Mayfield

kieranmcg2000

What's the Mayfield area of Cork City like?

Thinking of moving in to a rental property in the Byefield area of Mayfield.

54kroc

Is Byefield up near the Cotton Ball bar? If it is I'd say avoid the place.

colblimp

kieranmcg2000 wrote: »

What's the Mayfield area of Cork City like?

Thinking of moving in to a rental property in the Byefield area of Mayfield.

Just don't, really.

Dudess

Mayfield is absolutely grand, very nice overall - it covers a fairly substantial area by Cork standards, and a couple of tough-ish estates hardly makes the whole place a dodgy area. The part by The Cotton Ball is lovely and has undergone regeneration in recent years.

colblimp

Dudess wrote: »

Mayfield is absolutely grand, very nice overall - it covers a fairly substantial area by Cork standards, and a couple of tough-ish estates hardly makes the whole place a dodgy area. The part by The Cotton Ball is lovely and has undergone regeneration in recent years.

You obviously live in Mayfield, then? :rolleyes: Yes, some parts are nice - near the library for instance, but mostly it's worse than Beirut. Just because an area is regenerated doesn't mean the scumbags have gone... Avoid like the plague!

Dudess

colblimp wrote: »

You obviously live in Mayfield, then? :rolleyes:

Nope - although an opinion on it offered by someone who actually lives there would surely be of more value than one offered by someone who doesn't live there?

mostly it's worse than Beirut.

Not really, no.

Just because an area is regenerated doesn't mean the scumbags have gone

Most of it isn't affected by "scumbags".

SomeFool

kieranmcg2000 wrote: »

What's the Mayfield area of Cork City like?

Thinking of moving in to a rental property in the Byefield area of Mayfield.

You could definately do better op, wouldn't be keen on living there myself.

colblimp

I don't live in Mayfield, but I live quite close and am a member of Mayfield gym so I am aware of the problems Mayfield has, which are caused by scumbags, many of whom are totally lawless!

54kroc

Dudess wrote: »

The part by The Cotton Ball is lovely and has undergone regeneration in recent years.

Are you serious?.... Across the road from the Cotton Ball is Glenamoy Lawn,How can you call that lovely. A stones throw from there is Ballinderry Pk, Corrib Lawn, Annalee Grove and Lagan Grove these places are the worst Cork has to offer.

Dudess

Yes, those are tough spots - nobody is saying to live in them though. That part of Old Youghal Road is greatly improved: Ard Bhaile etc. And what about the other nice parts of Mayfield - Iona Road? Silversprings/Silverheights? A lot of Mayfield blends into Ballyvolane, Tivoli, Montenotte and Glanmire - some of Cork's most sought-after areas. It's not just the bit by the library that's nice. Most of Mayfield is absolutely fine - there can be some scaremongering about the place just because of those estates, when overall it's a nice area.

colblimp wrote: »

I don't live in Mayfield, but I live quite close and am a member of Mayfield gym so I am aware of the problems Mayfield has, which are caused by scumbags, many of whom are totally lawless!

I live close to Mayfield also - Dillon's Cross direction - and I observe regularly how much it has improved. I drove from Glanmire to Dillon's Cross (pretty much the "width" of Mayfield) last night (about 8.30/9.00) - and I did not see one indication of it being rough.

Flamed Diving

What area you gonna be working in? I would avoid Mayfield, myself.

Dudess

That's like saying "I would avoid Douglas" or "I would avoid Bishopstown" - narrow it down maybe?

Flamed Diving

Dudess wrote: »

That's like saying "I would avoid Douglas" or "I would avoid Bishopstown" - narrow it down maybe?

I wouldn't live in Mayfield because, as people say, it does have a high ratio of louts. Further to that, all the local pubs are dives, and there are few amenities: the library is badly underfunded, no lout-free parks (the tank field is the only one i can think of), considerable distance from town, though there is a pool/gym and the number 8 is regular.

I wouldn't live in Douglas, either, but there are plenty of local shops, restaurants and (nice) pubs.

There are two places that I would consider on the northside, St.Lukes and Sunday's Well. And nowhere else.

