McInerney Homes-Sale of the Centenary

www.mcinerneyhomes.ie

CENTENARY

As easy as A, B, CBuying a home with the help of the experts

Save EnergySave MoneyTips to save on your energy bills

100 years in themakingAn Irish businesssuccess story

Sale of theCentenarySave tens of €1,000’s on a new home

1909 - 2009, McInerney Homes celebrating 100 years in Ireland

McInerney Magazine PDF:Layout 1 02/03/2009 13:41 Page 1

WelcomeWelcome to Centenary, published as part of our celebration of 100 years building homes in Ireland.

Living standards, and housing in particular, have come a long way since Thomas McInerney, founder of our

business, built his first house for a neighbouring farmer. Modern conveniences that we take for granted today,

including such basics as hot and cold running water, proper sanitation, central heating and even the electric

light, were luxuries never dreamed of at that time. Since then, of course, our lives have changed dramatically for

the better in countless ways.

Over the past century, McInerney has built almost 90,000 houses across the entire spectrum of private and public

housing in Ireland. We have been designing and providing quality homes for local authorities through to private

apartments and three, four and five bedroom homes over our 100 years. I am pleased to say that the “McInerney

built” quality we focus on still speaks volumes to home buyers, whether they are buying a new or second hand

McInerney home.

As a homebuilder, we have always sought to bring new ideas and innovative approaches to our work. Our primary

focus has always been on building quality homes in excellent locations with the first time buyer firmly in mind.

Buyers have come to rely on us to live up to our commitment to deliver “quality without compromise.” That is

something we prize dearly and have never taken lightly, nor will we ever. To win trust over a century takes hard

work, and we aim to retain and build upon that trust.

So, while we remain ever alert to innovation and to finding new and better ways to build modern, warm and

efficient homes, we also remain true to our roots. Some things do not change at McInerney – and that includes

our unswerving commitment to quality and value in every aspect of our business and integrity in our relationship

with our customers. After all, it is no less than what our customers should rightly expect from us.

John CrowleyManaging DirectorMcInerney Homes Limited.

2 :: Centenary :: www.mcinerneyhomes.ie


ContentsFeatures

100 Years, 100 Homes, 100 DaysPages 6 - 9

Special Feature

From Clare to Here...100 yearssuccess story

Pages 14 & 15

Buying as Easy as A,B,C Page 4

Buying with the experts

Online information Page 4

McInerney’s national website

The Right Time to buy? Page 5

There’s real value to be found in

the right locations

Sale of the Centenary Page 6 - 9

Celebrating a 100 year Irish Business

Success Story with 100 very specially

priced “centenary” homes

What makes a really great home? Page 10

Darren Feldon brings an architect’s

eye to an age old question

McInerney “Generations” Page 12

Building communities for generations

Save energy ... save money Page 13

Increasing your energy awareness

will save you money

From Clare to here... Page 14

McInerney celebrates 100 years of

“quality without compromise, how a

Co. Clare farmer founded the country’s

leading house building firm – with a little

help from the family”

www.mcinerneyhomes.ie :: Centenary :: 3


Find out more “online”

Buying is now aseasy as “A,B,C”

With more and more people using the internet forresearch, it has become an invaluable tool for the househunter. You can easily compare location and value formoney at the click of a mouse. Compare property toproperty and narrow down the selection process and visitthe showhomes that tick all their boxes. With the variety,selection and nationwide reach of McInerney Homes, thebest place to view all their properties is on their websitewww.mcinerneyhomes.ie

The site carries a comprehensive selection of allproperties available. Listed are some 30 developments,which can all be searched by county, location, price, sizeor any other number of combinations.

Each county has its own portal page, and you can drilldown to examine individual developments in your chosenarea. So if you are a first time buyer or family trading upor relocating to a new area your new home could be justa click away.

For first time buyers finding your way through the legal jargon,mortgage maze, contracts, booking deposits and other elements tobuying a new home can be quiet daunting. After all, it is probably thefirst time you have experienced making a decision that will effect yourway of life for years to come. It is good to have someone on your sidewho knows the pitfalls and then direct you to the fastest route toowning your own home.

