Inside one of Ireland’s most spectacular Victorian villas on Killiney Hill
One of Killiney’s most historically significant homes, Palermo is an eight-bedroom, eight bathroom villa built in 1848 overlooking Dublin Bay.
Built circa 1848 by the prominent Hone family, Palermo reflects the refined Italianate style that defined the transformation of Killiney Hill during the mid-19th century. With its classical proportions and timber-framed sash windows (most of which have been sympathetically replaced with high-performance replicas), it shares the defining hallmarks of the era and stands proudly within the Killiney Architectural Conservation Area, on a rare, elevated acre of terraced gardens sweeping across Dublin Bay.
The Hone family, who owned Palermo well into the 20th century, were central figures in Ireland’s artistic and intellectual life. The house is most notably associated with Joseph M. Hone – literary biographer of W.B. Yeats, friend of Jack B. Yeats, and a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival. Correspondence from Palermo to Jack Yeats, now held in the National Gallery of Ireland, reflects the home’s role as a creative retreat for some of the most influential minds of the time.
As founder of the publishing house Maunsel & Co., Joseph Hone was closely involved in the early literary efforts of James Joyce and maintained friendships with figures such as the GoreBooth sisters, including Countess Markievicz-placing Palermo firmly within the cultural and political ferment of early 20th-century Ireland. Harry Clarke, Ireland’s most celebrated stained glass artist and a contemporary of Evie Hone, was a regular visitor to Palermo and a close friend of the Hone family, further underscoring the house’s artistic pedigree.
A stained-glass window in the main stairwell serves as a further artistic thread, believed to be the work of Evie Hone, cousin of Joseph and one of Ireland’s most accomplished stained glass artists. A founding member of An Túr Gloine, she is renowned for works such as the East Window of Eton College Chapel and “My Four Green Fields” in Government Buildings. A private commission for a family home such as Palermo would have been a deeply personal enduring expression of familial and artistic legacy.
Today, following an exhaustive and architecturally sensitive refurbishment, Palermo has been brought into the modern era with impeccable taste and craftsmanship. The result is a truly turnkey residence of rare distinction, where the elegance of the past meets the comfort and performance of contemporary living.
The accommodation now extends to approx. 6,400 sq.ft. in total, spread across the principal villa and The Mews-a fully detached, A rated, three bedroom residence (approx. 1,800 sq.ft.) created from a complete and high specification conversion of the estate’s former ancillary structure, completed in 2023. These two homes offer exceptional flexibility for extended family living, guest accommodation or independent staff quarters.
Set within approx. One acre of manicured, southeast-facing terraced gardens, the property also includes a series of additional outbuildings, a detached garage and discreet storage sheds-all behind high granite walls and mature boundaries offering absolute privacy.
With its architectural pedigree, cultural resonance and beautifully reimagined interiors, Palermo represents one of the most exceptional residential offerings to come to the South Dublin market in recent memory.
Originally part of the estate’s stable yard, The Mews has been transformed into a self-contained residence of rare character and comfort. A bright and welcoming living room opens into an expansive kitchen/dining area featuring quartz countertops, SMEG hobs and ovens, a peninsula with seating, and floor-to-ceiling glazing leading to the private courtyard.
A study and additional TV room (equally suitable as a fourth bedroom) provide multiple options for home working or relaxation, while a spiral staircase adds architectural flair.
Upstairs, three double bedrooms are thoughtfully arranged, each with bespoke storage. The principal bedroom includes built-in wardrobes and steps down to a sun room with commanding sea views, while two further bedrooms, one en-suite and one accessed by the spiral staircase with an additional shower room on the ground floor, complete the accommodation.
All bathrooms are appointed with premium sanitary ware; the principal en-suite includes both a shower and a bath. The ground floor also includes a separate utility room. Underfloor heating runs throughout the ground level, ensuring year-round comfort.
Outside, the stonewalled courtyard offers generous off-street parking and secluded outdoor space, while the original weathervane above – engraved with the Hone family monogram – quietly echoes the estate’s remarkable heritage.
Set behind high granite walls and approached by a sweeping driveway, Palermo occupies an exceptionally private and elevated position within Killiney’s most prestigious enclave. The one-acre grounds have been carefully terraced to enhance both views and usability, with a thoughtful balance of formal and natural planting, mature trees and structural hard-scaping.
From the upper levels, a newly constructed balcony runs the width of the house, offering an extraordinary vantage point over the bay-ideal for morning coffee or evening dining. Below, a gravel and flagstone terrace provides a sheltered seating area beneath the balcony’s overhang, creating a natural garden room that connects seamlessly with the lower ground floor accommodation.
Stone steps lead gently through the tiered gardens, where clipped hedging, colourful borders and manicured lawns frame a sequence of outdoor spaces including a sunken tiled garden with built-in seating, a tranquil retreat that offers breathtaking sea views framed by the surrounding hills and mature trees.
From the subtle scent of wisteria to the sound of birdsong on the wooded hillside, the gardens at Palermo are a rare and restorative escape-just 30 minutes from Dublin City Centre.
You can take a full tour of the eight-bedroom property, currently on the market for a cool €€7,250,000, through our gallery below.
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