Located adjacent to the ivy-draped ruin of Moore Hall, home to Irish politician and founder of the Tenant Right League, George Moore (1810-1870), are 10 acres (4.12 hectares) of private grounds fronting on to Lough Carra, hidden from view by 4,000 trees. You would be forgiven for thinking that this area is just farmland, such is the privacy surrounding this home.
Positioned to maximise views of the lake by day and catch evening sunsets, the current owners built their dream home to a design by local Castlebar firm Taylor Architects (now Taylor McCarney Architects) about 15 years ago.
The four-bedroom house extends to a significant 341sq m (3,670sq ft) and is bathed in light thanks to its southerly aspect, maximised by double-height glazing.
The hub of this stone-clad home is an expansive open-plan kitchen/living and dining area. The space, extending to 79sq m, has Welsh slate underfoot and spills out on to a south-facing terrace through two sets of patio doors.
The interiors, designed by a Florida-based designer, include a well-appointed kitchen with Siemens appliances and a raised electric fireplace in the living area. Views of the lake and surrounding hills from here are a real selling point.
Completing the ground floor are two bedrooms, both of which are en suite, and one of which opens to the garden, as well as a utility room, a guest loo and a spacious garage with a roller door.
Upstairs, the main suite provides the wow factor, with superb lake vistas – even the loo has a view – and dual walk-in wardrobes. It extends to about 100sq m.
Adjacent, off a large mezzanine, sits an office (or the fourth bedroom) but with views like this, it would be hard to concentrate on anything other than the scenery. Two good-sized terraces bookend this upstairs space.
Another wow factor, besides privacy and endless walks provided by its 10.18 acre site, is the fact that there is direct frontage and access to Lough Carra. The family who have called Deerpark home for the past 15 years keep a boat in a lakeside boathouse, and have enjoyed the waters, often visiting Castle Island, where George Moore is interred.
While it might feel like the middle of nowhere with only the sounds of nature around, it is close to Cong, Ballintubber and convenient to Castlebar and Wetsport. In terms of access, Ireland West Airport is 48km away and the capital is served by daily trains from Claremorris, which is about a 20-minute drive.
With a Ber of B3 and in walk-in condition, the lakefront property on expansive grounds is now on the market through estate agent O’Toole & Co listed at €1.5 million.
