Maryville on O’Connell Avenue, Limerick, dates from 1875 and “heralds the beginning of the suburban streetscape contrasting with the larger-scaled higher density Georgian streetscape to the north”, according to the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. The house is just down from the Crescent – part of Newtown Pery – which is the largest collection of Georgian buildings in Ireland outside Dublin.
Described as an “attractive Victorian house” it has some fine period details both externally and internally. On its front facade, a frieze with a carved limestone plaque inscribed with “Mary Ville” is flanked by two floral panels and piers supporting the wrought-iron gates on which is the inscription: “P Kennedy, Builder, Stone and Marble Works”. P Kennedy lived at 3 Military Road – the name of the street before it became O’Connell Avenue.
Inside, 10ft-high ceilings marry well with intricate cornicing, old fireplaces and picture rails – and while in need of modernisation, the bones of a lovely period home are all here.
It has the usual Victorian layout with a drawingroom and interconnecting diningroom inside the front hall, both of which have old fireplaces. Beyond is a pantry and kitchen, which could be extended into the back garden subject to planning requirements.
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Upstairs are three double bedrooms, including an impressively sized principal that occupies the full breadth of the house, alongside the family bathroom. Up a further set of stairs is an attic room – laid out as a fourth bedroom – which has views across the chimney pots and church spire of the city skyline. It’s a nice space and has great potential to be a home office.
Besides period features and a 25sq m (274sq ft) garage that lies through a gated side access, the house has a courtyard garden to the rear and a larger enclosed garden beyond that. The location – so close to the city centre – will be a real selling point, as practically every amenity is within walking distance. The University Hospital and Crescent Shopping Centre are less than 3km away while the Belltable Arts Centre/Lime Tree Theatre – the oldest regional theatre in the country – is about a 10-minute walk away, as is the central business district.
The Ber-exempt property measuring 129sq m (1,389sq ft) plus attic space is now on the market through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €365,000.
