Photograph 1 of 28 of Ivyleigh House, Bank Place, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
1 / 28

Ivyleigh House, Bank Place, Portlaoise, Co. LaoisR32TD36

Price on application

8 Bed~9 Bath

What you'll like:

  • Prime central location: Situated on a charming leafy street just alongside the town centre, offering residents ultimate convenience within a stone throw of all local amenities.
  • Exquisite Georgian architecture: A true Georgian original featuring resplendent ceiling details in gracious reception rooms, delivering timeless aesthetic appeal and historic architectural significance throughout.
  • Meticulous current condition: Maintained with an extraordinary attention to detail by current owners, presenting the entire property in pristine condition ready for immediate occupation.
  • Award winning heritage: Previously acknowledged as Irelands Guesthouse of the year in 2011 by Georgina Campbell, highlighting its exceptional historical standard of hospitality and comfort.
  • Spacious bedroom accommodation: Features eight generous bedrooms providing ample private quarters for large families, visiting guests, or high capacity accommodation requirements.
  • Comprehensive bathroom facilities: Equipped with nine bathrooms including full ensuites for bedrooms, ensuring maximum privacy and convenience for all household occupants and visitors.
  • Luxurious reception rooms: Offers three decadently luxurious reception rooms on the ground floor ranging from a salubrious drawing room to a cozy family room.
  • Lofty kitchen design: The kitchen enjoys an elevated position overlooking private rear gardens while benefiting from wonderful natural light throughout the daytime hours.
  • Functional utility spaces: Includes a superb pantry, dedicated laundry room, and convenient guest water closet to support efficient day to day household management.
  • Multiple exterior accesses: The ground floor benefits from three separate access points to the exterior, enhancing overall flow and practicality between indoor and outdoor zones.
  • Hand carved staircase: A magnificent hand carved staircase leads impressively to the upper bedroom levels, serving as a striking architectural centerpiece in the hallway.
  • Lower ground flexibility: The lower ground floor enjoys excellent natural light and pristine rooms, perfectly suited for private consultancy offices or extended family living quarters.
  • Private rear gardens: Features a large and private rear garden space shielded from surrounding areas, offering a tranquil outdoor sanctuary in the town center.
  • Ample parking provision: Provides generous onsite parking space within the grounds, addressing a crucial requirement for properties located near urban centers.
  • Small garden office: Includes a functional small office structure within the rear grounds, ideal for remote working or quiet administrative tasks away from the main house.
  • Development potential: The extensive rear garden area presents ample scope for further physical development, subject to obtaining the necessary local planning permissions.
  • Tranquil urban setting: Positioned far enough from the main street to allow total tranquility for residents despite its ultra convenient proximity to town amenities.
  • Cultural proximity: Located nearby to the Dunamaise Arts Centre and Theatre, offering rich cultural entertainment options just a short walk from your front door.
  • Leisure access close by: Situated near the Odeon Cinema and local hotels, providing effortless access to leisure facilities, dining, and social events in town.
  • Superb transport links: Positioned within easy walking distance of Portlaoise Train Station, ensuring seamless daily commuting connections to major employment hubs like Dublin.

But keep in mind:

