Clonsilla

jamescrombie

Hey Lads and lassies,
Can anyone give me a low down on the area as a potential first buyer..
whats the comute to the city centre like. is it a nice area. Arendale court is the area as far as i now 10-15 mins from the trainstation. All help would kindly be appreciated
Thanks
J

C_Breeze

nice area alright, but since it is D15 there are a lot of undesireables about.
close to a lot of amenities and good infrastructure.
once you get used to D15 , youll never wanna live anywhere else

gamer

I think it takes about 15mins to drive into townAFTER rush hour ,to be realistic get alarm on your car, park in drive way,have a set of lockable gates.its best to drink in pubs near shopping centre ,stay away from corduff or huntsown pubs.theres alot of corpo estates in area d15.its like an average working class area,most people i know lock gate after 10pm,to protect car from being robbed as a precaution.i know people all over blanchardstown, im not an expert on clonsilla, obviously the private estates tend to be alot more peaceful than council estates

Threadser

I have been living in Allendale Square, which is just beside Al Court for the past two years and overall it's a really nice place to live. Traffic in Clonsilla village was terrible until recently when the new Ongar distributer road opened and this has made a huge improvement in journey times, particularly in the morning. The train station is about a 15 min walk, and the journey to town takes just half an hour which is great. Trains can be packed but at least you get there pretty quickly.
There were some minor crimes in the estate particulary in the summer, but overall it's extremely quiet here. One thing you might want to consider though is Property Management charges. Those apartments are managed by the same property management company as the square, and there have been a lot of problems regarding hike in fees and very poor service. Check this out before you buy...ask to see copies of expediture for the company, request a budget for 2006, and ask for confirmation of the fee for next year. Our management fee went up 40 per cent between year one and year two, without adequate explanation or any improvement in service.

Overall though, the apartments themselves are spacious, pretty well insulated, and seem to be selling well. Price of my 2 bed has gone up 70,000 euro in two years....so they should be a pretty good investment.

Hope this helps...good luck with your move

jamescrombie

thanks everone thats invaluable.... going viewing the property tonight

ciaran76

gamer wrote:

I think it takes about 15mins to drive into townAFTER rush hour ,to be realistic get alarm on your car, park in drive way,have a set of lockable gates.its best to drink in pubs near shopping centre ,stay away from corduff or huntsown pubs.theres alot of corpo estates in area d15.its like an average working class area,most people i know lock gate after 10pm,to protect car from being robbed as a precaution.i know people all over blanchardstown, im not an expert on clonsilla, obviously the private estates tend to be alot more peaceful than council estates

Is there a pub in Huntstown ?

Culchie

I've lived in Clonsilla for 6 years (Hartstown no less, shock horror) and never had a moments bother. As per my boards name, I'm not a 'true blue' either, and found people working class but good natured.

Before moving to Clonsilla where I bought a house, I rented in Rathgar, Rathmines and Harolds Cross, all in good areas, and had numerous break ins and car vandalism problems.

Clonsilla is a good area to live in, traffic was crisis point before christmas, but as previous poster said, this has been sorted out now.

jamescrombie

Thanks Culchie,
I have been asking everone i meet what they think of clonsella, and to be honest I am getting a complete mixed review. I am going tonight with an open mind, really cant afford anywhere else for what i am looking for in my price range, if anyone else knows anything please add the message here, i really wanna know as much as I can about the area

Culchie

Because of the hodge podge planning that this city has experienced, it's not possible to say 'Clonsilla' or 'Blanchardstown' or 'Lucan' etc ... is 'good or bad'.....so you will get mixed opinions.

It's far more localised than that, it's more on an estate by estate basis.

BTW make sure you take into account the opinions of those who have lived there more heavily than those who haven't.... you'll always get people all too quickly put down an area, that 'they heard about on the news' etc....

One thing I would advise (and you didn't mention your budget) is I would rather buy a house rather than an appartment when the location is in the suburbs.

