A seaside gem in Youghal for €495,000

BEFORE the unforgivable act of closing the railway line at Youghal, half the population of Cork City packed their Golden Strand on a summer Sunday, with everyone wishing they could stay in the city forever one of the glorious Victorian houses a few meters from the beach.

The lucky ones have been able to stay, through careful planning, booking the same two-week vacation slot in one of these splendid three-story properties year after year.

The families of workers from two of the city’s largest employers, Dunlop’s and Ford, were particularly fond of Bayview House.

The annual slots were jealously guarded because at No. 5, Bayview, the burden of cooking for the hungry youngsters was lightened for the hard-working mothers – they simply provided the food for Bayview House guests and the meals were served.

“The women loved it because they didn’t have to cook and they could go out and enjoy the sun and the swim,” says the owner.

“All they had to do was bring the food and each family had certain shelves in the cupboard to store it. It was room and board and my husband’s father did all the cooking at the time,” she adds.

The woman who now sells Bayview House, having run it herself for decades as a successful B&B, has married into the business.

Her late husband’s parents married young, bought the house in the 1940s, remodeled it, and opened it up to bed and board.

When they died young, the house passed to their son who lived there for 70 years, during which time he and his wife ran the B&B, modernizing it over the years, adding suites to each room, replacing the roof, restaurant of magnificent old floors. . It did well, proving particularly popular with French and German visitors.

The business ran until 2009, when the husband’s poor health took its toll and they decided to quit. Sadly, he passed away two years ago and now, after 41 years, the woman of the house is ready to move on.

“I will stay in Youghal if I can because I love the people here and I love my neighbors so I don’t want to leave. But I have to downsize,” she says. And so Bayview House, a home that has contributed so richly to the cherished memories of so many, is up for sale, and with it the opportunity not to have to leave the seaside after a long, hot, sunny day.

Brian Gleeson of Brian Gleeson Property, who launched the six-bed, 248m², end-of-terrace property at €495,000, says he is already up to a €510,000 offer.

“People who are actively bidding are interested in making this their full-time home,” he says.

“But there is a great opportunity to also generate revenue as it comes with a discount, which could be used for AirBnB.

“That discount could be a nice little income, given the location, so close to the beach, and people looking at Bayview can see the potential there,” Gleeson adds.

Those looking include potential buyers from Cork and Dublin, as well as members of the Irish diaspora, he says.

The main house has everything you could want in a seaside home, mainly light and wonderful views, but also the attractive qualities of a Victorian property such as high ceilings, fireplaces and original floors , a period staircase and large bay windows to the front. .

Double doors to the entrance porch have stained glass panels and open onto a bright hallway, with light flooding in through a window at the rear and also through a feature arched window at the back of the stairs.

To one side of the hallway is the dining room, which looks out to sea, with an open archway between it and the kitchen. The kitchen overlooks the old railway line which should be operated as a greenway within two years.

Across the hall, making the most of these floor-to-ceiling windows, is a beautifully presented lounge, and behind it a double bedroom with en-suite. There is also a guest WC.

The best rooms in the house are those with a magnificent sea view on the first floor. The four bedrooms on the first floor are doubles, with ensuites. A ground floor or basement offers more choice and four other good sized rooms, one of which is used by the saleswoman for her artwork. Another was her husband’s tool room, and there is a laundry room, bathroom, living room, and kitchenette.

To the rear is a courtyard and, next to it, the shed, which consists of a living room, two bedrooms and a bathroom. It’s right next to what will be the greenway. It needs an upgrade, but probably worth the investment, given the location.

Mr Gleeson points out that it is just meters from the Blue Flag beach of Front Strand and Youghal and of course Ireland’s newest and longest eco-walk, which runs from nearby Claycastle to the Quality Hotel, where an outdoor mobile sauna and a large outdoor seating area are additional attractions.

Mr Gleeson says Bayview House is attracting strong interest, as properties of this quality along the Front Strand are not easy to find. The most recent comparable sale was for Oceanville, a slightly smaller, fully renovated house, which Mr Gleeson sold in 2020 for £555,000. Youghal is only 45 minutes from Cork City and less than 30 minutes drive from Midleton

VERDICT: A real seaside gem with stunning views.