  • Exempt BER status: Officially listed as BER exempt due to its protected period structure status, meaning buyers should independently investigate energy efficiency and heating upgrade costs.
  • Substantial heating costs: Historic Georgian buildings with high ceilings often demand significant energy inputs to heat adequately, so buyers should budget for potential thermal upgrades.
  • Protected structure regulations: As a period property, exterior and interior modifications may be strictly regulated by local conservation laws, limiting future architectural alterations.
  • High maintenance overhead: Period features like ornate ceiling details and hand carved woodwork require specialist artisan craftsmanship for ongoing upkeep, increasing long term maintenance expenses.
  • Unspecified floor area: The total floor area is not provided in the listing details, requiring buyers to commission a professional measured survey to confirm exact square footage.
  • Unstated asking price: The numeric asking price is unavailable in the public records, necessitating direct engagement with the selling agent to understand financial expectations.
  • Commercial viability checks: While marketed as ideal for a business premises, buyers must verify commercial zoning compliance and fire safety standards with the local authority.
  • Lower ground damp risk: Lower ground floor levels in older structures can be prone to moisture ingress, so buyers should arrange a specialized damp and timber survey.
  • Plumbing system age: An eight bedroom and nine bathroom historic house likely relies on complex legacy plumbing networks that require thorough professional inspection before purchase.
  • Electrical wiring verification: Buyers must commission a comprehensive electrical survey to ensure the older wiring infrastructure meets modern safety standards across all four levels.
  • Roof structure condition: The extensive roof footprint of a large period residence demands careful inspection by a surveyor to check for slate degradation and timber rot.
  • Window thermal performance: Original Georgian sash windows, while aesthetically pleasing, often provide poor thermal insulation and draught exclusion, potentially requiring expensive restoration work.
  • Parking capacity limitations: Although ample parking is mentioned, buyers should test vehicle turnaround space and maneuverability within the rear garden boundaries.
  • Garden boundary maintenance: Extensive hand clipped privet hedges and mature rear gardens require regular professional horticultural maintenance to preserve their current immaculate presentation.
  • Acoustic insulation limits: Historic town center properties can experience ambient street noise from nearby urban traffic, which buyers should evaluate during peak hours.
  • Planners permission history: Buyers should inspect local council planning archives to verify that any previous alterations or the detached office structure complied fully with regulations.
  • Insurance cost premiums: Insuring a high value historic period residence with specialized architectural features can involve higher than average annual policy premiums.
  • Accessibility constraints: Multi level Georgian layouts with split levels and staircases may present mobility challenges for elderly residents or visitors requiring wheelchair access.
  • Drainage infrastructure age: Legacy drainage pipes serving nine bathrooms and utility areas should be CCTV surveyed to rule out root intrusion or structural collapse risks.
  • Staircase safety standards: Historic hand carved staircases may not meet modern building regulations regarding riser heights and handrail heights, requiring careful use with children.

Price positioning

?
This comparison depends on limited public and listing evidence, which may be incomplete, outdated or not directly comparable. The score is not a percentage, professional valuation or guaranteed estimate. Ask an independent qualified valuer before relying on a property value.

Not enough reliable market evidence is available to position this asking price.

Build Analysis

What we know from similar construction types

  • Ivyleigh House is described as a true Georgian original, which means a buyer should investigate the structural integrity of historical timber framing, lath and plaster ceilings, and the condition of the roof.
  • Given the period nature of the property, a specialist structural survey is recommended to check for damp, timber rot, and the efficiency of the historical drainage and plumbing systems.
  • As the property was previously operated as a guesthouse and is noted as potentially suitable for business premises, a buyer should verify current planning permissions, commercial use compliance, and fire safety regulations if intending to operate a business.
  • The property is listed as BER exempt, which is standard for many protected or historic structures, but a buyer should investigate energy retention, insulation levels, and heating efficiency across the multiple floors.

Heating cost*

Estimated expense to heat this property every year

  • Estimated annual heating cost is approximately 3500 euro to 5000 euro.
  • Explanation: As a large Georgian period residence with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, and expansive reception rooms, the heating requirements will be substantial, though exact costs depend heavily on the specific heating system in place and the energy efficiency measures implemented, which the buyer should investigate.

Pollution Safe

9/10

Environmental situation to investigate

  • The property is situated in an established urban town centre location with no major heavy industrial facilities or active landfill sites in immediate proximity.
  • Any historical urban land uses in the wider town area should be verified through standard environmental searches if redevelopment is planned.

Flood Safe

8/10

Water overflow reports to follow up

  • General regional mapping indicates that standard urban drainage serves the town centre, though specific site-level flood history should be independently verified.
  • Buyers are advised to consult local authority flood maps and environmental reports to confirm the precise flood risk profile for the specific plot.

Recent Local Sales

Verified residential transactions published in the previous five years

Sales on the same street or estate

No verified results were found for this group in the previous five years.

