Quaintest village in Co. Dublin?

gaiscioch

For the whole county as understood by most of us and the GAA, what's the quaintest village?

I just drove through Séipéal Iosóid/Chapelizod/Iseult's Chapel village earlier today and it's up there at the top despite the derelict buildings which are finally being refurbished. If you keep driving you come to cottages on both sides of the road for most of the way up Knockmaroon Hill towards Castleknock, before taking a left down into the Strawberry Beds with one of Dublin's most quaint pubs on the right-hand side, the Anglers' Rest.

Not many people know it but Chapelizod is the source for one of the great romantic tales of medieval Europe, the legend of Tristan & Iseult, which Wagner made into a famous opera named Tristan und Isolde. In the grounds of the current Church of Ireland lies the remains of Isolde's chapel and it is here that Tristan is reputed to have asked her for her hand in marriage. There is also a sign marking Tristan & Isolde House in the village today.

It hasn't changed that much since the 1890s, and if they do the remaining derelict buildings up well it could be really classy (with the pedestrian gate to the Phoenix Park on one side, and the weirs of the river Liffey on the other). I've often wondered why the house prices have never been higher there or why the derelict buildings have been undeveloped for so long. Anybody know?

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Sandymount around the green is also timeless, and Cabinteely village itself is nice and well kept. That small bit of Irishtown around Clarke's Pub and St Matthew's Church of Ireland is also quaint. The thatch cottages in Rush, Skerries and other places across north Dublin give the region more character and tradition.

What other villages would you put into a top 10?

spurious

Considering it's on a busy main road, I think whoever smartens up Raheny village does a great job.

efb

Stepaside village is nice

Yellowblackbird

Oldtown. (there's even a phil lynott song about it)

bren2002

You can't ignore Dalkey on a list like this

quadrifoglio verde

I love skerries, especially the community feel to it

Mantis Toboggan

Only ever there a few times but loved Dalkey

Ben D Bus

I live on the edge of Chapelizod (OK, Ballyfermot )

But Sandymount Green is one of my favourite spots.

byhookorbycrook

"Quaint" is a term I hate, it surfaces a lot on tripadvisor where the Americans seem to think we all live in Darby O' Gill type places.

gaiscioch

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

"Quaint" is a term I hate, it surfaces a lot on tripadvisor where the Americans seem to think we all live in Darby O' Gill type places.

hehe. For "quaint" then read picturesque, charming, idyllic, pleasantly old-fashioned, old-fashioned, or old-world.

Lucan village is also quaint, with several protected buildings and two rivers running through it.

byhookorbycrook

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Cranky auld one.

ProudDUB

spurious wrote: »

Considering it's on a busy main road, I think whoever smartens up Raheny village does a great job.

There is a special place in heave,n for who ever organizes, plants, waters and most importantly pays for the massive floral planters and hanging baskets in Raheny. They are truly spectacular. If it is private individuals, then fair play. If it's the Corpo, how come no where else looks as good?

feargale

gaiscioch wrote: »

There is also a sign marking Tristan & Isolde House in the village today.

Why is the house named Tristan & Isolde House?

Cienciano

Driving through Chapelizod always makes me think I'm down in Cork or somewhere miles away from Dublin.
But Dalkey is a really nice spot, I reckon if I went there in January it would be sunny. Always seems to be great weather when I go there for some reason.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Finglas village is quaint.

Find the right pub there and you're bound to come across a collection of traditional, well traveled folk.

anncoates

Agree with Sandymount, Stepaside and Dalkey. The old centre of Lucan is actually nice too. I like the area of Chapelizod village around the villager pub and heading up toward Knockmaroon hill too. Saggart used to be like stepping back into the country but has been spoiled in recent times by recent building.

Dandelion6

I love Chapelizod! It's like a little slice of the country in the city.

JohnFalstaff

feargale wrote: »

Why is the house named Tristan & Isolde House?

I think it's just a reference to the historical connection between Chapelizod and the Tristan & Isolde tale as outlined in the OP. There's no specific connection with the actual house itself as far as I am aware.

Nobody has mentioned Sandcove on this list yet. I have been taking the DART out to Sandycove a lot this summer to stretch the legs. I always enjoy walking around the village and down to the forty foot. Howth is another spot I enjoy visiting at the weekends. I headed out there on a Sunday recently and walked up Howth head to where the lighthouse is - great way to spend a day.

