
The Wood, Ballynahalla, Moycullen, Galway, County GalwayH91HP71
€295,000
5 Bed~3 Bath~248 m²~BER E1
What you'll like:
- Generous Floor Area: The expansive two hundred and forty-eight square meter accommodation offers immense potential for a large family home layout once fully modernised.
- Substantial Site Acreage: Situated on a private circa one point four eight acre plot, the property benefits from extensive surrounding mature trees and natural greenery.
- Quiet Rural Setting: Positioned at the end of a peaceful no-through baureen road, the location guarantees minimal passing traffic and exceptional privacy.
- Proximity To Moycullen: Conveniently located just two point five miles from Moycullen village, ensuring effortless access to a growing range of local shops and amenities.
- Commuter Friendly Location: Situated roughly ten to thirteen miles from Galway City, making it a viable base for commuters seeking country living near urban hubs.
- Robust Block Construction: Built circa nineteen eighty using solid block construction under a slated roof, providing a durable structural shell for renovation works.
- Deceptively Spacious Layout: Features a functional footprint including five double bedrooms, multiple reception rooms, and a cloakroom to accommodate diverse lifestyle needs.
- Split Level Living Room: The impressive sitting room is bright and triple aspect with a striking stone fireplace, creating an attractive focal point for entertaining.
- En Suite Facilities: Includes a main bedroom with an en suite bathroom and direct access to a historic balcony area overlooking the mature grounds.
- Mature Woodland Buffer: Completely surrounded by established trees that provide great natural shelter, excellent wildlife habitats, and a picturesque country aesthetic.
- Dedicated Utility Space: Offers a separate utility room with built-in units and sink provisions, helping to keep laundry and household chores out of the main kitchen.
- Ample Parking Space: Features a private driveway winding through trees leading to a large concrete parking apron situated around the front, side, and rear.
- Outdoor Boiler House: Includes a small external boiler house structure which previously housed an oil-fired heating system, saving space inside the main dwelling.
- Local School Access: Positioned within easy reach of several primary schools, including the nearby national school located less than four miles away at Tullokyne.
- Lough Corrib Proximity: The wider area is renowned for its excellent access to Lough Corrib, appealing strongly to angling, boating, and outdoor enthusiasts.
- Regional Capital Access: Provides straightforward connections into Galway City for extensive cultural, commercial, retail, road, rail, and air infrastructure facilities.
- Potential Land Expansion: Buyers have an option to purchase additional neighbouring wooded lands, potentially unlocking further site possibilities subject to planning.
- Second Entrance Feature: The lean-to secondary entrance provides convenient alternative access points into the main building footprint for practical everyday country living.
- Clear Asking Price: The listed guide price provides a transparent starting point for budget calculations when factoring in heavy refurbishment costs ahead.
- Blank Canvas Project: Allows creative purchasers to design, insulate, and finish every single room entirely to their own personal tastes and modern standards.
But keep in mind:
- Extensive Renovation Required: The property requires complete internal renovation throughout, meaning buyers must budget significantly above the purchase price for comprehensive modernization.
- Poor Energy Rating: Holds a weak E1 energy rating with a high thermal footprint, which will require substantial insulation upgrades to achieve comfort and efficiency.
- Single Glazed Joinery: Outdated single glazed teak windows and doors are fitted throughout, creating potential heat loss and damp risks that necessitate total replacement.
- Untested Essential Services: None of the services or fixtures have been tested, requiring immediate professional inspection of plumbing, wiring, and drainage installations.
- Historic Water Supply: Relies on an old historic well or available mains water in the roadway, so buyers must verify the potability, flow rate, and connection costs.
- Private Septic Tank: Features an on-site septic tank drainage system that should be professionally inspected for compliance, capacity, and structural integrity before purchase.
- Auction Purchase Risk: Being sold via auction requires unconditional commitment and immediate deposit readiness, leaving little time for standard pre-bidding due diligence.
- Narrow Access Roads: Located down a quiet baureen road, which could present logistical challenges for heavy construction traffic, delivery trucks, and emergency vehicles.
