In the heart of putóg country, sequestered off the main street of Newport, Co Mayo, with eight bedrooms and 433 square metres of space, this three-story landmark church could fit all of The Brady Bunch and still have room for guests.
For a long time, the planned town of Westport on the edge of Clew Bay commanded much of the attention of weekenders coming to Co Mayo, but just over 11 kilometres to its north is Newport, a pretty town set along the banks of the Black Oak River as it feeds into Clew Bay.
The town straddles both banks of the river and is dominated by a 19th-century, seven-arch red sandstone viaduct.
Address: Saint Catherine's, Church Lane, Newport, Co Mayo, F28 K660
Asking price: €950,000
Agent: Sherry FitzGerald Crowley
Built in 1892, this marvel of industrial revolution engineering once carried the Westport-Achill railway but has been repurposed as a pedestrian bridge.
Once a market town it includes a stately Georgian house, Newport House, that once operated as a country house retreat, and at the top of the main street is Hotel Newport, a small establishment of 30 rooms that draws fans of the outdoors.
Further down the street is Kelly’s butchers, the putóg kings of Ireland, as local poet Seán Staunton, puts it.
Famed for their black pudding and sausages, the shop draws foodies from near and far, while the vitals grace menus across the country.
Unseen from the main street, at the far end of Church Lane, lies Saint Catherine’s, a 220-year-old church that has been converted into a sizeable family home.
The former Church of Ireland building was converted to residential use in 2006 and has simple Gothic-style windows, some of which have been converted into French doors to open the kitchen and study at ground-floor levels to the paved exterior.
What will be of real interest to would-be buyers is the fact that all the hard, dirty work has been done.
The property is sizeable. Extending to 433 square metres across two floors and an enormous attic, it comprises eight bedrooms and six bathrooms.
Given its size and age, the B1 BER rating is very impressive for a property that was renovated 20 years ago.
The ecclesiastical features are minimal.
Its arched double tongue-and-groove timber panelled front doors have drag-edged, tooled cut-limestone surrounds.
Through these is the entrance hall, floored in original limestone flags.
The four-bay building has windows with a pointed profile, underpinning a "medieval" Gothic theme with its apse defined by an east window.
This, seemingly, was modelled after the nearby medieval Burrishoole Abbey, which was founded in 1469.
This is the property’s most striking element. Set on an altar-like raised dais, the dining area is painted a Georgian-style red and includes a timber staircase that leads up to a study, along with utility and shower room.
The kitchen area has French oak cabinetry, with wood countertops and a yellow brick feature wall.
French doors on either side open out to the paved terrace, the grounds and churchyard beyond.
Slabs of Egyptian sandstone tiling in large flagstone formats cover almost all of the ground floor.
There are seven bedrooms on the first floor.
Two of these are singles that could be converted into a larger double.
There is also a large, multi-level library that includes a round window.
Spanning much of the top floor is the primary suite, which is extensive and includes a walk-In wardrobe and ensuite bathrooms.
There is a second substantial room at this level that could be used as a workroom or home office.
Outside, the property’s entrance driveway is shared with a small graveyard that provides access for those visiting or caretaking family graves.
The property is just a seven-minute walk from the statue of pirate queen, Gráinne Uaile, which stands across the road from a gastropub of the same name.
The statue was erected in 2024 to honour the legendary Mayo pirate queen and is the work of local artist Mark Rode.
Saint Catherine’s is also just 6.7km away from another home fit for the pirate queen, which has framing views of her HQ at Clare Island.
A strong west-of-Ireland woman, Gráinne sailed to London to meet with Queen Elizabeth I in 1593.
The English regent had a penchant for lopping the heads off people she did not like or who did not agree with her.
Gráinne successfully brokered the release of her son and her brother, both arrested by the English Governor of Connaught, Richard Bingham.
Newport is close to many of west Mayo's beauty spots, including Achill Island and the Erris Peninsula.