Recent sales in the wider Portlaoise area

  • 39 CARMODY WAY, THE VILLAGE, PORTLAOISE

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €250,000.00
  • 127 ROSSVALE, PORTLAOISE, LAOIS

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €296,000.00
  • 24 ASHEWOOD WALK, SUMMERHILL LANE, PORTLAOISE

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €280,000.00
  • 3 FIELBROOK, DUBLIN ROAD, PORTLAOISE

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €300,000.00
  • THE GLEBE, CLONASLEE, PORTLAOISE

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €307,000.00

Source: Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA), Residential Property Price Register (PPR). Matching uses address information published by the PPR rather than measured map distance. It may omit nearby properties on differently named streets.

Last Sale

A confidently matched previous PPR transaction for this property

No confidently matched previous sale was found in the Property Price Register.

Buyer fees*

Associated expenses guide

  • Solicitor legal fees: approximately 1500 euro to 3500 euro depending on the complexity and conveyancing services required.
  • Land registration fees: approximately 400 euro to 800 euro based on property value and registration type.
  • Property valuation fees: approximately 150 euro to 300 euro for a standard mortgage or professional valuation.
  • Surveyor fees: approximately 600 euro to 1500 euro depending on the depth of the structural survey for a large period property.
  • Annual home insurance: approximately 800 euro to 2000 euro depending on the coverage level and historical nature of the building.

Forum Talk

What people are saying about this area

  • Locals frequently discuss the charm and historical significance of Bank Place and the surrounding Georgian architecture in Portlaoise town centre.
  • Community forums often highlight the convenience of living within walking distance of the train station, Dunamaise Arts Centre, and local amenities.
  • Discussions regarding traffic management in Portlaoise centre occasionally note peak-time congestion around key junction routes.
  • Residents frequently praise the balance of central accessibility and quiet leafy residential settings found on streets surrounding the main thoroughfare.

LifeFit Assessment

How well this property may suit your lifestyle

Family

7 areas
  • Young Children

    The property offers plenty of space with 8 bedrooms and a large rear garden, but the period Georgian nature and multiple levels mean families with toddlers would need to be mindful of stairs and delicate historic features.

    6/10
  • Teenagers

    With 8 bedrooms each featuring full ensuites, teenagers would enjoy exceptional privacy and independence. Its central Portlaoise location also provides great access to local amenities and entertainment.

    8/10
  • Multi-generational Living

    The substantial scale of Ivyleigh House, including lower ground floor rooms and numerous ensuite bedrooms, makes it exceptionally well-suited for extended family living or accommodating guests.

    9/10
  • Single Buyers

    An 8-bedroom period residence is vastly oversized and likely cost-prohibitive for a single buyer unless they intend to run a guesthouse or business premises.

    3/10
  • Couples

    While couples who appreciate historic Georgian architecture will love the refinement and luxury, maintaining an expansive 8-bedroom property might be excessive unless frequently entertaining.

    5/10
  • Empty Nesters

    The home offers splendid luxury for empty nesters looking to host family, though the multi-story layout could become less practical for ageing in place without modification.

    6/10
  • Retirees

    The town centre location is convenient for services, but the multi-level layout of this historic house may present mobility challenges over time.

    5/10

Work

3 areas
  • Remote Working

    The property includes dedicated spaces such as a small office in the rear gardens and lower ground floor rooms ideal for consultancy use or home offices.

    9/10
  • Hybrid Commuting

    Portlaoise Train Station is nearby, providing excellent rail connectivity for hybrid workers commuting to Dublin or other regional hubs.

    9/10
  • Retired

    Proximity to town amenities is great for retirees, though the size of the period residence requires ongoing upkeep.

    6/10

Practical

8 areas
  • Ageing in Place

    The multi-story Georgian layout featuring a hand-carved staircase and lower ground level presents inherent obstacles for ageing in place without significant adaptation.

    4/10
  • Low Maintenance

    As a true Georgian original period residence with extensive grounds, gardens, and 8 bedrooms, maintenance demands will be substantial.

