Leinster Wood, a development of four- and six-bedroom houses, is located in the grounds of the 1,100 acre Carton House demesne, the former home of the Earls of Kildare, now a five-star hotel and golf resort operated by the Fairmount Group.
Extending to 189sq m (2,040sq ft), Number 98 Leinster Wood is an impressive semi-detached four-bedroom house. Philip and Margaret Mooney have called Number 98 home for the past 15 years. "It is just so lovely living here, every window looks out onto trees and we are surrounded by nature. Sometimes you can even see the wild deer that roam the estate," says Margaret.
The property has one of the best south-facing sites within the gated development. The garden stretches to 50m in length – which is half the length of the Aviva rugby pitch at Lansdowne Road. And should you need more green space, it has direct access onto one of the many walking trails on the 1,000-plus acre parkland estate with rambles along the river Rye and forest cycling paths. It is also a haven for golfers with two courses operating from the clubhouse; the O'Meara and the Montgomery, of which Margaret was lady captain in 2012: "It's really a great place, as you can access the golf course from the back garden. The estate is also popular with football clubs; Real Madrid, Chelsea and Newcastle football clubs have all trained in the grounds. For years, the Irish rugby team used to stay and train here too."
Dual aspect
Inside the partially cedar-clad house, it is all very bright thanks to the use of large windows and French doors that bounce light off a mostly all-white palette. The property is set out over three levels with two bedrooms on both the first and second floors. The principal benefits from being dual aspect and has a balcony that overlooks the expansive rear garden and the third and 10th fairways of the O'Meara golf course. There are also views towards the Tyrconnell Tower, the eye-catching feature named after Richard Talbot, Duke of Tyrconnell, who was born at Carton House in the 17th century.
There is a great flow at garden level, where there are a formal drawing room and open-plan kitchen and dining space, with access from the drawing room to a large raised deck in the garden.
An abundance of facilities are available in addition to the golf courses and newly revamped clubhouse. Besides lots of options for dining in the hotel itself, there is also a spa for massages and facials, with horse-riding, clay pigeon shooting and archery on the grounds.
Number 98, which has a BER of B3, is now on the market through Sherry FitzGerald seeking €745,000.
