Moving to South Dublin

sennis

I am very new to this site and soon to be new to Ireland as my lovely husband has got a job in Dublin starting in December. So after 12 years of living in the UK he is absolutely thrilled to be moving back home and I share his enthusiasm but have lots of practical questions that neither he nor his fabulous family and friends (none of whom have kids yet) can answer! We have two very active and wonderful boys, 4yrs & 18 months. Firstly, he seems to have his heart set on South Dublin due to its proximity to his friends, golf courses and all important hills/trails for me (I’m a very keen runner). The two places he seems to mention lots are Blackrock and Shankhill – are these nice areas for young children?

What are the schools like? I know most schools will have waiting lists so already we are looking into the best secondary schools as well as primaries. My eldest has already started school here in the UK but he is very young in the year so I think he will start again in junior infants. I hope so anyway so he can make new friends at the same time as other new children and I’ll get to meet new mums too. Both of my boys love swimming and go to lessons, is there a swimming pool near either? Also we spent hours and hours outside either on bikes, in the park or just wondering around, in the direction of cafes and ice cream mainly! Which of the two places would be best for parks and walks? My eldest also has rugby and karate lessons – I’ve already found Ruglets which looks great but does anyone know of any karate clubs that take 4 year olds? I’ll be off work for a while so will be looking for toddler groups too.

Lastly, for me now! I am a very keen runner (not a good one but I do feel the need to get and run!) and I was wondering where would be the best place for off road/trail running? I plan to find a running club to meet new people when we move but in the interim I imagine things will be very hectic so I’ll be trying to fit runs in around the boys new schedule so any tips on places to go would be great! I also do yoga and will eventually be looking for a yoga class too!

So really, I’m looking for any advice about a good, socialable, easy accessible place to live with good schools and transport links! Sounding very spoilt now but I’m so desperate for this move to be a success that I’d be prepared to live in a shed if that’s what it takes to make sure all three of my boys are happy!!

Yours very excited/anxious!

Hi Sennis

Both Shankill and Blackrock are lovely places to live.

Based on your list of criteria, I would be swayed more towards Shankill. You're within minutes of the Dublin Mountains for your cycling and running. There is a new swimming pool being built in Loughlinstown Leisure Centre at the moment, it will be finished in November. This is only a couple of minutes drive from shankill, or a short enough cycle. It's a community leisure centre and they probably have some kids karate classes. There is a big park in shankill, great for walking and running, and it has a decent kids playground. Close by you've also got Kilbogget Park, and Cabinteely park, both also great for walking/running and with playgrounds.

There are a couple of schools in Shankill, St. Anne's and Rathmichael would be considered the best two.

As far transport, both Shankill and Blackrock have plenty of access to buses and trains, Shankill is right on the M50 which is the Dublin ring road and your starting point for most destinations elewhere in Ireland.

sennis

Thanks for all the information! I can't wait to get out there and start exploring the areas and parks you mention. I don't suppose you know what happens if the local schools are full? Do we just have to ring round all the others in the area and hope someone has a place???

Fratton Fred

I live between Dun Laoghaire and Dalkey and couldn't recommend the area highly enough.

There are good schools, it's on the Dart, you have the sea front and pier for winter running and Killiney hill for the lighter evenings. you can use the swimming pool at Castle Park school and the lessons there are pretty good. You also have the 40 Foot for sea swimming and even a Christmas day swim, if you are so inclined.

Feel free to PM me for advice on the area. I'm English and moved here with my wife who wanted to move back to Ireland, so I can relate to the many questions you will have.

sennis

Thanks, that's great info - I will PM you as soon as I've done another school trawl and when I have more specific questions that you might be the perfect person to ask!

the groutch

Cabinteely would meet most of your criteria too, especially in The Park.

RainyDay

Where will he be working? It will help family life a lot if you can minimise his commute.

sennis

Thanks for all your replies - it really is helping with our decision making. The husband will be working near Sir Rogerson's Quay so we'd love to be on the Dart. Schools for our eldest though are causing us the biggest headache. I've contacted about 20 already just see if there is any chance at all of getting him in next September and most have said they have very long waiting lists and because we're not in catchment we're at the bottom of their lists. So do we take a risk and move to the area we love and hope and pray we can get him a place or move somewhere with more schools and therefore more chance of finding him a place? We'd obviously like him to go to the local school (at the moment we have a 0.5 mile walk and meet all his friends on the way), but appreciate that this is highly unlikely. We are now looking at Dun Laoghaire as there seem to be more schools there but is it as nice an area as Shankhill???
Thanks again for all your advice/local knowledge!

liliq

If you're on the DART line, maybe you could look further afield at schools along there and at least get him in somewhere for the first term.
Once you're here and it the catchment area things might change.

