The Sycamores and Aylesbury Residents Association recently held a function in The Kilkenny House Hotel on the Freshford Road to celebrate 50 years since the foundation of the estate in a much sought after location in Kilkenny City. A commemorative history brochure of the estate was launched on the night by the Mayor of Kilkenny Joe Malone followed by refreshments and a well-attended social event.
A planning permission notice for the estate first appeared in The Irish Times newspaper on Thursday 16th November 1972 lodged by Sylvan Homes Ltd. The wording of the advertisement was quite innocuous compared to today’s legal requirements with permission being requested for “a residential development at Talbotsinch, Kilkenny”.
Sylvan Homes Ltd (a member of the Brooks Watson Group) were located at 56 Upper Drumcondra Road, Dublin 9 who at that time “had considerable experience in private house building with developments carried out at Swords, Templeogue, Greystones and Malahide Co. Dublin”. Kilkenny Co. Council subsequently granted Planning Permission to Sylvan Homes Ltd. on the 24th May 1973.
An attractive brochure produced by Sylvan Homes Ltd. proclaimed the construction of private detached and semi-detached houses” with a view to creating an appealing aspect for the scheme as a whole” to provide “a first class 1970’s living style . . . with the built in bonus of healthy relaxed living in delightfully rural surroundings”. Detached Luxury Homes were advertised at £9,600 net with a rateable valuation of £25 seeking a £1,000 booking deposit while Semi-Detached Houses were offered at £7,450 net with a rateable valuation of £20 requiring a booking deposit of £750 – how things have changed! Written records found during research further showed that houses could even be bought for £ Picture Captions from the 50 Years Launch Night in the Kilkenny House Hotel.
Petitt Engineers were the consulting engineers for Sylvan Homes Ltd as construction commenced in early 1974 on the first houses (Sycamores 1-11) adjoining the Freshford Road. At this time, no. 11 The Sycamores was the show house for detached houses in the estate, floored with deep rich carpets throughout. Reportedly, on many a Sunday, people from the surrounding countryside would visit the Sycamores estate to look at these “Spanish style houses with distinctive arches” which were in complete contrast to the bungalow bliss of the 70’s.
The first site foreman with Sylvan Homes Ltd was Edward (Ned) Brennan (formerly of McInerney Homes) from Meadow Hill who was also a hurley maker (Castle Hurleys). He built the original Brennan’s shop now known as Ruth’s Shop) at No. 42A The Sycamores, with his son Michael and wife Teresa Brennan being the first shop-keepers before the ownership passed to Jimmy Brennan (Threecastles) R.I.P and his wife Sheila in the year 1983. The shop remains an invaluable community hub and resource in the estate to this day.
Building works advanced with 60-70 men employed on site with a building target of one finished house per week. As house prices went up, house designs were modified to keep homes affordable for would-be purchasers. No. 112 the Sycamores was the first two bedroomed house to be built in the estate with a sales price of less than £4,000 – this house also doubled as the show house for this prevalent house throughout the estate today.
Aylesbury
Subsequently (c. 1978), Sylvan Homes Ltd. went into liquidation with Clonmel Construction Company Ltd based at 290 Viewmount Park, Waterford taking over the building of all the Aylesbury houses in the estate along with house Nos. 185 and 186 The Sycamores. This building company change gives the estate its unique pattern of inter-twined mix of Sycamores and Aylesbury houses today.
The Aylesbury sales brochure proclaimed “AYLESBURY at the Sycamores . . . all the good living advantages any family could want . . . all the value in modern day living any family could need”. Detached houses were advertised at £21,400 with semi-detached houses at £19,700 requiring a deposit of £1,500. In poorer economic times, a mortgage update statement issued by a bank showed a prevailing interest rate of 17.95%. The sole selling agent was Martin O’Carroll (R.I.P.) M.I.A.V.I. Estate Agent, 84 High Street, Kilkenny. Aylesbury houses No’s 1-18 began construction in 1979 with a total of 79 Aylesbury houses built in the estate. There are 178 Sycamores houses in the estate today.
