Killiney house for sale: £8.8m L.A.-style home on sale in Ireland’s A-List ‘Amalfi Coast’, loved by Matt Damon

Is it Hollywood? Is it Sorrento? No, it’s the east coast of Ireland.
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Ailis Brennan19 February 2021

Last year, the Irish coastal suburb of Dalkey made global headlines when Hollywood film star Matt Damon got “stranded” there, amid the onset of the pandemic.

Now, a nearby home that boasts film star credentials of its own is on sale for an estimated £8.8m.

Ananda – the property’s name, taken for the Sanskrit for “happiness” – is situated in the neighbouring town of Killiney, and boasts spectacular views of both Killiney Bay and the Wicklow mountains, seven bedrooms, six bathrooms and a detatched gym and yoga studio, all spread over 10,000 sq ft.

The low-slung, Hollywood Hills-reminiscent property is one of the few truly contemporary homes in the sought-after area, built in 2007 and designed by acclaimed Irish architect Ross Cahill-O’Brien.

Calabasas or Killiney? Ananda is located near Dalkey, where Matt Damon was ‘stranded’ in 2020
Knight Frank

The home hosted Pierce Brosnan and Anna Friel in 2016, when it served as the setting for their film I.T. The plot follows a millionaire businessman whose smart home is hacked by an unassuming I.T. technician.

Killiney and Dalkey may have hit the headlines in recent years for attracting some of L.A.’s brighter stars, but it has long been a playground for the rich and famous of the Emerald Isle, says Peter Kenny, director of prime residential at Knight Frank Dublin.

“It’s a prominent home to Bono and the Edge; Eddie Irvine, the racing driver, had a house out there but he’s since moved on; Enya also lives there in a beautiful castle, as well as world famous artist Van Morrison.

“I’m sure there’s a few more hidden away that I don’t know about, but they all seem to end up in a local pub called Finnegan’s, which is famous for its seafood and, obviously, pints of Guinness.”

It isn’t just the promise of a proper pub that has lured Ireland’s well-heeled – for more than a century, the dramatic coastline of the Killiney Coast has drawn comparisons to one of Italy’s most sought-after destinations.

“The Amalfi Coast reference goes back to Victorian times when the wealthy of Dublin built their mansions on this hillside looking across the sea. The main road that runs across the front of it is called Sorrento Road, and the area has a resemblance to Amalfi because of the steepness of the cliffs – the views are spectacular.”

“You’ve got swimming spots such as White Rock, the one that Matt Damon was pictured at, as well as Coliemore Harbour and Sandy Cove. They’re very popular all year round – even today, you’ll find people swimming in temperatures of 3 degrees!”

While the climate may not be able to compete with that of California or southern Italy, Ananda’s home on the Killiney Coast comes with a considerable dusting of celebrity sparkle.

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