When it comes to getting away from it all, residential options are rarely as secluded or as scenic as The School Master’s House on Cape Clear.

Situated on an elevated half-acre site in the centre of the three-mile-long island, it’s a detached 1860s-built house offering views of Fastnet lighthouse and the Atlantic.

“It enjoys a magnificent southerly aspect over South Harbour,’’ says auctioneer Charles McCarthy, explaining that the property was renovated by current owners around 15 years ago and is in good repair.

On the market with a guide of €400,000, it’s a two-bed house with 1,400 sq ft of living space, including a detached timber guest chalet.

A thoroughly traditional house, it has white, rough plastered walls, timber panelled ceilings, original cast-iron fireplaces and both tiled and painted timber flooring. A single-story extension was built for a kitchen and bathroom at the rear and the owners have used specially toughened glass in the sash windows and put in a stove with a back boiler.

“The property is located within a mile of the main ferry point at North Harbour,’’ says Mr McCarthy, noting that the ferry trip takes 40 minutes and that there is a regular service from Baltimore.

He says properties are rare to the market on Cape Clear, an island which is popular with summer visitors to West Cork. “We’ve already interest from buyers in Dublin, London, and the US,” he says.

VERDICT: An chance to own a secluded summer home or be resident number 121 on Cape Clear.

As pretty as it ever was with its red and yellow brick façade and Victorian embellishments, No 54 Celestine Avenue in Stella Gardens is now quite a bit larger than it used to be.

Thanks to the efforts of current owners, the end of terrace house now has three bedrooms and 860 sq ft of living space. “They extended it 10 years and carried out major renovations,’’ reveals Darryl McLoughlin of Sherry FitzGerald, observing that it’s beautifully presented and modern and has a C1 BER.

Reordering the layout, the owners put a small bedroom at the front and fitted a modern bathroom beyond it. Also at the front the property has a timber floored living room which opens at the rear into a modern kitchen diner with high gloss units and double doors. The owners also added an upper floor with two bedrooms.

Mr McLoughlin says the Dublin 4 location and proximity to amenities make this area very popular. “It’s on a quiet street with easy access to the city centre and local amenities including the Aviva Stadium, Google’s EU Headquarters Theatre and Grand Canal Dock as well as Ballsbridge and the IFSC.’’ 

On the market with a guide of €575,000, it’s one of three Celestine Avenue properties listed with Sherry FitzGerald in Sandymount this year. No 56 a smaller mid terrace two-bed sold for €440,000 and No 55, a two -bed end of terrace one with a guide of €425,000, is now sale agreed for €480,000.

VERDICT: Well located, modern and pretty.

Quirky, spacious and individual — with vegetable plots, an orchard and an indestructible greenhouse, Coolgower House at Coolgower in Waterford is quite a substantial offering.

Situated almost midway between Waterford city and Tramore — within a 10 minute drive from both — it’s a four-bed single storey detached house on a site of 1.5 acres.

Originally built in the 1970s, it’s been significantly extended and upgraded over the years and consists of two wings connected by a large central sunroom.

In the front section of the 2,500 sq ft property, there’s a modern kitchen with shaker style kitchen and also a living room with a stove and small corner sunroom area. Beyond the lounge is a large central sunroom which has a large roof lantern skylight that offers access to the bedrooms in the second wing at the rear. Here there are four bedrooms including one en suite and a bathroom with a high tech shower cubicle.

Seeking offers of €535,000, auctioneer Michael Griffin says the property and its large mature and private site offers huge scope to a city buyer looking for space in the country. “It has a sizable detached garage and a large workshop or hobby room as well as an orchard, a vegetable garden, a fire pit area and an indestructible greenhouse,’’ he reveals.

Noting that the property is just 7 km from Waterford city, he says it provides easy access to University hospital and the IDA business park.

VERDICT : Offers all the perks of country living within a short drive from Waterford city.

With its half-acre site, raised vegetable beds, apple trees and pizza oven, you might describe the Cottage at Ballyhannon near Quin village as a lifestyle property.

The owners have been busy since they bought it as a small cottage with an attached cowshed in 2002. “The cowshed has been converted into a high ceilinged family room and with the cottage has been extended into a four-bed home with 2,325 sq ft of living space,” reveals Cormac O’Sullivan of DNG O’Sullivan Hurley.

He says that for relocating buyers, this attractively upgraded cottage and its private mature site, offers the ultimate in countryside living.

“In addition to vegetable beds and apple trees it has lawns, wrap-around decking, flower beds and a detached garage.”

The interior of the 1860s-built cottage is now a large living room with a stove and the adjoining cow shed has become a spacious family room. In the extension, there’s a kitchen diner with timber units and granite worktops as well as a bathroom and four bedrooms including one en suite.

A spiral staircase leads up to loft which has a shower room and two rooms, one of which is used as a home office.

Located within 2km from Quin, the property is 34 km from Limerick and 19 km from Shannon.

The Cottage is attracting good interest from relocating buyers and Mr O’Sullivan has just received a bid of €395,000, €10,000 above the guide, from one.

VERDICT: A spacious country cottage with extras.

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