The historical fabric of number 3 St James’s Terrace is interwoven throughout the house and makes itself evident in different places. From the original stone water well still on view in the garage to the old coach house entrance posts and walls, the mid-19th-century house has everything one needs for modern living, while remaining true to its past.
The terrace of 14 houses is on Clonskeagh Road in Dublin 6, close to the junction with Eglinton Road in Dublin 4. The handsome properties along this stretch are set well back from the road with generous front driveways and mature trees.
Number 3 has come on to the market through Sherry FitzGerald with a guide price of €4.45 million. The last house to be sold on the row was number 6, the home of the late professor emeritus Cathal O’Neill, who was head of the school of architecture at University College Dublin from 1972 until 1996. The house, which O’Neill shared with his late wife, interior designer Deirdre (nee Monks) and their children, sold for €3.3 million at the end of 2023, according to the Property Price Register. While number 6 had been seeking €3.95 million when it was offered for sale in March that year, its asking price was reduced subsequently to €3.25 million to find a buyer.
A two-storey-over-garden-level period home, number 3 has been renovated and adapted to suit family living. With the horses no longer necessary, the coach house has been converted for use as a garage and gym, with extra accommodation built on top.
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Twelve granite steps take you up to the front door of the 410sq m (4,412sq ft) property and into a spacious entrance hall with high ceilings, decorative plasterwork and wide timber floorboards. This hall’s role in the house has not changed, as it still serves as a transitional space, with a cloakroom and guest WC tucked away to one side.
To the front, the formal diningroom features two tall sash windows, original coving, a centre rose and a marble fireplace. At the rear, the drawingroom overlooks the back garden through a floor-to-ceiling window that frames the mature greenery beyond.
A study off the hall, with wood-panelled walls and fitted shelving, connects to the modern accommodation added above the former coach house. This part of the house includes a vaulted den with rooflights and a bathroom with shower, offering potential for separate living quarters.
A spiral staircase replaces the original stairway to the garden level, bringing light down through double-height windows. The lower level is arranged around an open-plan kitchen, with dark cabinetry, marble countertops, and an Aga at its centre. An island provides additional storage and a breakfast bar. Two pantry presses and an exposed brick alcove used for wine storage preserve the character of the space.
The dining area has folding doors into a cosy family room that has a stone fireplace and two sash windows to the front of the house. There is also a utility room off the kitchen and another guest bathroom on this level.
The converted coach house is accessed either from the driveway through tall wooden gates or via the utility room. The structure retains original features including brickwork and the exposed stone well, offering a tangible sense of the house’s past.
To the rear of the coach house is a glass-roofed gym surrounded by old stone walls. A shower is already installed, with an empty corner calling out for a sauna. If a gym is not on the wish list, this would also make a charming potting shed for keen gardeners with plenty of room for tools and the ideal environment for germinating.
Back in the main house, there are three large bedrooms on the first floor – one with an en-suite bathroom, and all with fireplaces and sash windows.
The exceptionally large main bathroom, which was originally a bedroom, has a double sink unit with wall-mounted mirrors, a free-standing bath and a large shower cubicle with jets.
The rear south-facing gardens have always been part of the appeal of the houses along this Dublin 6 terrace. An abundance of mature planting and trees provide a shield to the outside world, making it hard to believe that the city is on the doorstep. There is a sandstone patio and a perfectly manicured lawn with a gravel pathway along the perimeter taking you from one end of the garden to the other.
While retaining that feeling of grandeur that comes with houses of this stature, with the height of the ceilings and period features, the house feels very manageable and family friendly, and not at all intimidating. It is Ber-exempt, although prospective owners may wish to explore energy-efficiency upgrades.
The villages of Donnybrook, Ranelagh and Rathgar are within easy reach. Some of Dublin’s most sought-after schools are also nearby, including St Mary’s, Scoil Bhríde, St Mary’s College, Alexandra College, Sandford National, Sandford Park, Gonzaga College and St Michael’s.
For sports, Milltown Golf Club is a five-minute drive away, St Mary’s Lawn Tennis Club is across the road off Belmont Avenue, and Platinum Pilates is just a few doors down on Clonskeagh Road.
