few properties in the prime areas ofdemand; as compared to other European countries —it is also very specialised in terms of agents whoactually cover the market.To be on the market is often seen as weakening one’s

position with an almost automatic but incorrectassumption that there is pressure to sell. The risk ofbeing stuck on the market, in full view for aconsiderable time, is not a pleasant prospect as is theprobable attraction of overzealous parties wishing topress unwelcome ‘distressed-auction’ level bids.It takes courage and perseverance for foreign buyers

to find and buy here, where things are rarely certain,even for initiated big-hitting buyers used tonegotiating on their own terms. Both parties arehampered by the lack of a price register, which canserve only to erode the confidence of both parties todeal — often vendors are reluctant, casting nostalgicglances to the past whilst buyers try to bring their‘buyer’s market’ hardball ‘A’ game into play. The off-market property often has no official price whilst thebuyer has little or no on-market evidence againstwhich to weigh an offer.This leads to considerable casualties amongst

overseas buyers who are defeated by this process.There is too little clarity for them, coupled with theunrelenting backdrop of negativity they encounterfrom many advisors. Undoubtedly the fall in houseprices has been exacerbated by a lack of facts andfigures — just as the crazy rise in the bubble yearswas. The price crash is also now in danger ofbecoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, whereby thosewho cannot see an end to the fall in prices will surelyensure that this is the case.Although some of the cloak of secrecy will be lifted

by such a move, the setting up of a property priceregister will be a most welcome development and canonly instil confidence and trust in the market at a timewhen it needs it most.

■ Michael Daniels, SCSI, is the principal of Michael H Daniels &Co., country house specialists, based in Fermoy, Co Cork.www.michaelhdaniels.com

Left: Earlier in 2011, Apple leased the top two floors of Owen O’Callaghan’s €75 million Half Moon Street building for 350 new staff.Right: The Opera site in Limerick city centre is being bought from NAMA by Limerick City Council for €12.5 million for a publicly-backedcivic and residential development. It was assembled at a cost of over €100 million for a retail-led and Anglo-backed project, spearheadedby developers Terry Sweeney, Jerry O’Reilly and David Courtney.


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COVER STORY COVER STORY


Labour of lovereaps the rewardsat period mansionPeeling away layers of history, a renowned conservation engineer hasrestored an old world gem to its original splendour, reports Laurie O’Flynn

“Although possessingan impressive historytoday Marybrook is acompact family home”

YOU have the comfortof Georgian living butwith the medievaloption of pouring hot

oil on unwanted visitors atMarybrook House on 13 acresjust outside Kanturk, Co Cork,where its history dates backalmost 500 years.The original building of 1550

was a fortified tower on amanor farm believed to servethe Knights Templar.Almost 200 years later it

became a Georgian farmhouse,and has changed very littlesince then.In 2007, the perfect match

was made when conservationengineer Chris Southgatemoved in and undertook toreturn the property to itsformer glory.“I loved it for its history and

architecture and the fact it wasvirtually untouched. It hadbeen re-roofed so it was inreasonable structural conditionand at 3,500 sq ft, it was smallenough to handle,” he said.It was Marybrook’s certified

organic farm and the centuries’old parkland trees thatattracted Southgate’s wifeKaren, who also has ampleexperience in renovatingperiod houses, just for the loveof it.Comparing today’s external

photographs of MarybrookHouse to those taken four yearsago, there are some positivechanges. Three bricked-upwindows have been opened, thewindows and shutters have allbeen replaced and a new frontdoor installed based on theremnants of the 19th centuryone found in the hen house.Fragments of an earlier 17th

century door were alsodiscovered there but notenough to reconstruct.The chimneys have also

been rebuilt as well as a wallbordering what was once aterraced garden at the front.Bringing the property up to the21st century are the broadband

and satellite dishes.The main visible changes

inside are the removal of 17tons of debris from the diningroom to reveal an Inglenookfireplace, and the completion ofthe top floor which had neverbeen plastered or sub-divided.Some air-to-air heaters have

also appeared in the rooms, butthere isn’t a wire or a waterpipe in site, as they are allhoused in an alcove at one end

of the house, well out of sight.All of the work on the house

itself is now complete,according to Southgate.What remains to do, however,

is restore the terraced andwalled gardens as well as a 17thcentury cottage on the grounds,which has been partiallyconserved. There is thepotential to get Section 482status should a new ownerwish to take these on, allowing

for tax relief in respect ofexpenditure incurred on repair,maintenance or restoration.The very thought of living in

a tower-cum-farmhouseconjures up images of thick,cold walls and dark rooms. Notso in this case. Because thehouse is one room deep, thereare windows of generousproportions on more than oneside in most rooms whichwarms the surprisingly brightbuilding.Southgate describes the

restoration process as ‘aforensic examination of thefabric of the building’, whichrevealed some interesting findsincluding one window datingfrom 1630 and believed to beone of the earliest everrecorded in Ireland. Also, whilerepairing cornicing in thedining room, plaster from the1580s was found behind them.“It was like peeling away

layers of history,” he said.Although possessing an

impressive history, todayMarybrook is a compact familyhome.The ground floor has the

bright, cosy kitchen with aWaterford Stanley range, thedining room, which is in theoriginal tower house with anInglenook fireplace and breadoven, and the sitting room,with a Wyatt windowoverlooking the small riverthat flows by the property.The floorboards show

evidence of another hugefireplace in this room, whichthe owners have decided toleave closed. They alsodiscovered a collapsed arch,similar to those found inKanturk Castle just a few milesaway.On the first floor is the

master bedroom, which hasthree large windows, a librarywith a wood burning stove andthe main bathroom, with animpressive free-standingbathtub.The top floor of Marybrook

was built in 1820 but neverfinished or occupied so it gavethe owners the opportunity tofinish and insulate it to modernstandards. This level has threebedrooms and a bathroom offwhich is a walk-in hotpress.There are two sources for

heating the house, oil and anair-to-air heat pump, whichcan be switched on and off inindividual rooms.According to Karen

Southgate, so far the heatingcosts the same as a three bedsemi-d.The basement is under the

dining room and is a perfectwine cellar.Marybrook has some of the

oldest farm buildings inMunster, and they are all fullyrestored and functional. Thereis a lofted cow shed, threestables with direct access to theapple orchard, and a coach

house. There is also apolytunnel.The 13 acres of organic land

is in REPS at present with twoyears left in the scheme.Wood is in plentiful supply

while also on the grounds are a17th century fish pond, a springwell and a small river.Chris and Karen

Southgate have preservedMarybrook, hopefully, foranother few hundred years, and

all future owners need to do isremember to paint thewindows.The property is on the

market with Kanturkauctioneer, Liam Murphy, whois quoting an asking price of€750,000.

VERDICT: Painstakingrenovation, overseen by one ofthe country’s acknowledgedconservation specialists.

Location: Kanturk, CorkPrice: €750,000Size: 327 sq m (3,500 sq ft)Bedrooms: 4BER rating: ExemptBroadband Yes


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COVER STORY COVER STORY


Labour of lovereaps the rewardsat period mansionPeeling away layers of history, a renowned conservation engineer hasrestored an old world gem to its original splendour, reports Laurie O’Flynn

“Although possessingan impressive historytoday Marybrook is acompact family home”

YOU have the comfortof Georgian living butwith the medievaloption of pouring hot

oil on unwanted visitors atMarybrook House on 13 acresjust outside Kanturk, Co Cork,where its history dates backalmost 500 years.The original building of 1550

was a fortified tower on amanor farm believed to servethe Knights Templar.Almost 200 years later it

became a Georgian farmhouse,and has changed very littlesince then.In 2007, the perfect match

was made when conservationengineer Chris Southgatemoved in and undertook toreturn the property to itsformer glory.“I loved it for its history and

architecture and the fact it wasvirtually untouched. It hadbeen re-roofed so it was inreasonable structural conditionand at 3,500 sq ft, it was smallenough to handle,” he said.It was Marybrook’s certified

organic farm and the centuries’old parkland trees thatattracted Southgate’s wifeKaren, who also has ampleexperience in renovatingperiod houses, just for the loveof it.Comparing today’s external

photographs of MarybrookHouse to those taken four yearsago, there are some positivechanges. Three bricked-upwindows have been opened, thewindows and shutters have allbeen replaced and a new frontdoor installed based on theremnants of the 19th centuryone found in the hen house.Fragments of an earlier 17th

century door were alsodiscovered there but notenough to reconstruct.The chimneys have also

been rebuilt as well as a wallbordering what was once aterraced garden at the front.Bringing the property up to the21st century are the broadband

and satellite dishes.The main visible changes

inside are the removal of 17tons of debris from the diningroom to reveal an Inglenookfireplace, and the completion ofthe top floor which had neverbeen plastered or sub-divided.Some air-to-air heaters have

also appeared in the rooms, butthere isn’t a wire or a waterpipe in site, as they are allhoused in an alcove at one end

of the house, well out of sight.All of the work on the house

itself is now complete,according to Southgate.What remains to do, however,

is restore the terraced andwalled gardens as well as a 17thcentury cottage on the grounds,which has been partiallyconserved. There is thepotential to get Section 482status should a new ownerwish to take these on, allowing

for tax relief in respect ofexpenditure incurred on repair,maintenance or restoration.The very thought of living in

a tower-cum-farmhouseconjures up images of thick,cold walls and dark rooms. Notso in this case. Because thehouse is one room deep, thereare windows of generousproportions on more than oneside in most rooms whichwarms the surprisingly brightbuilding.Southgate describes the

restoration process as ‘aforensic examination of thefabric of the building’, whichrevealed some interesting findsincluding one window datingfrom 1630 and believed to beone of the earliest everrecorded in Ireland. Also, whilerepairing cornicing in thedining room, plaster from the1580s was found behind them.“It was like peeling away

layers of history,” he said.Although possessing an

impressive history, todayMarybrook is a compact familyhome.The ground floor has the

bright, cosy kitchen with aWaterford Stanley range, thedining room, which is in theoriginal tower house with anInglenook fireplace and breadoven, and the sitting room,with a Wyatt windowoverlooking the small riverthat flows by the property.The floorboards show

evidence of another hugefireplace in this room, whichthe owners have decided toleave closed. They alsodiscovered a collapsed arch,similar to those found inKanturk Castle just a few milesaway.On the first floor is the

master bedroom, which hasthree large windows, a librarywith a wood burning stove andthe main bathroom, with animpressive free-standingbathtub.The top floor of Marybrook

was built in 1820 but neverfinished or occupied so it gavethe owners the opportunity tofinish and insulate it to modernstandards. This level has threebedrooms and a bathroom offwhich is a walk-in hotpress.There are two sources for

heating the house, oil and anair-to-air heat pump, whichcan be switched on and off inindividual rooms.According to Karen

Southgate, so far the heatingcosts the same as a three bedsemi-d.The basement is under the

dining room and is a perfectwine cellar.Marybrook has some of the

oldest farm buildings inMunster, and they are all fullyrestored and functional. Thereis a lofted cow shed, threestables with direct access to theapple orchard, and a coach

house. There is also apolytunnel.The 13 acres of organic land

is in REPS at present with twoyears left in the scheme.Wood is in plentiful supply

while also on the grounds are a17th century fish pond, a springwell and a small river.Chris and Karen

Southgate have preservedMarybrook, hopefully, foranother few hundred years, and

all future owners need to do isremember to paint thewindows.The property is on the

market with Kanturkauctioneer, Liam Murphy, whois quoting an asking price of€750,000.