We at McInerney Homes have been working with first time buyers forgenerations. Since we started in 1909 we have had many generationsfrom the same families buying their homes from McInerney. We prideourselves on our selection, location, requirements for the future andour legendary build quality. Over the years, we have developed a teamof marketing, financial and building professionals who are dedicated tomaking the home buying experience not only painless but as easy as A,B, C. Talk to any of our regional offices and they will be happy to walk youthrough the entire process from finding the best home to signing thecontracts.

Cork Tel: 021-4323590 E-mail: [email protected]

Galway Tel: 091-770586 E-mail: [email protected]

Limerick Tel: 061-225550 E-mail: [email protected]

Waterford Tel: 051-873126 E-mail: [email protected]

Visit - www.mcinerneyhomes.ie



Recently, McInerney made sharp cuts inits prices on built stock in Cork. Theresult, according to Liam O’Brien, theMcInerney director responsible for itsSouth Region, was that people recognisedthe underlying value of purchasing one ofour homes.

The truth is that in a nervous economy,such as the one we are now in, whenpeople see prices are falling they holdback in the hope that they will fall stillfurther. That may be understandable, butthe real challenge for buyers is torecognise when this process has come toan end.

McInerney’s new “Sale of the Centenary”initiative is designed to mark thecompany’s 100th birthday with specialprices.

According to Mr Crowley, ManagingDirector of McInerney Homes, this isa once off opportunity to purchase astunning new home at an exceptionallylow price. This is part of our 100 yearscelebration activities and prices like thesemay not be seen again.

“We are delighted to do something positivefor our customers as part of our centenarycelebration. We have a long standingreputation for providing high quality andinnovative homes which has been built onyears of experience and using the best inskilled craftsmanship. We are now in awindow of opportunity where people in aposition to finance buying a new homehave a limited opportunity to obtainspecial value. Future property will almostentirely be built to contract only and will,of course, reflect the costs associated withmeeting the higher energy ratings nowexpected by homebuyers.”

Another factor which is clearly influencingintending homebuyers is the significantdecline which has already occurred inmortgage interest rates.

“Even allowing for expected increases intaxes to cope with the current economicsituation, for homebuyers this haseffectively been offset by the sharp declinein interest rates which has alreadyoccurred.,” Mr Crowley notes.

There has been much talk in recentmonths about the the level of unsoldhousing stock in Ireland as a whole, butJohn Crowley points out that the countrydoes not comprise a single market.

“Despite all the talk and speculation aboutthis carryover, the simple fact is thatsuitable properties for owner occupiers inprime residential locations are still arelatively scarce commodity. If you look atsuch locations throughout the country yousimply do not find high levels of stock. Theold adage that there are three importantthings in buying property – location,location and location – is as true today asit ever was.

“In our locations throughout the country,there is strong evidence that intending

homebuyers who have been ‘sittingon the fence’ have decided that

the time is right for them to move...”

There are signs that the waiting may be over for many people interested in buyingnew homes. According to John Crowley, Managing Director of McInerney Homes,there is now a small but steady increase in the numbers of people takingadvantage of the value to be found in the Irish marketplace.

Time to buy?

John CrowleyManaging DirectorMcInerney Homes

“Sticking to what we know, building the right homes inthe right locations, has stood to McInerney over the past100 years and thankfully it is standing to us now.”



Save tens of €1,000’s off your new dream home -McInerney Homes have selected 100 propertiesthroughout Ireland and have discounted these by wayof celebration and marking our 100th year in building.These discounted properties will be only available for100 days.

We at McInerney’s would like to thank you for yoursupport and trust over the last 100 years.

Clare

Limerick

Galway100 Years 100 Homes 100 Days



Sligo

Login for full detailswww.mcinerneyhomes.ie

Celebration prices that only happen once in a lifetime...

