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Abington: a boy zone story continues

Seven years after Ronan Keating bought a mansion at Abington, houses there are still coming on the market, writes Valerie Shanley

Celebrity endorsement has been a key part of the exclusive image of Abington, the period-style development in Malahide which has become synonymous with Ronan and Yvonne Keating

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Neo-Georgian for the neo-rich, Abington was dubbed the millionaire's estate from the moment these vast, period-style mansions sprang up along the Malahide horizon back in 2001.

Since he bought there, and after his wife Yvonne launched the first two showhouses there in the spring of 2002, Ronan Keating's name is the one most often associated with the development. By the time of the official opening, the Keatings had already moved into their €2.79 million, six-bed palatial pop palace at Abington, preferring it as their family home rather than the other house they had bought at the K Club development in Straffan.

"We thought when we decided to buy here we might be sacrificing our privacy, but actually it's no sacrifice," said Yvonne Keating at launch. "Nobody really comes here and we're never bothered."

Celebrity endorsement was reckoned by developers Parkway Properties to be a key part of in the exclusive image of the houses, as well as encouraging sales. This was at a time when the property market was undergoing its post 9/11 slump. Parkway, which had planning permission for 50 homes on the 42-acre Malahide site, took inspiration for its multi-million 'Abington concept' while working on other building projects in Britain, spotting the potential of the luxury, detached houses in the Surrey stockbroker belt in particular. The developers built half the homes, and then sold the remaining sites for buyers to create their own individual residences.

Over seven years later, with stockbrokers an endangered species and the property market crashed, newly-completed houses at Abington continue to come on the market, and at prices that still induce the same gasps as back in 2002.

Agents say there is considerable interest in these large homes because of their exceptional space, the security of electronic gates and the designer details (Phillipe Starck bathroom ware and Bose entertainment systems).

The most expensive is number five Abington. With 12,500 sq ft of space, this is a big house to fill, but whoever has €5.5m to buy it may not be too concerned about being able to afford furniture. So who has been viewing since the property came on the market a month ago?

"It's quite an exceptional house with its location in Malahide and near the marina, but also the proximity to Dublin airport making it an ideal base for business people who travel frequently," says selling agent Terry O'Reilly. "We've had a lot of viewings, a few from the UK, but a good amount of Americans."

The six-bedroomed property has 1.2 acres of grounds and comes with an indoor swimming pool, gym, home cinema and games room.

Number 44 Abington has been on Sherry FitzGerald Blanc's books since April. This newly completed six-bed has 6,727 sq ft of floor space, and over half an acre of grounds including a 100 sq m two-storey coach house suitable for several uses.

With 4,628 sq ft, number 45 Abington also has a high-spec interior like its neighbours, including the five-foot-high fireplaces, Italian marble tiling and designer fitted kitchen. It comes with almost half an acre of landscaped gardens and a price tag of €2.9m. The sale of number 45 is with local agent O'Farrell Cleere, and the same agent is handling the sale of number eight, a five-bed, 4,036 sq ft property with a price tag of €3m.

Apart from the Keatings, other families who have bought in Abington include Westlife's Nicky Byrne and Georgina Ahern, daughter of the former taoiseach. Speculation last spring that footballer Robbie Keane was buying a home there came to nothing. Multi-million neo-Georgian on the northside with boy band appeal obviously isn't for everyone.