- Damp And Weathering Risks: Prolonged vacancy or unfinished maintenance in a rural tree-lined setting increases the likelihood of hidden moisture, rot, or roof leaks.
- Outdated Heating System: The oil-fired boiler house is currently unserviced and old, meaning a completely new central heating installation will be mandatory.
- Structural Timber Inspection: Open tread stairs and historic balconies exposed to weathering should be carefully checked by a surveyor for rot and structural soundness.
- Electrical Safety Overhaul: The main electric fuse box seen in the utility area may not meet current regulatory standards and likely needs full rewiring.
- Planing Permission Uncertainties: Any future extensions or utilization of adjacent lands will be subject to strict local planning rules and county development policies.
- Boundary Verification Needed: The exact legal boundaries of the one point four eight acre plot should be rigorously checked against Land Registry folio maps.
- Insulation Deficiencies: Nineteen eighties construction standards typically lack adequate cavity and roof insulation, demanding major thermal retrofitting works.
- Remote Maintenance Costs: Country properties often incur higher ongoing maintenance overheads for private services, drainage clearing, and garden upkeep.
- Lack Of Modern Finishes: Bathrooms, kitchens, and flooring are completely dated and non-functional, rendering the house uninhabitable in its current state.
- Potential Lead Or Asbestos: Older properties of this vintage may contain hazardous materials like asbestos or lead piping that require careful specialist removal.
- Insurance Surcharges: Vacant or derelict properties undergoing extensive renovations can attract higher premiums or restricted coverage from standard insurers.
- Resale Market Volatility: Heavy fixer-upper projects carry distinct financial risks if renovation budgets overrun or local market conditions fluctuate during construction.
Price positioning
?
- The asking price appears somewhat conservative initially due to the extensive renovation required across the entire structure, poor energy efficiency rating, and dated single-glazed windows that will demand substantial capital investment from any prospective buyer before habitation.
- Upward valuation signals stem from the generous scale offering nearly two hundred and forty eight square meters of floor area, a private one point four eight acre mature woodland site, and a highly sought-after commuting location near Moycullen and Galway City.
- Potential factors supporting this guide price include strong demand for rural properties with development or improvement potential, whereas factors undermining it involve high construction inflation, hidden structural defects typical of neglected properties, and upgrade expenses.
- Weighing the substantial footprint and desirable secluded site against heavy renovation costs and poor energy performance, the guide price looks broadly appropriate for an auction property requiring complete interior modernization.
Build Analysis
What we know from similar construction types
- The property is of block construction, originally constructed around 1980 with a rendered exterior and a slated roof, and currently requires complete internal renovation.
- The house features single-glazed teak windows and doors throughout, which are outdated and heavily contribute to heat loss.
- Water services are currently available at an historic well or via mains water in the roadway, and wastewater is handled by a septic tank located within the site, requiring verification of current compliance and condition.
- A buyer should thoroughly investigate the structural integrity, damp levels, and the functionality of any remaining services such as the old oil-fired boiler house and electrical systems given the extensive renovation needed.
Retrofit Cost*
Possible renovating / insulating expenditure
- The property has an E1 BER rating, indicating poor energy efficiency and requiring a comprehensive deep retrofit to bring it up to modern standards.
- Given the floor area of approximately 248 square metres and the need to replace single-glazed windows, upgrade insulation across walls, roof, and floors, install a modern heating system (such as a heat pump), and address ventilation, a deep retrofit is estimated to cost between 80,000 and 120,000 euros or more, depending on the extent of structural work and finishes required.
Heating cost*
Estimated expense to heat this property every year
- Estimated annual heating cost: €3,500 to €4,500.
- Explanation: Given the large floor area of 248 m² and a poor BER rating of E1 combined with single-glazed windows and the need for complete renovation, the property currently suffers from high thermal inefficiency, resulting in significant energy requirements for heating.