Any questions feel free to PM me.

gamer

I think u can buy a house in blanchardstown private estate,round 220k,or 240k,very good condition,if ur think of buying 200k apartment a house wud be a much better investment,if u can get a loan, cos u will be at the mercy of ever rising SO CALLED SERVICE charges,which go up year by year,fingal council also will give u motrgage loan on ANY private dwelling or house if u earn under 35k,subject to a survetors report on dwelling,dublin council do mortgage loans too,for single people or couples, see fingalcoco.ie /search loans.every area,estate is different,i never lived in clonsilla,,most people dont know about council loans mortgage, they think i ,ve gotta get a loan from a bank or building society, u need to be in employment for 12months in a firm or with an employer,icome limit is doubled if a couple aplan for council loan.there is no area in dublin thats perfect ,blanchardstown has widely differing areas.

LegacyUser

I bought in Clonsilla @ 2 years ago. It really depends on the estate you buy in. I'm in Huntstown .. neighbours are nice .. haven't had a bother from anyone. Love living there.

BUT, I got advice on the estate before buying from someone who knows the area. I had picked out 3 estates on myhome.ie .. and for two of them I was told "No, No, No, thats where all the drive by druggie shootings happen". So, be very very careful about where you buy.

Any NO, there is no pub in Huntstown. There is one in Hartstown though.

gamer

Anybody who pays 210 k for 1 bed apartment, in blanch is crazy when u can get 3bed private house perfect nick for 240k or less,with front and back garden, in my opinion,and with house u get driveway parking space,u can rent out ,rent a room scheme,up to 7400euro,tax free,that,ll help pay your mortgage.

gamer

the prices of houses in clonsilla are stuck round 240k or less for various reasons,ADVANTAGE,u dont need to worry about being outbid ,put in a reasonable bid and u will get the house u want.price of apartments are high cos of tax reliefs and low interest rates avaidable to investors,u need to ask what is rush hour traffic like ,from 7am if u are working in town,outside blanch.

Victor

Transport is improving, but commuting is generally considered dire if you need to use / cross the M50. Other than a couple of country lanes there are only 2.5 roads from Blanchardstown to the city - the N3, Casleknock Road and the Phoenix Park. Trains are persistantly packed at rush hour and car & busses delayed in traffic.

JimmySmith

The undesirables come out at night
Most places are nice to live in. Its the people that hang around at night are the problems.
The acid test is to drive around the area and adjoining areas at about 9pm on a night thats not raining.
You'll get a feel for the general atmoshphere then.

Culchie

gamer wrote:

the prices of houses in clonsilla are stuck round 240k or less for various reasons,ADVANTAGE,u dont need to worry about being outbid ,put in a reasonable bid and u will get the house u want.price of apartments are high cos of tax reliefs and low interest rates avaidable to investors,u need to ask what is rush hour traffic like ,from 7am if u are working in town,outside blanch.

Gamer, my house was at about 240k for 18 month period, up until about 8 months ago.

Sold it just before Christmas (moving back west mortgage free:D ) ... for 308k.... 8 bidders on property....you comment was valid a year ago, not now though.

Culchie

Victor wrote:

Transport is improving, but commuting is generally considered dire if you need to use / cross the M50. Other than a couple of country lanes there are only 2.5 roads from Blanchardstown to the city - the N3, Casleknock Road and the Phoenix Park. Trains are persistantly packed at rush hour and car & busses delayed in traffic.

Fair Comment ... The train scheduling is to receive quite a significant upgrade AFAIK, so for a long term investment that a house is, now is the time to buy, rather than when it's already happened and prices have increased accordingly.


The worst part about Clonsilla is if you are trying to get onto the M50 via Blanch/Castleknock .... and Lucan is a bloody nightmare.
If the OP will not be affected too much by this, then I'd recommend Clonsilla as a good place to purchase (for the budget we're talking about here).

LegacyUser

Culchie wrote:

The worst part about Clonsilla is if you are trying to get onto the M50 via Blanch/Castleknock .... and Lucan is a bloody nightmare.

How so?? The trick is not to go near the N3. If you go on the N3 in the mornings it can take 30 minutes plus (can't remember haven't done it for ages) to get out of blanch. You should drive up the main town centre and down the back of the westend and then right down the old Blanch centre where Baxter Autioneers is). Then you have a choice of joining the blanchardstown roundabout or going through Castleknock.

During the summer months Castleknock is great becuase the kids are off school. During the winter it is best to join the Blanchardstown Roundabout, down the Navan road and through Stoney Batter. I make it from Clonsilla to Ballsbridge leaving at 8am by 9.15am (on a bad day).

