Address: Glebe House, Skibbereen, Co Cork
Price: €3,950,000
Agent: Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty and Charles McCarthy’s Estate Agents
Glebe House in Skibbereen was built in 1784 by Rev Joseph Wright as the Church of Ireland rectory for the adjacent parish church of Aughadown. In the intervening years, it has served as a treatment centre, been the home of IT entrepreneur Leonard Donnelly and, in the early 2000s, was purchased by former AIB chief executive David Duffy.
In 2016, in one of the largest sales outside Dublin that year, the property sold for €2.25 million. Successive owners have maintained and improved the house, with the Donnelly family undertaking a substantial restoration programme and the Duffys carrying out extensive groundworks to enhance views towards Baltimore Harbour, while the current owner placed an emphasis on energy efficiency.
The property occupies a coastal site overlooking the Ilen river estuary, set on nine acres (3.84 hectares) of land. It is now back on the market with a guide price of €3.95 million, selling through joint agents Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty and Charles McCarthy Estate Agents.
The location is, by any measure, exceptional. The house occupies a stretch of west Cork coastline in a setting that feels both expansive and contained, with uninterrupted views and a rare sense of seclusion.
“In west Cork we’re very fortunate to have extraordinary homes, but properties like this, in relation to scale and setting, are rare,” says agent Maeve McCarthy. “It’s the kind of house that really reflects the character of the area: a historic home in a remarkable waterfront setting. Also, it’s a Georgian home in such good condition. The level of privacy is second to none. You can only see this property from the water. Even the land bank across the way is all agricultural land so it’s not overlooked at any point.”
Despite extending to approximately 825sq m (9,000sq ft), Glebe House avoids any sense of grandeur and manages to feel quite homely. The proportions are generous, with a natural flow between rooms. Throughout its many restorations, each owner has worked hard to preserve the period features in the house, such as the ornate ceiling rose in the drawingroom and the symmetry of the Georgian layout. The high ceilings provide the perfect backdrop to showcase artwork, with the wide hallway in particular giving the impression of a gallery.
On the ground floor of the house, all rooms lead off the hall. To the right is the drawingroom with an Adams-style fireplace and French doors to the walled garden. To the left is a more casual family room with another reception room behind it that leads into the conservatory which has an unobstructed view of the estuary.
The kitchen is fitted with black high-gloss units and has a Belfast sink, a five-door Aga and Siemens integrated appliances. There is ample space for a large dining table positioned by two sash windows, ensuring the views remain part of the everyday experience. A utility room, boot room and guest cloakroom complete this level.
Upstairs, on the first floor, is the principal bedroom suite with its own bathroom and two dressingrooms. There is a second en suite bedroom across the hall, and a study has been set up at the end of the house that has distractingly breathtaking views. On the second floor there are three more bedrooms and a bathroom.
View from the water 
Converted cottages
Beyond the main house, two cottages provide additional accommodation. The first, measuring 93sq m (1,000sq ft), includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with a livingroom with a double-height ceiling and a mezzanine study with balcony. The second cottage, at 78sq m (840sq ft), is suited to staff or guests, with one bedroom and an open-plan living and kitchen area.
In the other outbuildings there is a yoga studio, a gym and a garage with an overhead recreational room and a wine cellar. Meanwhile, upgrades over the years, including the installation of solar panels, have improved the property’s energy rating to C1.
On the grounds, mature trees produce a natural screen, reinforcing the sense of privacy. There is a grass tennis court and a walled garden, as well as a pontoon that provides the connection to the water, offering the possibility of sailing towards Baltimore Harbour or exploring the wider reaches of Roaringwater Bay.
Glebe House is located just 10 minutes from Skibbereen and approximately 80 minutes from Cork Airport. New owners will be in good company as neighbours include actor Jeremy Irons, who is regularly seen around the town, while Graham Norton, Saoirse Ronan and Robert Sheehan also own properties in nearby villages.
Entrance hall 
Drawingroom 
Family room 
Study 
Kitchen 
Interior of guest cottage