Speedsie

anncoates wrote: »

Agree with Sandymount, Stepaside and Dalkey. The old centre of Lucan is actually nice too. I like the area of Chapelizod village around the villager pub and heading up toward Knockmaroon hill too. Saggart used to be like stepping back into the country but has been spoiled in recent times by recent building.

Like Saggart, Newcastle was very rural & quaint until the developments started around ten years ago.

Teyla Emmagan

Newcastle was never quaint. It has been weird since the 1970s when they built those big semi-ds. The main street was basically a road through a housing estate. I think it's looking a lit better these days. Lots of Christmas lights and flower boxes. Still hardly charming tho.

Speedsie

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Newcastle was never quaint. It has been weird since the 1970s when they built those big semi-ds. The main street was basically a road through a housing estate. I think it's looking a lit better these days. Lots of Christmas lights and flower boxes. Still hardly charming tho.

True enough, I tend to ignore the Village past the Peamount junction... The older part between there & Briany Macs, such a pity nothing has been done to it since the fire, is quiet nice... Love the house chestnuts!!!

Teyla Emmagan

Speedsie wrote: »

True enough, I tend to ignore the Village past the Peamount junction... The older part between there & Briany Macs, such a pity nothing has been done to it since the fire, is quiet nice... Love the house chestnuts!!!

Yes, very sad to see the Thatch still standing like that. I love that stretch beside the COI church (or whatever it is), it's beautiful. The rest of the village though, not so much, though it has still come on leaps and bounds.

gaiscioch

Prospect Square, in the old townland of Prospect which gave its name to Prospect Cemetery (Glasnevin Cemetery), has to be among the most quaint squares in Dublin. The fact that Dublin's greatest pub (est. 1833), where you park your bicycles inside the front door, is right on it helps. It's a very calm, peaceful part of the city.







This small square, and De Courcy square next to it, are deemed by the City Council to be an ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION AREA
( ACA ): Prospect Square / De Courcy Square and Environs (a detailed history of the area and its buildings; the entire area was essentially created as a result of the cemetery being opened in 1832 when Prospect Square became the original entrance to the cemetery.)

JupiterKid

Chapelizod is really beautiful. It definitely has a semi- rural feel to it, nestled in the Liffey Valley with the Phoenix Park beside it.

Lucan village is pretty too. Sandymount, Howth, Dalkey and Glasnevin. Dundrum has quite a bit of charm too.

gaiscioch

Although a few apartment blocks have been built on it in recent years another lovely old ruralesque part of the city is Kilmainham Lane, from the Patriot Inn down the hill alongside the wall of the Knights' Hospitallers/IMMA:

Meander down it with this Google Streetview.

tricky D

Sssshhh. Just don't tell any one about The Royal Oak on Kilmainham Lane which is one of the quaintest pubs in Dublin and feels like it's on some country lane. Keep it secret;)

Muahahaha

Cant believe no one has mentioned Loughshinney in north co. Dublin. Its a tiny fishing village with a crescent moon shaped beach and a Martello tower up on top of the nearby cliffs. Its just up the coast from Skerries. Well worth a trip but shame it hasnt got a coffee shop or pub to stop and linger

gaiscioch

"Unusual" CCTV house aside, Loughshinny is really lovely.

Mesrine65

Muahahaha wrote: »

Cant believe no one has mentioned Loughshinney in north co. Dublin. Its a tiny fishing village with a crescent moon shaped beach and a Martello tower up on top of the nearby cliffs. Its just up the coast from Skerries. Well worth a trip but shame it hasnt got a coffee shop or pub to stop and linger

The Yacht?

arybvtcw0eolkf

Loughshinney, IMO its a filthy kip, esp the harbor/beach.

anncoates

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Yes, very sad to see the Thatch still standing like that. I love that stretch beside the COI church (or whatever it is), it's beautiful. The rest of the village though, not so much, though it has still come on leaps and bounds.

Have often thought that too. If the village only existed between the Hazelhatch and Peamount roads and you rebuilt the Thatch and maybe added another little pub and some shops, it'd be a lovely little village.

For the most part, it's just a sprawl of houses with no real centre.