VERDICT: Painstakingrenovation, overseen by one ofthe country’s acknowledgedconservation specialists.

Location: Kanturk, CorkPrice: €750,000Size: 327 sq m (3,500 sq ft)Bedrooms: 4BER rating: ExemptBroadband Yes


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INTERIORS INTERIORS

We take a detailed look atone aspect of the home every week ...

Yule spreeCarol O’Callaghan looks at affordable festive gifts that even friends who are not house proud will welcome

GORGEOUS GIFTSThis week we love...

Tea pots and cosies are back. The Country Cottage Collection by Rachel Allen includes a charming set of four mugs (€20) and a traditional cosy (€15). From BlarneyWoollen Mills. Table settings make a lovely gift. Opt for a non-traditional theme so it’s usable all year round (heart napkin ring €3.95, black plate €7.95, dinner plate€6 at Meadows & Byrne).

Pop an apron or some stylish tea-towels and pot stands into a gift bag with a few other interiors goodies and take them to a friend’shouse when visiting (apron €9.59, pot stands €2.59 for two, tea-towels from €4.39 for two from Ikea).

■ A beautifully craftedobject makes a gift forlife that can be passedon to futuregenerations anddoesn’t have to costthe earth. The LavitGallery, Cork has aChristmas exhibition ofIrish craft available tobuy, starting at €3.50,and runs untilDecember 25.

Practical treats for Christmas

Treat your domestic god or goddess to a practical and stylishproduct to add a little wow to their table.

A beautiful candlestick like theLoop makes a striking statementon the table or mantlepiece (€23from Pop Up Market, Cork).

Timothy Sillery’s salt and pepper cellars are anovel take on this rather humble tabletopitem. Made from cast porcelain, they cost €22each at I Heart Design.

You can never have enough practical textiles like tea-towels andoven gloves at Christmas so they’ll always be a welcome gift.

The Onion for M&S showstea-towels don’t have to bedull and boring (€12 for three).

Buy someone you love an Aga —oven glove set that is (€27 fromAga stores nationwide).

You’ll need somewhere to storeextra laundry or pop this hessianbasket in your guest room(€21.95 from Meadows & Byrne).

Presents to woo a goddess

Above: Some handy kitchen kit makes a very welcome gift likeon-trend striped tea-towels (€13 for two), a retro weighingscale (€25) and some matching acrylic and wood storage jars(from €8). All at M&S.Left: Give a practical but humorous gift with a dog doorstop ordraft excluder (from Heatons €10 each).

S even shoppingdays toChristmas: does itfill you with

horror?If it does, then it’s

likely you’ll rush to theshops, and without theluxury of time forafternoons of traipsingaround the stores,gift-buying won’t comecheap, as battling withthe ever-growing crowdswill force you intomaking impulsepurchases, just to get theprocess over with asquickly as possible.At a time when money

is short for lots of people,why not simply askfriends and family whatthey want, instead ofbuying a load of old tootthey’ll send to the charityshop as soon asChristmas is over. But ifyou enjoy the element ofsurprise, buy themsomething for their homeso at least it’s likely to bepractical and useful, andto get some satisfactionfrom the process, see howfar you can get with anunder €25 budget. It’samazing the fantasticthings you can pick upquickly and affordablyrather than throwing thecredit card at costly itemsjust to get the job done.Although it’s a bit late

for internet shopping, douse this valuableresearch facility to checkwhat’s in the shops. Manywebsites allow you toshop not only bycategory, but by pricerange too. Another optionis to pick up storecatalogues, after whichyou can compile your listof gifts recipients andintended purchases, andplan your route from oneend of the main street tothe other. Also, make sure

you have a rewardplanned once theshopping is complete: thethought of a creamy lattéand cupcake, perhaps, ora late afternoon glass ofwine will make you movefaster and get the jobdone more quickly. Anddon’t forget to don acomfortable pair of shoes,and a coat with a hood. Ifit’s raining you’ll wantboth hands free forlugging bags and not

want to deal with anunwieldy umbrella.Even friends who are

not necessarily houseproud will welcomesomething practical,especially if it is ofparticular value duringthe Christmas season.Consider a pair of lovelychina mugs, ascontemporary ortraditional in shape andpattern as you wish foryou and a friend to share

a leisurely pot of teatogether. Or for adomestic goddess of youracquaintance, opt for acake stand as a way ofmaking Christmas andMadeira cakes lookspecial when the table isset for tea.Cloth napkins mean

more laundry but they’relovely on Christmas dayor other special occasionsand make a lovely giftrolled together and tied

with a ribbon. Doconsider the recipient’sinterior colour schemeand remember that whileblue may be yourfavourite colour, yourpresent is destined for there-gifting box if therecipient is a fan of redsand burgundies.A very successful gift, if

you lack inspiration, isthe home interiors luckybag. Get a small gift bagand fill it with three or

four useful items includingfancy paper napkins, acandle, a tea-towel and anunusual Christmasdecoration. Just a quickswoop on your favouritehome interiors store willprovide the lot.

■ We’ll be back after thefestive season on January 7,with details of all the newcolour trends for 2012.

Designer mugs make a lovelystocking-filler or gift whenvisiting friends over the holidays(Orla Kiely Stem mug €10.95 atKilkenny and Brown Thomas).


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INTERIORS INTERIORS

We take a detailed look atone aspect of the home every week ...

Yule spreeCarol O’Callaghan looks at affordable festive gifts that even friends who are not house proud will welcome

GORGEOUS GIFTSThis week we love...

Tea pots and cosies are back. The Country Cottage Collection by Rachel Allen includes a charming set of four mugs (€20) and a traditional cosy (€15). From BlarneyWoollen Mills. Table settings make a lovely gift. Opt for a non-traditional theme so it’s usable all year round (heart napkin ring €3.95, black plate €7.95, dinner plate€6 at Meadows & Byrne).

Pop an apron or some stylish tea-towels and pot stands into a gift bag with a few other interiors goodies and take them to a friend’shouse when visiting (apron €9.59, pot stands €2.59 for two, tea-towels from €4.39 for two from Ikea).

■ A beautifully craftedobject makes a gift forlife that can be passedon to futuregenerations anddoesn’t have to costthe earth. The LavitGallery, Cork has aChristmas exhibition ofIrish craft available tobuy, starting at €3.50,and runs untilDecember 25.

Practical treats for Christmas

Treat your domestic god or goddess to a practical and stylishproduct to add a little wow to their table.

A beautiful candlestick like theLoop makes a striking statementon the table or mantlepiece (€23from Pop Up Market, Cork).

Timothy Sillery’s salt and pepper cellars are anovel take on this rather humble tabletopitem. Made from cast porcelain, they cost €22each at I Heart Design.

You can never have enough practical textiles like tea-towels andoven gloves at Christmas so they’ll always be a welcome gift.

The Onion for M&S showstea-towels don’t have to bedull and boring (€12 for three).

Buy someone you love an Aga —oven glove set that is (€27 fromAga stores nationwide).

You’ll need somewhere to storeextra laundry or pop this hessianbasket in your guest room(€21.95 from Meadows & Byrne).

Presents to woo a goddess

Above: Some handy kitchen kit makes a very welcome gift likeon-trend striped tea-towels (€13 for two), a retro weighingscale (€25) and some matching acrylic and wood storage jars(from €8). All at M&S.Left: Give a practical but humorous gift with a dog doorstop ordraft excluder (from Heatons €10 each).

S even shoppingdays toChristmas: does itfill you with

horror?If it does, then it’s

likely you’ll rush to theshops, and without theluxury of time forafternoons of traipsingaround the stores,gift-buying won’t comecheap, as battling withthe ever-growing crowdswill force you intomaking impulsepurchases, just to get theprocess over with asquickly as possible.At a time when money

is short for lots of people,why not simply askfriends and family whatthey want, instead ofbuying a load of old tootthey’ll send to the charityshop as soon asChristmas is over. But ifyou enjoy the element ofsurprise, buy themsomething for their homeso at least it’s likely to bepractical and useful, andto get some satisfactionfrom the process, see howfar you can get with anunder €25 budget. It’samazing the fantasticthings you can pick upquickly and affordablyrather than throwing thecredit card at costly itemsjust to get the job done.Although it’s a bit late

for internet shopping, douse this valuableresearch facility to checkwhat’s in the shops. Manywebsites allow you toshop not only bycategory, but by pricerange too. Another optionis to pick up storecatalogues, after whichyou can compile your listof gifts recipients andintended purchases, andplan your route from oneend of the main street tothe other. Also, make sure

you have a rewardplanned once theshopping is complete: thethought of a creamy lattéand cupcake, perhaps, ora late afternoon glass ofwine will make you movefaster and get the jobdone more quickly. Anddon’t forget to don acomfortable pair of shoes,and a coat with a hood. Ifit’s raining you’ll wantboth hands free forlugging bags and not

want to deal with anunwieldy umbrella.Even friends who are

not necessarily houseproud will welcomesomething practical,especially if it is ofparticular value duringthe Christmas season.Consider a pair of lovelychina mugs, ascontemporary ortraditional in shape andpattern as you wish foryou and a friend to share

a leisurely pot of teatogether. Or for adomestic goddess of youracquaintance, opt for acake stand as a way ofmaking Christmas andMadeira cakes lookspecial when the table isset for tea.Cloth napkins mean

more laundry but they’relovely on Christmas dayor other special occasionsand make a lovely giftrolled together and tied

with a ribbon. Doconsider the recipient’sinterior colour schemeand remember that whileblue may be yourfavourite colour, yourpresent is destined for there-gifting box if therecipient is a fan of redsand burgundies.A very successful gift, if

you lack inspiration, isthe home interiors luckybag. Get a small gift bagand fill it with three or

four useful items includingfancy paper napkins, acandle, a tea-towel and anunusual Christmasdecoration. Just a quickswoop on your favouritehome interiors store willprovide the lot.

■ We’ll be back after thefestive season on January 7,with details of all the newcolour trends for 2012.

Designer mugs make a lovelystocking-filler or gift whenvisiting friends over the holidays(Orla Kiely Stem mug €10.95 atKilkenny and Brown Thomas).


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


DIY DIY

DIYTIPSMake your own jam-jar snowglobes for festive seasonWith the children climbing the walls on their school holidays, defuse the tensionwith this family craft project to make your own snow globes out of old jars. Ensurethe jars are watertight! A collection in different sizes will look wonderful backlit bya lamp or on a windowsill.

Q&A Do you have a DIY question you would like answered?Send it to [email protected]

WHAT YOU NEED:

■ Some medium to large wide mouthed glass jars with screw lids

■ Distilled water (ask the local chemist)

■ A drop of glycerine (no more, it’s just to slow the glitter)

■ Clear drying epoxy crafting style glue

■ Some seasonal plastic figures used for cake decorations, trees, houses,snowmen etc. Metal ones will rust

■ Packets of glitter

■ A little enamel paint

PUT YOURSELFIN MOOD FORTHE NEW YEARW E’RE teetering on the brink

of the year’s end, so what’sin store for your home for2012? With the economy

still in flux, it’s easy to become utterlydiscouraged at throwing time, energyand money at a property, but realisingany dream has to start somewhere. Interms of interior design, a mood boardprovides a practical and inspirationalway to sort and archive your ideas.Even where the funds, or even the

space is not yet available to take actionon one room or an entire extension,visualisation left on show will not onlykeep the dream alive but cansubconsciously propel you forwardtowards what you want.You can find colours, shapes,

designers and entire lifestyle schemesfrom the huge pool of free andinexpensive resources all around you.What better time to quietly distil yourown high personal plans for futureimprovements? Starting with a boardlimits expensive mistakes by keepingyour aspirational canvas firmly in theplanning stages before you invest realmoney in materials and labour.

