Anyone living in Donabate?

netman

Hi folks!

I'm considering buying a property in Donabate, but don't know much about the area.
It kinda looks ok "on paper", it seems to be within easy reach of Dublin city centre etc.

Is anyone here living in Donabate? What do you think of it?

What's the commuter train service like?

I'd be afraid that the train would be packed all the way up from Drogheda, and if you miss one, you're pretty screwed if your boss isn't very understanding.
Can you get on the train?
Can you get a seat? (not that important, but would be nice hehe)
Does it really take only 30 minutes to get to Pearse?

Thanks!

DaithiSurfer

I was thinking of buying a house there last year. Lokks lovely etc, but have you noticed the amount of holiday mobile homes around the place.
So i decided to check it out last summer and my god the place is mobbed with lager louts on hot days. Then all those holiday mobile homes are full with stuff thrown around outside in the summer. The place looked completely different.
from what it did out of season.
This was enough to put me off. It probably isnt a big deal to most people but i thought it too the nice country town edge off the place.

smiaras

This post has been deleted.

Unshelved

Very pretty village but a lot of unrestricted development going on with consequent traffic problems. The Fingal Development Plan has outlined that the population will grow to 25,000 over the next ten years so you can imagine what that will do to the infrastructure. There are no secondary schools and a tiny primary school. There are two pubs - both of which are okay - but that's about it. The supermarket is a Supervalu which isn't too bad. A nice new community centre has been built. I'm not sure whether there is a post office. There are no bank branches.

The train service from Donabate at peak times is adequate, but you will NEVER get a seat at these times, and there will be days where you won't even be able to get on the train. Train service from Pearse is okay - but again, it's hit and miss whether you'll get a seat - you won't if you catch the train in Tara St or Connolly. With the growth in the village's population, this overcrowding will only get worse. The bus service isn't too bad, but if you're planning late nights out in the city then you're pretty restricted time-wise. A taxi home will set you back about €40.

Be aware that in a lot of these north Co. Dublin towns there is some resentment by the locals towards the incomers (I'm a local) - unrestricted development is ruining the town that I was born in and there are plans for another thousand houses over the next five years (thanks a lot Fingal Co Council) - and the blow-ins sometimes bear the brunt of this. Also, because you will spend quite a lot of time commuting, it can be quite difficult to make friends in the area - all things to consider before you buy.

If you're serious about this, why don't you try commuting for a few mornings - get up early, park the car at Donabate station, and give it a go. Good luck with whatever you decide.

netman

Thanks Unshelved, that was really helpful!

Yeah, I drove down to Donabate just to have a look around the area. Haven't tried commuting yet, but I noticed a scary amount of new developments being built and a lot of "for sale" signs.

I figured the services wouldn't be great, but with what I'm hearing it will only get worse. I found a guy in work who lives in Donabate and he told me pretty much the same story. Well, at least I'd know someone in the town if I move there

I suppose like most first time buyers, I'm restricted by my budget and should really be happy that I can afford anything at all. I'm having a look at the property market to see what areas are within my budget, but Donabate even with all these remarks still looks much more appealing than most other areas I can afford.

Thanks again for the information, I really appreciate it!