Just don't go on the N3 by the atrium - or it could take you 2 hours!!

Culchie

bubby wrote:

How so?? The trick is not to go near the N3. If you go on the N3 in the mornings it can take 30 minutes plus (can't remember haven't done it for ages) to get out of blanch. You should drive up the main town centre and down the back of the westend and then right down the old Blanch centre where Baxter Autioneers is). Then you have a choice of joining the blanchardstown roundabout or going through Castleknock.

During the summer months Castleknock is great becuase the kids are off school. During the winter it is best to join the Blanchardstown Roundabout, down the Navan road and through Stoney Batter. I make it from Clonsilla to Ballsbridge leaving at 8am by 9.15am (on a bad day).

Just don't go on the N3 by the atrium - or it could take you 2 hours!!

All very useful, but if you want to get onto the M50 (as my post was on about) you have to get on at either via the N3 or through Lucan and the Liffey Valley.
Even going the route behind the Westend is busy now, been there tried that as well.

Anyways, we're heading off track now.

OP is commuting via train as far as I can work out.

LegacyUser

Culchie wrote:

All very useful, but if you want to get onto the M50 (as my post was on about) you have to get on at either via the N3 or through Lucan and the Liffey Valley.
Even going the route behind the Westend is busy now, been there tried that as well.

Anyways, we're heading off track now.

OP is commuting via train as far as I can work out.

No, its not heading off track actually. I get to Ballsbridge in 1 hour using the route I outlined above. It works every time. So, I don't know why it doesn't work for you.
The only part of the N3 you have to go on is the tiny stretch between the Blanchardstown roundabout and the main m50 roundabout - which moves quickly. The part that does not move quickly is the piece between the atrium and the Blanchardstown roundabout (my route skips that bit).


If using the train, then you need to either get the very early one (be in work by 7.30) or the later one. The other option is to get the 39x which goes past huntstown at 7.40am - gets you to town by 8.30. I get to Ballsbridge by 9.

daymobrew

bubby wrote:

No, its not heading off track actually. I get to Ballsbridge in 1 hour using the route I outlined above. It works every time. So, I don't know why it doesn't work for you.

Is the train an option for you? It would be probably be quicker.

bubby wrote:

If using the train, then you need to either get the very early one (be in work by 7.30) or the later one. The other option is to get the 39x which goes past huntstown at 7.40am - gets you to town by 8.30. I get to Ballsbridge by 9.

There were 3 new morning trains introduced in early December. It has improved things a decent bit. You won't get a seat but you'll no longer be indecently close to fellow passengers.

OP: If your employer has a shower and bike parking, maybe cycling would be an option. I cycle to East Point Business Park (near Fairview), though I'm lucky to have a shower and bike shed there.
If weather is bad I take the train to Drumcondra and 25 min walk (or 12 min jog). If feeling lazy, I can go via Connolly to get the DART to Clontarf Road station.

LegacyUser

daymobrew wrote:

Is the train an option for you? It would be probably be quicker.

Unfortunately not, just had a look at the map - I'm in Huntstown so the walk to the train station from there is fairly long.
If I had that walk added on - car would be quicker. Pity though.

eth0_

Clonsilla is fairly ok, but personally I wouldn't spend much time in Blanch. Even the pubs around the shopping centre are well dodgy, lots of stabbings and violence in Heaven and Buda bar.

And DEFINITELY stay away from the Greyhound. Lots of dodgy people in there.

LegacyUser

You serious! I've only gone drinking once or twice in Heaven - usually head up to The Paddocks in Little Pace for drinks - there is a nice Chinese Restaurant up there too.

I think, if you play your cards right and don't chose a house in a dodgey estate that Blanch and Clonsilla etc area is fine!

You could do a LOT worse!!

Culchie

bubby wrote:

No, its not heading off track actually. I get to Ballsbridge in 1 hour using the route I outlined above. It works every time. So, I don't know why it doesn't work for you.

erm.... maybe because I'm not going to Ballsbridge?

I work in Sandyford now, but spent 5 years commuting on the train into the IFSC, so I do know the craic as well.

lol in those days, I could actually choose a seat, now you're lucky to choose a carriage.....however I believe there's a big upgrade due soon.

