The many broadcasting artefacts and memorabilia displayed around Chateauneuf in The Birches, Foxrock, give a clue to the lifelong passion of its late owner, engineer and former RTÉ director general George Waters. There are antique box cameras from the late 19th and early 20th century, old VTR cameras from the 1980s, an old sign for George’s father’s electronics store in Ballina, Co Mayo, vintage radio mics and even a preserved section of the transatlantic cable that connected Ireland with the US. Waters was RTÉ director general between 1978 and 1985, and during that time he oversaw the national broadcaster’s coverage of Pope John Paul II’s visit to Ireland in 1979, and the launch of RTÉ2 in 1978 and RTÉ radio 2 (now 2FM) in 1979.
After he left RTÉ, Waters took a post as technical director of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and he and his wife, Mary, and their two children, Mark and Charles, lived for many years in Switzerland. When they returned to Dublin and were looking for their dream home, “we had a style in mind”, says Mary. They wanted big proportions, lots of light and a fresh, alpine airiness. They bought a site on The Birches, just off Torquay Road in Foxrock, and set about building their family home. “We sourced all the materials ourselves. We really enjoyed doing projects together,” says Mary.
Chateauneuf was completed in 2003, and extends to 470sq m (5,059sq ft) on a third of an acre, with private, beautifully landscaped gardens and an impressive Ber rating of B2 thanks to its energy-efficient geothermal heating system, which is fed from two 160m deep boreholes in the back garden. Over the past 20 years, the couple have had to do very little work, apart from small improvements such as putting in a new front door and laying down new composite decking to the side of the house.
George died in November 2022 aged 90; Mary is now looking to downsize, and has offered Chateauneuf for sale through DNG with an asking price of €3.35 million.
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The space and airiness begins in the well-proportioned entrance hall, which is laid in marble flooring, with a gallery landing looking down. The ceiling reaches nearly 6m at its highest, and light comes in from feature glass-block walls. A large chandelier provides an impressive centrepiece. “We weren’t going to put one in, but the builder talked us into it, and we’re glad now he did.”
To the right of the hall, up a small set of steps behind double doors is the home office, large enough to film and broadcast an entire show from home if you wanted to. It has a marble floor, high ceiling and a dual aspect to the front and side, and would also make a great library, TV room or teenagers’ den.
To the left of the hall is a huge drawing/diningroom, also laid out in marble, and with a marble fireplace. It’s dual aspect, with big ceiling height windows and French doors looking out the leafy front and side gardens. The proportions are so big, you could almost miss the Cramer grand piano tucked into a corner of the livingroom.
“This is a great space for entertaining; we’ve had more than 20 people at that dining table,” says Mary. The guest list would have been a who’s who of Irish broadcasting and entertainment over the past 40 years.
The kitchen/breakfast/family room to the back runs the entire width of the house, is filled with light, and looks out on three sides to the lovely walled back garden, with patio, decking and lawn. “This is the heart of the house,” says Mary. The kitchen has been designed by Andrew Ryan and features granite flooring, hand-painted walnut storage units, large and small breakfast bars and granite worktops. There’s a handy utility room off the kitchen, with granite floor and worktops and extensive fitted units.
There’s a hidden feature here too; behind a large sliding door is a fully fitted cinema room, acoustically treated, with a 4K projector and comfy seating. “We often have everyone over here watching the rugby,” says Mary. The family area is nicely positioned so that everyone can watch the match from there as well. There’s even a red velvet curtain nicely frilled around the screen to give that old-fashioned Cinema Paradiso effect. Alas, the projector and other cinema equipment are not included in the sale but offers will be considered.
Out in the back garden there’s a garden room, which can be turned into a home office with some wiring and plastering
Up the sweeping staircase, where there’s a chairlift installed at the moment, are three large bedrooms, all with elegant marble-tiled en suites, and the main bedroom suite, which is like a self-contained apartment. There’s a livingroom with a marble fireplace and two large picture windows overlooking the front garden, and a handy kitchenette with a sink unit and storage discreetly concealed behind bespoke hardwood doors. Folding doors lead to the bedroom, which has a huge dressingroom with fitted wardrobes and an en suite that’s so well-proportioned, you could hardly call it an en suite. It has a large Jacuzzi bath and a step-in shower laid in rough, non-slip marble. The walls and floors of all the en suites are laid in a rich Portuguese marble.
Out in the back garden there’s a garden room, which can be turned into a home office with some wiring and plastering, and to the front is a large cobble-lock driveway with ample off-street parking, plus a large double garage. The gardens feature Japanese acers, weeping willows, beech and rowan trees and a beautiful magnolia tree. In the centre of the front garden is an impressive large-scale abstract sculpture by Michael Warren, but that won’t be staying so don’t get too attached.