54kroc

Dudess wrote: »

That's like saying "I would avoid Douglas" or "I would avoid Bishopstown" - narrow it down maybe?

With places like Douglas and Bishopstown you can narrow it down to a couple of estates but with Mayfield there's around 20 estates that are holes.
In fairness thats a small part of Mayfield though and the op was asking about the Byefield area which after looking on google maps is behind the Cotton Ball and is vastly different to the aera above it imo.
I'd live there but that's not saying much

colblimp

Dudess wrote: »

I live close to Mayfield also - Dillon's Cross direction

Ooh, I'm in Dillon's Cross!

Deliverance

kieranmcg2000 wrote: »

What's the Mayfield area of Cork City like?

In general it is ok.
Pros:
The transport system is regular and is free of trouble. The no.8 bus runs from Mayfield to the CUH and close enough to CIT. The old youghal rd runs right through the heart of it and a lot of folks use this rd to regularly do walking exercises, walk dogs etc with no problems from anyone.

There is a well stocked and run Centra, a decent butchers shop, a couple of banks, a credit union, good barbers (personal experience) and the Cotton Ball is a v professionally run good pub which attracts a variety of clientele (all good).

Cons:
I find that as soon as it gets dark or darkish, or at times when the schools are off it gets a little bit messy due to bored teens. But again they don't really bother anyone as such, 'mostly'.

There is however 'in my opinion' a feeling of low self esteem about the area which is kind of unhealthy. Plus because of the councils policy of housing, there are unfortunately some folks of a certain community that are settled there who still exhibit antisocial behaviour.

Dudess

colblimp wrote: »

Ooh, I'm in Dillon's Cross!

Wanna head to the Fob & Gill for drinkies? :pac:

54kroc

Dudess wrote: »

Wanna head to the Rob & Kill for drinkies? :pac:

Fixed your post.

murphym7

I would avoid to be honest - you could do a lot better. In fact if you want to live in the Northside (god know's why!!:D) You could do a lot worse that Ballyvolane.

Flamed Diving

Where is the OP?

leahyl

I live in mayfield and the vast majority of the areas there are fine! Don't listen to people telling you to avoid the place etc - most of these people are just going on the "reputation" it has which incidentally most other suberbs in cork city have also. There was a time when it used to be a pretty bad area and that idea seems to have stuck but it's not as bad I don't think as it was! I've lived here all my life and never had a problem anyway!

Don't get me wrong there are definitely dodge areas that are known for being just that but the vast majority is fine!

Where you mention byefield there wad a time when it would have been plagued by teens especially by the 'four posts' - people who live in mayfield will know where I mean but it's no where near as bad as it was.

As for the pubs wouldn't be going into the cow or the fob too often....er...but the cotton is a lovely pub- they don't take any crap in there anymore - used to be kinda rough

well that's my two cents!

Flamed Diving

Just wanted to mention that I went to school there, know many people there. I know the place inside-out.

Thanks.

leahyl

Flamed Diving wrote: »

Just wanted to mention that I went to school there, know many people there. I know the place inside-out.

Thanks.

oh I'm sure you do and if you do you'd know that it's not at all as bad as it's made out to be - bottom line is there are, of course, areas you should avoid in every suberb as you'll always get idiots who give the area a bad name but most of mayfield is fine - OP don't be put off

Flamed Diving

leahyl wrote: »

oh I'm sure you do and if you do you'd know that it's not at all as bad as it's made out to be - bottom line is there are, of course, areas you should avoid in every suberb as you'll always get idiots who give the area a bad name but most of mayfield is fine - OP don't be put off

No, I simply wouldn't live there. To say it's not as bad as it's made out to be, is to say that it's not as bad as a place with a K in it's name or F, or maybe T. But that's not saying much about the place, when you have to judge it against the lowest common denominator.

leahyl

Flamed Diving wrote: »

No, I simply wouldn't live there. To say it's not as bad as it's made out to be, is to say that it's not as bad as a place with a K in it's name or F, or maybe T. But that's not saying much about the place, when you have to judge it against the lowest common denominator.

