One of developer Robin Power’s properties in Sandycove, Co Dublin – rented by the Moroccan embassy until earlier this year – has sold less than a month after going quietly for sale through Lisney seeking €3.2 million. It’s understood that Ossory Lodge, a five-bedroom house on the corner of Ballygihen Avenue and the Sandycove seafront – was sold off market. The rumour mill is speculating that the buyer is a senior aviation executive, but Lisney refused to comment on the sale.
Robin Power and wife Michelle Kavanagh built up a large portfolio of Sandycove seafront properties over the past two decades but at least three of them – on the corner of Link Road and the seafront – have sold in the past year. Power has long been one of the southside's major property players, but one of his companies, Kembara Properties, went into receivership in 2015.
Ossory Lodge, a 395sq m (4,250sq ft) five-bedroom two-storey over basement Victorian house – one in a terrace of five period homes – was rented first as the residence of Chile’s ambassador to Ireland and for the past few years, to the Moroccan ambassador, who moved out several months ago. Like other period homes on Ballygihen, it has a garden that’s relatively small compared to the size of the house – but has excellent views to the sea. Ossory is a few minutes’ walk from Sandycove harbour and the Forty Foot swimming area.
The houses redeveloped by Power and Kavanagh further up the Sandycove seafront at Newtownsmith were sold for close to €6 million also in the past 12 months. Seabreeze and Seaview, distinctive for their rooftop balconies overlooking the sea, made just over €3.7 million, and two behind in Scotsman’s Close made more than €2.2 million. Seaspray, the last of the seafront trio, went on sale in April for €1.6 million.
Power and Kavanagh – who live on nearby Sorrento Terrace in Dalkey – retain three more houses along the Sandycove seafront from Ossory Lodge: White Sails, rented to the South African ambassador, Cove Lodge and Fastnet, directly across the road from Ossory. Should we expect "for sale" signs there soon too?
