MATT Damon is back living in south Dublin and has moved into a new house in the Killiney/Dalkey area he has fallen in love with.
he Hollywood superstar has moved into a stunning Georgian mansion on Vico Road in Killiney — at a cost of nearly €15,000 a week.
It is owned by businessman Alistair Tidey — a son of once kidnapped supermarket boss Don Tidey — who bought it in 1997 for €3.8million (IR£3m) in an off-market deal, when it was then the most expensive home ever sold in Dublin.
Tidey is currently believed to be living in the Caribbean and the property is being let out by an agency.
Previous owners included bookmaker turned property investor Joe Donnelly, who squirrelled away a few acres of its gardens to develop an ultra-modern private art gallery, before selling the original house on about four acres to the late car dealer Pino Harris.
Close
Matt Damon in Dalkey with his famous SuperValu bag.
The mansion extends to 464sqm (5,000sq ft), decorated in a period style. Unlike many Dublin mansions calibre, it is completely unspoiled and devoid of any modern extensions.
The property also features an attractive two-storey converted coachhouse offering a gym,sauna and two additional bedrooms.
The property enjoys un-paralleled privacy, uninterrupted views over Killiney Bay and acres of exquisite tiered grounds that comprise formal gardens,a swimming pool, tennis court, lawns and wooded walking trails.
Matt and his family previously arrived in Ireland in early March and left on May 28.
The actor paid over €1,000 a day for his stay at Ischia in Dalkey, €14,900 a week he’s now paying for his new mansion in nearby Killiney.
But that should be no problem for the Oscar winning actor, who’s worth a cool €150 million.
Father-of-four Matt decided to go ahead with plans to come to Ireland earlier this year despite the fact that The Last Duel’s shoot here had been postponed because of the coronavirus crisis.
The actor arrived just before lockdown in Ireland and managed to pop in to several stores and coffee shops in Dalkey. He was famously pictured with a Supervalu bag when he posed for a snap by the sea with fans.
He was accompanied on jogs and strolls by celebrity bodyguard Basil Whelan, who has performed similar duties for various stars, most notably Niall Horan and Westlife.
Close
Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso (Joel Ryan/PA)
PA
Whelan is again assigned to Matt during his new stay here.
Matt and his family were also guests of Bono and his wife Ali at their nearby mansion in Killiney as the stars are old friends.
Matt also has a live-in chef in his pad in Killiney during his quarantine.
Matt is backin Ireland for Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel. It also stars Ben Affleck, Adam Driver and Killing Eve stunner Jodie Comer.
Shooting is due to take place in various parts of the country, including Dublin, Wicklow, Meath and Tipperary.
It recently emerged that a crew of about 200 is currently being housed in the exclusive K Club resort in Co Kildare in preparation for the shoot.
The feature film, based on Eric Jager’s book of the same title, is set in medieval France and focuses on a dispute between a knight and a squire.
The screenplay was written by Damo n, Affleck and Nicole Holofcener.
Damon and Affleck famously won an Oscar for Best Screenplay for Good Will Hunting.
Matt has since set the screen alight in Saving Private Ryan, The Talented MrRipley, The Departed and as Jason Bourne in the Bourne franchise.
Massachusetts born and raised, Matt married Argentinian actress Luciana Bozan Barossa in 2005, having first met her in 2003 in Miami while filming Stuck On You.
He has three daughters with Luciana — Isabella, Gia and Stella – who range in age from seven to 13, aswellas20-year-old stepdaughter Alexia with Luciana from a previous relationship she had.
Since 2012 they have been living in Los Angeles and previously lived in Miami and New York.
Matt has been an occasional visitor to Ireland and has expressed a dream of owning a home on the west coast.
“How awesome would that be?” he raved. “Watching the Atlantic crashing over the Irish cliffs, the rain coming down, the grey skies. I love the weather.”
Sunday World
Online Editors
Tv fanatic. Amateur food maven. Devoted webaholic. Travel lover. Entrepreneur. Evil writer. Beer guru.
