Where to live in West Wicklow?

Alador

The family is seriously considering a move to West Wicklow this year. We'd be moving to send our kids to the Steiner school in the Dunlavin area and to experience country life. The kids are very young and one of us would be commuting daily to Dublin city centre. Any suggestions on where to live? We'd be renting. Thanks!

elainee40

Hi, Im from Blessington in West wicklow, You got to think of the weather also in winter as it does get bad there if there is heavy snow or ice (bar this year).
In dunlavin there isnt much as big shops for your weekly shopping like a dunnes etc. in Blessington there is supervalue, dunnes, Aldi or lidl(cant remember)
The roads to dunlavin can be very dark at night also when you come of the N81
Hope above helps.
Good luck in your decission

Geansai Rua

Moving to maybe Kilcullen or Brannockstown would be ideal for you needs. Close enough to Dunlavin and also close to the main road into Dublin...
I would avoid moving to the village of Dunlavin if I was you. Im originally from there and it hasnt the best reputation to be honest!
The steiner school is great though from what i hear...

Coriolanus

Friend has his kid in the Steiner school, says only good things.

I live near Blessington, in one of the villages around the lake. It's grueling unless you travel at offpeak hours. I have the flexibility of going in pre 7 am or post 10 am and it's a lot better than when I had to be in for 9.

Last two winters ended up staying in Dublin one year, and naas another for extended periods (weeks) because of the snow. So unless you have a decent 4x4 that's something to bear in mind. Pass through Slade Valley was closed, so no public transport etc.

Alador

elainee40 wrote: »

Hi, Im from Blessington in West wicklow, You got to think of the weather also in winter as '.

Thank you so much. That is food for thought indeed!

Alador

Geansai Rua wrote: »

Moving to maybe Kilcullen or Brannockstown would be ideal
ar...

That's very helpful. Can you tell me a little more about what's wrong with Dunlavin village!? I've been through it and it seems innocuous enough. I did notice, though, that rental prices are very cheap in and around the village. Would love to know more.

Alador

Quote:
Last two winters ended up staying in Dublin one year, and naas another for extended periods (weeks) because of the snow. So unless you have a decent 4x4 that's something to bear in mind. Pass through Slade Valley was closed, so no public transport etc.[/Quote]

Wow. Didn't realise conditions could get that bad. Thanks for that. That's really helpful.

mumtoe&e

Alador wrote: »

Quote:
Last two winters ended up staying in Dublin one year, and naas another for extended periods (weeks) because of the snow. So unless you have a decent 4x4 that's something to bear in mind. Pass through Slade Valley was closed, so no public transport etc.

Wow. Didn't realise conditions could get that bad. Thanks for that. That's really helpful.[/Quote]

mumtoe&e

Alador wrote: »

The family is seriously considering a move to West Wicklow this year. We'd be moving to send our kids to the Steiner school in the Dunlavin area and to experience country life. The kids are very young and one of us would be commuting daily to Dublin city centre. Any suggestions on where to live? We'd be renting. Thanks!

Hey
We moved from Dublin to baltinglass 6 years ago & absolutely love it, but many of the dubs that moved down hate it so u really must get a good feel for wherever u are planning on moving to before you make that step

With us we'd always wanted to move down here & were familiar with the area from coming down regularly- we both commute to Dublin, it's hectic & extremely costly on petrol!

The n81 is a death trap but you soon get used to it - however u never get used to the loonies who overtake on bends & what not!!

I've only ever heard good things about dunlavin it's a lovely village!
The school is supposed to be excellent

Best of luck with whatever u decide just make sure you do your homework on the area

Alador

Hey
We moved from Dublin to baltinglass 6 years ago & absolutely love it, but many of the dubs that moved down hate it so u really must get a good feel for wherever u are planning on ute to Dublin, it's hectic & extremely good things about dunlavin it's a lovely h whatever u decide just make surd your homework on the area[/Quote]

Thank you so much. That's really helpful. So you love it even though the road is dangerous and the travel is costly. Lots if food for thought there. Will do lots more reconnaissance!

Geansai Rua

Well there is nothing majorly wrong with the village of Dunlavin. There is a huge amount of unemployed young people around which has its own problems.

There is also many 'incidents' in the local pubs. The prices in the village are cheap because it would be quite loud at night. I used to live in the village and I definitley wouldnt live there again. The housing estate in the middle of the village- church hill/view is also considered to be rough.

People will probably think Im being a bit mean, but I grew up there and I know what its like! Lots of my family still live there, so its not all bad!

Would recommend Brannockstown if its a young family you have, or outside Dunlavin in the countryside!

dazzlemoo

Lived in Blessington for 10 years and I have to say it is a lovely place but the crime rate has become an issue, which is why we left.
Our car was broken into five times, it was damaged countless times and there were many burglaries too.
I'm from Dublin and I never experienced crime when I lived in Dublin-only when I came to Blessington.
Another thing, the people can be a bit cliquey-no sense of community and if you walk into a pub and it's full of regulars, they'll all look at you like you're dirt.
The town is lovely and I adore the lake but I'm glad I'm back in Dublin!