THE BOARD

You need something big enough totake lots of samples, from paperephemera to paint splotches, but lightenough to carry around from room toroom (more of that later), so considersomething at least A3 in heavy card-stock or a wipe board. The best way toassemble a mood-board is usinghorizontal layers that correspondroughly to the levels in the room, fromthe flooring, through the furnishings,with window treatments, lighting andaccessories moving up the board, so weneed something square or politelyrectangular.A glue-stick, double-sided tape, or

even poster putty is fine for stickingthings to the board, and keep in mindyou may be moving the componentsaround as your ideas ebb, flow anddevelop. The only other thing youneed is a folder to keep yourgathered material in, and perhapsan old ice-cream carton or somethingfor paint sample pots or anything larger.Adigital camera is useful, as you cansnap not only things you see, but thingsyou already own can be photographedand turned into images withcontributing shapes and colours to addto the board.

Print furniture out to a relative size tothe other key ingredients using aphotocopier to get the scale right. Ifyou’re going with one wall colour, justpaint the entire mood-board with thetester pot, otherwise split the board intoproportionate areas to say take in afeature wall too.Once you’ve fixed everything onto the

board, you can take it to the room andleave it in place to catch daylight and

artificial light over the course of thedays, while your dreams percolate overthe sherry and Christmas pudding. Youmay be pleased or disappointed, and ifthere may be still more diminutivelifting and shifting to do, but guesswhat? You haven’t spent more than afew euros and the promise of a wholeNew Year lies ahead to get it just right.

■ Have a wonderful Christmas — Kya.

HUNTER GATHERER

It’s time to release your inner magpie. Ifyou find yourself drawn to the coloursin anything from a favourite painting toan old rug with a compelling groupingof shade and textures, this may be theplace to start. We all have a veryindividual eye, so whereas a wholeroom put together in a magazine maycontribute to your fantasy, don’t ignoreyour response to things closer to home.If it’s a large item or an illustration

fastened into a book, try photographingit and getting the colours as close to lifeas possible on your PC, before printingit out in a manageable image size. Ifthere’s a pattern, think about scale inrelation to the other items on the board.Room sets, or what are termed ‘lifestyleimages’ in print, online and incatalogues, can short-circuit theaesthetic safari, offering classiccombinations of colours andaccessories. Again, tear or photographand print them out, keeping a copy inyour folder.There may be one thing you can build

the room around, or you may be in for amore leisurely wander over weeks andeven months putting together a stage allyour own. Most fabric and wallpapermerchants are delighted to provide asmall snip of material, and if you want alarger area of paint colour to consider,pick up a sample pot rather thansquinting at a small tablet on a colourcard. Online sample colours can varyaccording to your PC monitor, so go forreal renditions rather than electronicones where possible.

ASSEMBLING THE DREAM

Before lashing anything into place, takesome of your chosen materials andusing the layering technique or floor toceiling, lay them out on a large table.Move them around. Accessory colours,such as cushions, lamps, metallics, etc.,can be scattered around the collectionmore loosely. If there’s something that’sgoing to take up a lot of visual real-estate in the room, such as wall colouror a sofa fabric, physically take it to thespace and consider it in the lightthrown on it at different times of theday. Fabrics and paint can react insurprisingly lively ways to a room’scolour temperature.The quantity of colour one thing

delivers will count to the overall finish,so we’ll put more area of sample on theboard if there’s going to be more of it inthe room to see how things balance.

Using a mood board can help you help inspire you toreinventing your home’s interiors, writes Kya deLongchamps

Q. Is there any computer planningtool I can use to virtually move myfurniture around on a plan beforeactually lifting and shifting it in reallife?

A. The one I would recommend forstarters would be Arrange-A-Room,provided by Better Homes & Gardens(BHG). It allows you to pick a room sizeclose to your own, and choose from ahuge gallery of furniture andaccessories. Ensure you duck the emailupdates if you don’t want them byclicking on the form. www.bhg.com/decorating/arrange-a-room.

Q. Can I design my own extensionusing PC software?

A. Well, you can start, but I wouldsuggest using any computer aideddesign (CAD) as an introduction toworking with your architect. Theirsoftware will be more sophisticated andtheir ideas based on professionalexperience. For sketching out yourthoughts try www.floorplanner.com fora free introductory tool.

Q. I’m having trouble selecting theright colour for my dining roomwalls. I have a rug I want to take ascheme from. Ideas?

A. Try Dulux’s Colour Click. Order a‘frame’ online, place it over an area ofthe rug and take a digital imageincluding the whole frame. Upload itand the team at Dulux will suggest theclosest matches from their ranges.http://www.dulux.co.uk/colours/colourclick

This handmade Tree of Life Rug is inspired by renowned symbolist artist Gustav Klimt and made inKashmir. A strong beautiful piece, perfect for kicking off an entire scheme on your board. £345 (size180 x 120cm) Cushions from £39.95. Iapestus.co.uk.

1 Cover the table before you startas this can be messy.

2 Paint the outside of the lidswhite, red or green to keep inthe Christmas theme. Allow todry.

3 Give the inside of the lid a littlesand with paper or an emeryboard for a ‘key’ .

4 Using your epoxy glue fix thefigures onto inside face of thelid.

5 Fill the jar with distilled waterand add a drop of glycerine.

6 Pour in some glitter.

7 Screw on the lid and invert.Check for leaks.

Finding the balance. Before you take to a dramatic scheme like this, sketch out the colour story onyour mood board in tester pots, using what’s left for a wall test. Milk White, Fresh Cream and PurplePassion from Crown Paints. €24.00 for 2.5 litres.

This stunning Scandinavian room promises Spring in the Archipelagos and is dominated by a strongvertical stripe. On a board the ratio of the heavy stripes would reflect its presence in the room.Furnishings from the Newport collection at Soul, Beacon South Quarter, Dublin. www.soullifestyle.ie.

An example of a Dulux shade on its colourclick website under the Fresh Reds section.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


DIY DIY

DIYTIPSMake your own jam-jar snowglobes for festive seasonWith the children climbing the walls on their school holidays, defuse the tensionwith this family craft project to make your own snow globes out of old jars. Ensurethe jars are watertight! A collection in different sizes will look wonderful backlit bya lamp or on a windowsill.

Q&A Do you have a DIY question you would like answered?Send it to [email protected]

WHAT YOU NEED:

■ Some medium to large wide mouthed glass jars with screw lids

■ Distilled water (ask the local chemist)

■ A drop of glycerine (no more, it’s just to slow the glitter)

■ Clear drying epoxy crafting style glue

■ Some seasonal plastic figures used for cake decorations, trees, houses,snowmen etc. Metal ones will rust

■ Packets of glitter

■ A little enamel paint

PUT YOURSELFIN MOOD FORTHE NEW YEARW E’RE teetering on the brink

of the year’s end, so what’sin store for your home for2012? With the economy

still in flux, it’s easy to become utterlydiscouraged at throwing time, energyand money at a property, but realisingany dream has to start somewhere. Interms of interior design, a mood boardprovides a practical and inspirationalway to sort and archive your ideas.Even where the funds, or even the

space is not yet available to take actionon one room or an entire extension,visualisation left on show will not onlykeep the dream alive but cansubconsciously propel you forwardtowards what you want.You can find colours, shapes,

designers and entire lifestyle schemesfrom the huge pool of free andinexpensive resources all around you.What better time to quietly distil yourown high personal plans for futureimprovements? Starting with a boardlimits expensive mistakes by keepingyour aspirational canvas firmly in theplanning stages before you invest realmoney in materials and labour.

THE BOARD

You need something big enough totake lots of samples, from paperephemera to paint splotches, but lightenough to carry around from room toroom (more of that later), so considersomething at least A3 in heavy card-stock or a wipe board. The best way toassemble a mood-board is usinghorizontal layers that correspondroughly to the levels in the room, fromthe flooring, through the furnishings,with window treatments, lighting andaccessories moving up the board, so weneed something square or politelyrectangular.A glue-stick, double-sided tape, or

even poster putty is fine for stickingthings to the board, and keep in mindyou may be moving the componentsaround as your ideas ebb, flow anddevelop. The only other thing youneed is a folder to keep yourgathered material in, and perhapsan old ice-cream carton or somethingfor paint sample pots or anything larger.Adigital camera is useful, as you cansnap not only things you see, but thingsyou already own can be photographedand turned into images withcontributing shapes and colours to addto the board.

Print furniture out to a relative size tothe other key ingredients using aphotocopier to get the scale right. Ifyou’re going with one wall colour, justpaint the entire mood-board with thetester pot, otherwise split the board intoproportionate areas to say take in afeature wall too.Once you’ve fixed everything onto the

board, you can take it to the room andleave it in place to catch daylight and

artificial light over the course of thedays, while your dreams percolate overthe sherry and Christmas pudding. Youmay be pleased or disappointed, and ifthere may be still more diminutivelifting and shifting to do, but guesswhat? You haven’t spent more than afew euros and the promise of a wholeNew Year lies ahead to get it just right.

■ Have a wonderful Christmas — Kya.

HUNTER GATHERER

It’s time to release your inner magpie. Ifyou find yourself drawn to the coloursin anything from a favourite painting toan old rug with a compelling groupingof shade and textures, this may be theplace to start. We all have a veryindividual eye, so whereas a wholeroom put together in a magazine maycontribute to your fantasy, don’t ignoreyour response to things closer to home.If it’s a large item or an illustration

fastened into a book, try photographingit and getting the colours as close to lifeas possible on your PC, before printingit out in a manageable image size. Ifthere’s a pattern, think about scale inrelation to the other items on the board.Room sets, or what are termed ‘lifestyleimages’ in print, online and incatalogues, can short-circuit theaesthetic safari, offering classiccombinations of colours andaccessories. Again, tear or photographand print them out, keeping a copy inyour folder.There may be one thing you can build

the room around, or you may be in for amore leisurely wander over weeks andeven months putting together a stage allyour own. Most fabric and wallpapermerchants are delighted to provide asmall snip of material, and if you want alarger area of paint colour to consider,pick up a sample pot rather thansquinting at a small tablet on a colourcard. Online sample colours can varyaccording to your PC monitor, so go forreal renditions rather than electronicones where possible.

ASSEMBLING THE DREAM

Before lashing anything into place, takesome of your chosen materials andusing the layering technique or floor toceiling, lay them out on a large table.Move them around. Accessory colours,such as cushions, lamps, metallics, etc.,can be scattered around the collectionmore loosely. If there’s something that’sgoing to take up a lot of visual real-estate in the room, such as wall colouror a sofa fabric, physically take it to thespace and consider it in the lightthrown on it at different times of theday. Fabrics and paint can react insurprisingly lively ways to a room’scolour temperature.The quantity of colour one thing

delivers will count to the overall finish,so we’ll put more area of sample on theboard if there’s going to be more of it inthe room to see how things balance.

Using a mood board can help you help inspire you toreinventing your home’s interiors, writes Kya deLongchamps

Q. Is there any computer planningtool I can use to virtually move myfurniture around on a plan beforeactually lifting and shifting it in reallife?

