RUGBY and cricket are matters of intense rivalry between South Africa and Australia, but the fight for bragging rights doesn’t end there.
While Australians regard themselves as world beaters at barbequing, South Africans pride themselves on the traditional braai, a day-long social occasion where meat is roasted over a wood-burning fire. It’s as ingrained in South African culture as the pub is in Ireland. In South Africa, the braai is a way of life.
With this in mind, it’s easy to appreciate why the South African couple that bought No 6 Chandlers Way in Cobh made creating their own backyard braai a priority. While previous owners had created an indoor/outdoor room using canvas, the new owners turned it into a more solid structure.
“They had tented up out the back, whereas we timbered it up,” says the woman of the house. In effect, they created an extra room, fully enclosed, with French doors to the garden, and large enough to accommodate a dining table, lounger, outdoor heaters and of course, a braai.
The couple didn’t have a whole pile else to do to No 6 when they bought it in 2021, after relocating from Donegal in a work move.
“The previous owners did a lot of renovations, and it was pretty funky already before we bought it,” the couple says.
“They had done a great job and we just added our own flair.”
The attic had already been converted by the time they acquired the house, with two large skylights installed. It could have a future as a home office, depending on buyer requirements.
On the floor below, one of three double bedrooms has an en suite and another has a walk-in wardrobe.
There’s a nice open-plan layout on the ground floor, including a bright and airy kitchen/dining room.
A kitchen island with wooden countertop separates food prep from dining and acts as a breakfast bar.
French doors open to the braai/sunroom. An open arch leads into the living room. It’s a solid living/entertainment space.
Not every downstairs room is interlinked. A room to the front of the house is used as a playroom for the couples’ young daughter.
There’s a utility too, off the kitchen, and a guest WC.
There’s more to the outdoors than the braai/sunroom. Beyond it is an artificial lawn with room for a trampoline, a garden shed, a herb planter and seating. The main planting – trees and shrubs – is in a low-maintenance raised bed against the back wall of the garden, underscored by a feature wall.
Out front, a paved drive can accommodate two cars.
The couple selling up aren’t moving too far – just a few kilometres up the road – “to a farmhouse, without the farm”.
“We will be able to see the cows, but we won’t have to look after them,” laughs the woman of the house, adding that the move coincides with the arrival of their second child.
“It’s probably not the best time to move with a little one, but it seems to be a hobby of ours, to move every two years,” she adds.
Selling No 6 is Paul Fenton of Sherry FitzGerald and he is expecting a variety of buyers. With a guide price of €365,000, he expects interest from those looking for starter homes, but also downsizers, given the turnkey nature of the house.
Families are likely to be in the mix too, as No 6 is a good size – 165 sq m. The B2 energy rating means buyers are eligible for green mortgage rates.
Mr Fenton says there’s a choice of schools nearby and that Cobh town is just a few minutes drive away. Transport options to Cork City are well catered for, via commuter rail link, bus and cross-river ferry for access to the N25.
An attractive home where an excellent “outdoor” dining space and a converted attic add an extra dimension.
