One couple has smartly optimised narrow terrace dimensions in the ‘Time Out’ accoladed neighbourhood
Asking price: €425,000
Agent: Brock DeLappe (01) 6334446
It seems like every neighbourhood within spitting distance of Dublin city centre gets its 15 minutes of fame as one of the world’s ‘coolest’ neighbourhoods, thanks to the international Time Out magazine. Phibsborough was deemed the world’s 27th coolest neighbourhood in 2020; Dublin 8 was named in 2021, Stoneybatter’s been gloried (2022), Smithfield’s also in there (named second coolest neighbourhood in the world in 2023 – bested only by Laureles in Medellin, Columbia), The Liberties was to be found loping around street corners with the likes of Brooklyn’s Flatbush earlier this year.
The exterior of 5 O’Donoghue Street, Inchicore, Dublin 8
And last year the magazine named Inchicore alongside London’s Leyton, LA’s East Hollywood, and Chacarita in Buenos Aries, landing the distinction of being the world’s 25th coolest neighbourhood, at least according to Time Out magazine, which says it is forever looking for “that hard to define sense of ‘nowness’”. Indeed.
The accolade means the area has reached critical mass in terms of the stuff young and not-so-young hipster folk consider ‘cool’ these days; a preponderance of craft coffee shops, breweries, vegan food, and of course, the continued existence of one or two decent ‘oul lad’ pubs.
Hipster jibes aside, what the magazine says about Inchicore does capture something of its recent transformation: “A part of the city that’s come to perfectly represent Dublin’s unique old-school charm mixed with a very modern energy. It wasn’t long ago that Inchicore was just a suburb that you passed through on your way in or out of the city centre.”
Traditional pubs like Cleary’s and The Glen now sit alongside newer venues hosting more 21st century activities like the Stillwater Distillery, the Gravity Climbing Centre and the Hot Box Sauna. Then , not too far away, you have the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Phoenix Park, Dublin Zoo or Kilmainham Jail and of course, a local professional football club, in this case St Patrick’s Athletic who play at Richmond Park, a quirky and atmospheric stadium on the banks of the River Camac.
For a good ‘tourist day out’ in Inchicore according to Time Out, start from the Hilton Kilmainham and call for coffee at Riggers, before crossing to the Richmond Barracks cultural centre or heading to ‘Richer’, as it is known, to watch a match. The spicy pork vindaloo at Kari on on Emmet Road comes recommended, Time Out noting that it is “worth the journey alone”, and best washed down with a pint of Guinness at The Black Lion.
Karen Prior has been living at O’Donoghue Street in Inchicore since well before it was cool. Back in 2019, she and partner Frederico Mascis bought No5, having been on the hunt for somewhere close to the city centre with a little bit of village ambience to offer.
The reception area of 5 O’Donoghue Street, Inchicore, Dublin 8
But, like Stoneybatter, Inchicore’s homes tend to be on the compact side. The challenge for the couple, like anyone moving into the area’s entry level homes, was about how to make the very most out of the dimensions offered for modern living.
The house was “liveable” when they bought it, but the couple renovated the 1910-built two-bedroom brick mid-terrace in 2021 in order to maximise the space in what is a narrow terrace. They got a lot of help from Prior’s father Tony on the design and carpentry work, and using Prior’s own design ideas. They installed a new combi boiler, carried out a full rewire, replaced the plumbing and gutters, retiled the roof, and fully reinsulated the attic.
Another view of the reception area of 5 O’Donoghue Street, Inchicore, Dublin 8
They also added a double-height extension to the rear, creating an ‘open-plan’ living and dining area. Tony’s carpentry skills were particularly evident in the custom built-in elements throughout the house and in the ingenious mezzanine workspace that he helped design and construct in one of the upstairs bedrooms, now a functioning home office.
Now, the ground floor opens into a hallway that leads to a front reception room with a laminate floor – a quiet spot that Prior suggests would work well as a home office and has done for her – the couple spent the Covid lockdowns there, both working from home.
The mezzanine room accessible by telescopic ladder steps in 5 O’Donoghue Street, Inchicore, Dublin 8
Prior is a finance manager with bookmaker Paddy Power whilst Mascis is a water engineer.
Beyond this, the open-plan kitchen and dining area forms the heart of the home. The kitchen has tiled floors and plenty of counter and cupboard space, along with extra built-in storage. A solid fuel stove with exposed brickwork surround and built-in seating provides a focal point. The high ceilings and plantation shutters lend the small space a bright, airy quality.
The front bedroom of 5 O’Donoghue Street
A rear hallway leads to a utility room with tiled floor, wood panelled ceilings and more storage. The east-facing garden includes a patio area and a purpose-built storage shed with a glass roof that functions as a small greenhouse – another practical touch that makes the most of the available outdoor space. Prior says: “I guess like everyone else we got into growing plants and vegetables during lockdown.”
Upstairs is where Tony’s carpentry work really comes into its own. The front bedroom has laminate floors, sidelights, and a large picture frame window overlooking the Oblate Gardens. But the real talking point is the mezzanine room above. Accessed by a set of telescopic ladder steps that slides neatly under the bed when not in use, this elevated workspace sits beneath the eaves with exposed brickwork and a distinctive triangular window. The clever design includes a fascia that conceals the desk area when viewed from the bedroom below, creating a sense of separation between work and sleep.
A family bathroom and the main bedroom complete the upstairs accommodation with laminate floors and attic access.
Karen Prior in the kitchen of 5 O’Donoghue Street, Inchicore, Dublin 8
A year on from Inchicore’s induction as a hipster haven, Prior and Mascis are leaving Inchicore, less to do with the expiration of the area’s magazine-anointed cultural cachet, and more to do with having just had a second child. Prior’s extended family are back in Leixlip and Francisco’s family are fond of visiting from Italy from time to time, so now with two-year old Aria and newborn Luca to accommodate, more space than is offered by the circa 660sq ft Inchicore terrace is required.
The kitchen of 5 O’Donoghue Street, Inchicore, Dublin 8
Prior is well aware of the drawbacks of leaving the convenience of a place like Inchicore The location puts the house within easy reach of the city centre – the Red Line Luas is a short walk away – and close to Phoenix Park, Memorial Gardens and IMMA. Currently on maternity leave, a move to Leixlip will require commute a couple of days a week when she has to go back to the office, but she says proximity to her family will offset that.
The back garden of 5 O’Donoghue Street, Inchicore, Dublin 8
Prior says there are aspects of the neighbourhood she will genuinely miss, such as the friendliness of so many of the older neighbours, as well as local amenities like the Grand Canal and the range of independent shops and restaurants on the doorstep, as mentioned in Time Out’s 2024 citation.
For Prior and Mascis, the house at 5 O’Donoghue Street right in the heart of the west Dublin village has served them well through the early years of parenthood, but now perhaps for this couple, it is just a little too cool for pre-school.
Brock Delappe seeks €425,000.