Westmeath

Wicklow

Tipperary

Waterford

Cork

SAVE

SAVE

SAVE

SAVE

SAVE

SAVE

SAVE

SAVE

SAVE


Cork Tel: 021-4323590Galway Tel: 091-770586

Limerick Tel: 061-225550Waterford Tel: 051-873126


WestDevelopment House No. Bed(s) House Type Area Was Now Save

CO. SLIGO Rusheen Ard

CO. WESTMEATHDrumaconn,

Athlone

GALWAYCoill Tire

South Development House No Bed(s) House Type Area Was Now Save

CO. CORKBroomfield,

Midleton

CO. CORKThe Orchards,

Kinsale

CORKMonfield,

Rochestown

CO. CORKMeadowlands,

Macroom

CO. CORKCluain Ard,

Cobh

SH - Showhouse TH - Townhouse SA - Show Apartment8 :: Centenary :: www.mcinerneyhomes.ie

100 YEARS 100 HOMES 100 DAYS



South-EastDevelopment House No Bed(s) House Type Area Was Now Save

CO. WICKLOW Druids Glen,

Newtownmount-kennedy

CO. WICKLOWView Mount,

Rathdrum

CO. WATERFORD The Paddocks,

Granstown Farm,Williamstown Road

CO. WATERFORDCruachan, Dungarvan

CO. WATERFORDWaters Edge,

Dungarvan

CO. TIPPERARYGracefield,

Clonmel


Mid-WestDevelopment House No. Bed(s) House Type Area Was Now Save

LIMERICKBloomfield, Annacotty

LIMERICKAlandale Square,

Limerick City

LIMERICKArdbracken,

Kilteragh

CO. CLAREDerrymore,

Ennis

CO. LIMERICKFerndale,

Newcastle West

CO. TIPPERARY Hayfield Manor,

Thurles

LIMERICKSli na Manach,

Mungret

Semi-D. - Semi-Detached D. - Detached




So what does it take to make a reallygreat home? Probably the most importantquestion any developer can ask, this isone that McInerney has answered, withgreat success, over the past 100 years.After all, it is only when you reallyunderstand what’s important to yourcustomers than you can meet – andhopefully exceed – their expectations.

Always pick an excellent location

One of the things that will always remainin short supply is land in premiumlocations. When you ask people why theyprefer one area over another they will givea variety of reasons. People want to livewithin easy reach of a good range ofamenities and facilities, such as retailand leisure opportunities, good schoolsand childcare facilities. But people alsovalue the quality of the landscape andopen spaces and transport links whichmeet their needs. All of these items andmany more constitute a “good”neighbourhood – the fundamental

building block of a sustainablecommunity.

When a developer has identified anexcellent location it is vitally importantthat whatever is built should add to itsattractions. Every new developmentshould make a positive contribution to thecharacter and identity of theneighbourhood. It should provideattractive routes for pedestrians andcyclists while the homes should reflectthe aspirations of the people who live inthem.

Public open spaces should be welldesigned and easily maintained with openaccess, generating a variety of activitieswhich contribute to the life of the locality.

The most successful neighbourhoods arewell connected to employment centres orplaces where people choose to spendtheir leisure time. They are places wherepeople can live at any stage of their lives.

Successful neighbourhoods also tend tohave a wide variety of activities withinthem and have a strong connection to thearea in which they sit – be it historical,cultural or visual.

Larger developments may contain manyindividual neighbourhoods within them,while in smaller ones the issue is howthey can contribute towards keeping – oreven making – an existing neighbourhoodsuccessful.

Once home buyers have chosen aparticular neighbourhood, their attentionquickly turns to the particular streets theyprefer. Although often not well defined, itis this consideration of “a location withina location” which can often make a hugedifference in people’s quality of life. Thisis the scale that people tend to have inmind when thinking about their home.And it is at this scale, more than anyother, that the difference between goodurban design and merely competentdesign becomes apparent.

What makes a reaArchitect Darren Feldon, of Thompsons Architects and Designers Limerick,looks at some of the factors which distinguish top class developments.



Carefully consider your site design

Efficiency, distinctiveness and quality oflayout are the hallmarks of a welldesigned development. Open green areasmust provide amenity and biodiversity,while sustainability is crucial. Makinggood use of available sunlight andavailable features helps to give eachdevelopment a spacious and distinctivefeel. That “feel” may be intangible – buthow it is achieved is not. Gooddevelopments add to the identity of thelocality with layout design that identifiesstreets as places, not as roads for cars.

What is most important for the developerand the architect is to recognise thatevery development is about creating anew community, not just a collection ofnew homes, no matter how attractive theindividual homes may be.A well designed layout will create placesthat foster a strong sense of belongingand ownership in those that live there.