A. The one I would recommend forstarters would be Arrange-A-Room,provided by Better Homes & Gardens(BHG). It allows you to pick a room sizeclose to your own, and choose from ahuge gallery of furniture andaccessories. Ensure you duck the emailupdates if you don’t want them byclicking on the form. www.bhg.com/decorating/arrange-a-room.

Q. Can I design my own extensionusing PC software?

A. Well, you can start, but I wouldsuggest using any computer aideddesign (CAD) as an introduction toworking with your architect. Theirsoftware will be more sophisticated andtheir ideas based on professionalexperience. For sketching out yourthoughts try www.floorplanner.com fora free introductory tool.

Q. I’m having trouble selecting theright colour for my dining roomwalls. I have a rug I want to take ascheme from. Ideas?

A. Try Dulux’s Colour Click. Order a‘frame’ online, place it over an area ofthe rug and take a digital imageincluding the whole frame. Upload itand the team at Dulux will suggest theclosest matches from their ranges.http://www.dulux.co.uk/colours/colourclick

This handmade Tree of Life Rug is inspired by renowned symbolist artist Gustav Klimt and made inKashmir. A strong beautiful piece, perfect for kicking off an entire scheme on your board. £345 (size180 x 120cm) Cushions from £39.95. Iapestus.co.uk.

1 Cover the table before you startas this can be messy.

2 Paint the outside of the lidswhite, red or green to keep inthe Christmas theme. Allow todry.

3 Give the inside of the lid a littlesand with paper or an emeryboard for a ‘key’ .

4 Using your epoxy glue fix thefigures onto inside face of thelid.

5 Fill the jar with distilled waterand add a drop of glycerine.

6 Pour in some glitter.

7 Screw on the lid and invert.Check for leaks.

Finding the balance. Before you take to a dramatic scheme like this, sketch out the colour story onyour mood board in tester pots, using what’s left for a wall test. Milk White, Fresh Cream and PurplePassion from Crown Paints. €24.00 for 2.5 litres.

This stunning Scandinavian room promises Spring in the Archipelagos and is dominated by a strongvertical stripe. On a board the ratio of the heavy stripes would reflect its presence in the room.Furnishings from the Newport collection at Soul, Beacon South Quarter, Dublin. www.soullifestyle.ie.

An example of a Dulux shade on its colourclick website under the Fresh Reds section.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


WISH LIST

A new development in dishwashing is the introduction of cleaning with steamwhich claims a better quality clean with effective removal of burnt on food andstubborn stains (€949.99 Sound Store and Harvey Norman).

Don’t let biscuits go stale once you’ve opened thebox. Store them in the Orla Kiely Abacus jar tokeep them nice and fresh for dunking in coffee(€34.95 at Brown Thomas).

Make sure the turkey doesn’t burn to a crisp and your roast potatoeswon’t resemble charcoal embers by carefully timing with the JosephJoseph timer (€9 at Brown Thomas, Avoca and Meadows & Byrne).

Fancy having a barin the house toserve cocktails tofriends but haven’tgot the space? Trythe multi-functionalbar coffee tablefrom Aoki Interiors(€750).

Give a young visitor the job of handingaround biscuits from the Santa Clauscookie holder (€12.95 from Carrig Donn).

Have you been naughty or nice? Ask Santa to fill yourstocking with something from Carol O’Callaghan’s wish list.

The Reindeer cushion from Meadows & Byrne offers a touchof subtle Scandinavian style (€13.50). Try the study and near-indestructible Le Creuset casserole

(approx. €120 at Brennans Cookshop).

The Bird placemat by Linum is finished in a naive-style motif giving the traditional bird depiction afresh contemporary look (set of four linum placemats €22 at The Drapery Shop, Cork).

The contemporary design of the Victor sideboard with splashes of 1960s psychedelic colour create a striking statement-piece(from Roche Bobois €5,283).

Your turkey and ham will go further if you have a good sharp knife to cut evenslivers. Check out the Aga carving knife and fork set (€56.95 from Aga storesnationwide).

Try the Mocha Dunk mug with integrated compartmentto hold the biscuits, saving on washing up a plate(€19.87 at www.notonthehighstreet.com).

Children’s 8 Piece Nativity Set €9.99 from Dairygold Co-OpSuperstores in Carrigaline, Mallow, Midleton in Co Cork andRaheen, Co Limerick.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


WISH LIST

A new development in dishwashing is the introduction of cleaning with steamwhich claims a better quality clean with effective removal of burnt on food andstubborn stains (€949.99 Sound Store and Harvey Norman).

Don’t let biscuits go stale once you’ve opened thebox. Store them in the Orla Kiely Abacus jar tokeep them nice and fresh for dunking in coffee(€34.95 at Brown Thomas).

Make sure the turkey doesn’t burn to a crisp and your roast potatoeswon’t resemble charcoal embers by carefully timing with the JosephJoseph timer (€9 at Brown Thomas, Avoca and Meadows & Byrne).

Fancy having a barin the house toserve cocktails tofriends but haven’tgot the space? Trythe multi-functionalbar coffee tablefrom Aoki Interiors(€750).

Give a young visitor the job of handingaround biscuits from the Santa Clauscookie holder (€12.95 from Carrig Donn).

Have you been naughty or nice? Ask Santa to fill yourstocking with something from Carol O’Callaghan’s wish list.

The Reindeer cushion from Meadows & Byrne offers a touchof subtle Scandinavian style (€13.50). Try the study and near-indestructible Le Creuset casserole

(approx. €120 at Brennans Cookshop).

The Bird placemat by Linum is finished in a naive-style motif giving the traditional bird depiction afresh contemporary look (set of four linum placemats €22 at The Drapery Shop, Cork).

The contemporary design of the Victor sideboard with splashes of 1960s psychedelic colour create a striking statement-piece(from Roche Bobois €5,283).

Your turkey and ham will go further if you have a good sharp knife to cut evenslivers. Check out the Aga carving knife and fork set (€56.95 from Aga storesnationwide).

Try the Mocha Dunk mug with integrated compartmentto hold the biscuits, saving on washing up a plate(€19.87 at www.notonthehighstreet.com).

Children’s 8 Piece Nativity Set €9.99 from Dairygold Co-OpSuperstores in Carrigaline, Mallow, Midleton in Co Cork andRaheen, Co Limerick.


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WEB WATCH

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Every week Sue O’Connor picks her top three interiors sites. If you have afavourite you’d like to see featured, email: [email protected]

1 Funktion Alley

This site puts the funk backinto function by specialising incontemporary furniture with aScandinavian twist. Check out theMoo wall lamp, which is a full-scaleNorwegian moose-head lamp that canbe wall-mounted indoors or outdoors.Something to bring the greatScandinavian outdoors to your home,pub or hotel. The site’s Top TenToday is an easy stop to pick upsomething different. The blog needsupdating, though, as its last post isfrom 2010 ... so last year. Still, atreasure trove awaits in the shop forfans of funk.■ www.funktionalley.com

2 La Redoute

A wealth of choice to deck outyour home in a French style greetsyou on these pages. Have some timeand budget set out; rush through thissite and you could miss a gem.Fabulous bed linens in all colours andsizes adorn pages and pages ofoptions. And that is only one section.If you are making a purchase, have aclear idea of what you want so as tosave being overwhelmed by this site.Prices are in sterling and don’t forgetto factor in postage to your tally,depending on the size of what youare buying.

■ www.laredoute.co.uk

3 Horizon Furniture

For something truly beautifuland skilful, click on this site. Piecesfrom shiny cherry woods, tumblingmahoganies, and gorgeous walnuts inbespoke are a sight to behold. Allfurniture is designed andmanufactured in the workshop. Theirproducts are to feature, among otherCork furniture-makers, in anExcellence in Wood exhibition thisMonday to Friday in the former taxoffices on Sullivan’s Quay in Cork city,from 11am to 7pm. It will feature bogoak wood-turning, breadboards,lamps and tables.

■ www.horizonfurniture.com

ASK THE

DESIGNERInterior designerMarion Ormond of Ken Jackson Interiors,Marina Commercial Park, Centre Park Road, Cork City,www.kenjacksoninteriors.com, answers your questions.Email your questions to [email protected]

Above: Emer Walnut Platform Bed - see www.livingitup.co.uk.Below ideas for yuletide decorations.

Q Over the past while, Ihaven’t been sleeping well –and am determined to makeup for it over Christmas. Doyou have any tips to make my

bedroom more snooze-worthy?

A. Although insomnia can be medical,it can often be environmental too. Hereare a few tips to make your bedroommore dreamy. The first thing toconsider is your bed — you’re lesslikely to toss and turn snuggled beneathcosy covers on a comfortable mattress.Feng shui your bedroom with a

platform bed. Cool colours are best forcounting sheep, so go for relaxinglavendar, light blue or greens on thewalls. A few creature comforts, such asplush cushions or shagpile rug, will alsohelp fool your subconscious into fallingasleep. Remove items of distraction likethe TV, treadmill and computer from thebedroom.Finally, use blackout curtains or just

an eye mask to inspire a deeper sleep.

Q. I’m hosting Christmas dinner forthe first time this year, can you tellme how to set the perfect Christmastable?

A. Creating a magical table sets theentire tone for the Christmas dinner.Choose a festive table cloth and runner— a simple white table cloth with acolourful runner is the most dramatic.Build your colour theme with matchingnapkins, candles and crackers. Sprinklethe table with red and white crystalgems or little silver foil stars. Or set acouple of tea lights in front of eachplace setting to get the whole tabletwinkling. Small wrapped gifts, a

stocking hanging on the back of eachchair or gilded pine cones with yourguests names make cute alternative toplace cards. Finally, fresh flowers addan elegant touch to your table.

Q. It’s not even Christmas andalready the house is a mess ofwrapping paper, Christmas cards andchocolate boxes — any suggestionson how to recycle or reuse it all?

A. If your recycling bin is alreadyoverflowing, there are craftier ways toreuse all that festive waste. Just likenewspaper, (matte) wrapping paper isgreat for leaving windows streak-free.You could also use it to make Christmasorigami for next year with the kids.Christmas cards can be cut into gift tagsfor next Christmas too — use a pinkingshears to add interest. Save the needlesfrom the Christmas tree as pine-scentedpot pourri — you can even use theneedles of (unsprayed) trees in cooking.Those waxy little envelopes that AfterEight mints come in make a perfectfiling box for seeds for spring.

Q. We’re throwing a New Year Eve’sparty for our friends at home — doyou have any decorating ideas tohelp ring in 2012?

A. Making a few simple changes to theChristmas decorations you already haveup will give your home a real New Yearwow. Transform your tree by taking offthe star, tinsel and any traditionaldecorations and decorating with whitelights and modern silver ornaments.Clear away any festive tableware foranother year and use plain white orclear dishes instead.

Keyed into best pricesWebsites are a vital source of consumer information, but beware ones with an agenda. Kya deLongchamps reports

PC telephonescam alertW e need help

honing ourdomestic budgetsin the New Year.

The internet is a primaryresearch tool for consumers,but check the source of whatyou read. If the website is paidfor by commercial firms, aprofessional or trade body,their interests will berepresented, and in cost-comparison sites you may findonly participating sponsorsare included in the reckoning,so be wary.

