It's now bordered by the perilously busy N11 – Co Wicklow's version of the Le Mans racing track – but the lovely, and decidedly upmarket, village of Enniskerry still retains an air of rustic tranquillity.
According to local historian Michael Seery, as recently as the 1940s Enniskerry was described by the "Irish Tourist Association" as a "typical Tyrolean village nestling in a nicely wooded glen, beside the Dargle River, and near the entrance to the Powerscourt Demesne".
Just outside the village, Tinnahinch is a compact residential estate on 35 acres for sale by private treaty for €5 million.
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The agent, Serena Maguire of Sherry FitzGerald said it was amazing to find such an oasis of calm and wildlife "only 13 miles (20km) south of Dublin city centre".
The owner, former auctioneer Hugh Duff, is selling up after 30 years and relocating. He's leaving behind a superbly-located, utterly private property with an established fly-fishing centre – catering to well-heeled corporate anglers – which new owners may wish to retain as a business or enjoy privately.
Three buildings
Tinnahinch is, essentially, the garden house, walled garden and riverbank meadows of the adjacent Grattan House, once home to the famous parliamentarian and patriot Henry Grattan, of 18th century Grattan's Parliament fame.
Grattan House, a Georgian rebuild on three acres, sold for €3.8 million last year.
There are three principal buildings on the Tinnahinch estate.
Firstly, the Garden House, also known as Tinnahinch Lodge, a detached, three-bedroom period residence of 158 sq m (1,707 sq ft) with a south-facing patio overlooking beautifully-maintained, sheltered lawns and gardens with yew arches and fig trees.
Secondly, a fully-restored and very cosy two-bedroom guest lodge with 56sq m (611 sq ft) of accommodation.
Wildlife
The third building is the Fishing Lodge, a 186 sq m (2,000 sq ft) whopper – a mix of luxury log cabin and Swiss ski chalet that overlooks lake and woods. It was built during the boom for the fishery and is fitted out with catering facilities to accommodate angling parties who include guests at the nearby luxury Powerscourt (formerly Ritz-Carlton) Hotel.
The surrounding 35 acres are lush and verdant and teeming with wildlife including – quite unexpectedly in Wicklow – sun-worshipping lizards. The River Dargle, which rises in nearby Djouce Mountain, runs through the grounds and the buyer will acquire fishing rights along a lovely one-mile stretch with a series of holding pools renowned for sea-trout. The river bed gleams with shiny specks, a reminder that this is gold-panning territory.
Some four acres of the estate have been converted into a meandering, man-made, spring-fed lake stocked with rainbow trout that feast on the abundant electric-blue Damselflies.
The lake is dotted with little islands – each a miniature nature reserve blooming with wildflowers – which can be explored by rowing boat from a wooden jetty.
Planning permission
The new owner might want to split the estate. Access to Tinnahinch is by electric gate and the tree-lined avenue then forks, one way to the house, the other to the fishing lodge and lake. Planning permission has been obtained for a separate entrance to the fishery and fishing lodge if required. The main house might also need to be extended to suit a large family.
Incidentally, Tinnahinch is not to be confused with the, also lovely, similarly village of Tinnahinch on the Co Carlow side of the River Barrow at Graiguenamanagh.
