Living In Portarlington

connundrum

They've let everything slide.

I remember when the French Festival was an actual event. People used to come to it from surrounding towns etc.

St Patricks Day Parade is another prime example of a town letting itself down. Maybe its not just Port, maybe its rural towns across the country.

What you'd have is 3 or 4 really strong committee members for each event, and they would be blocked from seeing anything through by local business opposition, insurance costs and general apathy from other committee members.

Sad.

Marksie

connundrum wrote: »

They've let everything slide.

I remember when the French Festival was an actual event. People used to come to it from surrounding towns etc.

St Patricks Day Parade is another prime example of a town letting itself down. Maybe its not just Port, maybe its rural towns across the country.

What you'd have is 3 or 4 really strong committee members for each event, and they would be blocked from seeing anything through by local business opposition, insurance costs and general apathy from other committee members.

Sad.

I know. Trying to be careful what i say, but as the organiser said everything was legal with both the council and the gards and yet the traders took it upon themselves to unravel everything for fear of profits being hit.
As one other local said, its a case of we dont want things to change for us and we will be damned if anyone else will do it either.

There was more said in particular reference to why there was no signage, but it really was supposition.

Still it was a very uncomfortable feeling to be witnessing this. Particulalry as the theme was bringing local business back into Port.

Strange strange attitude

canadianmale19

Hello all im 19 canadian and have been living in Dublin for 2 years....parents bought a house in portarlington and we are moving in january hopefully...if anyone wants to chat or has jobs they know that are available email me plz babybluebeamer@hotmail.com

Ruby-J

hi canadianmale, i added u on msn so when ur on next add me. portarlington is a lovely place imho. there are so many new housing estates and young people its a great place to make friends. feel free to pm me anytime and il help ya out. only thing about port is you do need a car as there are no shopping centres, cinemas, or decent clubs. the pubs are ok but if you want a mad night you need to go to portlaoise, newbridge or tullamore.

Keggers

Hi my name is Dara I am twelve and live in Port part time (as I am now going to boarding school. Just on the point of sports clubs as far as I know the fantastic Tae Kwon Do club is still up and running. The atmosphere is very friendly and the teacher (Nigle Stoby) is one of the nicest coachs I have ever met. By the by Tae Kwon Do is a Koriean Martial art.

Philthy

All the rural towns are dropping the parades/festivals etc. It depends from town to town why they are cancelled but it can be anything from funding to strong personalities clashing on the organizing committee. If two or three people believe they are in the right, its very hard to get anything done.

I can't comment on the Port French festival though. I'm only working here for the past 6 months or so. I had heard about it years ago and its a shame that it won't be held anymore.

I find the town itself seemd busy enough during my lunch hour but when you dig deeper, there is nothing in the town to do if you're not into GAA (and I'm not)

There was an article in the Leinster about the shopping centre getting off the ground again (but nearly every paragraph had the word floodplain in it - go check) and a local councillor(I think, or a local businessman) said Port needed a cinema and more facilties.

I grew up in a small village myself where I spent my teenage years hanging out playing pool in a pub. When the pubs were shut, we were sitting on various walls. We never caused any harm but ervyone hated the kids in our village. All we were doing was cluttering up the place because they was actually no place to go.

So now I'm older and wiser and I have a similar problem - what to do with my lunch hour. The only places I can think of are the library and wandering around small expensive shops. What do the locals do? All suggestions to waste time are welcome

ports best

The French Festival was th ebest crack ever, the interest in it became worse every year, the publicans would not put much money towards it and they reaped most of the rewards from the wkend it was on, it is a pity it is gone though, as regard to your lunch hour, i cant really help i only get half an hour for my lunch so it dosent give me much time to do anything else only eat my lunch

Philthy

I don't want to sound like I'm complaining but I have an hour,

I'm not looking for fun-filled activities everyday but the odd day when I'm not bothered with eating lunch, I'd love to do something. So far I've found Lyle's and Colgans and had a look in the book shops. Are there any hidden treasures in Port?

ports best

i think you should ask your boss can you have just half an hour off at lunch and finish half an hour earlier then, wouldnt that be a good idea, if not you could go swimming during lunch

paulmacker

hi just bought a house in na cluanta ,has anyone got any info on that area,
like the name of the nearest school,any good or bad things about the area

thanks

Kingdom

Canvass your local councillors to make new amenities. How about something like a Pitch and Putt club?

As for Na Cluainte, the people there are grand, but the quality of the houses aren't supposed to be brilliant.

