Connemara: €500,000A pair of ramshackle stone cottages with potential in the Gaeltacht could be a bargain in any language, says Fiona Tyrrell

A half million euro price tag for two ramshackle stone houses may seem a little pricey, but in the instance of this pair of cottages in south Connemara, it's a case of location, location - and planning permission.

When the cottages go under the hammer in September in Galway city, the auction will be conducted in both Irish and English by estate agent Frank Conroy, who prides himself on operating an Irish-speaking agency specialising in the Galway Gaeltacht area from his branch in Carraroe.

Mr Conroy says he conducts up to 90 per cent of his business in Irish.

"People prefer doing business in their own language and it's a matter of courtesy to facilitate them," he explains.

All properties with a Gaeltacht connection get a bilingual auction, he says. However, it is likely that the these two cottages will be snapped up by a non-Irish language speaker looking for a rural holiday retreat.

The pair of houses, set on 24 acres in the remote area of Gorumna, have access to their own private coral beach.

What is even more important is their "vital planning significance", according Mr Conroy.

Planning permission for new homes in the Connemara area is normally available only to those with a housing need in the area. This, coupled with restrictive Irish language conditions on housing development in Gaeltacht areas, means there is a great demand for derelict homes from holiday homeowners.

For most people looking for holiday homes in the area their "only hope is to find an old wreck with four walls and do it up", according to Mr Conroy.

Usually there is no problem securing planning permission to extend and tastefully restore an old cottage, he says.

Derelict cottages on an acre in Connemara can command between €180,000 and €200,000.

This pair of cottages are on Gorumna Island, the largest of the so called Connemara Isles - a series of islands linked to the mainland by roads and bridges famous for their rugged beauty.

The property has extensive frontage onto Coonawilleen Bay, offering stunning sea views.

The large acreage ensures total privacy for the enjoyment of the relatively rare coral beach.

Both of the dwellings are over 100 years old and are in need of some serious work.

An AMV of €500,000 has been set in advance of auction at the Imperial Hotel in Galway on Friday September 14th.