Dun Laoghaire area vs Greystones

jessie7

Hi there,

We are a family of 4 with two kids (1 and 4) looking to move. We are considering areas from Dun laoghaire, Glastule, Sandycove to killiney and even Greystones.

We are leaning towards Dun Laoghaire area as there seems like so much to do there and also so close to town and we are more used to city life. Further south like Greystones seems like comparable for amenities but more of a village which we are not sure we are ready for!

The main problem is lifestyle for the kids especially when it comes to schools. It seems that the Dun Laoghaire area has limited choice when it comes to secondary schools and even all the private schools are at least a dart ride away. Whereas in Greystones everything is a walk/cycle away it seems, which would be great for the kids especially when they get older.

Anyone familiar with these areas can offer some advice we are finding it tough to decide? Thanks!

ted1

Sandycove or Killiney are the two i'd pick.

Greystones is Wicklow as oppose to Dublin. From my experience, people from greystones end up in Schools along the DART such as HCK, Rock, St.Michaels etc. so it's a bit of a commute.

a trip to the city would be a trek from greystones, remember not all DARTs go to Greystones, where as Sandycove is much better served.

jessie7

Thanks ted1. Does Killiney have a centre or village other than the shopping centre?

With regards to the schools I guess the kids will be travelling no matter where we go...well one will since we have one girl, one boy!

ted1

Killiney "village" has a pub and a very small shop. Other than that Dalkey would be the considered the local village.

Fratton Fred

Secondary schools in the area would be Holy Child, Cluny, Loretto or Rathdown for girls or CBC Monkstown for boys, all of which are fee paying.

You then have Cabinteely or St Laurences, neither of which have great reputations, depending on who you speak to.

A lot of kids in the area get the bus to Newpark as well.

Killiney is huge, although the majority of it isn't actually Killiney. Killiney is more a state of mind than an actual place!

Personally, I love the Sandycove/Glasthule area.

jessie7

Thanks for your replies and advice.

Killiney is huge, although the majority of it isn't actually Killiney. Killiney is more a state of mind than an actual place!

I like that! Tbh hadn't really considered Killiney but looking at it now seems to be better value for money in 'south killiney' which I take could really mean adjacent areas!

Fratton Fred

jessie7 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies and advice.



I like that! Tbh hadn't really considered Killiney but looking at it now seems to be better value for money in 'south killiney' which I take could really mean adjacent areas!

The "better value" properties in Killiney are more likely to be in Ballybrack, or closer to Shankhill.

Seafield Court and Bayview are nice enough areas, but nipping to the pub or shop involves jumping in a car.

bullpost

Dont forget Clonkeen College. Its a free secondary school for boys. Good reputation and building being extended and modernised currently.

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Secondary schools in the area would be Holy Child, Cluny, Loretto or Rathdown for girls or CBC Monkstown for boys, all of which are fee paying.

You then have Cabinteely or St Laurences, neither of which have great reputations, depending on who you speak to.

A lot of kids in the area get the bus to Newpark as well.

Killiney is huge, although the majority of it isn't actually Killiney. Killiney is more a state of mind than an actual place!

Personally, I love the Sandycove/Glasthule area.

Larbre34

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Killiney is more a state of mind than an actual place!

Thanks Fred O'Carroll-Kelly

bullvine

Hi,

I'm from Dun Laoghaire, but lived in Greystones for two years, I currently live in Killiney(Ballylliney actually..) I have two kids.

-Johnstown school is a very good primary school, as is the one in Glasthule, can't think of the name of it
-Non Fee paying Girls Secondary are not great in the area, my daughter will be going to Cluny, 4k a year roughly
-Most of my nephews have gone to Clonkeen which is a very good secondary school and not fee paying, that's were my son will go.
-Dalkey is fantastic town, it has everything you could want but the price for a house there is crazy even for rent but if you have the money its the place to live in the south side.
-Cabinteely village is also a beautiful town.
-There's also the likes of Bayview and Seafield near Killiney which are full of 3 bed semi-d's, and are nice places to live near the dart line and full of young families

Greystones is almost like the Dalkey of Wicklow, it has a lot in it and a beautiful location but the distance from the city can become a problem. It also has a lot of young people there now since Charlesland was built. I loved living there as I worked in Sandyford at the time and it only took 25 mins to get to work if you left at the right time. If I had worked in the city it would have been different.

Cheers,

bullvine

jessie7 wrote: »

Thanks ted1. Does Killiney have a centre or village other than the shopping centre?

With regards to the schools I guess the kids will be travelling no matter where we go...well one will since we have one girl, one boy!

Killiney Shopping Centre is not really in Killiney, the village of Killiney is tiny.

rubadub

Greystones would be last on my list, and dun laoghaire second last.

Agree with above, lots of names are confusing, you will have estate agents etc trying to call every where killiney to bump up the value.

You can check addresses online

http://correctaddress.anpost.ie/pages/Search.aspx

killiney shopping centre is

rochestown avenue,
dun laoghaire,
co dublin


Ballybrack shopping centre shows as

ballybrack,
glenegeary,
co dublin

It can be annoying as some people seem to think you are pretentious or showing off by stating your correct postal address if it happens to be killiney or dalkey.

jessie7

I generally don't spend any time in these areas other than weekend afternoon visits so all this advice is much appreciated.

Tbh I don't really get the attraction with Killiney, I think I must be missing something. It seems quite spread out and without a proper village. Is it seen to be a good area due to proximity to beach and Dalkey? Or is it something else?

From an outsiders prospective Dun Laoghaire has potential and more affordable. While I see town centre is quite run down, the upcoming seafront amenities like the library and baths make it more of an attractive area to be at least close to in the future, esp with kids. What are the major downsides of Dun Laoghaire?

