When Abington in Malahide was first developed in 2000, it was one of Dublin’s first purpose-built millionaires’ estates. Constructed by Parkway Properties, houses in the suburban enclave at the edge of Malahide village, were snapped up for €2 million-€4 million each. The 50 luxurious homes, in one of the country’s most exclusive developments, about 20km north of Dublin city centre and about 10 minutes’ drive from Dublin Airport, lie in a total of 43 acres of parkland near Malahide Castle and marina.
Past and present owners of properties in what has been dubbed “Millionaires’ Row” include Westlife singer Nicky Byrne and his wife, Georgina Ahern, singer Ronan Keating and his former wife Yvonne, Ireland striker Robbie Keane and his wife Claudine; and former Anglo Irish Bank boss David Drumm.
Houses here have withstood the test of time, and still today the so-called estate looks almost new despite being 23 years old.
The latest house to come to the market in the development is number 10, seeking €2.25m through DNG.
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Set behind tall electric gates, and standing on half an acre of landscaped gardens, it’s a considerable house of 430sq m (4,628sq ft) with a C1 Ber. It has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms so will appeal to those with large families or those who enjoy hosting on a grand scale.
Four of these generously sized bedrooms are on the first floor (three of which are en suite and two have walk in wardrobes). The main bedroom is large – 25sq m – and that’s before you factor in the walk-in wardrobe and en suite. There are three more bedrooms on the second floor – all of them en suite – and a study. This space will happily work as a teenagers’ floor, allowing them a sense of privacy, while the rest of the house gets a sense of peace.
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Then there are the spaces for entertaining on the ground floor. An entrance hall inside the portico is so large it could happily work for drinks receptions, and five reception rooms include a sittingroom that opens to the diningroom and hallway so there’s a great sense of flow. Added to that is a family room – hidden away and accessed only from the diningroom – so it’s more like a private den, and a very spacious television room. All of these rooms enjoy dual aspect, while a large sunroom to the rear of the house – which enjoys a southerly aspect – has glazing on all sides – but not the ceiling – so the room does not overheat.
A cherry Shaker kitchen lies almost like a central hub to the property as it is accessed from the hall, television room and sunroom, and while in good nick, new owners may want to update the style – even a paint job plus changing the handles would give a whole new lease of life to it.
Outside, the half-acre site gives a sense of privacy thanks to the now mature shrubbery and trees. You could park 10 cars outside the front of the property, and a garage, in equal stature to the house itself, lies to the side.
To the rear is a barbecue area and enclosed bar overlooked by a large a lawn with mature plantings.
