Just off Inchicore Parade in Dublin 8, number 3 St George’s Villas sits metres from the tracks that once defined this part of Dublin. One of only four semidetached brick homes built for railway supervisors during the mid-19th century, it formed part of the original walled Great Southern and Western Railway estate – a small enclave of homes allocated according to the status of CIÉ workers.
This home, closest to the railway line, would have been occupied by a supervisor who would have been charged with keeping a close eye on the daily movement of engines and cargo. Unlike the more modest terrace houses in the estate, number 3 was built with a few added extras like the Kilkenny Marble chimney pot and a very large garden that remains impressively private for such an urban location. These details, though modest by Victorian standards, reflect the elevated status of railway supervisors within the community in the rigid social hierarchy of the era.
The current owners bought the house two decades ago, drawn in by both its history and sense of privacy. “It feels like we’re living in the country. Everyone who comes to visit says the same, when they eventually find us,” they laugh. “With only four houses on the row and no road, nobody walks up or down unless they’re going to one of the houses.”
While the structure and configuration of the 132sq m (1,431sq ft) property remain largely as they would have been 150 years ago, careful work has gone into restoring what time and fashion had concealed.
“The previous owners were here for nearly 40 years and thankfully for us they had everything covered up carpets and lino – even the fireplaces were sealed up with 1970s brick,” the owners recall. “When we lifted everything off, it was like underneath had been preserved, so now we can show off the original floorboards and tiles and fireplaces.”
Inside, a welcoming entrance hall with the original tiled floor runs the length of the house with doors into all rooms on the ground floor. Both front-facing and generously proportioned, the livingroom and diningroom are full of period charm thanks to the owners’ well thought out colour scheme that showcases the original features in each room.
The livingroom has a bay window overlooking the mature front garden, along with a Cork Red Marble fireplace and cast-iron hearth. The diningroom mirrors its neighbour in size and detail.
To the rear, the beautiful kitchen also remains true to the period with an Inglenook fireplace housing a Rayburn range, built-in presses on either side, and Victorian orange and black chequered quarry tiles underfoot. A central island topped with granite adds functionality without disrupting the traditional aesthetic. Two sash windows overlook the enclosed courtyard beyond. A separate utility space off the kitchen provides practical storage and access to the rear.
Upstairs, the landing is naturally lit by a large round-headed window on the return. Three double bedrooms are arranged off the landing. The two front rooms are of near equal size, each with a feature fireplace and original window casings. The third bedroom, overlooking the back, is configured with a loft bed and built-in storage. A second bathroom with chequered lino flooring and timber-framed windows completes the upper floor.
Outside, the garden wraps around the side and rear. Mature planting, trees and high stone walls provides a huge amount of privacy to the urban garden. There is a traditional courtyard at the back of the house and a timber pergola under the trees at the end of the long lawn.
The E2-rated property is now on the market through Sherry FitzGerald with a guide price of €750,000. The owners are preparing to move on after 20 happy years, trading city life for a new adventure beyond Dublin. It is a difficult house to walk away from given its unique history and architecture, but it’s the community that they will miss most.
“The community is fantastic because for years and years everyone was either working for Irish Rail or were the children of workers, so we all know each other and love the estate. We have movie nights on the square every year, as well as Halloween parties and book clubs.”