LegacyUser

Culchie wrote:

erm.... maybe because I'm not going to Ballsbridge?

I work in Sandyford now, but spent 5 years commuting on the train into the IFSC, so I do know the craic as well.

lol in those days, I could actually choose a seat, now you're lucky to choose a carriage.....however I believe there's a big upgrade due soon.

Culchie - or maybe your username is then misleading BitDubBitCulchie might be better I agree - the commute from Blanch to Sandyford would be pretty awful in a car. So do you train into town and then get the Luas? How long does it take you?

Culchie

bubby wrote:

Culchie - or maybe your username is then misleading BitDubBitCulchie might be better I agree - the commute from Blanch to Sandyford would be pretty awful in a car. So do you train into town and then get the Luas? How long does it take you?

Well we're moving back West mortgage free in about two months anyway, so it will be 100% Culchie again.

Takes between 45mins and 90mins .... all depends on Lucan Village, which is impossible to fathom out the traffic flow patterns there.

The M50 is no problem, it's getting onto the bloody thing.

I'm also a 'slip road' driver coming home up and down every exit on the M50, takes normally 60-80 mins coming home.

jayok

Culchie wrote:

Well we're moving back West mortgage free in about two months anyway, so it will be 100% Culchie again.

You lucky, lucky, lucky people.

To the OP - I lived here 2 years ago but have since moved to Glasnevin. Back then the biggest problem I had was infrastructure. Poor road facilities, long commuting times (I worked in town), over crowded trains/buses were the norm. I'd a 4 bed semi-d at the time and the house was great but for me the location sucked because of the commute. Where I am now takes 10 minutes on the bus and I would walk it in 35 minutes. Better quality of life.

Don't know if it affects you but at the time there was some serious issues with other social facilities for kids - i.e. schools, playgrounds, parks, etc. As all possible space was being swallow up by developers.

Again I left 2 years ago but the whole D15 area has continued to grow. I don't know how well the issues were addressed.

ciaran76

eth0_ wrote:

Clonsilla is fairly ok, but personally I wouldn't spend much time in Blanch. Even the pubs around the shopping centre are well dodgy, lots of stabbings and violence in Heaven and Buda bar.

And DEFINITELY stay away from the Greyhound. Lots of dodgy people in there.

Buda bar has been closed over a year now so you "HAVE" to stay away from it


Heaven is ok. Not into the place at all but some people are. I have been there a good bit as its the only place local for a very late drink and have never been in a fight. Have seen other though but thats the same everywhere.

Victor

There are some new roads in the area that will improve things slightly - Porterstown Road has been rebuilt and there is the new Ongar Road.

Culchie

Victor wrote:

There are some new roads in the area that will improve things slightly - Porterstown Road has been rebuilt and there is the new Ongar Road.

Slightly OT ... (You can duplicate post for relevant forum if you wish)
The new crossroads of the new Ongar Road and Shelerin Rd is an absolute deathtrap.
Unfortunately, I could nearly guarantee that people will lose their lives here, I've never seen a more dangerous junction in 15 years of driving.

daymobrew

jayok wrote:

Don't know if it affects you but at the time there was some serious issues with other social facilities for kids - i.e. schools, playgrounds, parks, etc. As all possible space was being swallow up by developers.

Mid 2005 a large playground was opened up, between Power City and the Blanch Centre.
Prior to that, the only playground in Dublin 15 was the one in Riverwood, near Coolmine Train station.

There is also a new school (primary, AFAIK) being built in Carpenterstown, again near Coolmine station. I would assume that it will be open this September.

LegacyUser

I have no school going kids, but surely the issue with Clonee/Little pace not having a school or facilities until very recently (and even now they only have a small prefab) would put serious toll on schools in Blanch. I would imagine the school in Huntstown would be over crowded (they are extending at the moment). So, my guess is that the Fingal Co. Co. are providing schooling for Meath co. co.

Maybe someone who has children in Huntstown school can give information.

Johhny75

eth0_ wrote:

Clonsilla is fairly ok, but personally I wouldn't spend much time in Blanch. Even the pubs around the shopping centre are well dodgy, lots of stabbings and violence in Heaven and Buda bar.

And DEFINITELY stay away from the Greyhound. Lots of dodgy people in there.

Buddha Bars been closed for almost 1 year............