Fratton Fred

sennis wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies - it really is helping with our decision making. The husband will be working near Sir Rogerson's Quay so we'd love to be on the Dart. Schools for our eldest though are causing us the biggest headache. I've contacted about 20 already just see if there is any chance at all of getting him in next September and most have said they have very long waiting lists and because we're not in catchment we're at the bottom of their lists. So do we take a risk and move to the area we love and hope and pray we can get him a place or move somewhere with more schools and therefore more chance of finding him a place? We'd obviously like him to go to the local school (at the moment we have a 0.5 mile walk and meet all his friends on the way), but appreciate that this is highly unlikely. We are now looking at Dun Laoghaire as there seem to be more schools there but is it as nice an area as Shankhill???
Thanks again for all your advice/local knowledge!

Dun Laoghaire is bigger than Shankhill and, in my opinion, much of it is nicer with a few bits worse. But with both places there is good and bad areas. Personally I would prefer Dun Laoghaire as there is a lot more going on.

The Harold School in Glasthule (Which is part of Dun Laoghaire) is a pretty good school and easy to get into, but it depends where you plan on moving to as much as anything.

TheVoodoo

There are some really lovely areas of Dun Laoghaire, as Fratton Fred said. And I personally would choose DL over Shankill, if I had the choice!

HavingCrack

TheVoodoo wrote: »

There are some really lovely areas of Dun Laoghaire, as Fratton Fred said. And I personally would choose DL over Shankill, if I had the choice!

Dun Laoghaire is a really, really odd area though. There's parts of it that are very nice indeed and parts of it that are quite bad by DL-Rathdown standards, you really need to have a good look at the particular part of it.

There's nothing in Dun Laoghaire that's a no go zone by a long way though unless you count some of the rougher areas in Sallynoggin or Monkstown Farm which aren't in Dun Laoghaire proper anyway.

On the whole though I'd pick Dun Laoghaire as a more vibrant area than Shankill, especially with the Harbour and piers.

Glencarraig

HavingCrack wrote: »

Dun Laoghaire is a really, really odd area though. There's parts of it that are very nice indeed and parts of it that are quite bad by DL-Rathdown standards, you really need to have a good look at the particular part of it.

There's nothing in Dun Laoghaire that's a no go zone by a long way though unless you count some of the rougher areas in Sallynoggin or Monkstown Farm which aren't in Dun Laoghaire proper anyway.



I really consider your comments to be a bit harsh and an insult to people from Monkstown Farm and Sallynoggin, I was born and lived in Monkstown farm for almost 25 years and ok perhaps there is a younger population there now but you cannot make such a sweeping statement regarding either area. You will find good and bad everywhere, even in "Leafy Foxrock", depending on what you consider "bad"....Chief Executives of Banks perhaps?

sennis

Thanks again for your tips, I don't want anyone being offended by different folks' views on different areas of Dublin. I do definitely want the best for my boys but by best I don't mean elite or posh. I want to be able to get to know the neighbours and my kids to be able to walk to school. On the school front, anyone any ideas about All Saints NS in blackrock? It looks great on paper and is very small (60 kids approximately). My husband is worried they won't do much sport because there aren't enough kids, any ideas?

HavingCrack

Glencarraig wrote: »

I really consider your comments to be a bit harsh and an insult to people from Monkstown Farm and Sallynoggin, I was born and lived in Monkstown farm for almost 25 years and ok perhaps there is a younger population there now but you cannot make such a sweeping statement regarding either area. You will find good and bad everywhere, even in "Leafy Foxrock", depending on what you consider "bad"....Chief Executives of Banks perhaps?