    3/10
  • Secure Gated Entry

    Features ample parking space and a private positioning, though buyers should verify existing security and gate configurations.

    5/10
  • Minimalist Design

    This is the antithesis of minimalism, featuring resplendent ceiling details, hand-carved staircases, and rich period features throughout.

    1/10
  • Flexible Floor Plans

    With three distinct reception rooms, lower ground floor rooms suitable for offices, and a separate garden office, the layout offers great operational flexibility.

    8/10
  • Heritage Home

    A true Georgian original in prime condition with exquisite period detailing, rich history, and former acclaim as Ireland's Guesthouse of the Year.

    10/10
  • Ecological Setup

    As a period Georgian property, energy efficiency and ecological setup may require careful review and potential upgrades by the buyer.

    4/10
  • Outdoor areas

    Features a charming front garden with clipped privet, a large private rear garden with a small office, and ample parking space with scope for further development.

    8/10

Interests

9 areas
  • Gardening

    Features a front garden with hand-clipped privet and a large rear garden offering ample scope for landscaping and further development.

    7/10
  • Walking

    Being a stone's throw from the main street and close to local amenities makes it very easy to enjoy walking around the town centre.

    8/10
  • Gym

    The town centre location ensures easy access to local fitness facilities and wellness amenities in Portlaoise.

    7/10
  • Cycling

    The local urban and suburban roads around Portlaoise are accessible for cycling, though town centre traffic should be factored in.

    6/10
  • Golf

    Portlaoise and the surrounding County Laois area offer local golf course options a short drive away.

    6/10
  • Fishing

    While not directly on a riverbank, County Laois features various angling opportunities within a reasonable driving distance.

    5/10
  • Horse Riding

    Equestrian facilities are typical of the broader rural Laois region, accessible via a short commute from the town centre.

    5/10
  • Water Sports

    As an inland location, water sports opportunities are quite limited locally.

    2/10
  • Entertaining

    With three decadently luxurious reception rooms, a large kitchen overlooking private gardens, and an illustrious history as a former guesthouse, this home is built for entertaining.

    10/10

Lifestyle

5 areas
  • Quiet Living

    Though located in the town centre, the property sits on a charming leafy street with private rear gardens and is set far enough from the main street to offer tranquillity.

    7/10
  • Rural Living

    This is strictly a town centre property situated right in Portlaoise, offering zero rural isolation.

    2/10
  • Village Living

    It offers a charming community feel on a leafy street, though it is located in a bustling county town rather than a small village.

    5/10
  • Coastal Living

    Portlaoise is an inland county town in Laois with no proximity to the coast.

    1/10
  • Urban Living

    Positioned right in Portlaoise Town Centre, it provides fantastic proximity to local shops, the Dunamaise Arts Centre, cinema, and the train station.

    8/10

Social

6 areas
  • Community Involvement

    Being central in Portlaoise provides immediate access to community events, the Dunamaise Arts Centre, and local theatre.

    8/10
  • Café Culture

    A stone's throw from the main street means cafes, restaurants, and local social spots are within very easy walking distance.

    8/10
  • Nightlife

    Town centre location offers easy access to local pubs, hotels, and entertainment venues.

    7/10
  • Health/Wellness groups

    Local wellness facilities, hotels, and community groups in Portlaoise are easily reachable from this central address.

    7/10
  • Networking Opportunities

    The property's historical prominence and potential for commercial or business use offer unique local networking potential.

    7/10
  • Tech-Hub Connectivity

    Buyers should verify local broadband speeds and fibre availability to ensure it meets modern tech-hub standards for remote tech professionals.

    6/10

Listing information

Agent
Hume Auctioneers
Phone
057 868 1111
Current status
active
Published on HouseDelve
12 October 2026
Correction
Report an issue
Property reference: HD-8E1188HouseDelve · Republic of Ireland

Report checks

Sources used: Public marketplace, Property Price Register, and grounded web research where available.

Automated quality checks: Passed

Estimate — not advice. Actual costs and outcomes can vary materially. Obtain current quotations and professional advice before making financial or property decisions.