ChillyS

Hi I moved to Port about 3 wks ago, I didn't realise the return train service ended so early from dublin (9pm!!!) also on a Sunday morning the earliest is 11.25 though apparently theres a bus goes at 8.40 so I'm going to try and get that. Does anyone know if theres a bus service between dublin and Port ?

graceanseo

Hi, I'm considering a move to portarlington also, just wondering if anyone has views good or bad on Lansdowne, it seems like quite a big development? We are going the affordable housing root most likely so not alot of options. Thanks in Advance

The Pump

I see this site is gone very quite, I've just been reading over some of the posts and was wondering what people think of the town now two and three years on

Philthy

The train service has improved and was a godsend until I started driving to the Red Cow and getting the Luas. I'm glad its there as an expensive back-up though. The parking in the train station is also great.

On the subject of parking, the unofficial boycott of pay-parking seems to have died down but the town is still fairly quiet.

I can't wait for the Aldi to come, my house isn't quite full of crap just yet! Supervalu has opened a garden centre (to my knowledge...haven't actually bothered to cross the threshold yet)

As regards eating out in the town, has anyone tried Dennis's Pizza and Pasta café yet? Behind the chippers facade lies a fabulous little Italian restaurant. I may never eat anywhere else again!:D There is so much on the menu, everytime I try something new, I nearly faint. And the guy who owns it is nice, even if he does talk a little too much:rolleyes:

Adrian Dunne's is the best chemist in the midlands too. If you get your prescription there, they give you 10% off purchases for the month. Still think there are too many chemists in the town though.

Has anyone been to Scarlet's Night Club? I still haven't really gone out in Port properly except for the odd birthday or work gathering. Where are all the kids at these days? And which pubs have gone downhill?

Bobby

I live in Port. The water has a high percentage of limescale in it. doesnt taste very nice and id imagine if you drank a lot of it you would be sick. So I use a water filter or get bottled water.

Bobby

I love the chinese restaurants in town and the kebab house.

Love Tinas and the New Good year and Jasmines.

Wouldnt touch the Italian and dennis can be good too

Joeynegro

Not a big fan of Jasmines.

Like the other ones though

rsta

Yeah the water is awful isn't it. i use one of those Britta jugs.

I don't like tina's chinese at all! Must be one of the very few. I much prefer the jasmine, very nice and the staff are lovely.

Best indian is the Shalimar, i used always go to the one up the lane beside the anvil pub, but i think its closed down now? haven't been in since shalimar opened...

Dennis restaurant is fantastic! He does delivery too.

Anyone been into Aldi yet? I've not bothered, i'm closer to Lidl in anyways.

Joeynegro

I have been to Aldi. its ok not pushed on it. The bakery in Lidl is superb. Love their apple turnovers and chocolate croissants.

Havent been to Shalimar as Im not big on Indian food but the Kebab House is lovely. Would highly recommend it.

Arjan

Hi everyone,
am desperate to find a mode of transport between Stradbally to Portarlington on Saturday and Sunday during the Picnic!
I need to go back and forth in the morning and evening and the taxi company offered €120 for the 4 rides... is there any bus service you know of??

rsta

Arjan, how many of ye lookin for a lift? And what time in the am and pm are u wanting the lift?
I may do it for €100!

No bus services that i know of.

Arjan

Hi Rsta,
looking to head down around 11am saturday morning from the Picnic to Portarlington and returning around 5pm. Approximate!
Similar for the Sunday. 100€ sounds like a better offer!

rsta

Arjan wrote: »

Hi Rsta,
looking to head down around 11am saturday morning from the Picnic to Portarlington and returning around 5pm. Approximate!
Similar for the Sunday. 100€ sounds like a better offer!

Ah i wouldn't be going back to Porto til much later than 5pm... sorry i'm no help to you afterall.

Have you tried all the taxi services in town? The best are 1800572227

slaneylad

hi, im currently working on a website about the river Barrow. I'm looking for information on portarlington. i have a good bit of the towns history. I'm now looking for things to do/see in the area. i am mainly looking for things like gardens and houses that would be open to the public. any info would be appreciated. thanks

ruby007

Hi,
Thinking of moving to Patrick St area in Portarlington, just wondering what its like and if street parking is safe at night??

snakehunter

Philthy wrote: »

The train service has improved and was a godsend until I started driving to the Red Cow and getting the Luas. I'm glad its there as an expensive back-up though. The parking in the train station is also great.

On the subject of parking, the unofficial boycott of pay-parking seems to have died down but the town is still fairly quiet.

