Period Property For Sale: Longford
The Old School House, Longfield, Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford
Former national school restored, extended and transformed into a beautiful modern living space on 0.75 acres
Originally built in 1937, St. Barry's National School has the auspicious claim to fame of being the shortest running primary school in Ireland, just 32 years. It has now been converted into an architecturally designed 6 bedroom, 6 bathroom spacious home spanning over 3700 square feet. The schoolhouse is 2 miles from Edgeworthstown Village and the main N4 Dublin to Sligo road, 2 miles from the train station (Dublin to Sligo route) and 1 hour 15 mins from Dublin by car.
Over 3 years, local artist Roy Lyndsay and his family restored, extended and transformed this two room schoolhouse into a beautiful modern living space whilst maintaining many of the original features of the school. The two classrooms retain their three large windows, their original doors, fireplaces and high ceilings. What was once the senior children's classroom is now an expansive kitchen-dining room, the heart of the home. The new fully fitted shaker-style L-shaped kitchen has natural slate tiles and a solid wood worktop and the dining area, which is illuminated by down lighters, has a solid wood floor and open fire. The junior children's classroom is now an impressive living room; it too has solid wood floors, an open fire and light pouring in from the three large mahogany windows. The windows throughout the house were designed to echo the original sash windows but are made with energy saving technology, keeping the rooms warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Also downstairs, off the hallway, is a separate utility room with natural slate tiles and a solid wood worktop and also a double bedroom with an ensuite, fully tiled and with a power shower.
Originally the boys and girls would have entered separately at either side of the building and the engraved stones with 'cailini' and 'buachaili' remain over each entrance. The new, main entrance is at the back of the house. It is a double mahogany and glass doorway overhung by the first floor semi-circular balcony. It opens into a large entrance hallway, which has the first bedroom or study and a wc to the left and a cloakroom with the original numbered coat hooks under the stairs to the right. The bespoke wooden staircase leads up to the fully carpeted landing, off which is a bathroom and four double bedrooms, three of them with ensuite bathrooms, including a free-standing bath in the master bedroom. Double mahogany and glass doors lead out onto the balcony, with recovered original terracotta tiles and a wrought iron railing. This is the perfect place to relax and overlook the quiet countryside.
The house sits on 0.75 of an acre and has a large outhouse to the rear. This has been designed to be in keeping with the features of the schoolhouse and would make a great office or workshop. Before putting the schoolhouse up for sale the family invited everyone with a connection to the school, including past-pupils, teachers and friends to an open day. It was a wonderful reunion where around 70 people came with their photographs and certificates and shared their stories and fond memories of St. Barry's National School with the family and with each other.
Price: €235,000
Last update: 28th October 2011
Contact: Norma Lindsay
Tel.: +353 (0)86 3653782
Email: normalindsay@yahoo.co.uk
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