THE impact of a global pandemic and lockdowns on our lifestyles and life/work balance has played out with unerring focus in the past year on the property market: we have so much higher expectations of our homes as sanctuaries, as well as shelters.

There’s been a flight from urban setting to rural and coastal ones, but once the pandemic lifts, will some find they’ve made a move too far? Gone too remote, too off-grid? Gone feral?

A location like Cork’s Inniscarra is already feeling the uplift in interest given it’s only a short 20 minute spin out of Cork city, or ten minutes form Ballincollig and booming businesses there.

In fact, it’s had a steady stream of fans for many decades now, who appreciate the balance of city proximity, water vistas, and the freshest of air (but, just try getting a site here? Hen’s teeth material.) 

Early discoverers and devotees were former GAA football legend Brian Murphy, a Hall of Fame recipient who played for Cork in the 1960s and ‘70s heyday along with the likes of keeper Billy Morgan, later training teams at Eire Og, with his wife Doreen: they fell for the lake/reservoir setting above the Inniscarra dam almost 50 years ago.

They were one of the very first ‘outsiders’ or settlers to get their hands on a site in this so-tightly controlled setting, on a warm, south-facing hill almost close enough to throw a stone, or hit a sliotar, to the expanse of water, just across the road and past a traditional shoreline-set farm.

Crosshaven-born Brian, and Bantry town native Doreen, plumped immediately for this precious property setting at Faha, between Inniscarra and Dripsey, surrounded by farmland, and being sold by a local farmer.

In any case, Brian had a practical skillset which enabled him to deliver on this plot, as he’d worked initially with builders providers Hickeys in the early Maylor Street days, repping all over Cork for them, and later went on to co-found the very successful Cork Builder Providers in Togher with Dan Twomey.

The couple jumped at the rarity of this chance to build, got a half an acre of what was then not the best land, and set to work, landscaping and planting, improving the soil, building a home and setting out garden paths and veg plots, as well as starting a family, with three now-adult children.

Along the way, they altered and extended their early ‘70s single storey house, most notably in the 1980s and again in the early 2000s, adding an en suite master bedroom with walk-through dressing room at the eastern end, with a deep bow window facing south for day long views over the Lee valley.

They also added a conservatory to the front, also bow-shaped with high, pitched wood-sheeted ceiling for the same sort of aspect over water towards Farran’s farm land and greenery, with scarcely another home to be seen.

And, they also added to the back, making for a deeper home at one section, where there’s now an enlarged family bathroom, plus back hall, kitchen and access to sheltered link to a detached garage.

It’s all very well balanced as a result of this evolution, with the best rooms to the front for essential light and views, and also has two very bright reception rooms, interlinked, making for some 2,200 sq ft in all, all in immaculate, house-proud condition.

The Murphys are now selling up as it’s trade-down time, and with children long gone, it’s just too big for them: there’s some volume of GAA memorabilia, framed photographs of glory days and teak-tough teams in Cork’s red and white kit, as well as golf trophies, and crystal and cut-glass prizes to pack up too, while the garden, while still in prime condition, isn’t fully appreciated by the reluctantly departing vendors.

However, one gets the sense Brian would almost rather let someone else enjoy it now, rather than see the literal fruits of his labours take even the slightest step backward: it’s telling that his large, neat veg beds in a hived-off, neatly ordered section haven’t had the usual spuds, onions and brassicas planted for 2021.

That’s a pleasurable task for whoever comes here next, and in fact it may not be too long before fresh, fit and able hands turn the tilth here and get winter crops and further planting down for 2020 produce for the pot.

Brian and Doreen Murphy have entrusted the sale of their home, Westwinds, to estate agent Robert O’Keeffe of Irish and European, who guides the pristine property at an even €500,000.

Irish and European have a particularly good sales toe-hold in any case in this accessible hinterland upriver of Cork city, and its principal Joe McCarthy a doyen of the Cork property scene for decades and who retired last year is a close friend and neighbour of the Murphys, having also arrived here nearly 50 years ago too.

Irish & European’s Mr O’Keeffe expects very good interest from quite a wide catchment: it’s obviously going to appeal to a generation who grew up in the Lee Valley catchment, but it’s also going to lure in those in the city and suburbs looking to trade up, those in Ballincollig or Blarney, and of course it’s going to have a real excitement for those relocating to Cork from Dublin, London or further afield.

It speaks so naturally of Cork, being part of the 1950s hydroelectric scheme which saw two dams built 12kms upriver of Cork by the ESB, at Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid, creating a reservoir of 14 sq kilometres that’s now a huge leisure attraction.

In fact, it seems to be finding a second wind in the past year and even for a bit before.

There’s the recently opened Greenway public amenity walk near Coachford, coarse angling is always an attraction and at the noisier end of the scale there’s a water-ski centre near Dripsey.

In addition, there is a compact boating centre since the 1960s just a few hundred metres west of Westwinds, still bursting with obvious further potential for walks, swims and boats, from dinghies to kayaks, as well as swimmers.

Then, too, of course, the National Rowing Centre at Farran Wood just a few kms up the lake, and there’s hardly a day goes by rowers, or canoeists, kayakers and paddleboarders aren’t cris-crossing by this prime-set viewing perch.

As active are the many cyclists now doing fitness loops our along the Lee valley, out this stretch of R618 regional road and its steady rise up from lower river levels to reservoir height, sort of a the upper and lower Inniscarra haul, which sees them continue out towards Coachford, or even Macroom.

When reservoir levels are very low, some sections of the now-flooded valley throw up reminders of previous inhabitants, with tree or house remnants poking above water level: it’s quite the reminder of the passing of time?

Showing the fruits of labour at Westwinds are the half acre of gardens, home to an array of acid loving plants and trees, shrubs and beds of flowers (there’s also a greenhouse sheltered behind this home) and Brian takes pride in the masonry work, scything paths and seating spots he created for his grandchildren, with their names on his handiwork in stone.

Like many of the Murphys’ neighbours, gardens here bear testament to the proximity of the nationally-rated Griffin’s Garden Centre: a drive out the Inniscarra-Dripsey road this time of year reveals blazes of colour from locals supporting ‘one of their own,’ and there are hopes of the busy centre, and top tea rooms and café, reopening soon if an able operator steps up to the mark at the waterside wonder.

VERDICT: Nothing added but time: there’s no mistaking the glories of Westwinds’ setting, and pandemic times will work to its sale advantage.

Inniscarra, Cork

€500,000

Size: 211 sq m (2,170 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 4/5

Bathrooms: 2

BER: C3