Finglas

Bree

Hi all,

Im thinking of buying an appartment in Canices Court, off Cappagh Avenue in Finglas.

Does anybody know the area and what would you think?

Saruman

From what i know its a pretty rough area now... so if you are from a similar area then you will be fine. Otherwise... it might be a culture shock.

gurramok

Bree wrote:

Hi all,

Im thinking of buying an appartment in Canices Court, off Cappagh Avenue in Finglas.

Does anybody know the area and what would you think?

Not great, be careful

Try to look at places nearer the village, the better loacted they are.

El Stuntman

some OT advice - take a look at how fast prices are dropping in the housing market (hint: very fast) and then re-assess your decision to buy

you will find that you will be able to buy a better property for the same or less money within a short period of time

marco_polo

Bree wrote:

Hi all,

Im thinking of buying an appartment in Canices Court, off Cappagh Avenue in Finglas.

Does anybody know the area and what would you think?

On the plus side you will see lots of famous celebrities. I myself saw Spiral and "Johnny Connors" of Glenroe fame in Tesco in Finglas just the other night. Score !

Bree

LOL!!

I love spiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrralll!!

But seriously is it that bad there?? Would appreciate it, am going view tonight!!

Countryripple

PM sent

marco_polo

Bree wrote:

LOL!!

I love spiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrralll!!

But seriously is it that bad there?? Would appreciate it, am going view tonight!!

I actually live in drumcondra so I am not sure what it is like to live there tbh just like to shop where all the stars do. Similar to Ballymun there seems to have been alot of redevelopment in Finglas in the last number of years so I would expect it has improved quite alot. I would imagine it is not half as rough as places like coolock or darndale.

Have a drive around the area for 15 mins or so

podge018

Finglas isn't bad at all. Very handy location wise, lots of pubs, shops etc, and regardless of what the media puts out there's always been a great community spirit in the area.

Think I've said it before on boards, but theres only 2 or 3 roads in Finglas I wouldn't live on.

To be fair, that area would be one of the rougher, but that development isn't and I wouldn't have a problem living there.

sham69

I actually have a mate living there and its not bad at all.
He is a quiet kinda guy so if there was any hassle he would have up'd and left.
Finglas has a bad name but not all of it is bad.

Saruman

There are some great parts in Finglas, that is true. I do not think where the poster is looking is among the good places though... then again i have never been down that particular road but i know the surrounding area and i would not live there.
If you can get somewhere on the other side of the N2, near Jamestown road.. thats a great area there.. or the new charlestown development is an idea.
The Cappagh road area though is very dodgy.

jdivision

It's just over the pedestrian bridge from the village. It's fine afaik op.

copacetic

jdivision wrote:

It's just over the pedestrian bridge from the village. It's fine afaik op.

I think you guys are a bit mixed up, the OPs development is off cappagh avenue, not road. It's not just over the pedestrian bridge. It's up in northwest finglas.

Cappagh road is 'rough' because it is not a settled area imo, but it is a longish way round from the avenue to the road as the access for cars is blocked off.

Not the best area in the world, not the worst, but the development is at the back of older council estates. Certainly not as rough as some people are making out above though. Check it out for yourself OP

Bree

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your input.

I went up tonight to see the apartment its lovely on the inside and would deffo go for it if I was sure of the area.,,it seemed quiet enough!

I'm all confused now lol!

Help!

jdivision

Spend a while driving around on a Friday or Saturday night. Will give a good indication.

Copacectic, got mixed up with another development that has a similar name. The one opposite Bubbles, next to the graveyard.

The_Conductor

Bree- to be totally honest, unless its really startling value, given the fact that 1) its an apartment and 2) the area its in- I would seriously advise you being very cautious. Its extremely unlikely that there is scope for any asset appreciation, and every possibility that given the location (once again) that it may be very difficult to sell if you ever wanted to move elsewhere.

It may be very nice inside- but you can make any apartment/house nice on the inside with a lick of paint and minimal outlay. Do you really want to live in that particular area? Does it have easy access to facilities and amenities that you can see yourself wanting to use down the road? Does it suit you for work?

