Advice about possibly moving to North Dublin.

osarusan

Hi all,

there are some 'ifs and maybes' in this post, but bear with me.

My wife and I are thinking about maybe moving back to Ireland from Japan with our family. If we did this, the reason would be for me to do a PhD in Trinity. We have friends living in Skerries, very good friends of my wife really, and she would like to live there. Unfortunately, prices there seem a little out of our price range, so I've been looking on daft.ie at places in rush, Lusk, Balbriggan, and so on. As I'd be travelling to Trinity, I'd prefer somewhere a bit closer to be honest.

Neither of us are from or have lived in Dublin (from Clare and Japan respectively) so know very little about the areas. Her friends tell her that Skerries is a nice place to live, but I'd love to hear people's opinions on other places in the north of Dublin, particularly those places close to stations on the northern commuter line (or whatever line runs through skerries.

As we have two young kids, things like decent schools, stuff for them to do, and a lack of anti-social behaviour are at the top of our wishlist.

Any other info is of course welcome too.

Thanks.

cowzerp

Rush is close to skerries and a lovely place to live.

hyperborean

If you want value (rent) then you need to go to balbriggan.It is much cheaper than skerries for a family home and has better and more frequent public transport options for the city center as it has the train and bus eirean.
A nice working class town,

Skerries would be more astethically pleasing and has a more middle class feel, will cost you more to rent and the only reasonable transport to the city centre is the train,

Both have lovely beaches and the travel time between them is 10 minutes in a car or a quick train journey.

Rush and Lusk are reasonably priced for housing but transport is brutal, the train station is not really walking distance (irish weather) from either, If you have your own car they would be worth a look, both nice working class towns,

They all have new educate together schools as well as the older catholic ones, Balbriggan and Skerries would probably have the best of choice,

Anti social behaviour is a part of all the towns listed above but once you choose the town you would get good advice from the locals on where exactly to live,

Personally I would choose Balbriggan, but Skerries would be more suited to a new family if you can afford a bit extra on the rent,

Good luck,

cowzerp

hyperborean wrote: »

Personally I would choose Balbriggan, but Skerries would be more suited to a new family if you can afford a bit extra on the rent,

Good luck,

If money is the issue Balbriggan will be cheaper, If it's looking for nice place for the Family, Rush is by far better.

hyperborean

cowzerp wrote: »

If money is the issue Balbriggan will be cheaper, If it's looking for nice place for the Family, Rush is by far better.

:P I beg to differ, balbriggan has many families....some of them are even happy

cowzerp

hyperborean wrote: »

:P I beg to differ, balbriggan has many families....some of them are even happy

so why is Balbriggan so cheap then if all the infrastructure and amenities are better?!

I know why!

osarusan

Thanks for the replies, they're much appreciated.

I've looked at the train times and so on, but could anybody let me know how much a monthly pass would be from any of the places mentioned? Also, how long does the bus take from Balbriggan to Dublin city centre?

We have a car here and would plan on bringing it over with us (if and maybe etc), but would still be interested in public transport.

@Cowzerp, why do you think Rush is far better? As somebody who doesn't know either area at all, what makes the difference for you?

Riesen_Meal

I'm not gonna go down the route of "area bashing" as some do on here, I'm from the suburbs of D9 and lived in Rush for a year growing up which was great, and now I live in Balrothery, bout 3km from Balbriggan town, I was in the town before that and it wasnt so bad at all. Rush is a lovely place to live but as a previous poster stated the transport links would not be the best...

All areas have a degree of antisocial behaviour which would be more prevalent in all the main town areas but in the estates most areas are fine...

A lot of the negative thoughts about Balbriggan can be because if its nickname, Blackbriggan as some of the locals affectionately refer to it, but don't let that put you off, there are plenty of nice places around the area, I would not let the views of your average narrow minded racist skew your idea of a nice place to live...

We have a tesco, a cinema, great schools and better public transport than Skerries or Rush...

I think your best bet would be to maybe spend a weekend around the North County and get a feel for all the areas and choose what suits you and your family best...

Bluetonic

cowzerp wrote: »

so why is Balbriggan so cheap then if all the infrastructure and amenities are better?!

I know why!

There are a higher number of properties in Balbriggan to rent, hence prices are cheaper.

OP - One thing you'll find with Balbriggan people is that they tend not to have false opinions of the themselves. Best of luck where ever you may choose.

cowzerp

osarusan wrote: »

@Cowzerp, why do you think Rush is far better? As somebody who doesn't know either area at all, what makes the difference for you?

It's very simple, Rush is a much more welcoming area and has lower crime rates.

Riesen_Meal

cowzerp wrote: »

It's very simple, Rush is a much more welcoming area and has lower crime rates.

Since when?

Got a link or figures to back that up?

My Uncle is a resident of Palmer Road all his life and his heart is broke with thieves and the like in recent years, a relatively quiet road in Rush...

hyperborean

cowzerp wrote: »

It's very simple, Rush is a much more welcoming area and has lower crime rates.

