Fairview is often overlooked as a location within easy walking distance to the city centre. The local 20-hectare park provides an abundance of space for outdoor activities with sports fields, a children’s playground, tree-lined walks and the recently opened Willow Zen Garden. For boating enthusiasts, Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club is just a few minutes up the road, while the 50m swimming pool at Westwood Gym adjacent to Fairview Park will keep swimmers fit year round.
Cadogan Road is a quiet cul-de-sac of terraced houses that runs perpendicular to the main Annesley Bridge Road. Number 63 was purchased by Alan Kavanagh back in 2002: "Just as I was completing the sale, I got a job with Ericsson in California, so I was based out there until I returned with my family in 2018."
Kavanagh undertook most of the main renovations, such as the roofing, re-plumbing and re-wiring in 2002, upgrading the rest of the property over subsequent years.
When he returned to Ireland in 2018, under the guidance of Sherry FitzGerald agent Melanie Brady, he gave the property another overhaul. "It was a great partnership with the agent, as we needed to know how best to sell the house. She advised that young professionals looking for properties in the area want a house in turnkey condition, so we spray painted the kitchen, installed new carpets, flooring and bathrooms."
In addition, he removed a fireplace in the living room to install storage units, and also removed the partition wall between both reception rooms to give a more open-plan functional space. The rear courtyard garden was also paved and planted.
"When I purchased the house, the area was a bit run down but it has really become gentrified over the past couple of years. I have friends who work in Google, who come to visit, and it is only about a 10-minute walk for them to come and have a beer here after work."
The house has three bedrooms, two of which are doubles, and the attic – which now has a full stairs to replace an old Stira – is used as a further double bedroom for overnight guests.
With a growing family, Kavanagh has purchased a house in need of renovation up the road in Clontarf and has placed his 100sq m (1,076sq ft) home in turnkey condition on the market through Sherry FitzGerald with an asking price of €490,000.
