Ridgewood or Holywell

jul2411

just wondering if I could get opinions on Ridgewood in Swords? Don't know the area too much but thinking of moving there. Can someone say what the area is like for a family with small children? Is it safe? Are the houses/apartments nice? Also, which primary school(s) do the kids have access to? Will be grateful for any info!!

Lady_North1

Don't know that much about Ridgewood but the primary school connected would be Holy Family in Rivervalley. Personally very happy with the school. My four kids went there. They have a waiting list for junior infants most years because so many want to send their kids there.
Not heard and bad stories about Ridgewood so I suppose that's a positive in itself. Know a few people living there who have never complained about it.

Dizzyblonde

Ridgewood is lovely and has plenty of green space. I don't live there myself but I live close by. The Holy Family national school in Rivervalley is excellent and the closest to Ridgewood, but I'm not sure that your children would automatically get a place because it didn't used to be within the catchment area. That may have changed now but it would be worth calling the school to check.

Lady_North1

Ridgewood is in the catchment area as it's part of St Finians parish. So getting in there should be fine.

jul2411

many thanks!! will try to contact the school to see what policy they have. I know it's not possible to find a place that ticks all the boxes but my main concern would be access to good school and obviously living in safe area so I thought ridgewood would be an ok option..

jul2411

actually, would anyone have any knowledge of hollywell area? there're are probably some threads on it already I guess...but asking anyway

Dizzyblonde

Lady_North1 wrote: »

Ridgewood is in the catchment area as it's part of St Finians parish. So getting in there should be fine.

That's good, it's changed then because there was a time when it wasn't in the catchment area for the school and a lot of people were disappointed when their children didn't get in.

Lady_North1

It was always in the catchment area. Boroimhe isn't but Ridgewood is. Places might have been missed out on because of age but it was always accessible.

Dizzyblonde

Hmm, must have been a rumour when Ridgewood was first built then - but I remember there was uproar because a lot of people had moved from the parish to Ridgewood.

jul2411

Hi, just looking for opinions on Holywell, Swords... is it a safe area, ok for families with small kids? don't know the area too much but can see there's ET primary school. Any opinions on it? Also, which part of Swords would be better, again for a family with small kids, Holywell or Ridgewood? Any piece of advise will be much appreciated!!!

MugMugs

jul2411 wrote: »

Hi, just looking for opinions on Holywell, Swords... is it a safe area, ok for families with small kids? don't know the area too much but can see there's ET primary school. Any opinions on it? Also, which part of Swords would be better, again for a family with small kids, Holywell or Ridgewood? Any piece of advise will be much appreciated!!!

Holywell borders a motorway and a main road and a retail Park. Ridgewood borders a normal road, housing estate and fields.

My pick if I was torn between the two would be Ridgewood

m0nsterie

jul2411 wrote: »

Hi, just looking for opinions on Holywell, Swords... is it a safe area, ok for families with small kids? don't know the area too much but can see there's ET primary school. Any opinions on it? Also, which part of Swords would be better, again for a family with small kids, Holywell or Ridgewood? Any piece of advise will be much appreciated!!!

You should check out both areas at different times of the day. The south side of Holywell (not the side with the shop or the school) has no through road so it's very safe as you will see by the amount of young kids out playing on the greens and the roads in the evenings after school.
As well as the playground and the greens there are large playing pitches and tennis courts which are available to residents to use and where there are activities organised for the kids during the summer.

Inquitus

Ridgewood by a mile, I work just beside Holywell and not a hope I'd want to live there personally speaking, no character, no much there, and it sits in no mans land bordered by scrubland, a motorway and an industrial estate.