Neither of these are tangible in the sense that you cannot prove that per capa crime is lower and that Rush is more welcoming?

If anything the fact that balbriggan has had a bigger increase in population of a more diverse nature would prove it is more welcoming!

cowzerp

I'm not from Rush and I can tell you know Rush people where always more welcoming where as Balbriggan would have been much more inclined to try start fights etc because you are not from the area.

Crime happens in all areas but I'd certainly say Rush is nicer than Balbriggan

Riesen_Meal

cowzerp wrote: »

I'm not from Rush and I can tell you know Rush people where always more welcoming where as Balbriggan would have been much more inclined to try start fights etc because you are not from the area.

Crime happens in all areas but I'd certainly say Rush is nicer than Balbriggan

So you can't back it up, best not coming out with statement like that so, especially if your a mod, doesn't look good...

I lived in Rush 20 years ago for a year, of course it was all fields back then, and I really can't believe how much the area has been built up in recent years but in my eyes (and my family who live there all their life) it's no better or worse living there than Skerries, The Naul or Balbriggan...

Just because you may have had a negative experience in Balbriggan does not mean we all have had, I am here 3 years and have never had boo said to me, whereas I have a memory of me and my cousin's getting bashed by the local scobie family in Rush and our cash (we earned from working in Glasshouses) taken off us with a knife at the tender age of 12ish!

And as someone who lived "over a wall" from Ballymun growing up I never had anything happen me there in the lifetime I lived in Santry/D9 area...

Bad sh1t happens in every area, people are no different from Rush to Skerries and even the "hellhole" you have painted Balbriggan to be...

hyperborean

Move to skerries ourlad, join the rugby club and send you kids to the dela

Dizzyblonde

That's enough area-bashing and bickering thanks!

hyperborean

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

That's enough area-bashing and bickering thanks!

But we havent started on Lusk yet?

CorsendonkX

Apologies OP, these threads can sometimes get a little heated, on a positive note it reflects the pride that individual posters have for the area they reside in.

Rush is quiet especially away from the estates and main street. Parts of the town like Lusk and Balbriggan have undergone substantial development in the last 10 years some of it not for the better. It would be consider quieter than Balbriggan or Skerries but then again its population is less. Much of the anti-social behaviour is confined to Boy Racers, underage drinking and desperately poor graffiti artists. We get the spree of burglaries that everywhere else in Dublin gets.

Its not a bad place for younger kids, plenty of sports clubs and two lovely beaches but very little for teenagers to do outside sport clubs hours. The primary schools aren't too bad, a little overgrown for space. The main National School hopes to move to temporary site so they can demolish the existing structure and build a new school so that could be a negative. Many parents favour sending their kids to St Brendans National School in Loughshinny but you would need a car to drop them off.

Public transport in Balbriggan would be better as they are on a Bus Eireann route and the train station is in the town. Rush and Lusk share a station so its in the middle of nowhere between them. You could walk or cycle to the Rush & Lusk train station but many people choose to drive or get Dublin Bus to the Station. Parking at the station is pretty good since Irish Rail extended the parking facilities. Taking the train into Dublin City is probably your best option unless Trinity offers free parking.

I recommend the Harbour area, Hayestown, Channel Rd, Rogerstown, Sunshine Rd, South Shore Rd areas to House hunt in, mature parts of the town with mainly small developments or single property developments.

The Rooster

CorsendonkX wrote: »

Its not a bad place for younger kids, plenty of sports clubs and two lovely beaches but very little for teenagers to do outside sport clubs hours. The primary schools aren't too bad, a little overgrown for space. The main National School hopes to move to temporary site so they can demolish the existing structure and build a new school so that could be a negative. Many parents favour sending their kids to St Brendans National School in Loughshinny but you would need a car to drop them off.

I think "Many" might be an exaggeration? In my experience, the overwhelming vast majority of Rush children go to one of the national schools in Rush. Certainly there are some Rush kids who go to Loughshinny, but its relatively small, and most of those would live on the Skerries Road.

Plenty of activites for kids in Rush such as GAA, soccer, basketball (for girls anyway), drama, art, dancing, taekwondo, boxing. Swimming and horse riding within a 15 minute or so drive.

martinn123

You'se are all wrong, the best place to live in DCN is definitely ''Lusk''

Smaller and more friendly than either Balbriggan, or Rush, it has been developed recently, with 3 new estates, in Chapel Farm, Dun Emer and Lusk Village ( which idiot named that estate).
Two pubs, GAA, Soccer, many other Social Clubs and Societies.
Transport links are OK, regular Bus to Dublin, and a brisk walk to the Train Station takes no more than 15 mins, good parking at the Station.

New school under construction, already a National School, Educate Together, and Corduff National School is 2 minutes from the Town.

Some anti-social behavour, mainly Boy racers, under age drinking, and like all areas, some burglary.
Unlike Rush, we still have a Garda Station.
Oh and when the time comes, and Old Folks Home.

