Tayanglet, Brennanstown Road, Foxrock, Dublin 18 Asking Price: €2.75m Broker: Savills (01) 6181479
e don’t know if coach Seamus McGrath bet on his first ever winner. But he named the house after it.
Tanyanglet, a €2.75 million Victorian palace in Brennanstown in Dublin’s Foxrock, was the home of the famous coach, who died in 2005. It was originally called Druid’s Hill until Tayanglet stormed home to McGrath’s first win in 1943.
The home hits the market this week with a sizeable 3 acre garden.
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hallway and stairwell
Coming from an extremely wealthy background (the family lived in Cabinteely House, then known as a “stately home”), McGrath found his calling by accident
His father was Joseph McGrath, founder and operator of the Irish Hospitals Sweepstakes and owner of the Irish Glass Bottle Company, Brownstown Stud in Kildare and Glancairn Gallops and Stables in Cabineely. He was one of the richest men in the country.
Initially, Joseph hired his son as an employee at the Glass Bottle Company. But as Junior failed to excel in office environments he reassigned him to Glencairn Gallops stables near the family home as national hunting trainer.
Glencairn was the stable that produced Orby (owned by Richard ‘Boss’ Croker) who was famous for being the first Irish trained horse to win the Epsom Derby (1907).
Seamus had his first runner in a first hurdle race at Leopardstown in February 1943 and won his first race with Tayanglet in December. From Glencairn he also rode as an amateur jockey.
However, McGrath Jnr did not always have his way and found himself caught between the equestrian and commercial priorities of the family business.
Older brother Joseph ran Brownstown Stud Farm in Kildare and younger brother Patrick ran all the family businesses. Both made decisions that didn’t necessarily line up with what Seamus had in mind.
Joseph decided to focus on flat racing while Seamus continued working with national hunters. This resulted in McGrath horses being sent to England for training.
In 1954, Seamus was back in the saddle as McGrath’s head coach and adapted his operations to flat racing. His horses would soon dominate, recording nine victories at Royal Ascot.
After a slack period due to competition with rising stars like Vincent O’Brien, McGrath rebounded spectacularly in 1969 with Levmoss winning the Ascot Gold Cup, Prix du Cadran and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
In all he has recorded 1,350 victories and was Irish Champion Coach in 1955, 1957, 1971 and 1973 when one of his last great horses, Weaver’s Hall, won the Irish Derby 33/1.
McGrath left his mark on the entire racing industry by ensuring that the most successful McGrath stallions contributed primarily to Irish bloodlines.
The Glencairn Gallops were sold for development in 1981 and Seamus McGrath retired from training two years later, 41 years after his father sent him to the stable and 40 years after Tayanglet gave him his first win.
Tayanglet is a 6,450 square foot, six bedroom home that was completely renovated in 1997 by the current owners. It features a cinema room, jacuzzi, gym with sauna and courtyard.
A large foyer with a central staircase and fireplace gives access through individual doors to an interconnecting drawing room and dining room, both with fireplaces and bay windows.
Next to the stairwell there is a guest toilet, a utility room and a vestibule to the rear entrance. A smaller hallway leads to a large open plan space comprising the kitchen, dining area and an informal living room from where French doors open onto the front terrace.
Another hallway next to the kitchen gives access to the courtyard, a games room and the spa area. A spiral staircase leads to the fitness room with sauna and toilet.
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The series with a stone border
A formal living room is also upstairs with access from the kitchen/dining area and downstairs. The cinema room and a room suitable as a home office are located in the basement.
The family bathroom is off a return up the main staircase whilst there are four bedrooms on the first floor. The master bedroom has fitted wardrobes, a shower room and doors leading onto a balcony.
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One of the interiors in duck egg blue
Of the three remaining bedrooms, two have en-suite bathrooms and the front bedroom also has access to the balcony. There are two more ensuite bedrooms on the second floor.
Original features including cornices and ceiling rosettes, hardwood floors, sash windows and decorative fireplace pieces.
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A rear view of the property which stands on 1.2 acres
The gardens are in lawned areas with a walkway around the perimeter. Trees include maple, laurel, oak and chestnut. A south facing terrace at the front of the house catches the afternoon and evening sun whilst a number of outbuildings include a greenhouse with fruit trees and grape vines.
Tayanglet is for private sale and is managed by Savills for €2.75m.
Source: independent