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Luxury living along the Killiney coast with a games room, wine cellar and gym for €7,250,000
This special home has witnessed the making of history.
YOU’D HOPE A house called Palermo can live up to its name, especially in a country that’s known for rain. But, as it looks over Killiney Bay on the south side of Dublin, you can see why this period home nods to the Sicilian capital.
Sea views and Mediterranean vibes aside, this special home has also witnessed the making of history. Built in the late 1840s for the influential Hone family, this Victorian villa has long had a unique place in Ireland’s architectural and cultural landscape.
Within its elegant rooms, some of the country’s greatest literary and creative minds met. Joseph M. Hone, biographer of W.B. Yeats and an important figure in the Irish Literary Revival, called Palermo home, while visitors included artist Harry Clarke. Even today, a beautiful stained-glass window, believed to be the work of artist Evie Hone, is a reminder of the home’s heritage.
Yet Palermo is far from a museum. Following restoration, the house has been transformed into a contemporary family home while preserving the craftsmanship that defines its Victorian past.
Original cornicing, parquet flooring, marble fireplaces and sash windows sit effortlessly alongside discreet modern interventions, creating interiors that feel both timeless and entirely suited to modern life.
Extending to 595 m² across the main residence and a detached mews house, the estate offers next-level flexibility. Whether accommodating extended family, welcoming guests or creating independent living quarters, the beautifully converted A-rated mews provides an exceptional second residence with its own character, private courtyard and high-specification finish.
Inside the main villa, every principal room has been designed to celebrate the spectacular setting. The drawing room’s sweeping bay window frames panoramic views stretching across Killiney Bay, while a bespoke kitchen by designer Róisín Lafferty pairs handcrafted cabinetry and premium appliances with uninterrupted sea views. French doors open onto a full-width balcony that feels purpose-built for long summer evenings overlooking the coastline.
The accommodation continues to impress throughout. The lower ground floor introduces a more relaxed way of living, complete with games room, wine cellar, gym, home office and generous utility spaces, all opening directly onto the landscaped gardens.
Upstairs, four elegant bedrooms enjoy varying perspectives across the sea, Killiney Hill and the surrounding mature landscape, with the main suite offering one of the finest outlooks on Dublin’s south coast.
Outside, about an acre of terraced gardens unfolds towards the bay. Carefully landscaped over years, the grounds balance formal planting with peaceful retreats, stone terraces and mature trees, creating a remarkable sense of privacy despite being just minutes from both Killiney and Dalkey villages. A pedestrian gate provides a gentle stroll to the beach and Dart station, placing Dublin city centre well within easy reach.
One of Palermo’s most unusual advantages is that, although it has historical significance and location within the Killiney Architectural Conservation Area, it is not a protected structure.
Palermo has a connection to Ireland’s artistic and literary past, yet it is a home that feels just as relevant for modern family life.
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