Design individual homes for today –and tomorrow

A home is the largest investment thatmany people will make and they need tobe sure that their investment willcontinue to meet their needs now and inthe future.

A good design approach tries to bring aconstant freshness to proven house types.They should be easy for owners to adaptto suit their individual needs withoutaffecting the overall character of thedevelopment.

Homes should be sufficient in size toenable people to live comfortably throughdifferent stages of their lives and bepleasurable places in which to live. Gooddesign is all about enhancing quality oflife.

Each home should have private spacesand parking should be within easy reachof homes. Use of harmonious materialswill ensure that the end effect is greaterthan the sum of the individual parts. As well as meeting current needs,people’s homes have to be capable ofbeing adapted to their individual changingneeds.

Bring flair and experience to the drawingboard

So, in summary, what really does make agreat home? The answer lies in theselection of the location – make sure youbuild where people really do want to live.It lies in care in the design of thedevelopment and it lies in detailedattention to the design of the individualhomes.

Great development, therefore, is acombination of proven design formulas,intelligently applied, and flair. It is, inshort, a commitment to quality withoutcompromise – something that can belearned and refined over time. After all,there really is no substitute forexperience.

eally great home?

Darren Feldon is a Senior Architect withThompsons Architects + Designers who haveworked in conjunction with McInerney Homeson various projects nationwide for the pastfifteen years.



Phonsie Mulcahy began working for McInerney in Limerick in 1956 and retired in2001. He purchased his family home in 1969 for £3,300 and he is still living theretoday “I suppose building the houses you knew what was going into them. Goodmaterials make for a good house. Violet and myself liked the location, and thecompany always seem to build a class of a house that would be more advancedand have more extras included for your hard earned money”.

Phonsie continues: “We have two sons, and they could walkto school and play in and around the house. The 4thbedroom, back then was a great feature. As the family grew,we extended the house with a conservatory to the back. Weconsidered moving before we built the conservatory but thelocation was hard to beat-great neighbours and thecommunity was safe and friendly for the kids growing up.”

Phonsie has lived in Caherdavin for the last 40 years. Heretired in 2001 after many years of service.

This is a snapshot of similar McInerney stories from allaround the country. We, as a company, are proud of ourhistory and we always remember that we not only buildhouses but we build homes for future generations.

In the family... for generations!

While preparing for our very specialCentenary Celebrations, we had cause toreflect and look into our pastdevelopments. McInerney have beenbuilding homes for 100 years and, in thattime, we have seen everything fromwidespread use of the telephone, beenthrough 2 world wars, 2 recessions, thelaunch of colour TV and multi channelRadio, satellite TV, mobile phones and theinternet. McInerney has kept pace withthis change and their customer

requirements and have consistentlyfuture proofed their homes throughoutthe generations.

We are very proud of the fact that many ofthe people working with McInerneyHomes bought, lived and raised happyfamilies in our houses. Indeed many havebeen with us for most of their workinglives and have bought their homes fromus and many are still are living in thesehomes today.

This is something which is echoed allaround the country with some of the bestaddresses in the country being built byMcInerney Homes. For example Fitzhavenoff the South Circular Road in Limerick,Druids Glen in Wicklow, Bun na Coille,Moycullen in Galway, Fionn Laoi,Ballincollig, in Cork.

“Safe and friendly for the kids growing up”

Phonsie Mulcahy outside his home


“I suppose building the houses you knew

what was going into them. Good materials

make for a good house”


Today’s new homes are far more energyefficient than houses used to be in days goneby. They are now designed with energysaving in mind and there have been vastimprovements in the quality and efficiency ofinsulation materials used. High quality, lowmaintenance double glazing keeps heat inand drafts out. Well insulated walls reflectheat back into the home and properlyspecified modern heating systems keepfamilies comfortable at minimum cost.

When you buy a new home today it comeswith a Building Energy Rating Certificate –BER for short. This is much like the energyrating you find on electrical appliances andit gives you a good idea of just how energyefficient your home is.

The ratings range from G, at the verybottom, up to A1 for the very highest. Allnew homes have to achieve a minimum ofC1 rating, but most well built modernhomes will have a B rating.