Are Glenegeary/Glasthule good compromise between DL and Sandycove/Dalkey?

Thanks!

bullvine

jessie7 wrote: »

I generally don't spend any time in these areas other than weekend afternoon visits so all this advice is much appreciated.

Tbh I don't really get the attraction with Killiney, I think I must be missing something. It seems quite spread out and without a proper village. Is it seen to be a good area due to proximity to beach and Dalkey? Or is it something else?

From an outsiders prospective Dun Laoghaire has potential and more affordable. While I see town centre is quite run down, the upcoming seafront amenities like the library and baths make it more of an attractive area to be at least close to in the future, esp with kids. What are the major downsides of Dun Laoghaire?

Are Glenegeary/Glasthule good compromise between DL and Sandycove/Dalkey?

Thanks!

As other posters have said, Killiney has become this massive area spreading from the fringes of Glenageary to Shankill to Cabinteely. That said there's a lot of nice areas and this is the attraction.

Glasthule has some nice areas as well, the former council houses are nice in Glasthule and it has real sense of community but like all council areas I'd do some research on your neighbor's before buying.

Dun Laoghaire seafront is fantastic, check out the park on a Sunday but the Main Street is a disaster, I could use other words but its really that bad. It wouldn't be the ideal place to bring up kids personally.

At the end of the day its really about price, if your gonna rent or buy, it depends on how much you're able to afford.

Larbre34

I think its a bit far fetched to say that because Dun Laoghaire's main street is in a shabby state that its a bad place to bring up kids, youre hardly going to live on the main street and the surrounding areas are lovely and quiet and great for transport.

The thread has made me realise though that the closure in the last 3 decades of Dominican Convent Secondary, CBS Eblana Avenue and Presentation Glasthule has taken a very important element of the community out of the Dun Laoghaire locality and thats secondary school involvement and interaction. Assuming the homes in DL turn over and more young families return, there isnt secondary school closer than Dalkey (but not for boys) or Monkstown (but not for girls)

bullvine

Larbre34 wrote: »

I think its a bit far fetched to say that because Dun Laoghaire's main street is in a shabby state that its a bad place to bring up kids, youre hardly going to live on the main street and the surrounding areas are lovely and quiet and great for transport.

The thread has made me realise though that the closure in the last 3 decades of Dominican Convent Secondary, CBS Eblana Avenue and Presentation Glasthule has taken a very important element of the community out of the Dun Laoghaire locality and thats secondary school involvement and interaction. Assuming the homes in DL turn over and more young families return, there isnt secondary school closer than Dalkey (but not for boys) or Monkstown (but not for girls)

Out of interest, Where in the actual town of Dun Laoghaire would you like to bring up a young family?

jessie7

OK thanks all. That's interesting about the lack of secondary schools in DL.

bullvine wrote: »

Out of interest, Where in the actual town of Dun Laoghaire would you like to bring up a young family?

Well, that's it, I don't know. From visiting the area I was thinking the area near Glasthule seems nice. This area would probably work as a mid-point if I have a girl and a boy both going to secondary schools in opposite directions!

Shame that none of these areas have both boys and girls secondary schools. I guess that is why Blackrock is popular as it seems to serve both. We were considering Greystones as it has it all in the same area but distance to town might be an issue.

Larbre34

bullvine wrote: »

Out of interest, Where in the actual town of Dun Laoghaire would you like to bring up a young family?

Anywhere off Tivoli Road, Tivoli Terraces, Clarinda Park, anywhere off Summerhill on the way to Glasthule. Northumberland Ave, Mulgrave, Corrig Ave, Adelaide Street or Mellifont Avenue, anywhere between Crofton Road and the back of the hospital.

Many big roomy family homes all out of my price range, if I was gifted one tomorrow for my family to live in Id bite their hand off.

Fratton Fred

jessie7 wrote: »

OK thanks all. That's interesting about the lack of secondary schools in DL.


Well, that's it, I don't know. From visiting the area I was thinking the area near Glasthule seems nice. This area would probably work as a mid-point if I have a girl and a boy both going to secondary schools in opposite directions!

Shame that none of these areas have both boys and girls secondary schools. I guess that is why Blackrock is popular as it seems to serve both. We were considering Greystones as it has it all in the same area but distance to town might be an issue.

There are scores of kids from DL, Glasthule, glenageary, Dalkey and Killiney that go to school at St Andrews. It's the nearest fee paying mixed school and an easy walk from Booterstown station.

It's quite amusing in the mornings, all the Blackrock kids have their carriage and the Andrews kids their one.

Larbre34

Fratton Fred wrote: »

There are scores of kids from DL, Glasthule, glenageary, Dalkey and Killiney that go to school at St Andrews. It's the nearest fee paying mixed school and an easy walk from Booterstown station.

It's quite amusing in the mornings, all the Blackrock kids have their carriage and the Andrews kids their one.

For a moment there this popped into my head, and it didn't register as unreasonable!

bullvine

Larbre34 wrote: »

Anywhere off Tivoli Road, Tivoli Terraces, Clarinda Park, anywhere off Summerhill on the way to Glasthule. Northumberland Ave, Mulgrave, Corrig Ave, Adelaide Street or Mellifont Avenue, anywhere between Crofton Road and the back of the hospital.

Many big roomy family homes all out of my price range, if I was gifted one tomorrow for my family to live in Id bite their hand off.

Yeah, out of most peoples price range and not exactly ideal place for kids to be play on the street and meet new kids their age.

Fratton Fred

Larbre34 wrote: »

For a moment there this popped into my head, and it didn't register as unreasonable!

You wouldn't expect the young scholars of Blackrock and Andrew's to travel any other way, surely.!