The properties in Marino are mainly made up of former council houses that were built in the 1920s and 1930s on the garden suburb model in what was the first public housing initiative in Ireland. One hundred years on, the homes are now mostly privately owned, and many extensively renovated.
Number 20 Brian Terrace is one such property. It was, say the owners, in its “original state” when they bought it in 2022 for €432,000, according to Property Price Register. The walls were thick with layers of wallpaper and paint, the kitchen was nonexistent and the floors were covered in 1970s patterned carpets.
It has come a long way in three years and now looks as neat as a pin. Right from the newly gravelled front driveway, it is clear that the house has undergone a recent renovation. Unseen jobs including replumbing, rewiring, insulation and plastering have all been done, as well as the fitting of a new kitchen and bathroom.
The 81sq m (872sq ft) property, which is now on the market through Sherry FitzGerald for €635,000, is entered through the new front door into the hallway. The original floorboards, which have been meticulously restored, run through the downstairs rooms. To the left of the hall is the livingroom with custom-built storage units to each side of the fireplace. An arch leads into the kitchen and diningroom at the back of the house. The kitchen is fitted with wall and floor units with extra storage in the dining area.
Crampton-built home on secret street at Sydney Parade for €1.395m
What will €350,000 buy in Italy, France, Barbados, the Dominican Republic and Dublin 6W?
Look inside: Superbly designed house and mews with unparalleled views over Killiney Bay for €7.25m
Look inside: Rathmichael home offers rarified retreat in serene, sylvan setting for €3.25m
Double doors open out to the back garden, which has a patio with a path down through the lawn to a gate that allows rear access to the house.
There are three bedrooms upstairs. Two of these are double and have their original cast-iron fireplaces. The bathroom has a bath with overhead rainwater shower and a heated towel rail.
The owners have brought the energy rating from a lowly F up to a very respectable C2 through the installation of double-glazed windows, extra insulation and a new gas combi boiler.
Although the roads can be busy around Marino, the owners say Brian Terrace is quiet as it isn’t used as a rat run. The thing they noticed as soon as they moved in was the strong sense of community that the area is renowned for. This is something they hope to find again when they move across the city.
The demand for houses in this part of Dublin 3 has always been strong as the city centre and the seafront are both within walking distance, but the prices are more affordable than neighbouring Clontarf.
The area is popular with young families due in a large part to the schools in the catchment. National schools include St Vincent de Paul and Scoil Mhuire on Griffith Avenue, as well as Grace Park Educate Together. For secondary-school kids, Ardscoil Rís is at the end of the avenue for boys, and a few minutes up the road takes you to two girls’ secondary schools – Maryfield and Dominican College, while Mount Temple is in the other direction on Malahide Road for a co-ed option.
