?'s about life on Mountjoy Square

A_SN · 14-06-2011 11:43pm #1

I'm strongly considering moving to an apartment on Mountjoy Square North, I have a few questions about life in the area, most importantly:

1. I was warned about the nearby Summerhill as somewhere to avoid walking through entirely. Does Mountjoy Square suffer from being close to Summerhill? How safe is Mountjoy Square in general? A useful comparison would be with Phibsborough (and particularly Doyle's Corner/the shopping centre) as I've lived there for more than 3 years now.

2. Where do you go shopping (for all food) if you live there and you only have your feet? Without having to walk through sections of certain infamous nearby areas? It seems the closest supermarket (that wouldn't involve crossing into disreputable neighbourhoods) would actually be the Tesco on Parnell Street, which is almost a whole kilometer away! Surely there must be a supermarket closer than that that can satisfy most of one's daily needs? What do people there actually do?

That's all for now, thank you.

R.Dub.Fusilier · 14-06-2011 11:58pm

if you are that scared/worried don't move and stay in Phibsborough.

A_SN · 15-06-2011 12:00am

R.Dub.Fusilier wrote: »

if you are that scared/worried don't move and stay in Phibsborough.

Thanks, but no. I was just warned by friends and so I want to know what is the deal.

Elmidena · 15-06-2011 12:01am

Summerhill is a notorious area alright. As for Mountjoy, I'm not sure which bit you mean but I've walked through it often enough to get to Busaras at night (partner lives in D1) and come to no trouble at all. There's a londis or centra on gardiner street that's big enough, would probably get most of your shopping there bar more unusual items. Can get tescos to deliver if that's more preferable, and there's also buses running. Not sure which numbers offhand as I'm more familiar with a neighbouring area and don't get buses in that direction.

SteoL · 15-06-2011 9:27am

I lived there for a few months from Dec 10 to Feb 11 and didn't particularly like it. Nothing happened to cause a dislike, no trouble or anything, I just didn't like it.

Re shops you could go to Dunnes (Henry or Talbot St), Tesco (Phibsboro or Drumcondra), LIDL (Moore St) or ALDI (Parnell St). All within walking distance but a pain in the arse if you have a big bag of shopping.

wyndham · 15-06-2011 10:11am

Supervalu on Talbot St would be a better option. Theres also a Tesco Express on Talbot St. Fx Buckleys on Talbot. No shortage of shopping really. You're in the city centre effectively 10 mins at most from any shop you could want.

tricky D · 15-06-2011 3:40pm

Lived on Mountjoy Sq for 5 years and within a stone's throw of Summerhill for the same again. It's fine as long as you're a bit street-wise which you would need to be anywhere in the city centre, including Phibsborough.

As for shopping, you're spoiled for choice. There's the small shops like the 24 hour on Dorset St and Carolan's on NCR/Sherrard St Upper, both less than 5 minutes. For supermarkets, there's well just loads about 10 mins away.

enda1 · 15-06-2011 3:45pm

Basically there's nothing to recommend the place. Its grand, not so far from town but really its a bit of a shit location. There are far nicer in Dublin.

A_SN · 15-06-2011 3:50pm

Thanks everybody for all the replies. I gather from everything I've heard that the general feeling is rather mixed. So I'm not excluding moving there but it seems like I could quite possibly find a better location. Thanks again all for the insight.

Mountjoy Mugger · 15-06-2011 3:55pm

Living there for the last 10 years. (East side of Square) - Life is good. A bit rowdy when there's a gig on in Croke Park or some such. A lovely park in the centre of the square which is very well maintained. Lots of restaurants on Parnell Street only 5 minutes away. Tesco, ILAC S.C., Jervis S.C., 10 minutes away as is O'Connell Street.

You're always going to find negatives about somewhere close to the centre of town (easpecially if it's Northside).

A_SN · 15-06-2011 3:58pm

Mountjoy Mugger wrote: »

Living there for the last 10 years. (East side of Square) - Life is good. A bit rowdy when there's a gig on in Croke Park or some such. A lovely park in the centre of the square which is very well maintained. Lots of restaurants on Parnell Street only 5 minutes away. Tesco, ILAC S.C., Jervis S.C., 10 minutes away as is O'Connell Street.

You're always going to find negatives about somewhere close to the centre of town (easpecially if it's Northside).

Good to know, thanks Mountjoy Mugger :eek:

squeakyduck · 15-06-2011 8:26pm

I lived off Mountjoy square on Russell street for a while. Loved the house. Never went through summerhill at night but it was dodgy enough early mornings when I used to head out to work.

The closest shops I used to go to were Tesco on Parnell street or Lidl on Moore street.

Ronan Keating · 16-06-2011 1:14am

squeakyduck wrote: »

but it was dodgy enough early mornings when I used to head out to work.

In what way?

spurious · 16-06-2011 7:53am

Mountjoy Mugger wrote: »

You're always going to find negatives about somewhere close to the centre of town (easpecially if it's Northside).

Especially here.
There do seem to be a lot of 'I drove through xxxx and it was horrid' types around who like to tell northsiders what a dreadful place we live in.

I'm amazed any of us survive.

enda1 · 16-06-2011 9:48am

spurious wrote: »

Especially here.
There do seem to be a lot of 'I drove through xxxx and it was horrid' types around who like to tell northsiders what a dreadful place we live in.

I'm amazed any of us survive.

The first person to mention it was on the Northside was the mugger himself. Its not about it being on the Northside, its about it being shit.

dubbie82 · 16-06-2011 9:01pm

I used to rent an apartment there up until a couple of months ago and I seriously never had any sort of problem.
It's handy to walk into town, you have buses within one minute walk, tesco, aldi, lidl on parnell street and more shops on talbot street.

I often walked home on my own at night (I am a woman) and never had anyone bothering me. Rents around Mountjoy square are reasonably cheap for city centre location which is another plus.

The only thing that really bothered me was the litter. Lots of dirtbags who just dump the houshold rubbish in the street, lack of bins etc.

It's not a particualar nice neighbourhood in a sense of having neighbours you get to know and I didn't really heard about any sort of community up there either.

I lived there for more than 2 years in total and never ever did I have any sort of trouble. I rented on the west of the square. I didn't really venture past the east side down fitzgibbon street or North Charles Street tho.

It's city centre, use your head if you walking around on your own and be street wise and you probably won't find any difference to Phibsborough.

?'s about life on Mountjoy Square

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