Ask yourself how living in the apartment will suit you long term- its not a decision you can turn back on in a hurry.

gurramok

jdivision wrote:

It's just over the pedestrian bridge from the village. It's fine afaik op.

As said, your getting mixed up.

The one over the rebuilt bridge is St Canice's Square right beside the old cemetery which a developer is looking for 400k for one of the houses there
The Op's place is at back of Finglas West as copacetic has described.

I know where the OP area is with its mega ramps, its back of beyond in the west, i'd prefer an area more central to amenities if i was in OP shoes

Its amazing how they name these places to confuse people.

I remember when Prospect Hill in Finglas was being built, i had originally thought it was near Prospect road area near Botanic until it was mentioned it was actually in Finglas and not just D11 as described to me originally

Bree

Its all I can really afford at the moment but I suppose I could hang on for a couple of months. Thats a good point a few months down the line I might hate it and I could be stuck there if I couldnt sell.

Oh the joys!

Dirk Gently

If you don't mind going to sleep to the sound of exhaust-less cars handbreaking around the road, gun fire and garda helicopters circling your roof then definetly go for it. You will see loads of celebrities as others have mentioned, the State Pathologist can be spotted examining a murder scene most days and you can read about all your famous neighbours in the sunday papers and play "spot your house" on the rte evening news.

seriously though, I'm just down the road and I wouldn't really recommend cappagh to anyone tbh. Try closer to the village or better yet the far side of the village.

Bree

That doesnt sound like the ideal situation clown. Thanks for that!

Im wrecking my head here trying to think it out. The price is great for me.

Arrrrghhh

Dirk Gently

It depends on who you are and where you're coming from tbh.

Finglas west is an aquired taste. I like the place but I grew up here and know most of the faces so I don't really get any hassle. An outsider moving in to that particualr area might find it a bit of a culture shock though. I exaggerated about the state Pathologist coming out every few days but you will spot her from time to time. You will hear car chases every weekend and the garda helicopter will do your head in and there has been quite a few murders over the past few years.

I wouldn't recommend it to someone looking for a quiet place to settle down and maybe raise a few kids but if you don't mind a bit of a rough backdrop the place is ok. I'm sure the new developments up the north road are nice but the cheaper price in cappagh is a direct result of buying a place in old finglas and all the problems that go with that.

Drive around the area a few times before you decide anything, and take a drive around the area on weekends at night and see what you think.

ambman

buy some place else my friend. i am from finglas and lived there for 31 years. i have now since moved out to the country. i said i would never leave finglas but tbh i am glad i did. it is not the place it used to be i dont even like going back to it any more. dont get me wrong it used to a great place to live where i knew every body but now its full of wino's and junkies and fearless kids who would stick you in a flash.

anyway thats my 2 cents

texas star

Clown bag I have to disagree with you there are shooting in every part of the country now a days. Just because Finglas has a bit of a reputation you can not tar everybody with the same brush. Im moving into a new development in Finglas West and I cant wait and Im certainly no scumbag

The_Conductor

I don't think he meant anything by it. Finglas has a bad reputation for shootings- the same way that O'Malley Park in Limerick is infamous for stabbings. It just makes the media a lot more than other areas. Finglas has undergone quite a lot of urban regeneration in the last few years, and now has access to amenities its community only dreamt of 15 years ago. It had a ghetto reputation- rightly or wrongly. Shootings were not the worst aspect- the sheer number of stolen cars and robberies were quite astonishing. There were also a number of "no-go" areas, where buses abondoned their timetables from dusk till dawn, and Gardai/Firebrigade/Ambulances were extremely reluctant to visit. Thankfully those are largely bygone days.

gurramok

Yeh, the bus thing would be a pain, all the 40's were stopped going on their usual routes in the estates after circa 6/7pm so one would rely on taxi's to get about assuming you lived way past the Finglas Rd that is! (lets hope this problem does not re-occur)

To be fair, alot of the shooting stuff happens in and around a single estate in Finglas west.

As Finglas is maybe a square mile in size at least.. with all reputed 'rough' areas, there are many parts that are perfectly safe and parts not.