Pollution Safe
9/10Environmental situation to investigate
- The property is situated in a quiet rural woodland setting away from major industrial zones, heavy manufacturing, or large-scale waste incinerators.
- Any legacy environmental considerations for rural sites typically relate to localized agricultural practices or private wastewater treatment, which buyers should verify.
Flood Safe
8/10Water overflow reports to follow up
- The property sits on an elevated rural site surrounded by mature trees, suggesting a generally lower vulnerability to standard surface water flooding.
- Proximity to regional lakes and waterways means buyers should undertake standard due diligence regarding local drainage capacity and seasonal groundwater levels.
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 Ballynahalla area
15 LOWER SALTHILL, GALWAY, GALWAY
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €552,500.00
122 DANGAN HEIGHTS, GALWAY, GALWAY
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €522,000.00
OLDTOWN, KNOCKRANNY, MOYCULLEN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €130,000.00
2 ADDRAGOOL, CLOONIFFE, MOYCULLEN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €680,000.00
38 SHANTALLA RD, GALWAY, GALWAY
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €317,500.00
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
- Stamp duty: approximately 1% of the purchase price up to €1,000,000 (€2,950 based on the €295,000 asking price).
- Solicitor legal fees: roughly €1,500 to €3,000 plus outlays and VAT.
- Land registration fees: approximately €600 to €800 depending on property value and registration type.
- Property valuation fees: around €150 to €300.
- Surveyor fees: approximately €500 to €1,200 depending on the level of detail required for the renovation.
- Annual home insurance: roughly €500 to €1,000 depending on the rebuilding cost and coverage selected.
Forum Talk
What people are saying about this area
- Local residents in the Moycullen and Ballynahalla areas frequently discuss the charm of rural living combined with convenient access to Galway City.
- Community forums often highlight traffic and commuting times along the approach roads towards Galway City during peak morning and evening hours.
- There is ongoing local interest in the growth of amenities within Moycullen village, making it a progressively popular choice for families seeking space.
- Discussions regarding rural properties in this region often emphasize the importance of checking private water sources and maintaining septic tank systems.
- Local groups frequently share news about community events, schools in Tullokyne, and recreational access near Lough Corrib.
LifeFit Assessment
How well this property may suit your lifestyle
Family
7 areas- Young Children4/10
The property requires complete internal renovation and features single-glazed windows and an E1 BER rating, meaning significant work is needed to create a safe, warm environment for young children. The rural location also requires driving for school runs.
- Teenagers5/10
Offering five bedrooms and a spacious 248 m² footprint, there is plenty of space for teenagers, though the remote setting means they will rely heavily on parents for transport to social and recreational activities.
- Multi-generational Living6/10
With 248 m² of accommodation and a 1.48-acre site, there is strong potential for multi-generational living or extension, subject to complete renovation of the existing layout.
- Single Buyers3/10
A 248 m² home requiring complete renovation and carrying an E1 BER is likely too large and capital-intensive for a single buyer looking for a manageable starter home.
- Couples4/10
Couples willing to take on a major renovation project will find ample space, but the scale of the works needed to upgrade the E1-rated property is substantial.
- Empty Nesters4/10
While the single-level flow or spacious rooms might appeal, the extensive maintenance and complete renovation required make this less ideal for empty nesters seeking an easy lifestyle.
- Retirees3/10
The property requires complete renovation, has an E1 energy rating, and is located down a quiet rural baureen road, which may present challenges for retirees wanting low-maintenance living close to medical and daily amenities.
Work
3 areas- Remote Working6/10
The house provides ample rooms that could easily function as home offices, though buyers should verify local broadband speeds and connectivity.
- Hybrid Commuting5/10
Located roughly 13 miles from Galway City, hybrid commuting is feasible, though dependent on driving along local and main roads.
- Retired4/10
While peaceful for retirement, the heavy maintenance burden of a complete home renovation and E1 BER rating may deter retirees.
Practical
8 areas- Ageing in Place3/10
With five bedrooms over two levels, single-glazed windows, and a requirement for complete renovation, significant adaptation would be needed for lifelong accessibility.
