One of the first things the government of the newly founded Republic of Ireland did, back in 1922, was to paint the postboxes green. They also began a building programme. The houses of The Tenters, just off South Circular Road, bear plaques marked 1922, although the estate wasn't completed until two years later.
The complex of little streets, pocket parks, and terraced houses with gardens front and back was modelled on the garden city idea, established by the brilliantly-named Ebenezer Howard in his book To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform, which was later retitled more snappily as Garden Cities of To-Morrow.
52 Clarence Mangan Road is for sale through DNG for €545,000. It’s a sweet 94sq m (1,012sq ft) end of terrace, with a sunny back garden, three bedrooms, new kitchen, and a general air of having been well loved and tended. The owner says the name The Tenters comes from the Huguenot weavers who worked in the area, stretching their linens out on tenterhooks.
Originally her mother's house, the owner grew up here. "It was always very quiet and peaceful," she says, though the area has seen a lot of changes recently. The Teeling Distillery has brought visitors to the vicinity, and there's a lively series of markets on Newmarket Square, as well as the handy Dublin Food Cooperative for all your organic desires. It's also just a short walk to the city centre, through pretty St Patrick's Park, so the location is ideal.
Back inside the layout speaks of older eras. A little telephone cupboard just by the front door is a charming relic of different days. There’s also the “good room” at the front, and a larger sitting room behind. There could be scope to knock through here to create a really lovely bright living space.
Meanwhile, the galley-style kitchen was recently updated, and the back patio garden has been beautifully kept, with plenty of outside storage, as well as side access. There’s also off-street parking at the front. Upstairs, two of the bedrooms are doubles, while the third smaller space is currently in use as a study.
The street was named for James Clarence Mangan, whose poetry James Joyce described as having "images interweave soft, luminous scarves and words ring like brilliant mail". Not bad for your home address.