Fair enough we'll just have to agree to disagree - the thing is there is no area in the suberbs that is free of anti social behaviour albeit that some areas don't have as much as others. Can I ask what area you live in? Or am I prying too much;)

Flamed Diving

I grew up in the St.Lukes area, but I live in Dublin now.

refusetolose

colblimp wrote: »

Ooh, I'm in Dillon's Cross!

im a stones throw away from dillons cross !

colblimp

Dudess wrote: »

Wanna head to the Fob & Gill for drinkies? :pac:

The Fob and Gill? Not a hope - I value my life!

colblimp

refusetolose wrote: »

im a stones throw away from dillons cross !

Cool, that's 3 of us living close. Perhaps we should set up a Dillon's Cross sub-group?!!

Barr

I'm sure parts of Mayfield are fine, but if your not working very close by there are certainly better parts of Cork

Flesh Gorden

I grew up there, mother still lives in the council estates,

You won't get trouble unless you go looking for it

bus service ain't great often packed and late especialy from the city up - so your better off driving

only times I've had hassle off scum use to be on the bus or just after getting off
as I used finish work and collage pretty late 7-10pm
I used come across a'holes trying to mouth off


as it's been said bored kids cause the trouble,
for such a big area there really is nothing to do till your over 18
and can afford to travel around the rest of the city and get yourself a car

TanG411

I'm from the Silverheights area and it's peaceful up here.

I wouldn't say Mayfield is as bad as everybody says it is. Of course there is trouble the odd time (usually by Looney's) but what can you do.

tommy21

Dudess wrote: »

Wanna head to the Fob & Gill for drinkies? :pac:

I'm in St. Lukes/Summer Hill, we can set up our own gang
Seriously though there is a reason they nicknamed it the Rob and Kil...

Flamed Diving

tommy21 wrote: »

I'm in St. Lukes/Summer Hill, we can set up our own gang
Seriously though there is a reason they nicknamed it the Rob and Kil...

Sadly, that colloquial term lived up to it's name, a couple of years ago...

tommy21

Flamed Diving wrote: »

Sadly, that colloquial term lived up to it's name, a couple of years ago...

Really? Think I remember something about that

Flamed Diving

tommy21 wrote: »

Really? Think I remember something about that

It was Miah Dennehy, and he isn't dead. I thought he was, but his assailant left him with severe brain injuries.

54kroc

This chap was assaulted in the car park back in August 2007.

Hogzy

From Wikipedia:

Its original Irish name - Baile na mBocht (town of the poor) - gives a hint of its history

:eek:

MunsterCycling

That has to be about the worst article on Wikipedia I have ever seen, complete Hogwash

kieranmcg2000

Thanks for all the responses guys - given us quite a bit to think about.

I feel like I should give ye a bit more info and see if anything comes to light. My girlfriend and I are moving to Cork after living abroad for a while, and we don't have jobs lined up yet so we are on a tight budget. We're at the age where we want a place to ourselves with a little bit of space and don't want to have to share.

We've been looking for nearly two weeks now and we are having serious trouble getting a place. Anything we see that fits our budget is in a "bad" area, and anything we look at that's higher than our budget, the landlord immediately starts asking questions about rent allowance, and dole, and how we're going to be able to pay for it, even though we're both professionals.

We need an address fast so that we can get ourselves sorted, but we've already been pipped at the post twice on different properties - we were literally handing over deposits when they told us the places were gone - and we're getting really pissed off.

We've seen a house near the Cotton Ball that we liked but, you know yourselves, we could see that the area wasn't the best.

So, we are still undecided on the house, and are at a loss as to what to do now.

Flamed Diving

What is your rent budget?

kieranmcg2000

Our budget is €600 to €800 pcm for two to three bed, apartment or house, with as much space as we can get for our money.

We think that's pretty realistic in the current economic climate, but we're just not having any joy.

Flamed Diving

You should be finding it easy, for that price. My friend is renting a luxury two-bed apartment for €1000 p/m, knocked down from €1500.

Would this suit?

http://www.daft.ie/2864750

Military Hill is part of St.Lukes, which is a nice little area, close to town, nice shops and a good pub.

