The Village at Lyons – a fully restored historic estate village – has been brought to market for €20m, offering what agents describe as one of the most unusual residential opportunities currently available across the UK and Ireland.
The property is being marketed by Sotheby’s International Realty at a guide price of €20,000,000 (approximately $23.4m).
Located in County Kildare and set across 20 acres along the Grand Canal, the asset comprises a complete village of period buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. While the adjoining Lyons Estate mansion is not included, the village itself is being sold as a standalone entity.
Originally developed as a canal-side milling settlement, the site evolved into a functioning village by the early 19th century, incorporating an inn, schoolhouse, police barracks and a four-storey watermill. The mill was operated by Joseph P. Shackleton, a relative of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton.
HERITAGE VALUE
The village sits beside Lyons Hill, a historically significant site linked to the Kings of Leinster dating back to around 760AD, adding further heritage value to the offering.
By the 1990s, the estate had fallen into disrepair before being acquired and restored by Tony Ryan, co-founder of Ryanair, who reportedly invested €30m into the project. The restoration focused on preserving the architectural character while repurposing the buildings for modern use.
Following Ryan’s death, the village changed hands and has since operated as a five-star boutique hotel under the ownership of Barry O’Callaghan.
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
Today, the property comprises a collection of restored cottages arranged around landscaped courtyards, alongside amenities including a lake, orchards and waterways. While currently run as a hospitality asset, it is being marketed as a residential or investment opportunity, with potential to sell off individual cottages.
Situated around 30 minutes from Dublin, the site combines seclusion with accessibility, surrounded by established stud farms, golf courses and country estates.
The sale highlights the continued appetite for trophy assets and heritage-led investments, with opportunities to acquire an entire village of this scale and integrity remaining exceptionally rare.
