Property: Best Irish homes to buy beside the sea

From a sprawling architecturally-designed residence on Ireland’s wind-beaten northwest coast to thatched cottages in secluded coves, take your pick from these great homes to buy besides the sea

By Kerry Spencer

Portmagee, Kerry, €550,000

This seafront bungalow, a short drive from Portmagee village, features oak flooring, a solid wooden kitchen and a fireplace with a slate hearth. It has an open kitchen-living-dining space, utility room, three bedrooms to the ground floor and a family bathroom. There’s also a conservatory with ocean views and an attic with large Velux windows. The Property Shop (+353 872 866444, thepropertyshop.ie).

Downings, Co. Donegal, €450,000

With 44 acres of rugged coastal land, Glenoory is an extraordinary property in Ireland’s far northwest. Built-in the early 1960s, some modernisation is needed. It has dual-aspect windows, a kitchen-dinner, sitting room, bedroom and bathroom. Access is via a sweeping driveway lined with vibrant wild gorse, overlooking Tra Na Rossan Bay. Savills Ireland (+353 1 663 4359, savills.com/ie).

Dunmore East, Waterford, €250,000

This pretty mustard-coloured home near the popular fishing village of Dunmore East is within easy reach of Woodstown and Tramore beaches and Ireland’s Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark. The green front door opens up to a kitchen-living-dining room with a fuel stove. To the rear, a bathroom, separate guest bathroom and a utility room lead to two garden-facing bedrooms. RE/MAX Property Specialists (+353 51 843684, remax.ie).

Ballysteen, Liscannor, Co. Clare, €350,000

Kate’s Country Cottage is a 200-year-old two-bedroom, two-bathroom property with plenty of kerb appeal. Set in the remote landscape of Liscannor near the jaw-dropping Cliffs Of Moher, Kate’s Country Cottage celebrates traditional features, including flagstone floors, a stone interior and open fireplace. Outside, a series of restored outbuildings offer the potential to be converted into accommodation. Savills Ireland (+353 1 663 4350, savills.com/ie/).

Malin Head, Co. Donegal, €650,000

The ocean front of this architecturally-designed 1960s residence was used in the filming of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The protected property comes with almost 15 acres of land, Atlantic Ocean views and access to a private beach. An electric-gated entrance leads to a 500m driveway. Inside, there’s a kitchen-living room, dining room, four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Savills Ireland (+353 1 663 4359, savills.com/ie).

Renvyle, Co. Galway, €375,000

Perched on Connemara’s spectacular Renvyle Peninsula, this three-bedroom bungalow features uninterrupted Atlantic Ocean views to one side and the green Mweelrea Mountain to the other. A traditional one-storey house, it has a large kitchen-dining room, a separate sitting room, a bathroom and a utility room. Outside, mature landscaping includes luscious green hedges, trees and a traditional stone-built shed. Sinéad & Sorcha O’Sullivan (+353 95 21066, mattosullivan.com).

Rathlee, Easkey, Co. Sligo, €120,000

If you’re after a renovation project, this detached house requiring complete modernisation is the perfect opportunity. Located in the surf town of Easkey, it comes with 8.2 acres of land, offering plenty of opportunity to extend into a contemporary home, subject to planning permission. The existing property comprises three bedrooms, a living room and kitchen. DNG Michael Boland (+353 (0)96 76557, michaelboland.ie).

Westport, Co. Mayo, €279,000

This picture-perfect cottage in Killawalla village is surrounded by landscaped gardens and a timber-picket fence. The characterful interior includes pine-clad vaulted ceilings, traditional-style rough plasterwork and a stone fireplace. It has a living room, two double bedrooms, one with an en-suite, shower room, and large mezzanine room, while the thatched roof was recently replaced during renovations. Sherry FitzGerald Crowley (+353 98 29009, sherryfitz.ie/buy/house/mayo/westport).

Fethard-On-Sea, Co. Wexford, €179,000

Located in the idyllic village of Hookless, this south-coast home offers three bedrooms, two bathrooms and sublime sea views. There’s wood flooring throughout, an open-plan living room with fireplace and a south-facing deck. The development boasts extra benefits, too, including a children’s play area, tennis courts and football pitches, with an annual service charge of €1,600. Sherry Fitzgerald New Ross (+353 51 426161, sherryfitz.ie/branch/new-ross).

Skibbereen, Co. Cork, €300,000

This handsome whitewashed cottage near Skibbereen, in southwest Ireland, has one of the most sought-after locations on Cork’s photogenic coastline. The south-facing property is a short walk to Tragumna Beach and one of four houses on a private strip in Murphy’s Cove, offering remarkable ocean views. The property features four bedrooms, a double-height living room, kitchen and shower room. Charles McCarthy Estate Agents (+353 28 21533, charlesmccarthy.com).

To find more homes for sale by the sea, read Coastal properties for sale: The latest seaside homes to buy or pick up a copy of coast magazine