The rating is based on a range of items,from the basic type of dwelling through toconstruction, insulation, ventilation,heating and lighting. It gives an estimate ofthe likely annual running cost for a

normal family. In that respect it is notunlike the kilometres per litre efficiencyfigures you see given for cars.

According to Sustainable Energy Ireland,the gap between an energy efficient homeand an inefficient one can be enormous. Itestimates that the cost of energy used in aB1 rated, 110 square metre semi-detachedhome would be about €725 (based averagedomestic oil and gas prices in October2008). This rises to €1,175 in a C1 ratedhome and soars to €2,280 in an E1 rated,which would be typical of many secondhand homes built before 1980. If you areunfortunate enough to fall for an oldbuilding with little or no insulation the costcould easily rise to over €4,000 a year.

When you take into account the fact thatthese costs have to be met from after taxincome, it shows just how important anenergy efficient home is these days andwhy a well built new home is so attractiveto so many practical people.

hot waterWater for showering and washingneeds to be hot – not scalding. Atemperature of 60°C/140°F on thecylinder thermostat is fine.

light bulbs Any light used for an average offour or more hours a day should bereplaced with an energy-savingequivalent. It will use about aquarter of the electricity and last upto 12 times longer. Turn off lightswhen you leave a room.

kettlesOnly heat the amount of water youneed at the time – but do makesure you cover the kettle element.

curtainsUse curtains at night to stop heatbeing lost, taking care not to drapethem over radiators.

heatingTurning the thermostat down byjust 1°C can cut as much as 10% offyour heating bills. You can also saveby only heating your home for thetimes you need it. Close doorsbetween rooms.

tumble driersOnly use a tumble drier when youhave absolutely no alternative –they are energy guzzlers.

appliancesWhen buying new domesticappliances, such as fridges,freezers, washing machines andcookers always look for the mostenergy efficient ones.

insulationConsider investing in loft and, ifpossible, wall insulation. Fittingdraught excluders to ill-fittingdoors and windows is a low costway of keeping warm air in and coldair out of your home.

top tips

& tricks

save energy,save money!



McInerney celebrates 100 years ofquality without compromise”

Over the past 100 years, McInerney hasbuilt a reputation for excellence inbuilding homes and has earned the trustof homeowners throughout Ireland andEngland. That trust is based on acommitment to quality and integrity andan enthusiasm for developing modernconstruction techniques combined withtraditional craftsmanship. This is where itall began.

In 1909, a Co. Clare farmer, keen toprovide a future for his family of five boysand three girls, turned his attention tohouse building. It was a momentousdecision – one which has since been ofwidespread benefit not just to his familybut to generations of Irish homeownersand to the building industry as a whole.The first house built by Thomas P.McInerney was for a neighbour atO’Callaghan’s Mills in Tulla. From theoutset, he set the highest standards. Witha sharp eye for good people, he alwayslooked for bright, enthusiastic workerswho demonstrated a passion forexcellence. Of course, if they also sharedhis passion for hurling, that was a bonus.He was joined in the business by sonsFrank and Vincent and later by Ambroseand Dan. The latter two went on, as jointmanaging directors, to bring the companyto the stock market in 1971 where it istoday a publicly listed and ownedcompany.

In the early years, the family mainly tookon local contracts, growing gradually insize and strength. Soon the businessprogressed to larger projects and, by the1940s, it had opened an office in Gort anddiversified into housing, schools and otherlarge developments throughout the Clareand Galway area. The company’shouse building projects, mainly forlocal authorities, stretched fromKillaloe to Athlone and Edenderry.

In 1949, Thomas McInerney &Sons won the contract tobuild the first jet runway atShannon Airport. It was tobe the first of many highprofile projects. These

included the Hogan Stand in Croke Park inthe late 1950s and a prestigious newscience building at UCD in the early1960s.

By the early 1950s, McInerney hadentered the Dublin market and wasinvolved in constructing some major localauthority housing and commercialdevelopments. One of the first notablecontracts was to build 190 houses inBallyfermot for Dublin Corporation and a340 housing scheme in Milltown.

