Donabate living

stringy

Anybody recently move to Donabate? I've recently bought an apt and was wondering how people find it. I'm very familiar with area as I'm from Swords and play golf in Donabate anyway but living there could be a different thing. I'm looking forward to the move.

How's the traffic in the morning and evening? What are the pubs like? Train service, whats the story with the DART coming? How much is a taxi from town or is there a nitelink?

Apple Gal

I don't have a clue about the stuff your asking about sorry,but my cousins used to love there and it was a very nice place and I loved it!:D

Bluetonic

stringy wrote:

How's the traffic in the morning and evening? What are the pubs like? Train service, whats the story with the DART coming? How much is a taxi from town or is there a nitelink?

Not being smart or anything but did you actually buy property without researching any of that before hand? If you did it beggars belief.

stringy

Well no I actually did do the research and am v familiar with the area, I can pretty much answer all my own questions but just wanted to get some other opinions. It's this thing called cognitive dissonance, which basically means evreyone always has some kind of doubt after buying something and are simply looking for reinforcement of their own judgement. I'm sure I did the right thing and think Donabate is a great area. however all tips would be appreciated!

Lindaloo

Hiya stringy,

Donabate life - traffic is brutal in the mornings, to get into town on time for 9o'c you'd want to leave at about 7-7.10, the train service is okay but you will never get a seat in rush hour, standing room on top of each other is what you'll get and of course you have the selfish idiots who will bring their own chairs to sit on but that's another topic!

Contrary to what one estate agent keeps telling prospective purchasers, there is no plans for the DART line to ever get to Donabate, something to do with the tracks or lines across the estuary.

The pubs - well I'm sure by now you've found out what the pubs are like in the village. Keelings has gotten quieter cos they seem to be trying to up the image or something and as a result, people are going off to other places. Apparently the Waterside since it changed hands is a good night. Bands on a Saturday night. Smiths, well, I think you can draw your own thoughts on that one!

Taxi from town, you're looking between 30-50 Euro with the new motorway. There's a Nitelink at 1.30 (double check it) or you can nitelink it to Swords and get a taxi from there for about 13 Euro.

SuperValu - if you're buying in here, check your pricing (there's a whole thread on this on the local website along with other questions you may have).

The beach is gorgeous and so is the walk along the cliffs.

Everything in the area is lovely when the summer comes so in spite of the above that I have written, Donabate life isn't actually that bad!

higgins147

I have been living in donabate now for a few months and heard this endless crap about the squeeze onto the trains in the morning!!

I have got every train now from the 6:30 onwards and have never felt squashed. Ok the seats are all gone 99% of the time but there is plenty of room to stand when you get on and if your going to connolly you can get the direct one at 8:14 which is fine for room.

From the end of the M1 to wherever you are going is the problem but from Donabate village to the Port Tunnel would be about 30-60 mins or around that but I dont drive that route too often.

The town could badly do with another pub or two as Keelings can be a little quite at times but apart from the nightlife Donabate is perfect. Swords is only 10 mins by taxi in the evening so you can go there for a late drink.

The village is small but has everything else you would want.

Theres 15,000 more houses on the way so hopefully the amount of shops and pubs grow with the amount of people.

foxybrowne

this comes up so much on the various local sites etc that we could nearly do a "moving to Donabate Portrane peninsula" FAQ.
Heres a start:

*What are the pubs like?
Keelings is sedate and has nice food. Smyths is rowdy and good craic on a Friday and Saturday night. The Waterside has a nice location and is great for functions. The Brook is an aul lads pub i.e. its warm, comfortable and relaxed. The community centre bar has just been closed.
*What are the beaches like?
Donabate beach is mad busy in the summer, but has cars on it, which is both dirty and dangerous. Portrane beach is quiet and cleaner.