A house by the side of a river is a fine thing. A house on the side of the river Dodder, 26km long and passing through no less than 11 Dublin suburbs, is especially well located. Lower Dodder Road’s varied houses run alongside the river as it goes into Rathfarnham, overlooking a riverside walk directly in front and, on the opposite bank, high, densely growing trees.
The Lower Dodder Road houses come in a variety of designs and ages. Number 39, a detached bungalow with a couple of wide bay windows to the front, was built in 1932. The layout is typical of a bungalow of its kind, with bright, high-ceilinged rooms, a central hallway and kitchen to the rear. Access at either side is a boon, as is a sheltered, lawned, south-facing rear garden awaiting a green-fingered new owner.
A new owner will most likely modernise, probably by extending the kitchen and incorporating the existing garage to the side. The job will be made easier by the existence of approved planning permission to increase the living space from its present 124sq m (1,337sq ft) to a good-sized 216sq m (2,325sq ft). The garage would be additional.
Agent Lisney is looking after the sale and asking €695,000. Number 42 Lower Dodder Road sold for €732,000 just a year ago, 48 sold for €800,000 earlier this year.
The front, bay windowed rooms to either side of the hall are currently in use as bedrooms. Large, light-filled and similar in design, they have picture rails. One has a mahogany surround fireplace while the other, slightly larger room, has a fireplace with a more elaborate mahogany and marble surround. A third bedroom has a window to the side, the fourth overlooks the rear garden.
There are two bathrooms, both with natural light. One has a bath-plus-shower, the other a shower only.
A glass door in the fitted, working kitchen opens on to a raised patio with space enough to dine, weather permitting. The livingroom has a wall of window and door to the rear 21m (68ft) long garden. An apple tree to the side is still hanging on to large, edible apples. There is ample off-street parking to the front.
The Dodder is one of the city’s wildlife curators, home to mallard and heron, kingfisher and trout, making the location of number 39 a nature lover’s dream.