I can't wait for the Aldi to come, my house isn't quite full of crap just yet! Supervalu has opened a garden centre (to my knowledge...haven't actually bothered to cross the threshold yet)

As regards eating out in the town, has anyone tried Dennis's Pizza and Pasta café yet? Behind the chippers facade lies a fabulous little Italian restaurant. I may never eat anywhere else again!:D There is so much on the menu, everytime I try something new, I nearly faint. And the guy who owns it is nice, even if he does talk a little too much:rolleyes:

Adrian Dunne's is the best chemist in the midlands too. If you get your prescription there, they give you 10% off purchases for the month. Still think there are too many chemists in the town though.

Has anyone been to Scarlet's Night Club? I still haven't really gone out in Port properly except for the odd birthday or work gathering. Where are all the kids at these days? And which pubs have gone downhill?

Had a horrendous encounter with Dennis' Pizza and Pasta tonight. Ordered 3 pizzas for delivery from a menu received in the letter box today. They got the order wrong and the 'Italian sausage' and 'thin potato' slices on one of them was nothing more than bangers and chips. I took one bite and gagged. It was revolting! I phoned them up to complain and the guy (an Itallian fella) tells me that his menu says something else to the menu I have and that he's done nothing wrong so I must accept the order. I went around there and showed him the mistake and he started getting abusive with me as if it was my fault the order was wrong!!!:mad: I was close to lamping him one! He then tells me never to call the shop again! The nerve! He doesn't have to worry about that though, I would rather eat dog sh*te on a roll than his manky pizzas.

Philthy

snakehunter wrote: »

Had a horrendous encounter with Dennis' Pizza and Pasta tonight. Ordered 3 pizzas for delivery from a menu received in the letter box today. They got the order wrong and the 'Italian sausage' and 'thin potato' slices on one of them was nothing more than bangers and chips. I took one bite and gagged. It was revolting! I phoned them up to complain and the guy (an Itallian fella) tells me that his menu says something else to the menu I have and that he's done nothing wrong so I must accept the order. I went around there and showed him the mistake and he started getting abusive with me as if it was my fault the order was wrong!!!:mad: I was close to lamping him one! He then tells me never to call the shop again! The nerve! He doesn't have to worry about that though, I would rather eat dog sh*te on a roll than his manky pizzas.

Its gone downhill since he let the lads from the Roma start working there, you have to check who is on in the kitchen. I asked for a pizza on the set menu but without the aubergine once and they took me up wrong and put artichoke all over it. Wherever the hell they found artichoke in Port, I'll never know :rolleyes:
And it was cold. That same day, I ordered a fresh cod and chips for my dad over the phone with my order and when I got there, they said they had no fresh cod so they put on a square cod. He was not impressed, there is no comparison between them. And the pizza was stone cold because it had been left on the warming plate with the box ajar while they remembered to put on the chips.

I still prefer Dennis' pizza to Mario's though. Their base tastes like something out of a packet, very basic. Just check you have Dennis and not the chipper lads, they'll deep fry anything!!!

Andoreea

Hi!
I am thinking to move to Portarlington in Kilnacourt woods. Can you please tell me if my decision is a good one? Are the houses there ok? Any problems? I am very scared to move somewhere i don't know!
Thanks

MaryDublin

Hello all,

Moved down about 8 months ago from Dublin with my husband who is from Galway and am slowly adjusting to things here.

I have to say that the people thus far are lovely and friendly and I love taking drives and randomly finding things like the Rock of Dunamase which just blew me away. Our neighbours are fabulous too which makes a massive difference.

I am still, however, having problems with the lack of amenities for people in the town. Obviously being from Dublin I was spoilt with buses, cinemas, shopping centres etc and accepted that it would be different down here but I feel like it's taking the p*ss.

I drive so i'm lucky but how is it that there is no regular bus to Portlaoise and other towns? Even if they passed through town linking it to others it'd make a huge difference to peoples lives and employment opportunities. I've googled buses and either you get on one in Port and off in Monsaterevin and then another one to Portlaoise or you can get a bus every 4 hours or something?! For those who don't drive and/or can't afford the train they are so limited.

Aside from that, the lack of night courses or PLC courses is sad. Why should people have to travel to neighbouring towns to attend them? Surely there could be some in the town?

I just feel really frustrated with how limited things are here and if we have kids I will worry for the limited things available to them here.

Anyhow, am writing to the council about an issue regarding the road near where I live so am going to mention the lack of amenities to them too. I'm sure they are aware but I think the people of Port deserve more than to be put on the back of the list for transport, communications, social areas and education. I don't expect or even want a new Dublin but there is such possibility for Port to develop into a go to place but it's either being ignored or people like it the way it is?

What are the thoughts on this? I am in no way trying to insult people by writing this post by the way so I apologise in advance to those who may be.

Thanks