THE SUSTAINABLE ENERGYAUTHORITY OF IRELAND.The SEAI website is a

powerhouse of information onsustainable, energy tighttechnologies and practice.Learn how to save energy inyour home just as it is, andhow to approach the BetterEnergy Homes grants stillavailable but likely to bereduced or quashed by 2015.Highlights include their newIpod phone app’ for managingand reducing energy bills byup to 20%, which includes ahandy energy tracker forlogging bills and savings.● www.seai.ie

THE NATIONAL CONSUMERAGENCYThe NCA, set up in 2007,

does more than justinvestigate firms for unsafeproducts and practices. The‘your money’ section coversthe tangle of personal financein intense detail, fromchoosing firms and productsto methods and juggling bills,to how to complain whenothers are at fault. Check outtheir mortgage section forimpartial advice oneverything you need toknow about applying,re-financing and managingmortgage debit. Try out theirfree ‘economiser’ online.● www.nca.ie

CITIZENS’ INFORMATIONBOARDThis site is useful

for all sorts of life situations,and their ‘housing’ areacontains all the facts and linksyou’ll need to rent, buy oralter your home. The sectionon planning permission willintroduce you to the basicsof a misunderstood area ofhome improvement, savingyou from expensive andpotentially illegalmistakes● www.citizensinformation.ie

The internet is a convenient method of making price comparisons and shopping for best value.

T here has been for some timea telephone scam beingoperated by faceless,nameless call centres to

over a quarter of Irish PC users.Despite warnings from the

National Consumer Agency, 16% ofthose targeted are lured into partingwith their credit card details.The calls follow a set pattern and

will be unidentified by number, thefirst clue that something is up. Thecaller is faultlessly polite and willappear to know you as a customer.It’s not hard to get on a call listduring your travels online — don’tbe charmed by the mention of yourname.You’ll be told with apparently

genuine concern that your computerhas been sending error reports tosomething like their “support centreengineers”.They may claim to be operating

for Windows or Microsoft, amazingas neither offers phone support, butMS have surveyed this criminalactivity in Ireland.You’ll then be asked to do a few

things to your PC, generallyentering the error report area wherelow and behold errors will appear tohave occurred.Newsflash! All PCs incur small

errors during normal operation andyour PCs own clean up applicationscan deal with them.At this point you’ll be

enthusiastically encouraged to letyour callers colleagues deal with theerrors remotely and the credit cardwill be mentioned.Don’t under any circumstances

give your credit card details to theseindividuals. They may only swipethe average of €56 for a supposedremote “security check” or “clean”of your system, but in the worstcases it could lead to identity theft.My remedy (as they call me all the

time) is to simply say, I don’t own aPC, and put down the phone.

PRICE-COMPARISONWEBSITESOnce confined to the

insurance industry, price-comparison websites cover arange of other products andfinancial services.For example, websites

including Bonkerswww.bonkers.ie can quicklycollate the prices of energyfrom Flogas, Bord GáisEnergy, Airtricity and ESBElectric Ireland.How to choose, how to

pay, deal terms, and the insand outs of switchingservice are all covered.Direct debit and e-billingcould save you severalpercent on your utility bills,so use these sites to searchthe market thoroughly ongoods and services. Look forindependent, impartialadvice.● www.finfacts.ie● www.compare.ie● www.freetocompare.ie

● www.compareireland.ie● www.moneyguideireland.com

ROYAL INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTS OF IRELANDI have to include the RIAI,

because having aprofessional architect buildor alter a property is a solidinvestment in the value ofyour home.Only an architect with full

training and continuedassessment by the institutecan use the title, and on theRIAI websites there aretools to help you find theright individual for yourproject, in your locality,from 622 practices.Most, but not all,

architects in Ireland areregistered on the RIAIwebsite. The consumersection will walk youthrough the process ofworking with an architect,their role, charges and

responsibilities.● www.riai.ie

WHICH?Over the pond,

Which.co.uk is a websitemarried to the consumerchampions at Which?magazine. You don’t have tosubscribe or live in the UKto find all sorts ofinformation on the site,from how to choose the bestwasher/dryer to avoidingdodgy builders and ropeyfinancial deals. Theirappliance testing isrecognised as second tonone, making the site a firstpoint of call if you’re buyingwhite goods or gadgets inthe January sales. If youfancy a full subscription,including Which? magazine,you can trial the full servicefor sterling £1 for a monthfrom your Paypal account orcredit card.● www.which.co.uk

Desk and chairs by Fergal O’Leary from Horizon Furniturewhich will be for sale at the Excellence in Wood exhibitionthis Monday to Friday in the former tax offices on Sullivan’sQuay in Cork city, from 11am to 7pm.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


WEB WATCH

ASK THEINTERIORS HOME ECONOMICS

DESIGNER

Every week Sue O’Connor picks her top three interiors sites. If you have afavourite you’d like to see featured, email: [email protected]

1 Funktion Alley

This site puts the funk backinto function by specialising incontemporary furniture with aScandinavian twist. Check out theMoo wall lamp, which is a full-scaleNorwegian moose-head lamp that canbe wall-mounted indoors or outdoors.Something to bring the greatScandinavian outdoors to your home,pub or hotel. The site’s Top TenToday is an easy stop to pick upsomething different. The blog needsupdating, though, as its last post isfrom 2010 ... so last year. Still, atreasure trove awaits in the shop forfans of funk.■ www.funktionalley.com

2 La Redoute

A wealth of choice to deck outyour home in a French style greetsyou on these pages. Have some timeand budget set out; rush through thissite and you could miss a gem.Fabulous bed linens in all colours andsizes adorn pages and pages ofoptions. And that is only one section.If you are making a purchase, have aclear idea of what you want so as tosave being overwhelmed by this site.Prices are in sterling and don’t forgetto factor in postage to your tally,depending on the size of what youare buying.

■ www.laredoute.co.uk

3 Horizon Furniture

For something truly beautifuland skilful, click on this site. Piecesfrom shiny cherry woods, tumblingmahoganies, and gorgeous walnuts inbespoke are a sight to behold. Allfurniture is designed andmanufactured in the workshop. Theirproducts are to feature, among otherCork furniture-makers, in anExcellence in Wood exhibition thisMonday to Friday in the former taxoffices on Sullivan’s Quay in Cork city,from 11am to 7pm. It will feature bogoak wood-turning, breadboards,lamps and tables.

■ www.horizonfurniture.com

ASK THE

DESIGNERInterior designerMarion Ormond of Ken Jackson Interiors,Marina Commercial Park, Centre Park Road, Cork City,www.kenjacksoninteriors.com, answers your questions.Email your questions to [email protected]

Above: Emer Walnut Platform Bed - see www.livingitup.co.uk.Below ideas for yuletide decorations.

Q Over the past while, Ihaven’t been sleeping well –and am determined to makeup for it over Christmas. Doyou have any tips to make my

bedroom more snooze-worthy?

A. Although insomnia can be medical,it can often be environmental too. Hereare a few tips to make your bedroommore dreamy. The first thing toconsider is your bed — you’re lesslikely to toss and turn snuggled beneathcosy covers on a comfortable mattress.Feng shui your bedroom with a

platform bed. Cool colours are best forcounting sheep, so go for relaxinglavendar, light blue or greens on thewalls. A few creature comforts, such asplush cushions or shagpile rug, will alsohelp fool your subconscious into fallingasleep. Remove items of distraction likethe TV, treadmill and computer from thebedroom.Finally, use blackout curtains or just

an eye mask to inspire a deeper sleep.

Q. I’m hosting Christmas dinner forthe first time this year, can you tellme how to set the perfect Christmastable?

A. Creating a magical table sets theentire tone for the Christmas dinner.Choose a festive table cloth and runner— a simple white table cloth with acolourful runner is the most dramatic.Build your colour theme with matchingnapkins, candles and crackers. Sprinklethe table with red and white crystalgems or little silver foil stars. Or set acouple of tea lights in front of eachplace setting to get the whole tabletwinkling. Small wrapped gifts, a

stocking hanging on the back of eachchair or gilded pine cones with yourguests names make cute alternative toplace cards. Finally, fresh flowers addan elegant touch to your table.

Q. It’s not even Christmas andalready the house is a mess ofwrapping paper, Christmas cards andchocolate boxes — any suggestionson how to recycle or reuse it all?

A. If your recycling bin is alreadyoverflowing, there are craftier ways toreuse all that festive waste. Just likenewspaper, (matte) wrapping paper isgreat for leaving windows streak-free.You could also use it to make Christmasorigami for next year with the kids.Christmas cards can be cut into gift tagsfor next Christmas too — use a pinkingshears to add interest. Save the needlesfrom the Christmas tree as pine-scentedpot pourri — you can even use theneedles of (unsprayed) trees in cooking.Those waxy little envelopes that AfterEight mints come in make a perfectfiling box for seeds for spring.

Q. We’re throwing a New Year Eve’sparty for our friends at home — doyou have any decorating ideas tohelp ring in 2012?

A. Making a few simple changes to theChristmas decorations you already haveup will give your home a real New Yearwow. Transform your tree by taking offthe star, tinsel and any traditionaldecorations and decorating with whitelights and modern silver ornaments.Clear away any festive tableware foranother year and use plain white orclear dishes instead.

Keyed into best pricesWebsites are a vital source of consumer information, but beware ones with an agenda. Kya deLongchamps reports

PC telephonescam alertW e need help

honing ourdomestic budgetsin the New Year.

The internet is a primaryresearch tool for consumers,but check the source of whatyou read. If the website is paidfor by commercial firms, aprofessional or trade body,their interests will berepresented, and in cost-comparison sites you may findonly participating sponsorsare included in the reckoning,so be wary.

THE SUSTAINABLE ENERGYAUTHORITY OF IRELAND.The SEAI website is a

powerhouse of information onsustainable, energy tighttechnologies and practice.Learn how to save energy inyour home just as it is, andhow to approach the BetterEnergy Homes grants stillavailable but likely to bereduced or quashed by 2015.Highlights include their newIpod phone app’ for managingand reducing energy bills byup to 20%, which includes ahandy energy tracker forlogging bills and savings.● www.seai.ie

THE NATIONAL CONSUMERAGENCYThe NCA, set up in 2007,

does more than justinvestigate firms for unsafeproducts and practices. The‘your money’ section coversthe tangle of personal financein intense detail, fromchoosing firms and productsto methods and juggling bills,to how to complain whenothers are at fault. Check outtheir mortgage section forimpartial advice oneverything you need toknow about applying,re-financing and managingmortgage debit. Try out theirfree ‘economiser’ online.● www.nca.ie

CITIZENS’ INFORMATIONBOARDThis site is useful

for all sorts of life situations,and their ‘housing’ areacontains all the facts and linksyou’ll need to rent, buy oralter your home. The sectionon planning permission willintroduce you to the basicsof a misunderstood area ofhome improvement, savingyou from expensive andpotentially illegalmistakes● www.citizensinformation.ie

The internet is a convenient method of making price comparisons and shopping for best value.