DamienH

Military Hill is a nice area to live alright, good view of the city aswell.

kieranmcg2000

Thanks for that Flamed Diving - although you would be hard pushed to find something on Daft that we haven't looked in to!

We've seen the one on St John's Terrace, the problem with that one is that it doesn't have parking (it says on the ad it does, but they just mean for you to park on the street, you don't have a designated spot) and we suspect the house has a damp issue...

grenache

kieranmcg2000 wrote: »

We've seen the one on St John's Terrace, the problem with that one is that it doesn't have parking (it says on the ad it does, but they just mean for you to park on the street, you don't have a designated spot)

Whichever house you decide to choose, make sure it has its own parking space. You dont want to go down the parking permit route, they're an absolute pain in the backside. It takes forever to obtain one and you have to change over all your details - insurance, registration book, etc. Then when you do get one, its only a 4 month temporary one and you're not even guaranteed a parking space.

tommy21

grenache wrote: »

Whichever house you decide to choose, make sure it has its own parking space. You dont want to go down the parking permit route, they're an absolute pain in the backside. It takes forever to obtain one and you have to change over all your details - insurance, registration book, etc. Then when you do get one, its only a 4 month temporary one and you're not even guaranteed a parking space.

This information is incorrect. You go down to the City Hall, provide proof of address (e.g. bills etc), your registration book for your vehicle and ten euro. The permit itself can take an age to come (6-8 weeks sometimes we have been waiting) but they give you a receipt which you can place inside the car (bit of tape) that performs the same function. Valid for a year. Not guaranteed a parking space alright though but normally its quite a big "zone" and you'll find something.

Luno

Tbh, it's not that bad! I've been in the so called rough parts plenty of times and apart from the fact there is a lot of scumbags, it's just like town! The bus route is fairly handy though does a ring around the CUH and the city centre...

There is some parts that are quite nice and quiet too!

Mr Cork Man

Try Ballyvolane it's nearby and it's a much nicer area.

Deliverance

True, the OP should if give the choice look at more matured areas. Areas like this are more peaceful and subsequently are more friendly and less stressful. Mayfield is a massive council estate that is constantly incorporating new growing families. A certain amount of these families are single moms with tattoos, Settled travellers with yapping dogs and children.

This kind of area once you get used to it can be OK. But the question to ask is, would you really want to? There is a new generation of teens every couple of years that roam about looking for kicks off of people that are alien to them.

I wouldn't say that the area is full of scumbags, but there are a minority of a few. They unfortunately stand out a lot.

grenache

tommy21 wrote: »

This information is incorrect. You go down to the City Hall, provide proof of address (e.g. bills etc), your registration book for your vehicle and ten euro. The permit itself can take an age to come (6-8 weeks sometimes we have been waiting) but they give you a receipt which you can place inside the car (bit of tape) that performs the same function. Valid for a year. Not guaranteed a parking space alright though but normally its quite a big "zone" and you'll find something.

I applied for a parking permit in October 08 so for my case it certainly is correct. They give you a temporary four month one before you get a twelve month permit. God if only it was as straightforward as you make it sound!

I copied this off the PRC forum to give you an idea that is the hell of obtaining a parking permit, having applied for one i can totally empathise with the author:

PHONE CREDIT & YOGA
Firstly put about 50 euro credit on your phone - you're going to be making a lot of expensive daytime calls to various civil and corporate institutions. You will get to know their introduction recordings, automatic menus and on-hold tunes intimately. Furthermore join a Yoga class that focuses primarily on stress relief and be prepared for a lot of walking.

You should allow two months between moving into your new gaf and obtaining a parking permit. You will need to locate a non-disc zone to temporarily park your car. This is tricky because the Corpo have covered most public roads within a few miles of the city centre with parking zones and you may be forced to leave your precious wheels in a dodgy under-age gatting alley or in the open plains of a shopping centre car park to avoid being towed away.

VEHICLE REG. CERT
You should keep your drivers license in your car at all times but when Murphy's Law applies itself you may have to go rooting in drawers, boxes, cupboards and under beds to track it down. Your "Vehicle Registration Certificate" will be equally elusive - the thing you thought was this precious form turns out to be some correspondence from the tax office.