Heaven isa open a few months and no incidents.........

Define dodgy? a few people have a pint?

BLanch is fine

Enii

Johhny75 wrote:

Buddha Bars been closed for almost 1 year............

Heaven isa open a few months and no incidents.........

Define dodgy? a few people have a pint?

BLanch is fine

Agree with you that Blanch is fine.

Mailman

Some parts of Blanch are very bad indeed. Huge problems with drugs in certain estates. Choose carefully and keep a good distance away from the bad estates becaue of overspill.

johnp

Threadser wrote:

Traffic in Clonsilla village was terrible until recently when the new Ongar distributer road opened and this has made a huge improvement in journey times, particularly in the morning.

I'm off topic here, but whats it like getting out of Ongar these days? I heard it used to be a disaster before the new road. Ongar seems to have some good value right now, but I'm sure that'll change.....

LegacyUser

Well James, did ye buy in Clonsilla afterall?

Moonbeam

that new road is a deathtrap there is a round aobut with a brick wall as an exit,combine this with bad fog and it is an accidnet waiting to happen

The_Conductor

Culchie wrote:

The worst part about Clonsilla is if you are trying to get onto the M50 via Blanch/Castleknock .... and Lucan is a bloody nightmare.

Easiest way to get to Lucan is out the Clonee Road and then backtracking before Clonee down the backroads past Coldblow etc. Its a dire road, but its not busy (until you hit the Liffey Bridge in Lucan village at Laraghcon.......)

Arcadian

I've lived in Hartstown the last 2 years and haven't had any problems, the estate is fairly quiet, any houses that come up for sale sell reasonably quickly and at good prices, shop on doorstep and pub is ok. Before that we lived in Ongar for 18 months and that was hell, noise insulation was crap, lots of damage to cars and car thefts. I'd recommend looking at an established estate rather than the newer ones, at least you know what your buying into.

RobEire

gamer wrote:

I think it takes about 15mins to drive into townAFTER rush hour ,to be realistic get alarm on your car, park in drive way,have a set of lockable gates.its best to drink in pubs near shopping centre ,stay away from corduff or huntsown pubs.theres alot of corpo estates in area d15.its like an average working class area,most people i know lock gate after 10pm,to protect car from being robbed as a precaution.i know people all over blanchardstown, im not an expert on clonsilla, obviously the private estates tend to be alot more peaceful than council estates

I live just off the Clonsilla Road (old Clonsilla end). Area is quiet enough, and with the new feeder road to Ongar open, the Clonsilla Road itself is much quieter. Burglaries in our area are on the up - we live on a very quiet estate but a number of houses have been hit and about two months ago some idiots tried to steal the car off our driveway as well (heard the gate when they opened it - if you can't afford a lock, don't oil the gate as excellent alarm system). The house next door was hit as well - the burglars tried to smash in the front and back doors of the house before fleeing (with wheeliebin in tow...).

Still, on the whole, if you were going to stay in D15, I would say Clonsilla/Ongar is a good choice if you can't afford Carpenterstown or Castleknock.

It takes me an hour on the bus to get to work, if you have a car and can use the backroads you can get to town much quicker.

Moonbeam

I grew up in Hartstown back when it was the "country" and had no local amenities besides the primary school,my aunt and her kids have lived out there isnce and they do not have any problems.
House prices are relatively inexpensive and are older more solid houses and there are now lots of amenities and schools.
I would avoid mulhuddart no matter how cheap houses are and mountview too and know little about the new estates but it isn't the worst place to live.
The bus journey to town is painfuil tohugh can take 90 minutes in normal non rushhour traffic but their are plenty of buses.

TempestSabre

I'd have to agree with Victor. I think a lot of you are really downplaying the commuting times. Its less than 10 miles from the city center and it takes about an hour at best. Thats terrible. You also have to add the time taken to get to the bus/train and from it to work at the far end. The traffic in D.15 is the worse in Dublin, probably in Ireland. Massively over developed for housing, abysmal infrastructure, and both problems getting worse as they keep on developing more housing and in fact are planning on reducing the throughput of 2 of the 3 routes into town, Capelizod and the Phoenix park. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054858929

Train and bus are very overcrowded and miserable at peak. Personally I can't rely on them to get me into work at a consistent time. Trains and buses are constently early or late on a regular basis. So you have to factor adding about 15 mins to allow for this. The train times do not suit a lot of people either, big gaps in the timetable. I only use them when I have to, or I'm when I've a lot of time to play with. The only consistent transport for me is the car, and leave before 7.

