All good in the 'hood at fashionable St Luke's where a €395k townhouse is up for grabs

GONE are the days when St Luke’s Cross was little more than bedsit central, a mishmash of substandard flats carved out of former British army officers’ homes. These days, “gentrification” is the neighbourhood buzzword, thanks to households with an appetite for restoring period homes and a can-do attitude among local businesses that works to everyone’s benefit. Community spirit has led to the creation of a community garden in a long-disused quarry off Ballyhooly Road.

Improvements to the streetscape and the addition of attractive outlets like Cork Coffee Roasters and Goodhood, an excellent new pizzeria, and Mercier publishers, who have expertly madeover the building that they occupy, are all to the good. 

They add to the heft of the crossroads’ offering, which has much-loved Henchy’s pub as its backbone. 

Music venue Live at St Luke’s has given a boost too.

It’s all good in the hood these days, which brings an obvious downside for home hunters: House prices are going up.

Some of those trying to buy into the locality in recent weeks will have experienced just how competitive that process can be. Take No 3, Ard na Gréine, a three-storey Edwardian home, at the St Luke’s end of Ballyhooly Road, that featured in these pages earlier this month. On the market with ERA Downey McCarthy, who were guiding at €525,000, it’s up at €625,000 after just two weeks. Bidding’s been hectic, with more than half a dozen parties involved.

For those who lose out at Ard na Gréine, but remain committed to living in St Luke’s Cross, a more affordable home has just come on the market — again with ERA Downey McCarthy.

 It’s No 8, Mount View Terrace, also on Ballyhooly Road, also a three storey townhouse, albeit of smaller and more affordable proportions.

A family home since 1987, it’s been upgraded over the years, including replacement of windows and doors and restoration of original features (the house was built in 1899).

A small flat-roof extension to the rear was enlarged by the current owners and is now a well-lit kitchen/dining room thanks to two large skylights. 

The house originally had an outdoor loo, but when the new extension was done, the loo was brought indoors.

A family room can be accessed through an arch off the kitchen, while the main living room is to the front.

 Bedrooms at 132 sq m No 8 are spread over the top two floors; two on the middle floor and one up top, along with the family bathroom.

Outdoor space includes a small walled-in garden out-front (no off-street parking) and a tiered garden to the rear where there’s good scope for a creative landscaper.

 If new owners wanted to extend further, they could build over the flat-roof extension, agent Michael Downey says, adding that “they could do the very attractive thing of linking the first floor directly to the garden”.

No 8, which is very well presented but a bit lacking in energy efficiency (E1), was launched by Mr Downey this week and he put 20 viewers through its door.

“From a guide price of €395,000, it’s already at €425,000,” he says, adding that “St Luke’s is attracting all sorts of discerning buyers”. Neighbouring No 7 Mount View Terrace was snapped up last year and sold in December for €445,000, while No 9 also changed hands in 2024, selling for €390,000, according to the Price Register.

Cork city centre is a 10 minute downhill walk from St Luke’s Cross, which is well served by buses.

VERDICT: Expect competitive bidding given location.