T here has been for some timea telephone scam beingoperated by faceless,nameless call centres to

over a quarter of Irish PC users.Despite warnings from the

National Consumer Agency, 16% ofthose targeted are lured into partingwith their credit card details.The calls follow a set pattern and

will be unidentified by number, thefirst clue that something is up. Thecaller is faultlessly polite and willappear to know you as a customer.It’s not hard to get on a call listduring your travels online — don’tbe charmed by the mention of yourname.You’ll be told with apparently

genuine concern that your computerhas been sending error reports tosomething like their “support centreengineers”.They may claim to be operating

for Windows or Microsoft, amazingas neither offers phone support, butMS have surveyed this criminalactivity in Ireland.You’ll then be asked to do a few

things to your PC, generallyentering the error report area wherelow and behold errors will appear tohave occurred.Newsflash! All PCs incur small

errors during normal operation andyour PCs own clean up applicationscan deal with them.At this point you’ll be

enthusiastically encouraged to letyour callers colleagues deal with theerrors remotely and the credit cardwill be mentioned.Don’t under any circumstances

give your credit card details to theseindividuals. They may only swipethe average of €56 for a supposedremote “security check” or “clean”of your system, but in the worstcases it could lead to identity theft.My remedy (as they call me all the

time) is to simply say, I don’t own aPC, and put down the phone.

PRICE-COMPARISONWEBSITESOnce confined to the

insurance industry, price-comparison websites cover arange of other products andfinancial services.For example, websites

including Bonkerswww.bonkers.ie can quicklycollate the prices of energyfrom Flogas, Bord GáisEnergy, Airtricity and ESBElectric Ireland.How to choose, how to

pay, deal terms, and the insand outs of switchingservice are all covered.Direct debit and e-billingcould save you severalpercent on your utility bills,so use these sites to searchthe market thoroughly ongoods and services. Look forindependent, impartialadvice.● www.finfacts.ie● www.compare.ie● www.freetocompare.ie

● www.compareireland.ie● www.moneyguideireland.com

ROYAL INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTS OF IRELANDI have to include the RIAI,

because having aprofessional architect buildor alter a property is a solidinvestment in the value ofyour home.Only an architect with full

training and continuedassessment by the institutecan use the title, and on theRIAI websites there aretools to help you find theright individual for yourproject, in your locality,from 622 practices.Most, but not all,

architects in Ireland areregistered on the RIAIwebsite. The consumersection will walk youthrough the process ofworking with an architect,their role, charges and

responsibilities.● www.riai.ie

WHICH?Over the pond,

Which.co.uk is a websitemarried to the consumerchampions at Which?magazine. You don’t have tosubscribe or live in the UKto find all sorts ofinformation on the site,from how to choose the bestwasher/dryer to avoidingdodgy builders and ropeyfinancial deals. Theirappliance testing isrecognised as second tonone, making the site a firstpoint of call if you’re buyingwhite goods or gadgets inthe January sales. If youfancy a full subscription,including Which? magazine,you can trial the full servicefor sterling £1 for a monthfrom your Paypal account orcredit card.● www.which.co.uk

Desk and chairs by Fergal O’Leary from Horizon Furniturewhich will be for sale at the Excellence in Wood exhibitionthis Monday to Friday in the former tax offices on Sullivan’sQuay in Cork city, from 11am to 7pm.


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


IN THE GARDEN IN THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK by Charlie Wilkins

GARDENNOTES■ Readers will delight in the

announcement last week that morethan €30,250 was handed over tocharity following DJ Murphy’s OpenHouse at Killumney, Co Cork. BothMarymount Hospice and SaoirseAlzheimers Mount Carmel HospitalClonakilty shared the gift, thegenerosity of many thousands ofvisitors over two long weekends.Thanks to all who donated.

■ Ladysbridge and District Flower andGarden Club will meet for aChristmas Work Night on Mondayat 8pm in the Garrryvoe Hotel.Please bring plant material, etc.Mulled wine and mince pies, alsoraffle and sales table on the night.

■ A Christmas Farmers Market shallbe held tomorrow from noon to5.30pm at Hosfords, Enniskeane. Aconcert with Michael Lawlor (tenor),Veronica O’Keeffe-mezzo-soprano(Annabel Adams-accompanist)begins at 2pm tomorrow.

■ The Frank Lewis Gallery, Killarney,are celebrating 25 years of trading,and to mark the occasion anexhibition featuring botanical artistSusan Sex (among others) is onview. The exhibition is open toDecember 24, Monday to Friday9am to 6pm. Gift ideas aplenty.

■ A spring seminar on snowdrops andother spring treasures takes place atAltmont Gardens, Co Carlow, onFebruary 4 beginning at 9.30am.Lunch, lectures, admission to bulbsale and tour is included in €50entry fee (before December 20)thereafter €60. Early booking isadvisable so contact Hester at 086-8654972. Full details will be givenduring January.

■ The Cystic Fibrosis Association willbenefit from the sales of The IrishCountry House Garden Diary andJournal. This month by monthguide is inspirational and the fullyillustrated journal costs €10 fromwww.cfireland.com or from BredaO’Kelly Lisamote, Adare, CoLimerick.

■ Have breakfast with Santa todayand tomorrow at the GreenbarnGarden Centre, Killeagh. Free Craftsat the Kids Live Crib.

■ A one-day workshop on decoratingyour home with traditional floralcreations takes place atTemplebreedy Grounds Experience,The Old Rectory, Crosshaven onspecified dates up to December 23.Maximum 6 persons per workshop.Materials and lunch provided.Contact 086 2888776 for details orvisit [email protected]

■ Griffins creative team will inspireyou with a workshop on Christmastree dressing, mantel-piece swag,garlands, wreaths and more at noonthis Monday, Wednesday, andFriday. All welcome.

■ Would any reader have an oldphotograph showing plants (eventhose alongside groups orindividuals) at Ashbourne House,Glounthaune, Co Cork? CharlieWilkins asks if he could borrowthese for a very short time. Pleasecontact [email protected]

Plant roses, but avoid areas where roses were previously grown as this can lead to problems with replant diseases.

HEDGES AND TREES: Continue theplanting of bare-root deciduoushedging plants and trees. Put rabbitguards around newly planted trees andshrubs to protect the bark fromdamage. Plant roses, but avoid areaswhere roses were previously grown asthis can lead to problems with replantdiseases. Move established deciduoustrees and shrubs, provided the groundis not frozen or soggy. Protect allnewly planted trees, hedges and shrubsfrom cold winds and frosts, which canloosen and lift the roots. Gently re-firmthem in if you notice this problem, anderect a temporary netting windbreak ifthere is no natural shelter. Thick drymulches will protect the roots fromcold, and branches can be covered withfleece, or even packed with dry strawand then covered with fleece, fortender plants. A wooden frame withclear polythene stretched over it does asimilar job for evergreens withoutblocking the light, but don’t let thepolythene touch the leaves, as

condensation could freeze or causerots.

HERONS are moving back nearer totown and city because their foodsupply in the countryside is gettingrather thin. During winter, all fishmove into deeper water for warmthand protection. Their movementsbecome much more sluggish, and manymove in under rocks and river ledgesfor added safety. In the garden pool,the water depth remains constant andhiding places are few and far between.As well as this, the natural cover andprotection provided by water-lilyleaves, floating plants, and oxygenatorsare now greatly reduced leaving thefish more exposed than ever. Becauseof this, it would be advisable to notalone cover the pool with netting orwire, but provide some form of shelterin which the goldfish can hide. Shortsections of plastic piping sunk on thepool bottom will give them a safe,quite, resting place for the winter, and

here they can be quite safe from thehawk-eye of the heron, if not hissword-like beak and deadly accuratestabbing actions.

AS Christmas and yet another NewYear approaches I hope it will bringreaders, as it has brought me, anothersatisfying period in their busy lives.My plants have thought me that life isa continuous circle, one of growing,maturing, and eventually one of rest.Gardening has also given me bountifuldays of fun, health, and immenseknowledge of how things evolve. It hasgiven me innumerable gardeningfriends none of whom I would changefor even the most desirable ofornamental plants. Best of all, it hasgiven me laughter and tears andpictures of almost incredible beauty,unlike any I have seen on canvas orboard. Won’t you join me then, on thispage, for another few seasons? AHappy Christmas, and Joyous NewYear, to all readers.

Who was Granny Smith?Wonder who some of the top gradeners in history were? Charlie Wilkins takes a trip down memory lane to tell us more

George Russell was responsible for creating the famous strain of Russell lupins, and even today hybridizers use these to createnew varieties. This illustration of Lupin chameleon from the Potting Shed in Wexford shows is yet another follow on fromGeorge’s work in experimentation.

G ardeners are thenicest people —honestly! Howobliging and

generous of spirit they are.They seem to take the viewthat they work for thecommon good of theircommunities, and any benefitsthat come their way are to beshared unstintingly. But thenall gardeners are batoncarriers, taking what has beenhanded them, before passingit on down to the next link inthe chain. And not just theplants, but knowledge, adviceand encouragement. For afew, their names andreputation live on to beshared and enjoyed by asmany as possible.

GRANNY SMITHAs mother of nine children,

Maria Smith (1799-1870) waspretty much guaranteed tobecome a grandmother. Sheand her husband Thomasemigrated to Ryde, New SouthWales in Australia, fromSussex as part of agovernment initiative toencourage skilled agriculturalworkers to that area. Theapple that was named afterher originated from a seedlingof a French crab apple whichMaria brought with her onher trip to Australia. At firstshe used the apples forcooking, but her sonencouraged her to grow themfor eating, and she soon beganto cultivate them in properorchards. Although popularlocally, the apple was notmarketed commercially untilafter her death and it was firstimported into Britain in the1930s. The New South Walestown of Ryde commemoratesGranny Smith with amemorial park which is onthe southern boundary of theformer family farm.

MISS WILMOTTThis was an acerbic womanwho would inspect the bundleof weeds about to becomposted by her under-gardenersthen proceed to pick outanything she did not considera weed.A member of the RHS, sheattended many of theircommittee meetings wearingsome rare bloom in herbuttonhole with the soleintention of seeing how manyof her colleagues didn’t knowit! Her name is synonymouswith the extremely soughtafter ‘thistle’ sold asEryngium giganteum.

CLIVE GREEVES;Miss Wilmott may have been acerbic but CliveGreves (of Scabious fame) was spivvy. A spivnormally dresses flashily and usually makes aliving by disreputable means. He was also a

salesman with many talents and he once bet hisemployer he could sell more of any plant if it wasnamed after him! His employer agreed and Clivedid go on to sell many plants, including the blueScabious which now bears his name.

NORAH BARLOWwas another graciouscharacter. She was thegranddaughter of CharlesDarwin and she grew up amidan eclectic mix of droll auntsand uncles. She dabbled ingenetics at university andpracticed hybridising plants,but contrary to belief, did notbreed her namesake columbine(aquilegia). It had probablybeen known since the sixteenthcentury.

MRS SINKINSOne of the most widely-growngarden plants today is thecarnation, or ‘pinks’ as they’recommonly known. A popularvariety is ‘Mrs Sinkins’ namedafter the wife of a master of thePoor Law Institution inSlough, England. It was herhusband who bred the famouswhite and highly scentedDianthus, and because it putSlough on the map it nowappears on the Slough coat ofarms. The bloom is held in thebeak of a swan.