McInerney established its own joinery inDublin at Bluebell, and the companyexpanded into the Cork market.Entry into the UK market in the mid 1950swas spearheaded by Dan McInerney Snr.,the youngest son who had qualified as acivil engineer. It began with securing workfrom the Greater London Council inTottenham before growing its presenceover the years. One notable project in theearly 1970s was a unique 520 homesestate in North London. It wassubsequently recognised as a fineexample of high quality social housing andbecame the first post World War IIdevelopment in the UKto be listed as being

of specialarchitecturalinterest.

A 100 year success story...

The McInerney Family, Thomas with his hurley, 1900’s

Thomas McInerney, Founder, 1909 Dan McInerney Snr. & Ambrose, Joint Managing Directors, 1971


“

From Clare to Here...


A genuinecommitment to quality and trainingMcInerney is recognised in thebuilding industry as leadingthe way in terms of itscommitment to quality andtraining. There is scarcely abuilding firm of any size inIreland which does not haveone or more McInerney-trained employees, usually atsenior level.

“Saying you’re McInerneytrained is widely regarded asthe best thing you could haveon your CV,” says one formeremployee now working with alarge competitor.

That commitment toexcellence began with thefounder, Thomas PMcInerney, and has becomepart of the “DNA” of thecompany. Thomas devised amotto for his company “A littlebit better each day” and it hasstood to the company for thepast century.


By the late 1960s, the company was buildinghomes in every major population centre inIreland and was a major provider of localauthority and private housing in SouthernEngland.

In 1971, the flotation of McInerney PropertiesLtd on the Stock Exchange was the largestever public flotation in Ireland up until then.When the oil crisis and mounting inflation ledto recession in existing markets, McInerneysaw the opportunities to expand into thebuoyant Middle East market. The first contractwas for 25 houses in Bahrain for Gulf Air in1975. This was quickly followed by severalbank refurbishments and a contract to build100 houses for Shell Oil in Doha. By 1980 itwas operating in five gulf countries and wasinvolved in the development of everything fromoffice blocks and local government housing tobanks and even a palace.

It was in the Middle East that McInerneyrefined its approach to prefabricated building,which had begun as McPlan around 1968. Thisapproach proved a resounding success, andpre-fabrication plants were established at Al-Khobar, Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.In the early 1980s McInerney spotted thepotential of Spain and Portugal, thenemerging destinations of choice for vastnumbers of increasingly prosperous Europeanholidaymakers. Starting in 1984, the exclusive,high quality Four Seasons country clubdevelopments pioneered by McInerneybecame testaments to the company’scommitment to quality – from site locationand design through to construction, marketingand customer service.

Back in Ireland, the company remained alertto new opportunities. In addition to its ownnational portfolio of residential development,it expanded its commercial developments andwas a strategic partner with British Land inthe development of the original IFSC.

In the 1990s and into the present decade,McInerney has developed an increasinglystrong presence in the UK housing market. Itacquired a number of house buildingcompanies to give it a strategic position,mainlyin the North of England but morerecently in the Midlands.

Meanwhile, McInerney continued to be thelargest home builder in Ireland, providinghomes in the main for first time buyers. Intandem, it became increasingly active in thecontracting business, with a an emphasis onproviding public sector homes and a niche inthe leisure sector. Leisure sector projectsincluded the acquisition and development ofthe 159 acre Faithlegg Tudor Estate outsideWaterford City and the development ofRoganstown Golf & Country Club in NorthCounty Dublin in partnership with theMcLoughlin family. Sensitive residentialprojects were also undertaken at the MountJuliet Estate in Co. Kilkenny, Druid’s Glen inWicklow and at Adare Manor in Limerick.

Today, McInerney remains one of Ireland’sleading national home builders with a strongreputation for style and quality ofcraftsmanship. It has supplied almost 90,000homes throughout Ireland and, through eachstage of its long heritage, has broughtinnovation to its house design to cater for thediscerning home purchaser looking for amodern, stylish home at an affordable price.


100 Years 100 Homes 100 Days

To celebrate 100 years inbusiness we're offering tens of

€1,000’s off selected qualityhomes nationwide. But don't

delay – this offer is for 100 daysonly. This really is the opportunity

of a lifetime as you won't seethese celebration prices again.

www.mcinerneyhomes.ie

Design: R

eality, Galw

ay. T: 091 555 055


Documents

McInerney Homes-Sale of the Centenary