Apologies I think people might have misunderstood my comments and I admit I phrased them quite badly. I think what I was trying to get at are that Sallynoggin and Monkstown Farm would be considered (rightly or wrongly) to be a bit rougher than surrounding areas. I myself have friends from those areas and visit them relatively frequently. I re read my post and realised I was a bit out of line. Apologies.

sennis

Sorry to throw in a new question but what are Ballinteer and Dundrum like?? In comparison to DL and Shankill?

doctorchopper

sennis wrote: »

Sorry to throw in a new question but what are Ballinteer and Dundrum like?? In comparison to DL and Shankill?

I live in Ballinteer and it's a great area. 5 mins to the Dublin mountains, Marlay park on your door step. M50 and Luas line very close by as well as Dundrum shopping center. I can't comment on the schools as I don't have kids. The are is safe, clean and close to everything. I've been here 10 years now and no future plans on leaving.

sennis

Brilliant! That's a great and very encouraging start!

RainyDay

doctorchopper wrote: »

I live in Ballinteer and it's a great area. 5 mins to the Dublin mountains, Marlay park on your door step. M50 and Luas line very close by as well as Dundrum shopping center. I can't comment on the schools as I don't have kids. The are is safe, clean and close to everything. I've been here 10 years now and no future plans on leaving.

I'd echo this view, and you've a great choice of schools - mixed, single sex, the new Educate Together, the Gaelscoil - take your pick.

Seaswimmer

sennis wrote: »

Thanks again for your tips, I don't want anyone being offended by different folks' views on different areas of Dublin. I do definitely want the best for my boys but by best I don't mean elite or posh. I want to be able to get to know the neighbours and my kids to be able to walk to school. On the school front, anyone any ideas about All Saints NS in blackrock? It looks great on paper and is very small (60 kids approximately). My husband is worried they won't do much sport because there aren't enough kids, any ideas?

All Saints school is a Church of ireland school. Most primary schools in Ireland have a catholic ethos. All schools follow the same curriculum as laid down by the Dept of Education but there may be some slight differences in religous education. They would generally be seen to provide a good education in ireland.
Just a word of warning. Your secondary schools choices may be limited. you will find it harder to be able to go to one of the large religous (Catholic) schools having gone to a Church of ireland primary school especially if they are over subscribed.children in south dublin who attend C of I primary schools generally go on to Newpark (free) or wesley (fee paying) or a community school or college.

RainyDay

Commute to John Rogerson's Quay from Ballinteer/Dundrum wouldn't be the easiest. The Luas is great to get you into Stephen's Green, but that's a good bit away from the Quays.

Royale with Cheese

I grew up in Shankill and now live in Dundrum. I much prefer Dundrum but I'm in my 20s so my opinion might be different if I was a little older with a family etc. Balinteer is also nice enough but just that little bit further out of the way as it can be a fair walk to a luas stop depending on what part you're living in. Shankill was a nice place to grow up in, quiet enough and on the Dart line (the Dart is fairly rubbish compared to the Luas, unless it goes somewhere you need to get to that the Luas doesn't). There's a good bus service going into town these days and it's handy for the M50 and M11 too.

The residential areas around Dun Laoghaire are nice enough (particularly Monkstown and Glasthule) but Dun Laoghaire itself wouldn't be my favourite part of South Dublin. I spent a lot of my teenage years in the town but I'd very rarely go there these days.

Fratton Fred

Seaswimmer wrote: »

All Saints school is a Church of ireland school. Most primary schools in Ireland have a catholic ethos. All schools follow the same curriculum as laid down by the Dept of Education but there may be some slight differences in religous education. They would generally be seen to provide a good education in ireland.
Just a word of warning. Your secondary schools choices may be limited. you will find it harder to be able to go to one of the large religous (Catholic) schools having gone to a Church of ireland primary school especially if they are over subscribed.children in south dublin who attend C of I primary schools generally go on to Newpark (free) or wesley (fee paying) or a community school or college.

And also St Andrews College, which is one of the top schools in Dublin.

Being in a feeder school for Newpark (which All Saints probably is) is no bad thing. They had an open evening the other day and they were swamped with people trying to get kids in there. They have a very record, good facilities and are about to get a massive overhaul. Although technically a CoI school, it's ethos is for children of all faiths, or none.

That said though, we have been talking to Cluny in Killiney and they couldn't care about the background, it isn't the big deal it used to be. The only difference in RE is that a CofI school wouldn't do the first communion bit. My daughter's school provide that as an extra curricular activity for catholic children.