The owner of a huge Co Tipperary estate is hopeful he can more than double his money by selling the property for a massive €8m, just two years after buying it.
Northern Irish businessman Tommy Noonan purchased Kilcooley Estate in 2013 for €2.1m. The estate includes an 18th century mansion, and 220 acres of land.
Noonan then went on to buy back the freehold on the surrounding 950 acres of land held by Irish forestry company Coiltte for a further €1.5m.
The mansion has been unoccupied for more than ten years and will need a major restoration and refurbishment before it could be considered a luxury home.
Noonan has not overseen any renovation work on the property, but believes he could double his money by selling the entire estate as a whole, and has set an asking price of €8m.
Kilcooley was built in the 18th century by English aristocrats the Barker family. It’s reported that the Barkers wished to create “as fine and elegant a private gentleman’s seat as any in Europe”.
Despite its worn down condition, the mansion was clearly once the height of luxury and prestige.
The surrounding area is a mix of commercial forestry and beautiful countryside for the residents to enjoy.
There is also a twisted tale attached to Kilcooley Estate according to historian David Hicks, author of the Irish ‘Big House’.
Legend has it that the owner of Kilcooley in the mid-19th century Sir William Ponsonby-Barker would take a “human water bottle” to bed each night to counter the cold weather.
This ‘water bottle’ was selected from one of the female servants of the estate. Despite how it sounds, Sir William’s intentions were apparently purely eco-friendly. One night, Sir William was awoken by a “powerful stench” of body odour coming from the “sleeping beauty” beside him.
Sir William got up in the dark and splashed a bottle of perfume on his bedtime companion before returning under the covers.
After a cold night’s sleep, Sir William was shocked to see that his servant was completely blue in the face. However, she wasn’t blue from the cold, but because he had mistaken his ink well for the perfume bottle in the night!
The next owners of Kilcooley will have to include a substantial central heating system as part of any refurbishment to avoid any similar incidents!
The estate is expected to attract interest from wealthy buyers from all over the world. It has the potential to be one of the most glamorous and prestigious estates in the country, but experts advise a budget of at least €2m will be needed to bring the mansion back to its former glory.
The sale is being handled by Irish estate agents Sherry Fitzgerald.
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