GEORGE RUSSELLThis Yorkshireman tended

two allotments along withjobbing in peoples’ gardens. Hedabbled with hybridisation andwas particularly interested inlupins. For almost a quarter ofa century he persevered withcrossing and re-crossing, hisbest efforts eventuallyreaching high standards ofachievement. For years herefused to sell his plants orseedlings to nurseries andeventually only agreed to do soon condition that he couldsupervise their growth anddiscard inferior specimens.It is recorded that of the

5,000 plants produced in thefirst year by BakerNurseries, Russell destroyed4,200. There were many more,including the Rev Wilks (norelation!) who refused to makemoney out of his Shirleypoppies andE A Bowles who greetedvisitors with the words “I hopeyou brought a basket”.Irrespective of gender, all of

the above-mentioned had finecharacteristics andmannerisms.It is also remarkable how

many of them lived to a greatage. William Robinson lived tobe 97, George Russell 94 andCedric Morris 97. CollingwoodIngram and Nora Barlow bothreached 100. Gardening itwould seem promoteslongevity but it needs, Iimagine, to be practiced from ayoung age!


XP1 - V1 XP1 - V1


IN THE GARDEN IN THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK by Charlie Wilkins

GARDENNOTES■ Readers will delight in the

announcement last week that morethan €30,250 was handed over tocharity following DJ Murphy’s OpenHouse at Killumney, Co Cork. BothMarymount Hospice and SaoirseAlzheimers Mount Carmel HospitalClonakilty shared the gift, thegenerosity of many thousands ofvisitors over two long weekends.Thanks to all who donated.

■ Ladysbridge and District Flower andGarden Club will meet for aChristmas Work Night on Mondayat 8pm in the Garrryvoe Hotel.Please bring plant material, etc.Mulled wine and mince pies, alsoraffle and sales table on the night.

■ A Christmas Farmers Market shallbe held tomorrow from noon to5.30pm at Hosfords, Enniskeane. Aconcert with Michael Lawlor (tenor),Veronica O’Keeffe-mezzo-soprano(Annabel Adams-accompanist)begins at 2pm tomorrow.

■ The Frank Lewis Gallery, Killarney,are celebrating 25 years of trading,and to mark the occasion anexhibition featuring botanical artistSusan Sex (among others) is onview. The exhibition is open toDecember 24, Monday to Friday9am to 6pm. Gift ideas aplenty.

■ A spring seminar on snowdrops andother spring treasures takes place atAltmont Gardens, Co Carlow, onFebruary 4 beginning at 9.30am.Lunch, lectures, admission to bulbsale and tour is included in €50entry fee (before December 20)thereafter €60. Early booking isadvisable so contact Hester at 086-8654972. Full details will be givenduring January.

■ The Cystic Fibrosis Association willbenefit from the sales of The IrishCountry House Garden Diary andJournal. This month by monthguide is inspirational and the fullyillustrated journal costs €10 fromwww.cfireland.com or from BredaO’Kelly Lisamote, Adare, CoLimerick.

■ Have breakfast with Santa todayand tomorrow at the GreenbarnGarden Centre, Killeagh. Free Craftsat the Kids Live Crib.

■ A one-day workshop on decoratingyour home with traditional floralcreations takes place atTemplebreedy Grounds Experience,The Old Rectory, Crosshaven onspecified dates up to December 23.Maximum 6 persons per workshop.Materials and lunch provided.Contact 086 2888776 for details orvisit [email protected]

■ Griffins creative team will inspireyou with a workshop on Christmastree dressing, mantel-piece swag,garlands, wreaths and more at noonthis Monday, Wednesday, andFriday. All welcome.

■ Would any reader have an oldphotograph showing plants (eventhose alongside groups orindividuals) at Ashbourne House,Glounthaune, Co Cork? CharlieWilkins asks if he could borrowthese for a very short time. Pleasecontact [email protected]

Plant roses, but avoid areas where roses were previously grown as this can lead to problems with replant diseases.

HEDGES AND TREES: Continue theplanting of bare-root deciduoushedging plants and trees. Put rabbitguards around newly planted trees andshrubs to protect the bark fromdamage. Plant roses, but avoid areaswhere roses were previously grown asthis can lead to problems with replantdiseases. Move established deciduoustrees and shrubs, provided the groundis not frozen or soggy. Protect allnewly planted trees, hedges and shrubsfrom cold winds and frosts, which canloosen and lift the roots. Gently re-firmthem in if you notice this problem, anderect a temporary netting windbreak ifthere is no natural shelter. Thick drymulches will protect the roots fromcold, and branches can be covered withfleece, or even packed with dry strawand then covered with fleece, fortender plants. A wooden frame withclear polythene stretched over it does asimilar job for evergreens withoutblocking the light, but don’t let thepolythene touch the leaves, as

condensation could freeze or causerots.

HERONS are moving back nearer totown and city because their foodsupply in the countryside is gettingrather thin. During winter, all fishmove into deeper water for warmthand protection. Their movementsbecome much more sluggish, and manymove in under rocks and river ledgesfor added safety. In the garden pool,the water depth remains constant andhiding places are few and far between.As well as this, the natural cover andprotection provided by water-lilyleaves, floating plants, and oxygenatorsare now greatly reduced leaving thefish more exposed than ever. Becauseof this, it would be advisable to notalone cover the pool with netting orwire, but provide some form of shelterin which the goldfish can hide. Shortsections of plastic piping sunk on thepool bottom will give them a safe,quite, resting place for the winter, and

here they can be quite safe from thehawk-eye of the heron, if not hissword-like beak and deadly accuratestabbing actions.

AS Christmas and yet another NewYear approaches I hope it will bringreaders, as it has brought me, anothersatisfying period in their busy lives.My plants have thought me that life isa continuous circle, one of growing,maturing, and eventually one of rest.Gardening has also given me bountifuldays of fun, health, and immenseknowledge of how things evolve. It hasgiven me innumerable gardeningfriends none of whom I would changefor even the most desirable ofornamental plants. Best of all, it hasgiven me laughter and tears andpictures of almost incredible beauty,unlike any I have seen on canvas orboard. Won’t you join me then, on thispage, for another few seasons? AHappy Christmas, and Joyous NewYear, to all readers.

Who was Granny Smith?Wonder who some of the top gradeners in history were? Charlie Wilkins takes a trip down memory lane to tell us more

George Russell was responsible for creating the famous strain of Russell lupins, and even today hybridizers use these to createnew varieties. This illustration of Lupin chameleon from the Potting Shed in Wexford shows is yet another follow on fromGeorge’s work in experimentation.

G ardeners are thenicest people —honestly! Howobliging and

generous of spirit they are.They seem to take the viewthat they work for thecommon good of theircommunities, and any benefitsthat come their way are to beshared unstintingly. But thenall gardeners are batoncarriers, taking what has beenhanded them, before passingit on down to the next link inthe chain. And not just theplants, but knowledge, adviceand encouragement. For afew, their names andreputation live on to beshared and enjoyed by asmany as possible.

GRANNY SMITHAs mother of nine children,

Maria Smith (1799-1870) waspretty much guaranteed tobecome a grandmother. Sheand her husband Thomasemigrated to Ryde, New SouthWales in Australia, fromSussex as part of agovernment initiative toencourage skilled agriculturalworkers to that area. Theapple that was named afterher originated from a seedlingof a French crab apple whichMaria brought with her onher trip to Australia. At firstshe used the apples forcooking, but her sonencouraged her to grow themfor eating, and she soon beganto cultivate them in properorchards. Although popularlocally, the apple was notmarketed commercially untilafter her death and it was firstimported into Britain in the1930s. The New South Walestown of Ryde commemoratesGranny Smith with amemorial park which is onthe southern boundary of theformer family farm.

MISS WILMOTTThis was an acerbic womanwho would inspect the bundleof weeds about to becomposted by her under-gardenersthen proceed to pick outanything she did not considera weed.A member of the RHS, sheattended many of theircommittee meetings wearingsome rare bloom in herbuttonhole with the soleintention of seeing how manyof her colleagues didn’t knowit! Her name is synonymouswith the extremely soughtafter ‘thistle’ sold asEryngium giganteum.

CLIVE GREEVES;Miss Wilmott may have been acerbic but CliveGreves (of Scabious fame) was spivvy. A spivnormally dresses flashily and usually makes aliving by disreputable means. He was also a

salesman with many talents and he once bet hisemployer he could sell more of any plant if it wasnamed after him! His employer agreed and Clivedid go on to sell many plants, including the blueScabious which now bears his name.

NORAH BARLOWwas another graciouscharacter. She was thegranddaughter of CharlesDarwin and she grew up amidan eclectic mix of droll auntsand uncles. She dabbled ingenetics at university andpracticed hybridising plants,but contrary to belief, did notbreed her namesake columbine(aquilegia). It had probablybeen known since the sixteenthcentury.

MRS SINKINSOne of the most widely-growngarden plants today is thecarnation, or ‘pinks’ as they’recommonly known. A popularvariety is ‘Mrs Sinkins’ namedafter the wife of a master of thePoor Law Institution inSlough, England. It was herhusband who bred the famouswhite and highly scentedDianthus, and because it putSlough on the map it nowappears on the Slough coat ofarms. The bloom is held in thebeak of a swan.

GEORGE RUSSELLThis Yorkshireman tended

two allotments along withjobbing in peoples’ gardens. Hedabbled with hybridisation andwas particularly interested inlupins. For almost a quarter ofa century he persevered withcrossing and re-crossing, hisbest efforts eventuallyreaching high standards ofachievement. For years herefused to sell his plants orseedlings to nurseries andeventually only agreed to do soon condition that he couldsupervise their growth anddiscard inferior specimens.It is recorded that of the

5,000 plants produced in thefirst year by BakerNurseries, Russell destroyed4,200. There were many more,including the Rev Wilks (norelation!) who refused to makemoney out of his Shirleypoppies andE A Bowles who greetedvisitors with the words “I hopeyou brought a basket”.Irrespective of gender, all of

the above-mentioned had finecharacteristics andmannerisms.It is also remarkable how

many of them lived to a greatage. William Robinson lived tobe 97, George Russell 94 andCedric Morris 97. CollingwoodIngram and Nora Barlow bothreached 100. Gardening itwould seem promoteslongevity but it needs, Iimagine, to be practiced from ayoung age!


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ANTIQUES & FINE ART ADVERTISING

IN BRIEFA Victorian oval-endeddining table with two extraleaves made €2,500 atHegarty’s in Bandon inDecember. At the samesale a pastel by artistTheodore Axentowicz(1859-1938) made €1,950,a Japanese wakizashi swordwith signed blade made€1,250, a set of sixVictorian dining chairsmade €1,150, a Georgianfive drawer chest sold for€800 and an Irish Regencycoat stand with carvedcolumn and claw feet made€800................................................................... .

In Dublin there will be anauction on the premises at3 Eglinton Road onThursday, December 29, at2.30pm. This was the homeof Thomas Teevan,Attorney General in 1953-54 and a High Court judgefrom 1954-71. He was thejudge in the unsuccessfullibel action brought byPatrick Kavanagh againstThe Leader, a culturalmagazine. The verdict waslater overturned................................................................... .

Matthews Auctioneers ofOldcastle, Co Meath’s salewill include a c1760Georgian chest of drawers,a Georgian kneehole desk,a five foot long Irish hunttable, a Hicks displaycabinet and a Harry Kernoffwatercolour................................................................... .

The Christmas show at theVangard Gallery inMacroom, which celebrates20 years of a gallery whichre-located back from Corkcity to Macroom in 2009,features artists who havebeen associated with thegallery. They includePatricia Burns, EamonColman, Seán Cotter,Michael Cullen, Jill Dennis,Felim Egan, Simon English,Martin Finnin, Tim

Goulding, Con Kelleher,Siobhán Mc Donald, SeánMc Sweeney, John PhilipMurray, Sarah O’Flaherty,Cormac O’Leary and JimSheehy. Entitled FeicheBlian ag Fás – Ar Ais Aris(Twenty Years a’ Growing –Back Again) it continuesuntil January 20................................................................... .

