Declan Kennedy and his wife, architect Fiona Reilly, purchased 8 Longford Place in Monkstown in 2003 as an investment. "It has only been idle for 10 days in that period, but it needed a lot of work," says Kennedy, who has restored the property over the past decade, installing new wiring, damp-proofing and a roof.
The couple engaged local craftsmen to fix the egg-and-dart cornicing that runs through the property, and all of the original sash windows and shutters are in perfect working order.
Original fireplaces and floors
The house retains three of its original fireplaces, and the original wooden floors lie under commercial carpet just waiting to be exposed by new owners. All the rooms are of gracious proportions and bathed in light, thanks to expansive windows.
As the property has been used as offices, it has a commercial air about it, but Reilly and conservational architectural firm Moloney O’Beirne have applied for planning permission to reinstate the property to its original use as a family home, including an extension to the south that would add another 35sq m (377sq ft), bringing the total area to 326sq m (3,507sq ft) from its current 291sq m (3,130sq ft).
As it stands, the house has two large reception rooms on the first floor, with five bedrooms set over a return and second floor and two spacious rooms and a kitchenette at garden level. The new plans reconfigure rooms at garden level and add a utility and family room, with a private sunken courtyard bringing the number of garden spaces to three.
The plans for 8 Longford Place, a protected structure dating from 1860, are sensitive to its architectural heritage while maximising its future use as a modern family home. While a decision on planning is pending, the house is for sale through estate agent Sherry FitzGerald, with an asking price of €1.6 million.
