When the owners of this fine period home at 52 Clanbrassil Street Upper in Portobello first bought it in 1993, they were not charmed by its literary association alone, but to the lovely atmosphere they experienced when they went inside, and to its big back garden, a feature especially sought-after in a city location.
The address is famed as the one at which James Joyce imagined Leopold Bloom to be born in his magnum opus, Ulysses; a fact which is emblazoned on a plaque by the front door. The couple say they hadn’t read the novel before they moved in, but they each made a concerted effort to read it “very slowly” during the years that followed.
Extending to 129sq m (1,389sq ft) and Ber-exempt, 52 Clanbrassil Street Upper comes to the market in mint condition, having been extremely well taken care of by its current owners for more than 30 years. Now, moving on to new adventures, they have placed this fine home with literary caché on the market with Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty, seeking €895,000.
The home is set back from the street beyond a gated gravel driveway, large enough for two cars. Up three granite steps, you enter beneath an arch into the entrance hallway, which boasts high ceilings.
There are two reception rooms off the hallway, each with picture rails and high ceilings. One of the reception rooms features an original fireplace, salvaged from an old kitchen, with yellow and green patterned tiles. There is also a toilet off the hallway.
A bright dining room and kitchen sit to the rear of the ground floor, drenched in white with painted timber ceilings. The dining area has a grid side sash window, looking out to an outdoor courtyard, and an open archway leading to the kitchen, which looks out over the back garden.
Extending to approximately 27m (88ft) in length, the garden has been thoughtfully designed with multiple patio areas to capture sunlight throughout the day. It is a calm space, featuring an abundance of flowers, mature shrubs and a tree fern, as well as a concealed shed to the rear.
Back inside, a bathroom and a single bedroom lie on the first-floor return, while the principal bedroom, sure to be a selling point, occupies the entire width of the front floor with two large sash windows with original shutter boxes overlooking the street. There is also a second large double bedroom overlooking the beautiful garden to the rear, off the bright and spacious landing, lit by a high grid window.
52 Clanbrassil Street Upper offers the opportunity to live in period elegance, with charming original features such as period radiators and picture rails throughout, all while being in a convenient city location.
It is close to the Grand Canal for walks and just 15 minutes on foot to St Stephen’s Green in Dublin city centre. The Luas green line is also nearby, with stops at Luas at Charlemont or Harcourt Street.