You have to send this to County Clare to have your wagon's home address altered to your new one. "3 working days" is the alleged turn around time for this but we all know what that means. Several phone calls and weeks later you may eventually get a tattered cert in your door.

CORPORATE HELL
Next on the horizon is one of Cork's "favourite" institutions: the car insurance company. Trying to get the address of your new gaf on to an insurance policy is a task which you might want to contract out to an independent professional company if you're not short of grade.

While your phone credit plummets and Green Sleeves is on its fourteenth repetition (all the time being patronisingly reminded of how important your call is) you may decided to give up but we urge you not to let them win.

After you have made several curt communications with your sleepy 21 year old 'customer representative' Sharon, who is slumped at her desk somewhere in mind numbing Corporate Hell in an ugly industrial park in Dublin 44, you may eventually receive your first letter.

Peering up from the page is the most enraging mistake any Dublin based company will ever make with a Corkonian:

"32C Eagle Valley Park, Wilton, Co. Dublin"

So now you have to spend more credit to listen to Green Sleeves before you reach another dull listless Sharon who will, to your profound rage, titter about this trivial matter (the story possibly being the highlight of her month) - telling you, as if it was a positive thing, that you will receive a replacement cert in another 5-10 working days.

You're supposed to submit two utility bills in your name with your parking permit application but of course if you've just moved in this is either impossible or going tot take at last eight weeks. The alternative is to get the address on all your bank accounts and credit card changed and then wait for statements.

Keep strong and breathe deep - there's more trouble ahead.
Your landlord is obliged to join at a cost of 70 euro.

PRTB
When you have everything complete you will now be ready to approach your landlord to ask them for a copy of his/her registration with the PRTB - the Private Residential Tenancies Board. Big fancy name isn't it?

Every landlord must be registered with them so yours must be too right? One phonecall should sort it out:

"…the wha?"

"The Private Residential Tenancies Board - I need it for me parking permit like."

"Sure joining that that'll cost me 70 euro and I'm doing a dinky doo with the tax on your rent so I can't join that thing. Feck off I repaired the jacks free of charge last week."

No PRTB no parking permit. Many landlords will dig their heels in with this because they won't be declaring your rent for tax. Anything that might lead to a knock on the door from the Revenue Commissioners sends shivers up the spine of every landlord whether they believe they've operated above the law or not.

If you do convince your landlord to join you can also expect a nice lengthy delay between your landlord's cheque being cashed and getting a letter back from the PRTB.
Old style permits like this are being phased out for new posh ones with shiny foil on them.

Only recently the PRTB added a convenient mention of the €70 fee to their application form. Before some genius at the PRTB came up with this remarkably intelligent idea your excitement at having the final piece of your parking permit puzzle in your hands would quickly turn to disappointment when you opened the envelope to find your application was returned because the fee was not enclosed. What fee!? Start all over again.

Incidentally the PRTB don't have an email address but staff there will allow you to communicate with them on the phone. Bizarrely the Dublin based body hires a separate company to send out its letters of confirmation. As much as this makes them seems like a very silly organisation it allows them to side step liability for the delay. Your stories of tiresome sodden journeys to the extremities of the city to get to your car will be received with little sympathy.

THERE IS HOPE
At this point you should be quite proficient at the basics in yoga and we would advise you to perform extensive breathing exercises before each call you make to the various institutions demanding to know where the various letters are.

To your relief you will find the staff at the new parking office on Angelsea Street to be helpful and friendly. Unofficially, it seems, they are aware of the circus at the PRTB, and will issue you with a month long temporary permit as long as you have all your other tasks complete. At least you don't have to continue to trek two miles in the rain to your car.

When you bring the final letter of confirmation from the PRTB to the parking office and if you are prepared to stall the beans in the office staff will issue your permit on the spot if there's not much back log.
Cork's first support group for parking permit applicants meet in St. Vincents hall every Monday night.

The feeling of leaving the parking office with a year long permit (valid only for the next ten months because you've already spent two months tracking down various documents) is a feeling that every Corkonian should experience at least once in their life. We are used to wining in Cork and there can be no victory satisfying than overcoming obstacles but in your path by both public institutions and private corporations.