ROFLcopter

dazzlemoo wrote: »

Lived in Blessington for 10 years and I have to say it is a lovely place but the crime rate has become an issue, which is why we left.
Our car was broken into five times, it was damaged countless times and there were many burglaries too.
I'm from Dublin and I never experienced crime when I lived in Dublin-only when I came to Blessington.
Another thing, the people can be a bit cliquey-no sense of community and if you walk into a pub and it's full of regulars, they'll all look at you like you're dirt.
The town is lovely and I adore the lake but I'm glad I'm back in Dublin!

Where in blessington is this? I moved here 10 years ago from Dublin and I know nothing of the crime or cliqey crap you're posting about. I do remember a spate of burgaleries that two guys were caught for and tried in naas, guess where they were from!?........DUBLIN !!!!!!!!

dazzlemoo

ROFLcoptor, I don't know what you're insinuating by stating the guys were from Dublin..are you trying to say all people from Dublin are criminals?
Note in my post that I NEVER said the people from Blessington were criminals, nor did I slander them..I simply said I felt it was cliquey and actually there was a survey done where the majority of the people felt isolated and excluded from the community, so before you start bitching, get your facts right.
I'm not going to tell you where in Blessington I lived and I don't care if you've never heard about the crime rate-I'm speaking from personal experience here, so calm down yeah?

ROFLcopter

You're insinuating that blessinton is ravaged with crime, which is why you left. Yeah it's so ravaged with crime that the Garda station closes every night.

dazzlemoo

The Garda station being closed was always an issue for me. If the cops aren't out patrolling or aren't available, then the criminals can run riot!
I can see you like living in Blessington and fair play to you.
I didn't-I was a victim of crime numerous times and I didn't feel safe, so I left.
We're all entitled to our opinions y'know!

ROFLcopter

dazzlemoo wrote: »

The Garda station being closed was always an issue for me. If the cops aren't out patrolling or aren't available, then the criminals can run riot!
I can see you like living in Blessington and fair play to you.
I didn't-I was a victim of crime numerous times and I didn't feel safe, so I left.
We're all entitled to our opinions y'know!

Ok fair enough, I must be living under a rock because I never heard of crime being an issue, then again I leave for work at 05:45 and don't return until 7pm.

The only issue I've heard about was the drunk teens coming out of the lakes and a few lay abouts hanging around hennessys lane.

You obviously had an experience that made you leave, sorry to hear that.

dazzlemoo

I was a victim of car crime, but that might have only been an issue for the area I lived in..I didn't mean to say the whole town was one big crime-riddled area, I was just telling you that from my experience, from where I lived, I had my car damaged and stolen on more than one occasion, so obviously I felt I had to leave because there didn't seem to be an end to this.
I understand you probably haven't had any experience of crime in Blessington and actually that's nice to hear.
Of course I liked living there; I wouldn't have stayed for so long and I still have some friends there, but I was only trying to say that I had a bad experience, and that's why I left.
I won't be swayed on my opinion on the Garda station though-that really is awful that it's closed for the majority of the day and evening.
Anyway, that's all I have to say.

Alador

Geansai Rua wrote: »

Well there is nothing majorly wrong with the village of Dunlavin. There is a huge amount of unemployed young people around which has its own problems. '

Thank you so much!

Viale Volta

A word of warning for anyone thinking of renting any of the cottages in Blainroe by the nursing home. Make sure you insist on seeing the property's BER cert. These houses were designed and built for summer living and unless they've been adequately renovated, they aren't fit for the winter months. We had serious problems with dampness and black mould. As a result, both my wife and son took ill. It's not an isolated indecent either, we met another couple renting one of the Blainroe cottages who had a similar disaster with mould .

Having said all this, we have seen other properties in the area that have been modernised and renovated accordingly and as a result looked comfortable for the colder months.

If you are considering renting in the area just ensure to check for double glassing, proper ventilation, the date the boiler was last serviced, and most importantly don't move in without seeing the rental's BER cert.

rondeco

There's feck all wrong with Dunlavin that you wont find in any other village in the country. A town full of decent people and a great community spirit. I have many friends and family there who wouldn't move for love nor money..

Wicklowandy

Viale Volta wrote: »

A word of warning for anyone thinking of renting any of the cottages in Blainroe by the nursing home. Make sure you insist on seeing the property's BER cert. These houses were designed and built for summer living and unless they've been adequately renovated, they aren't fit for the winter months. We had serious problems with dampness and black mould. As a result, both my wife and son took ill. It's not an isolated indecent either, we met another couple renting one of the Blainroe cottages who had a similar disaster with mould .

Having said all this, we have seen other properties in the area that have been modernised and renovated accordingly and as a result looked comfortable for the colder months.

If you are considering renting in the area just ensure to check for double glassing, proper ventilation, the date the boiler was last serviced, and most importantly don't move in without seeing the rental's BER cert.

You may be better starting a new thread for this if you feel strongly, blainroe would definitely be in east wicklow, about as far from dunlavin and baltinglass as you can get in wicklow:)