So check out ''Lusk'' best village/town, in the North County.

CorsendonkX

The Rooster wrote: »

I think "Many" might be an exaggeration? In my experience, the overwhelming vast majority of Rush children go to one of the national schools in Rush. Certainly there are some Rush kids who go to Loughshinny, but its relatively small, and most of those would live on the Skerries Road.

Plenty of activites for kids in Rush such as GAA, soccer, basketball (for girls anyway), drama, art, dancing, taekwondo, boxing. Swimming and horse riding within a 15 minute or so drive.

You hit the nail on the head there, within a 15 min drive from Rush you can be in Skerries, Lusk and add 5 mins on to that, you can be in Balbriggan, Balrothery, Donabate and Swords so all this talk of one town/village having better facilities(apart from transport) than the other is really irrelevant if you have a car.

CorsendonkX

martinn123 wrote: »

You'se are all wrong, the best place to live in DCN is definitely ''Lusk''

Smaller and more friendly than either Balbriggan, or Rush, it has been developed recently, with 3 new estates, in Chapel Farm, Dun Emer and Lusk Village ( which idiot named that estate).
Two pubs, GAA, Soccer, many other Social Clubs and Societies.
Transport links are OK, regular Bus to Dublin, and a brisk walk to the Train Station takes no more than 15 mins, good parking at the Station.

New school under construction, already a National School, Educate Together, and Corduff National School is 2 minutes from the Town.

Some anti-social behavour, mainly Boy racers, under age drinking, and like all areas, some burglary.
Unlike Rush, we still have a Garda Station.
Oh and when the time comes, and Old Folks Home.

So check out ''Lusk'' best village/town, in the North County.

It's Massive!! It's the Texas of NCD

Qualitymark

Would Marino be possible? Nice area, and near Mount Temple, which is a great school.

debabyjesus

Having lived in Balbriggan, skerries, swords and now rush... I finally feel at home. The south shore/rogerstown area is the place to be and a car is definitely required imo.

spiderman1885

Rent an apartment in Portmarnock.

T-Maxx

If it was me I'd work towards making my commute as painless as possible, and then work from there. What's the point of having all the nice amenities if you're commuting for hours a day and at great expense?

Qualitymark

Would agree with the short-commute advice. Balbriggan (which is very cycle-able if you're working in town - a nice ride through the Phoenix Park, according to the guys on the Cycling forum here) has, I'm told, a good Educate Together school in a nice and mixed estate where some people are doing well and others are struggling but there's a general atmosphere of co-help and ethos of work.

Zagato

Qualitymark wrote: »

Would agree with the short-commute advice. Balbriggan (which is very cycle-able if you're working in town - a nice ride through the Phoenix Park, according to the guys on the Cycling forum here) has, I'm told, a good Educate Together school in a nice and mixed estate where some people are doing well and others are struggling but there's a general atmosphere of co-help and ethos of work.

I don't think I would be suggesting that you plan to commute from Balbriggan to Trinity on bicycle everyday :eek:, unless you are a pretty keen cyclist. I have cycled (am not a cyclist at all) from the Rathgar to Balbriggan and it took me 90 minutes, and I certainly wouldn't like to be doing it twice a day in all kinds of weather.

Qualitymark

Zagato wrote: »

I don't think I would be suggesting that you plan to commute from Balbriggan to Trinity on bicycle everyday :eek:, unless you are a pretty keen cyclist. I have cycled (am not a cyclist at all) from the Rathgar to Balbriggan and it took me 90 minutes, and I certainly wouldn't like to be doing it twice a day in all kinds of weather.

I'm an idiot! Mixing up Balbriggan and Blanchardstown!

Balbriggan is the one with the nice EdTog school. And it has a train to Dublin.

tatli_lokma

Qualitymark wrote: »

Balbriggan is the one with the nice EdTog school. And it has a train to Dublin.

there are actually 2 Educate together schools in Balbriggan now, and as mentioned there is the train, a bus eireann bus (the express service in the morning and evening takes under an hour and can be dropped off/picked up just outside trinity), there is a private coach service in the mornings and evenings with KBR buses, and if you are really stuck you could get to Skerries and pick up the 33 (but be prepared for a magical mystery tour of the greater north county Dublin area!). The nightrider bus service is also good if you are in Dublin city late at night.

I have to say, commuting to/from Balbriggan has improved greatly in recent years. I remember when the only realistic option was the train, and it was like being on a cattle train, all squashed in and by the time it got to Skerries it was often full to bursting. The train is much more enjoyable now, and in addition you have all the options above. Its great as it means if for some reason you miss your train/bus you have other options so are never stuck. Even driving it's not too bad - usually takes me an hour from Balbriggan to Merrion Sq, leaving at 7.20 am and back at 5.00 pm. My friends who live in Blanch and should be able to get home in 30 mins often take as long to get home as I do, with the traffic in Phibsboro and the Navan road.

Balbriggan might seem a bit far, but in reality is very accessible.

Qualitymark

And a beach

And local friends for the kids