Harold's Cross - nice place to live?

magpie

I'm considering renting a flat in Harold's Cross, between the top of Leinster Road and Harold's Cross Park. As this would be a new neck of the woods for me I wonder is/has anyone lived there and had any observations on it? I'm particularly interested in the following:

1) Greyhounds - does it get insane for parking in the area on dog nights, also are there shambling crowds of drunks wandering around afterwards?

2) The "Skanger" quotient. What's the level of hoodies/techno/modified cars/hanging around street corners in the area? I've had my fill of this from living in 'town'.

3) Crime and Safety. What's it like to wander around at night? Is there a high incidence of crime? Is the relative proximity to Dolphin's Barn an issue? What are the other big council housing areas within a mile or so?

4) Anything else I need to know!

thanks

LundiMardi

i'm also interested in this, as it's somewhere i was thinking of moving to in January.

i love it!

1) No, there is adequate parking within the track.
2) It's very low, if you're in Harolds Cross, it's a twenty minute walk to town, so they head there.
3) Never been broken into (touch wood), had car stolen a few times (1990's though), I genuinely feel safe walking home on a night out. (18 yr old male)


any more questions? Also, whereabouts in Harolds Cross exactly, it actually covers a decent sized area.

Supercell

Nice area, I lived in Rathgar for several years (just up the road).

Harolds cross- nice red brick type housing close to the city centre.
No skangers for miles - you can walk around after dark!
Close to the city centre but without its skanger population visiting unlike Phibsbo-rough where I lived for a couple of years and couldn't out of fast enough.

Go for it, its nice place to live, though if you are close to the dog track expect parking problems on race nights.

Húrin

yes it's a great place

fifib

have lived very close to where you describe magpie for the past 6 months and ive had no problems at all. i was very lucky finding a place in this area...saw some proper dives and horrible areas when i was looking during the summer! moving out this week actually and im going to miss it so much its got everything around too centra, takeaways, laundrette and its so close to rathmines. bus stop is practically outside my front door too which is great and im spoilt now cos ive never had that luxury before being a country gal hehe. have ben woken up only bout 3 times from people on the street shouting and screaming but nothing alarming, just da clubbing crowd passing on their way home and that was only at weekends. you dont see people hanging round the pubs and that late a night. i must say since moving there ive never not felt safe. hope this helps!

magpie

Also, whereabouts in Harolds Cross exactly

Its in the bit between the pub called The Crossbar (or something similar) at the top of Leinster Road, and the park on your left as you were heading in to town, just close to the Greyhound Track.

No skangers for miles - you can walk around after dark!
Close to the city centre but without its skanger population

I like it already

if you are close to the dog track expect parking problems on race nights.

Is it twice a week, tuesday and saturday kind of thing? The flat is just around the corner from the dogs, but the street is resident parking.

any more questions?

How is it for public transport? Best places to eat/drink in the area? Is it a case of walking to Rathmines / Rathgar, or is there good stuff on your doorstep?

Never been broken into (touch wood), had car stolen a few times (1990's though), I genuinely feel safe walking home on a night out. (18 yr old male)

OK, this is good news too after all the stuff I was reading on the Rathmines thread.

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

fifib

hey magpie, you taking my room by any chance?

xebec

I spent 9 months living on Leinster Rd last year, was a great area to live on. Always felt safe walking home at night, never had any issues about crime or safety. Lots of students around the area so you do get some drunken people passing at night but less disturbing than in town (I live in TCD now and the noise is so much worse than it was out there!). It's a really good area for pubs and takeaways too.

The Dogs are on Tuesday's and Friday's. And if you have residential parking, then there wont be a problem. Most of the people who go to the dogs are regulars, and will always park in the same spot.

There are plenty of buses servicing where you're moving to, 16, 16a, 49, 49a, 54a, 19a. You'll rarely have to wait more than 10 minutes for a bus to town, and if you get yourself a bike, its only a 7 minute cycle to city centre.

Restaurant wise, its lacking, there's only fast food, but Rathgar, Rathmines, Terenure are all in the locality and there's plenty of choice there.

There are 3 pubs, The Inn at the Park, Peggy Kellys, and the Crossbar. Peggy Kelly's and Crossbar serve carvery lunch which is pretty good in both places. I don't drink in the pubs, the clientele would all be a little older than me...

Illkillya

I've been living in Harold's Cross for the past 3 months and it gets the thumbs up from me. I accidentally left the car unlocked for a weekend with my wallet on display beside the handbrake, but all was in tact on the Monday.

Never had any problems with hoodies/skangers day or night, never even noticed the greyhounds. Nice and close to the city centre and you're not getting totally ripped off like you are on the other side of the canal. Bus lanes, bike lanes, etc.

magpie

OK, Thunderbirds are go!

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

Giblet

My friend used to live around there, pretty decent place, not too far to walk into town.