Dublin city centre penthouse where Brendan Courtney hosted rooftop parties for €520,000
Address: Apartment 7, 34 Ushers Quay, Dublin 8Price: €520,000 Agent: Owen ReillyFollowing the series finale of the fifth series of RTÉ’s Keys to My Life last December, the show’s presenter Brendan Courtney is now handing over the keys to his Dublin city penthouse.Courtney moved close to the sea in Wicklow town for a quieter life last year, and to be near his sister, Deborah, and her family. It was quite a change in pace from life at his penthouse apartment on Usher’s Quay in Dublin city centre, which he has now placed for sale through Owen Reilly, with an asking price of €520,000.The drop in property prices caused by the financial crash in 2008 was the only reason he could afford his city pad, the presenter and fashion designer says, describing it as “well-built” and “solid” with cement floors providing noise insulation. He could see, however, the point at which the builders ran out of money as the kitchen and bathroom fittings “were in bits”. Ever the aesthete, he had a new kitchen, bathrooms and floors fitted leading him to be “completely broke” by the time he moved in 2010. READ MOREFirst-time buyer mortgages hitting record levels, says BPFIAverage value of second-hand homes rises by almost 7%Rise of non-bank lenders strengthens position of brokers in Irish mortgage marketRevenue warned Government over controversial apartment VAT cut ahead of Budget 2026Disaster struck a few months after Courtney moved into his new two-bedroom bungalow in Wicklow last year when a car crashed into the front of his home causing extensive damage. He returned to his Usher’s Quay apartment while the home was being repairedNow settled back in Wicklow, he is placing this 96sq m (1,033sq ft) penthouse apartment on the market for a prospective buyer in search of central city home in a vibrant area. Although it has an address on the bustling quays, apartment number 7 is tucked away in the rear tower of the building overlooking the courtyard and is, therefore, surprisingly quiet. Courtney describes it as an “oasis in the city” and says it is so peaceful that it prompted his friend, influencer and food entrepreneur James Kavanagh, to complain that the birdsong rising from the courtyard was driving him mad. On the top floor of the building, you enter number 7 into an entrance hall flooded with light with a Crittall-style double door – which Courtney had designed before he’d ever heard of the brand – providing a preview of the kitchen and living area at the end of the hall. Large cement-effect floor tiles are on display here and create a sleek and neutral canvas throughout the home. The kitchen, dining and living area is bright with a sliding door of glazing across one wall, leading out to the decked L-shaped balcony that faces west – an ideal spot to toast a cocktail with friends. The open-plan space is home to a stylish L-shaped kitchen with white units and a cement-effect tiled splashback.The main bedroom is accessed off the right of the entrance hall and also opens on to the balcony. It has a modern en suite wetroom, fully tiled in grey stone tiles. A second double bedroom sits across the hall as well as the luxurious main bathroom that features a free-standing bath on a pedestal and shiny, off-white wall tiles.Brendan Courtney and his dog Nancy at 34 Ushers Quay. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill 34 Usher's Quay, Dublin 8 Entrance hall Kitchen/living/dining space Kitchen Balcony View from balcony Main bedroom Bathroom Communal roof terrace Communal roof terrace A real plus to this central home is that you are not overlooked, with the courtyard under the balcony ensuring space between you and the buildings beyond. Another boon is the communal roof terrace where Courtney hosted watch-parties events such as Dublin Pride; this space ensures you can be a part of the city’s festivities without leaving your front door.The convenience of the location is obvious; it’s walking distance from much of the city centre’s offerings, with Smithfield just across the Liffey – home to the Lighthouse Cinema, which Courtney says he will miss – and the Liberties, Capel Street and Temple Bar a short stroll away. You can also reach Grafton Street within 20 minutes on foot.With nothing requiring upgrading at the C3-rated property, there is no excuse for the next owner of this penthouse not to take the city by storm.
