How ‘mini Downton Abbey' in Cork offered quirky childhood with coach house, priest holes and over six acres

Irish Independent

6 days ago

Price: €795,000
Agent: Sherry FitzGerald O'Donovan [phone]
'Growing up here, we were just like the Famous Five,' Carrie Horgan says of her family home: Ballynona Cottage, just outside Midleton in Co Cork, which Horgan says was perfect for children.
With its church windows, hidden doors, priest holes, bells, gun room and 6.15 acres of idyllic tree-filled land, she says the five siblings grew up like the titular characters from the well-loved Enid Blyton novels.
'It was an endless journey of discovery. We made tree houses, discovered hidden doors, and played in the courtyard, outhouses and land around."
Dating back to 1842 in its current form, the house was designed for more adult pursuits of the gentry. The Victorian-era hunting lodge was built for the esteemed Wigmore family, who lived in the surrounding 400-acre Ballynona estate.
Despite being over 180 years old, the house has only changed hands four times. Captain Anthony John Charles Donelan, an Irish nationalist politician is believed to have been connected to it at one point in time.
'The lodge was used seasonally for entertaining and hunting deer, pheasant and foxes. No one from the family lived here permanently, but people would come and stay during hunting season. They'd have dinner parties and keep their guns in the gun room. It's real landed gentry stuff,' says Horgan.
'My dad kept guns there too. He had a room full of shooting rifles. We did clay pigeon shooting here, so we kept the tradition.'
Their father Liam Horgan bought the property back in 1976. 'I was two when we moved here. It was pretty derelict, and he spent almost four decades working on it until he died,' she says.
'By day he was an accountant and by night, he'd restore all the original features – the sash windows, shutters, wooden beams, flooring and doors. I don't know how much he spent on it, but it was a labour of love.'
Horgan says the five children found lots of hidden treasures along the way. 'There are little cubby holes, old medicine bottles, old fashioned hot water bottles...'
'One day, when we ripped off wallpaper, we found a priest hole in one of the bedrooms, just above the bedroom door." The man-sized hiding spots were used to conceal Catholic priests from the authorities in penal times. These were constructed when priests faced persecution, including imprisonment and execution.
While the house is believed to have dated from later, with the country in turmoil during this period, there might still have been a need to hide away.
There's a porch with Doric columns, cast-iron chimney pieces, ornate cornices and tiled flooring. The ecclesiastical ceilings and gothic arched windows are from the same architect who designed Midleton church. "In the hallway, there's a random door just floating alongside the stairs, which looks like something from Alice in Wonderland. My mum used to keep her clothes in here.'
In the dining room, there's an egg collection from her dad, which he gathered and recorded over years.
"The dining room also still has the old servants' bells, which you ring to tell everyone dinner is ready. There are so many fun quirks."
Spanning well over 2,600 sq ft, the main house comes with three double bedrooms and a main bathroom upstairs, with a living room, formal dining room, study, sunroom, and a grand entrance hall with vaulted ceilings and marble fireplace on the ground floor.
'The three reception rooms all have fireplaces, and it's so cosy around Christmas time when they're all lit. It's like a stately home, but cosy. Like a mini Downton Abbey. The kitchen is really cosy, with an Aga and stable door leading on to the courtyard. 'All rooms have doors leading from them, which opens up the house," Horgan says.
The coach house is separate from the main property and has a kitchen, bathroom and spiral staircase to a double bedroom.
There is also a garage, sheds and a stone-walled courtyard which 'really catches the sun,' according to Horgan.
Outside, the long driveway boasts mature trees including ash, oak, sycamore, Scots pine and Spanish chestnut. 'Dad loved his privacy, so no one could look in. We were surrounded by trees, but Storm Ophelia knocked some of them down, revealing an incredible view."
The well-maintained garden is helped by Herby the goat, also known as the organic lawn mower. "Herby is a fantastic goat, who looks after the grass and the property. He's our third goat and such a valuable addition because he's munches the grass and weeds."
A short distance away from the main house, there are stables with two possible floors for renovation. "Anyone who wants to buy the place could turn the stables into an Airbnb. You could also get horses. There are so many possibilities."
Now it's time for the family to move on, and the house is up for sale. "We'd love someone who appreciates it and is sensitive to the preservation of the house,' Horgan says. 'It's not a listed building, but there are lovely architectural aspects to it."
"When I was younger, my brother scared me that the place is haunted, but it isn't. Often these houses are filled with mildew, but this is really warm and welcoming. It's got really good vibes. You can update it, but it's really cosy.
"We had an amazing childhood here,' she continues. 'There's a fantastic school in Midleton too, and it's really close to places like Kinsale, Crosshaven and the five-star Castlemartyr Resort.'
Midleton is an eight-minute drive, and Cork city is only around 35 minutes away. Whiskey fans will be close to the distillery, which has been producing whiskey since 1825. It's also close to the world famous Ballymaloe cookery school.
Ballynona Cottage, set on 6.15 acres, is on the market with an asking price of €795,000 through Sherry FitzGerald O'Donovan.