- Low Maintenance1/10
The listing explicitly states the property is in need of complete renovation, features single-glazed joinery, and has an E1 BER, representing a high-maintenance project.
- Secure Gated Entry3/10
The property features a private driveway through mature trees, but lacks formal gated entry security.
- Minimalist Design3/10
The existing 1980s block-built structure features traditional segmented rooms like a utility, cloakroom, and separate living and sitting rooms rather than open-plan minimalist design.
- Flexible Floor Plans6/10
At 248 m² with multiple reception rooms and five bedrooms, the interior offers plenty of space to reconfigure during the required renovation works.
- Heritage Home3/10
Originally constructed circa 1980, the property is a modern rural build rather than a traditional historic heritage home.
- Ecological Setup2/10
An E1 BER rating, single-glazed teak windows, oil boiler house requiring replacement, and older septic tank mean the ecological and energy setup requires a total overhaul.
- Outdoor areas9/10
The property sits on a substantial 1.48-acre site surrounded by mature trees, offering extensive private outdoor space, gardens, and parking areas.
Interests
9 areas- Gardening9/10
The circa 1.48-acre mature site surrounded by trees provides an exceptional canvas for keen gardeners to develop extensive grounds and planting.
- Walking8/10
Positioned on a quiet no-through baureen road surrounded by mature trees, it offers great immediate opportunities for peaceful walks in a rural environment.
- Gym3/10
There are no gym facilities within immediate walking distance, requiring a drive into Moycullen or Galway City.
- Cycling7/10
The quiet local rural roads are scenic for cycling enthusiasts, though local traffic on approach roads should be navigated with care.
- Golf5/10
While Galway has regional golf courses, players will need to travel reasonable distances from this Moycullen rural address.
- Fishing8/10
Excellent access to the renowned Lough Corrib nearby makes this an ideal location for fishing enthusiasts.
- Horse Riding7/10
The rural setting and mature 1.48-acre site offer a country backdrop, with potential to investigate local equestrian facilities.
- Water Sports7/10
Proximity to Lough Corrib provides good opportunities for boating and various water-based activities.
- Entertaining6/10
The large 248 m² footprint, split-level sitting room, and expansive 1.48-acre grounds offer great potential for hosting once the interior is fully renovated.
Lifestyle
5 areas- Quiet Living9/10
Situated at the end of a quiet baureen road on a private 1.48-acre wooded site away from city noise, this property offers exceptional peace and quiet.
- Rural Living9/10
Surrounded by mature trees and wildlife in Ballynahalla, Moycullen, this is a quintessential rural setting with a septic tank and private well options.
- Village Living6/10
Located just 2.5 miles from Moycullen village and close to Tullokyne, the property offers a good balance of rural seclusion with nearby village amenities.
- Coastal Living2/10
The property is inland in County Galway, though Lough Corrib is nearby; it does not offer a coastal lifestyle.
- Urban Living2/10
Set about 13 miles from Galway City down rural lanes, this location is strictly countryside rather than urban.
Social
6 areas- Community Involvement6/10
Proximity to Tullokyne and Moycullen offers local community groups, church, and sports clubs to get involved with.
- Café Culture4/10
Café options are limited locally and require a trip into Moycullen village or further into Galway City.
- Nightlife2/10
The rural baureen road location completely lacks immediate nightlife, which is restricted to local country pubs or Galway City.
- Health/Wellness groups4/10
Access to health and wellness classes will require traveling into nearby Moycullen or urban centers.
- Networking Opportunities2/10
A secluded rural residential setting offers virtually no local professional networking opportunities.
- Tech-Hub Connectivity2/10
Located in a rural area outside Moycullen, tech hubs are absent locally, though remote work is possible subject to verifying internet infrastructure.
Listing information
- Agent
- Spencer Auctioneers
- Phone
- 091 552 999
- Published on HouseDelve
- 27 September 2026
- Correction
- Report an issue
HD-A0488CHouseDelve · Republic of IrelandReport 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.