What would worry me is the Garda numbers, they haven't really changed there in 20 years i believe.

Slow Motion

clown bag wrote:

If you don't mind going to sleep to the sound of exhaust-less cars handbreaking around the road, gun fire and garda helicopters circling your roof then definetly go for it. You will see loads of celebrities as others have mentioned, the State Pathologist can be spotted examining a murder scene most days and you can read about all your famous neighbours in the sunday papers and play "spot your house" on the rte evening news.

seriously though, I'm just down the road and I wouldn't really recommend cappagh to anyone tbh. Try closer to the village or better yet the far side of the village.

Howdy neigbhour ! I'm from just down the road as well, while I don't think it's as bad as clown makes out it wouldn't exactly be a des res either. I think if you know the area or are from it like us it wouldn't be too bad but if you are not from there it might not be the best buy ! Where are you from Bree ?

Bree

Hi slow.

Im from Finglas East which is a more quite residential area.

Its just that I would be living on my own, I dont want to be afraid to walk to the shops, to the bus stop etc.

jdivision

gurramok wrote:

I remember when Prospect Hill in Finglas was being built, i had originally thought it was near Prospect road area near Botanic until it was mentioned it was actually in Finglas and not just D11 as described to me originally

Or "just past Glasnevin" as the brochure described it!!

podge018

if you're from the east your grand, it's hardly going to be much of a shock to you as it would be somebody from ... Skibereen!

Slow Motion

podge018 wrote:

if you're from the east your grand, it's hardly going to be much of a shock to you as it would be somebody from ... Skibereen!

Agree here ! But it might not live up to your eastern standards Seriously though, if you're on your own and aren't pretty self sufficient it might be a little bit rough for you, I would advise the same as someone else here that maybe you should wait a bit and see if prices come down and you can find somewhere a bit more upmarket.

copacetic

as a few of the guys have said, it all depends on what you are used to, I grew up in the south and never had any trouble really, but you are used to your area, grew up there and act a certain way. Having then lived in glasnevin ave area for 10 years or so I would have found myself a fair bit less comfortable visting mates down in rivermount. Having now settled out in D18 it feels different again going home.

OP, if you are from ballygall or similar area it might be a bit of a change for you and if you aren't comfortable at the moment, why risk it? The only place prices are going at the moment is down and borderline areas like this one and going to be hit worse imo. Wait for a few months and you may find other areas come into your price range.

Bree

I grew up in cabra and town so it shouldnt be too much of a shock!

Its just living there on my own I would be concerned about.

Thanks for all your views! lol anymore advice?

Countryripple

Hi Bree,

I see that most people have echoed what i said to you in the PM. I guess you will just have to weigh the pro's and cons. However, if it was me, a happier and safer quality of life would far outweigh a getting a quick bargin!!! Finglas is however a fantastic location for Dublin living. If I was looking for something myself id defo consider finding somewhere here, but I would know what roads to avoid etc.

In the paper recently there was an article about a girl in her 20's who got a knock on her door and a local guy she recognised from around, busted in and assaulted her. Since then, my dad has put extra lock on the doors for when Im home alone!!!

Dirk Gently

Slow Motion wrote:

Howdy neigbhour ! I'm from just down the road as well, while I don't think it's as bad as clown makes out it wouldn't exactly be a des res either.

Greetings, my peace loving neighbour.

It's a thin line between respecting our area and also giving someone genuine advice. I would recommend Finglas in general to most people but the particular part of finglas the OP is moving to deserves a note of caution, especially if s/he will be living alone. Maybe I did dwell on the negatives but everything I mentioned does go on here. On the +side of things you do have everything you need in Finglas service wise and it's only a short hop into town. I do think I would be giving bad advice though if I told the OP that cappagh was a really safe area and that problems don't exist. It is a bit of a change from the east where s/he is currently living but being from cabra I suppose anything is a step up in living standards

Also, about the buses, while finglas is well serviced these days they have stopped in the village or taken alternative routes to avoid the west a few times in the past couple of months so the problem hasn't gone away but it is less frequent than days gone by.

daniel3982

Does anyone know what the casement park area is like of Finglas?