A splendid period residence outside Newbridge on the edge of the Curragh has come on the market.
Curragh Grange and associated stables and outlying buildings on 64 acres will be sold at auction on May 26th next as a single unit or as seven lots with a guide price over €9 million.
Curragh Grange is the former residence of the late Irish Sweeps owner, Joe McGrath. The Richard Orpen designed home is a luxurious Queen Ann style redbrick pebble-dash country house with adjoining half timber stud farm.
"It could either be used as a residence or would suit three or four other possibilities," stated Rory Lavelle of sole agents, Jordan Auctioneers.
The house is palatial, offering about 743sq m (8,000sq ft) with four reception rooms and six large bedrooms. It sits on 10.65 acres (4.313 ha), about five acres (2ha) of which are given over to a beautifully landscaped garden.
"The grounds around the house are spectacular," Mr Lavelle said. At one stage no fewer that 15 gardeners tended them under the supervision of a Kew-trained head gardener.
The property is located between Newbridge town and the edge of the Curragh about 35km from Dublin and 8km west of Naas. The M7 motorway is close by with access at the Ballymany interchange and Curragh Grange has extensive direct frontage to the Curragh.
It offers both residential and commercial potential, hence its offer as one or six lots at auction. It is large enough to serve as a country house hotel, or could certainly be used by those in the bloodstock industry given the extensive stables on the property.
There are also opportunities for builders given 25 acres of lands with obvious residential development potential that are adjacent to existing lands zoned residential. The potential lots include the house on 10.65 acres (4.313ha); the gate lodge on 1.398 acres (0.566ha); a cottage at nearby Stepaside on 11.3 acres (4.6ha); lands at Lumville comprising 14.934 acres (6.044ha); and the 25.146 acres (10.177ha) of potential development land mentioned above.
The house is spacious and well proportioned with bright south-facing reception rooms incorporating fine plasterwork. It sports a stairwell hall with double stairs converging and ornate panelling and plasterwork.
There is a fine 32ft by 13ft reception hall/sunroom. This is bow-ended with parquet floor, ornate half panelled walls, a fireplace with carved Adam-style mantelpiece and French door to the garden.
Other reception rooms include a livingroom, diningroom and drawingroom, and there is a study/breakfastroom and kitchen and two downstairs cloakrooms.
There are six bedrooms, most with fireplaces, many en suite and one with a large dressingroom.
Running at right angles to the main house and connected to both floors is a self-contained former nursery/staff wing with eight rooms on the ground floor and five on the second.
There is an outdoor heated swimming pool with pool chalet, an indoor squash court and three garages.
Remember, too, that the property comes with a gate lodge, cottage and a two-storey house with two reception rooms and three bedrooms.
Darby Rodgers owned the property until 1956 when Joe McGrath Jnr acquired Curragh Grange. In recent years the property served as the home of the Sundai International College, better known as the Japanese school. That closed some years ago, however, and Curragh Grange has remained vacant since.
The title is freehold and sole agent is Jordan Auctioneers. The auction takes place on May 26th at 3pm in the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge. Further details are available from Rory Lavelle or Paddy Jordan at 045-433550.