LegacyUser

TempestSabre wrote:

I'd have to agree with Victor. I think a lot of you are really downplaying the commuting times. Its less than 10 miles from the city center and it takes about an hour at best. Thats terrible.

No, I don't think people are downplaying it. If you buy a house in Clonsilla that is not a quick walk to the train station and you are planning to train it to work, then it is silliness.

If you time it, then you can get it right. I drive in sub 60 mins from Blanch to Ballsbridge, yet someone else on this thread doubts it. It can be done -if you time yourself.

It can be terrible - if you don't.! Flexitime - ask for it. It helps a lot.

Mailman

I used to be able to get from Sandymount to Blanch in 20mins........
on a motorbike in 1996 at 6:30 in the morning if the traffic lights went with me.

Tempest Sabre is right.
If you want to commute to Dublin City Centre or beyond then you are looking at journey times in excess of an hour at any respectable hour of the morning.

At the moment I work a 7 O'Clock shift in Citywest because the traffic out of Blanchardstown is mad after 6:40am.

Flexitime is flexible time if you can make it flexible to suit you otherwise it is just a means of compensating for bad infrastructure at the expense of quality of life.

LegacyUser

Mailman wrote:

Flexitime is flexible time if you can make it flexible to suit you otherwise it is just a means of compensating for bad infrastructure at the expense of quality of life.

Houses in Clonsilla are a LOT less than other areas in the city. If perfection is wanted, then pay 400,000 for a house elsewhere. If you live in Clonsilla, then you have to make a sacrifice one way or another - either you sit in your car for 2 hours a day, you leave early and come home early .. etc.

If you are not willing to compromise - then clonsilla is not for you.

TempestSabre

I believe you all right.

I'm on flexi time and generally go in to work for 8 and leave at 4. I'm in D.15 but closer to the phonenix park than clonsilla. I usually make it to Ballsbridge in around 40-45 mins. One day last week we did it in 35. Another day we left late and it took about 1hr 20mins. Thats driving, and the time door to door.

Getting the bus or train takes at least 1hr 30mins at best, when I include the walking and waiting. In 10yrs or more of living on and off in D.15 I don't see much difference or improvements in the journey times by public transport. However driving time by car has increased, by about 33%. Its still at worst, the same as using public transport but the majority of the time its a lot quicker to use a car. Or cycle if thats an option for you. The other change is that you have to leave a lot earlier when using a car to avoid the gridlock, before 7 now. Used to be 8am. Also at the weekends theres a lot more gridlock now because of the shopping center. So I avoid the center at the weekends, and generally only go there midweek for late night shopping.

Another noticeable change is that theres huge increase in the amount of junctions and lights, and decrease in road capacity into town from D.15 into city center. Many roads that were two lanes are now one, and many back streets are blocked off forcing more traffic on fewer and narrow roads. Off peak it doesn't effect traffic that much, but on peak it causes gridlock. It also makes it happen earlier and for a longer period of time.

TempestSabre

bubby wrote:

...
If you are not willing to compromise - then clonsilla is not for you.

You'd live in Monte Carlo or somewhere equally exotic.

LegacyUser

Same here - usually about 50 mins drive, however, I leave at about 8.45.
Last week was particularly light, for some odd reason.

I'm worried now about the post in relation to the Phoenix park. I usually drive through Castleknock and straight through the park to the quays. Is this route affected~?

TempestSabre wrote:

You'd live in Monte Carlo or somewhere equally exotic.

Exotic?? Dublin?? 400,000??
Where, like Finglas???

TempestSabre

bubby wrote:

..I'm worried now about the post in relation to the Phoenix park. I usually drive through Castleknock and straight through the park to the quays. Is this route affected~?

A lot more traffic would be forced into the park, and around it. So indirectly yes it would be badly effected. Castleknock would be an even worse diaster.

bubby wrote:

Exotic?? Dublin?? 400,000??
Where, like Finglas???

it would get you a villa in the south of France. of course you couldn't find a job to pay the mortgage down there.