The street artist Banksy isfeatured at a street artexhibition now on at theUlster Museum in Belfast. Itshowcases work by over 30street artists, includingShepard Fairey, whobecame synonymous withthe 2008 Obamapresidential campaign.Other well-known namesinclude D*Face, Sickboy,Miss Tic and Jamie Hewlett.The exhibition explores theway street art has movedfrom the painted wall tomedia like printmaking. Itruns until March 4................................................................... .

The Christmas Show at theLavit Gallery in Corkfeatures work from morethan 150 Irish artists andcraftspeople. There arepaintings, ceramics, print,sculpture, woodwork, glass,metalwork and textiles ondisplay. The gallery will beopen from 10.30am to 6pmtomorrow................................................................... .

The launch of a school offurniture restoration tookplace in Doneraile, Co Corkon Thursday. It is aninitiative by the DoneraileDevelopment Association,the BallyhouraDevelopment Associationand Fás. The school, whichis located in the oldConvent Chapel inDoneraile, was launched byEnterprise and InnovationMinister Sean Sherlock andpresident of the IrishAntique Dealers AssociationGeorge Stacpoole,

ElizabethTaylor gemsmake $116mDes O’Sullivan on the most valuablejewellery auction in history in New York

Left: The Elizabeth Taylor diamond made $8,818,500 (€6,785,000).Right: La Peregrina, one of the largest and most symmetricallyperfect pear-shaped pearls in the world. It now forms part of anatural pearl, diamond, ruby and cultured pearl necklace designedby Elizabeth Taylor with Al Durante of Cartier and made a record$11,842,500. Pictures: Christies

THE auction of 80lots of thelegendary jewelsof Elizabeth

Taylor became the mostvaluable jewelleryauction in history in NewYork this week. The firstof four days of sales fromthe Elizabeth TaylorCollection made$115,932,000 (€89,200,000).No less than seven newauction records wereachieved: price per caratfor a colourless diamondand for a ruby; a pair ofnatural pearl earpendants; a pearl jewel;

an Indian jewel and anemerald jewel.The top lot was La

Peregrina, a pearl withincredible provenancebought by RichardBurton for ElizabethTaylor for $37,000 in 1969.It made $11,842,500.Discovered in the 1500s inthe Gulf of Panama it wasowned by a succession ofSpanish Kings. Spain lostit in 1808 when NapoleonBonaparte invaded,thereby earning it thename of La Peregrina(the wanderer), it wassold by Napoleon III in

exile in London to the2nd Marquess ofAbercorn and remainedin the Abercorn familyuntil Burton outbid amember of the SpanishRoyal Family in 1969.The Elizabeth Taylor

33.19 carat diamond made$8,818,500, setting a worldrecord price of $265,697per carat for a colourlessdiamond. A diamond

and ruby ring byVan Cleef and Arpelsmade $4,226,500 ($512,925per ruby carat). The salewas 100% sold with sixjewels fetching over $5m.The previous auctionrecord for a jewellerycollection was for theDuchess of Windsorjewels. They made$50,281,887 in Geneva in1987.

Have you musical treasure?

A terrestrial globe made €6,800 at the Lynes and Lynes sale inCarrigtwohill, Co Cork.

Two from a set of six Cork 11-bar chairs made by Cash and Cowhich made €1,400 at a Lynes and Lynes sale.

This antique oak low dresser with shaped apron on hoof feetmade €4,000 at Marshs in Cork last Saturday.

This set of six Victorian chairs with cabriole legs made €1,150 atHegarty’s December sale in Bandon, Co Cork.

B onhams director ofmusical instrumentsPhilip Scott will be onthe lookout for hidden

musical treasure in Cork nextweek. He will be at HayfieldManor Hotel in Cork city for amusical advisory day nextThursday, looking mostly atviolins, violas, cellos and bows.“Quite often it is the bow that

now provides the surprises. It sitsin the case, a long thin curved

piece of wood and does not reallylook much, people have a greaterexpectation of the instrument inthe case, but if it is from the handof one of the great French‘archetiers’ then it can easily beworth thousands,” Mr Scott toldthe antiques page. One musicalcollection from Scotland turnedout to be worth hundreds ofthousands of pounds unknown toits owner. About 15 years ago acharity shop sent in a violin to

Bonhams which soldsubsequently for £20,000.Bonhams had a notable success

this month. They re-appraised apainting brought in to theirrooms in Oxford, initially valuedat around £300. It turned out to bea portrait by Velazquez and soldfor £3 million. The work wasauthenticated by Dr Peter Cherryof Trinity College, Dublin, one ofthe world’s foremost authoritieson Velázquez.

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION PLEASE CALL OR EMAILGer Duggan Tel: 021-4802192 email: [email protected]

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ANTIQUES & FINE ART ADVERTISING

IN BRIEFA Victorian oval-endeddining table with two extraleaves made €2,500 atHegarty’s in Bandon inDecember. At the samesale a pastel by artistTheodore Axentowicz(1859-1938) made €1,950,a Japanese wakizashi swordwith signed blade made€1,250, a set of sixVictorian dining chairsmade €1,150, a Georgianfive drawer chest sold for€800 and an Irish Regencycoat stand with carvedcolumn and claw feet made€800................................................................... .

In Dublin there will be anauction on the premises at3 Eglinton Road onThursday, December 29, at2.30pm. This was the homeof Thomas Teevan,Attorney General in 1953-54 and a High Court judgefrom 1954-71. He was thejudge in the unsuccessfullibel action brought byPatrick Kavanagh againstThe Leader, a culturalmagazine. The verdict waslater overturned................................................................... .

Matthews Auctioneers ofOldcastle, Co Meath’s salewill include a c1760Georgian chest of drawers,a Georgian kneehole desk,a five foot long Irish hunttable, a Hicks displaycabinet and a Harry Kernoffwatercolour................................................................... .

The Christmas show at theVangard Gallery inMacroom, which celebrates20 years of a gallery whichre-located back from Corkcity to Macroom in 2009,features artists who havebeen associated with thegallery. They includePatricia Burns, EamonColman, Seán Cotter,Michael Cullen, Jill Dennis,Felim Egan, Simon English,Martin Finnin, Tim

Goulding, Con Kelleher,Siobhán Mc Donald, SeánMc Sweeney, John PhilipMurray, Sarah O’Flaherty,Cormac O’Leary and JimSheehy. Entitled FeicheBlian ag Fás – Ar Ais Aris(Twenty Years a’ Growing –Back Again) it continuesuntil January 20................................................................... .

The street artist Banksy isfeatured at a street artexhibition now on at theUlster Museum in Belfast. Itshowcases work by over 30street artists, includingShepard Fairey, whobecame synonymous withthe 2008 Obamapresidential campaign.Other well-known namesinclude D*Face, Sickboy,Miss Tic and Jamie Hewlett.The exhibition explores theway street art has movedfrom the painted wall tomedia like printmaking. Itruns until March 4................................................................... .

The Christmas Show at theLavit Gallery in Corkfeatures work from morethan 150 Irish artists andcraftspeople. There arepaintings, ceramics, print,sculpture, woodwork, glass,metalwork and textiles ondisplay. The gallery will beopen from 10.30am to 6pmtomorrow................................................................... .

The launch of a school offurniture restoration tookplace in Doneraile, Co Corkon Thursday. It is aninitiative by the DoneraileDevelopment Association,the BallyhouraDevelopment Associationand Fás. The school, whichis located in the oldConvent Chapel inDoneraile, was launched byEnterprise and InnovationMinister Sean Sherlock andpresident of the IrishAntique Dealers AssociationGeorge Stacpoole,

ElizabethTaylor gemsmake $116mDes O’Sullivan on the most valuablejewellery auction in history in New York

Left: The Elizabeth Taylor diamond made $8,818,500 (€6,785,000).Right: La Peregrina, one of the largest and most symmetricallyperfect pear-shaped pearls in the world. It now forms part of anatural pearl, diamond, ruby and cultured pearl necklace designedby Elizabeth Taylor with Al Durante of Cartier and made a record$11,842,500. Pictures: Christies

THE auction of 80lots of thelegendary jewelsof Elizabeth

Taylor became the mostvaluable jewelleryauction in history in NewYork this week. The firstof four days of sales fromthe Elizabeth TaylorCollection made$115,932,000 (€89,200,000).No less than seven newauction records wereachieved: price per caratfor a colourless diamondand for a ruby; a pair ofnatural pearl earpendants; a pearl jewel;

an Indian jewel and anemerald jewel.The top lot was La

Peregrina, a pearl withincredible provenancebought by RichardBurton for ElizabethTaylor for $37,000 in 1969.It made $11,842,500.Discovered in the 1500s inthe Gulf of Panama it wasowned by a succession ofSpanish Kings. Spain lostit in 1808 when NapoleonBonaparte invaded,thereby earning it thename of La Peregrina(the wanderer), it wassold by Napoleon III in

exile in London to the2nd Marquess ofAbercorn and remainedin the Abercorn familyuntil Burton outbid amember of the SpanishRoyal Family in 1969.The Elizabeth Taylor

33.19 carat diamond made$8,818,500, setting a worldrecord price of $265,697per carat for a colourlessdiamond. A diamond

and ruby ring byVan Cleef and Arpelsmade $4,226,500 ($512,925per ruby carat). The salewas 100% sold with sixjewels fetching over $5m.The previous auctionrecord for a jewellerycollection was for theDuchess of Windsorjewels. They made$50,281,887 in Geneva in1987.

Have you musical treasure?

A terrestrial globe made €6,800 at the Lynes and Lynes sale inCarrigtwohill, Co Cork.

Two from a set of six Cork 11-bar chairs made by Cash and Cowhich made €1,400 at a Lynes and Lynes sale.

This antique oak low dresser with shaped apron on hoof feetmade €4,000 at Marshs in Cork last Saturday.

This set of six Victorian chairs with cabriole legs made €1,150 atHegarty’s December sale in Bandon, Co Cork.

B onhams director ofmusical instrumentsPhilip Scott will be onthe lookout for hidden

musical treasure in Cork nextweek. He will be at HayfieldManor Hotel in Cork city for amusical advisory day nextThursday, looking mostly atviolins, violas, cellos and bows.“Quite often it is the bow that

now provides the surprises. It sitsin the case, a long thin curved

piece of wood and does not reallylook much, people have a greaterexpectation of the instrument inthe case, but if it is from the handof one of the great French‘archetiers’ then it can easily beworth thousands,” Mr Scott toldthe antiques page. One musicalcollection from Scotland turnedout to be worth hundreds ofthousands of pounds unknown toits owner. About 15 years ago acharity shop sent in a violin to

Bonhams which soldsubsequently for £20,000.Bonhams had a notable success

this month. They re-appraised apainting brought in to theirrooms in Oxford, initially valuedat around £300. It turned out to bea portrait by Velazquez and soldfor £3 million. The work wasauthenticated by Dr Peter Cherryof Trinity College, Dublin, one ofthe world’s foremost authoritieson Velázquez.

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION PLEASE CALL OR EMAILGer Duggan Tel: 021-4802192 email: [email protected]

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Showroom: Colomane, Bantry.

www.portas.ie

Interior Doors, from old to new!

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