Househunting in Dublin- advice

brandy88

Hi everyone,
I am looking to rent somewhere in Dublin with friends who will be working on harcourt street. I will be working in spencer dock. Is there any areas within reasonable walking distance of both which anyone would recommend?

We have been looking at smithfield but heard mixed reviews on whether the area was dodgy. Could anyone shed some light on that as we don't know Dublin very well. I know there has been incidents at the horse fair/market in the smithfield area but any trouble other than that? The Christchurch area was also recommended but I like the way smithfield is so close to the red line luas so I'm not sure.
Any thoughts on which general areas are safe/not safe also welcome!
Any feedback appreciated:-)

Cadoche

Ranelagh is the best and Rathmines is also doable. This side of the Liffey is decent and within easy reach to either places. Goodluck.

Stevo2007

Rathgar/Rathmines could be good, close to town, cheaper rent, nice areas, luas to town, 128 for you to get to work (stops at Connoly)

John Mason

Stoneybatter - the redline goes through it, great atmosphere around the place

Mister Dread

Ranelagh, really? To walk twice a day to spencer dock?

You should be looking around the Haddington Road area. Baggot st, lad lane, gasworks. A nice distance for both places of work.

manafana

walkinstown, drimnagh area, bus into town from main road or luas into spencers docks round back and fair rent.

Mister Dread

manafana wrote: »

walkinstown, drimnagh area, bus into town from main road or luas into spencers docks round back and fair rent.

What a terrible suggestion. Read the OPs post. Walkingn distance to harcourt st and Spencer Dock. No dodgy areas.

jossnjuice

Mister Dread wrote: »

What a terrible suggestion. Read the OPs post. Walkingn distance to harcourt st and Spencer Dock. No dodgy areas.

IBTL.

ciaran_h

jossnjuice wrote: »

Mister Dread wrote: »

What a terrible suggestion. Read the OPs post. Walkingn distance to harcourt st and Spencer Dock. No dodgy areas.

IBTL.

Pardon my ignorance but what is ibtl?

Oh and drimnagh and walkinstown are not dodgy, don't talk about what you don't know about

brandy88

Thanks for all the suggestions, will look into them:-)

Am I right in saying smithfield is a no go area then in terms of safety at night etc. or does it depend on specific areas? Just asking because it does fit the bill in terms of distance and some of the apartments there seem to be nice and reasonably priced.

ciaran_h

brandy88 wrote: »

Thanks for all the suggestions, will look into them:-)

Am I right in saying smithfield is a no go area then in terms of safety at night etc. or does it depend on specific areas? Just asking because it does fit the bill in terms of distance and some of the apartments there seem to be nice and reasonably priced.

i wouldnt call smithfield a no go area at all- square can be kinda eery at night, good few homelss and junkie types around.... but hey it's dublin! cobblerstone is a great pub, stoneybatter is a good area around the corner with good pubs, and its easy walking distance to city centre (good walk to spencer dock mind u!)

donaghs

ciaran_h wrote: »

Pardon my ignorance but what is ibtl?

Oh and drimnagh and walkinstown are not dodgy, don't talk about what you don't know about

The "good" and "bad" area is an endless argument. But events like murder of the two Polish guys outside their house by bored teenage scum, or the more organised crime Crumlin/Drimnagh feud might reasonably deter some non-locals away from living in this area.

But to go back to original question, its an awkward one to find a nice place that's in walking distance of both places. You'd really be talking about somewhere right in the middle of the city. Can be very noisy at night. I'd go with Ranelagh for Harcourt St, or Ringsend (not as bad as it used to be in 80s) for Spencer Dock. Otherwise city centre.

John Mason

donaghs wrote: »

The "good" and "bad" area is an endless argument. But events like murder of the two Polish guys outside their house by bored teenage scum, or the more organised crime Crumlin/Drimnagh feud might reasonably deter some non-locals away from living in this area.

.

Well, that one has really done it - IBTL :cool:

enda1

Baggot street/Waterloo Road seems the obvious choice. I guess one of you will have a car cause maybe you're from the country. So the houses on Waterloo generally have off street parking so its easy to park there.
Lots of conveniences and a pleasant walk down the canal for you both to work.

It will also depend on your budget per month as well, roughly how much you're talking per month? Personally, I love Ranelagh, wonderful vibe about the area, great pubs and a good mix of people from all around the country have traditionally based themselves there, and still do.

ciaran_h

donaghs wrote: »

The "good" and "bad" area is an endless argument. But events like murder of the two Polish guys outside their house by bored teenage scum, or the more organised crime Crumlin/Drimnagh feud might reasonably deter some non-locals away from living in this area.

.

indeed it is an endless argument, 2 points

1. have you ever lived there? i'd say not, so what would you know about the area apart from what those tossers in the herald tell you?
2. the press put a name ('crumlin-drimnagh feud') on a load of scrotes bumping each other off all over the south inner city (and in fact mostly from around Dublin 8) which serves to run down a perfectly good neighbourhood (with the usual few bad apples)

Vercoda

It depends on what you're looking for. If possible, I would advise AGAINST Smithfield, as there are significant problems with living here. Yes, the apartments are nice, and spacious.

But - and there are several 'buts' - there are several things that rule against living in Smithfield. Where to begin?

There is no noise insulation between apartments, so that we can hear them slicing food next door, let alone when they turn on their television. The way that the blocks are built is such that they significantly amplify the noise from the whole area - if someone is having a party at 2, 3, 4 or 5am, You'll feel like an uninvited guest - and that's ignoring the roaring, screaming and raucous drunks. (And, to hear someone laughing once or twice is fine - but screeching laughter for two or three hours suggests something's helping...)

Smithfield is also not especially safe in either the daytime or night, with drunks and junkies now clustered at the main square, where they regularly roar throughout the day.

And, don't forget the relentless noise/annoyance impact of the pretty feral kids from the nearby flats, who roar, whistle and scream in Smithfield a LOT - the concierge here told me that they get a LOT of complaints about the wild brats from the nearby flats, who've now taken to running riot around Smithfield - but the nearby Gardai don't/won't come over to deal with them, so they're powerless to do anything about that constant annoyance for residents.

Then, of course, there are also various scruffy drunks/junkies also to be regularly seen at the Luas stop, as well as in the area - and I know for a Fact that certain Dublin gangsters drink in certain nearby bars, adding to the area's general run-down, shabby and unsafe feeling.

So, yes, the apartments here look nice - but living here, with all of their shortcomings, is a different matter altogether.

Look elsewhere...