Moving to dalkey

Cyrus

Hi all

the cyrus family are leaving blackrock after 12 years and moving to dalkey.

we dont know dalkey all that well save for a few strolls through the village and the general opinion for anyone that we have spoken to that its a great place to raise a family.

it suits location wise and we have purchased our dream house so all good on that front.

i realise that blackrock is only a 10 min drive away but we do like to keep on foot at the weekends if we can.

our new gaff is around a 10 min walk to the village, close to the fitzpatricks hotel.

So what im wondering is:

Wheres the best kids playground? - is it the one just down from the hotel?

Wheres the best cafe (with a little space & tolerance for kids) - the old star bucks (i know know ) in blackrock was great that was in the post office. i dont think there is anywhere of a similar size in dalkey?

Any decent book shops? - again the dubray in blackrock is great esp for kids

is there a library ? - new blackrock library is nice and again a nice place to take our daughter for a little while

wheres the best beach to take her ? just for general exploring, sandcastle building etc?

Any decent hand wash car wash around?

anything else i should be aware of?

thanks, and sorry if the questions are a little inane

ted1

Cyrus wrote: »

Hi all

the cyrus family are leaving blackrock after 12 years and moving to dalkey.

we dont know dalkey all that well save for a few strolls through the village and the general opinion for anyone that we have spoken to that its a great place to raise a family.

it suits location wise and we have purchased our dream house so all good on that front.

i realise that blackrock is only a 10 min drive away but we do like to keep on foot at the weekends if we can.

our new gaff is around a 10 min walk to the village, close to the fitzpatricks hotel.

So what im wondering is:

Wheres the best kids playground? - is it the one just down from the hotel?

Wheres the best cafe (with a little space & tolerance for kids) - the old star bucks (i know know ) in blackrock was great that was in the post office. i dont think there is anywhere of a similar size in dalkey?

Any decent book shops? - again the dubray in blackrock is great esp for kids

is there a library ? - new blackrock library is nice and again a nice place to take our daughter for a little while

wheres the best beach to take her ? just for general exploring, sandcastle building etc?

Any decent hand wash car wash around?

anything else i should be aware of?

thanks, and sorry if the questions are a little inane

For playgrounds you have Killiney hill ( beside the castle) , Hyde park ( beside Cuala GAA club by the village ) there is a big slide in ballinclea heights.

The castle is also a good place to go with kids for a coffee or something stronger. The dungeon bar there is the best place in the area to watch matches with kids.

MUGS in Dalkey is good and takes kids. The tea rooms half way up Killiney hill is also nice but not as kid friendly as the others. Idle Wilde further up the village is nice, and select stores at the top of the village is a great health food shop/cafe.

Bookshops I'm not sure off, there is a library on the Main Street in the village and the lexicon in Dun laoighre isn't to far, the metals is s nice track to walk or cycle on.

I'm not sure of car washes.

Cyrus

ted1 wrote: »

For playgrounds you have Killiney hill ( beside the castle) , Hyde park ( beside Cuala GAA club by the village ) there is a big slide in ballinclea heights.

The castle is also a good place to go with kids for a coffee or something stronger.
MUGS in Dalkey is good and takes kids. The tea rooms half way up Killiney hill is also nice but not as kid friendly as the others. Idle Wilde further up the village is nice, and select stores at the top of the village is a great health food shop/cafe.

Bookshops I'm not sure off, there is a library on the Main Street in the village and the lexicon in Dun laoighre isn't to far, the metals is s nice track to walk or cycle on.

I'm not sure of car washes.

thanks!

when you say the castle you mean the hotel?

also i hear there is a nice pool in there, presume you join a leisure club or something? if so anyone any idea on price?

just googled the library, looks good!

ted1

Cyrus wrote: »

thanks!

when you say the castle you mean the hotel?

also i hear there is a nice pool in there, presume you join a leisure club or something? if so anyone any idea on price?

just googled the library, looks good!

Yes , Castle =Hotel
My wife is a member of the leisure centre there, think she pays 50 euro a month, the reason she choose there is that they have a crèche which you can book your kid into while you work out or swim. The kids also do swimming lessons there.

schemingbohemia

You can also use the pool in Castle Park school, though they've cut back the public hours there a lot in recent years.

The Gutter Bookshop (across from Finnegans) is very good with great kids selection and the library is great. The one time we went to Idle Wilde with friends with children they weren't very accommodating, though it was busy they didn't seem to want to know.

Fratton Fred

play grounds, as Ted said regards Killiney Hill and Cuala.

It is hard to beat Sandycove for building sandcastles. As soon as the schools break up for summer though, it becomes stupidly packed on hot days. You can also explore the rock pools by the 40 foot or go Seal spotting at Bulloch.

The Tramyard is pretty kid friendly, provided it isn't too busy and on warmer days, there is even more space with the courtyard. Mugs does the best coffee though, if you like it strong!

If you're looking for a swimming pool, the Castlepark School has a good one but I had heard they are stopping open swims and making it club only, maybe someone can confirm this.

No book shops, but the library is very kid friendly and my (not so) little one used to love going there and hiring her own book, with her own card. You do, of course, have a err rather large library in Dun Laoghaire as well.

ted1

The tramyard closed in the summer.

Fratton Fred

ted1 wrote: »

The tramyard closed in the summer.

Did it? I didn't know that. (Obviously).

Is that as part of the redevelopment?

Spanish Eyes

FGS who would move anywhere without checking all this stuff out first.

I am stunned.

But then again I am a planner!

Best of luck OP. I have no kids so no comment on the playground!

HandsomeDan

It's a rough area. Watch youself at night. Dont leave belongings visible in the car when unnatended. The Queens Steak Room is a no go on dole day and on childrens allowance day it's best to stay indoors.

Spanish Eyes

HandsomeDan wrote: »

It's a rough area. Watch youself at night. Dont leave belongings visible in the car when unnatended. The Queens Steak Room is a no go on dole day and on childrens allowance day it's best to stay indoors.

The worst part is all the fag ends at the Coliemore Harbour binoculars. The minging sods. And a solar powered bin behind them.

Lazy bstards.

ted1

HandsomeDan wrote: »

It's a rough area. Watch youself at night. Dont leave belongings visible in the car when unnatended. The Queens Steak Room is a no go on dole day and on childrens allowance day it's best to stay indoors.

^^ OP in case you didn't realise this poster is trying to be funny

ted1

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Did it? I didn't know that. (Obviously).

Is that as part of the redevelopment?

Kind of, the place was closed because they didn't have a fire cert. rumour is that it was the receiver that used it as away to get rid of them.

Cyrus

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

FGS who would move anywhere without checking all this stuff out first.

I am stunned.

But then again I am a planner!

Best of luck OP. I have no kids so no comment on the playground!

Er I was focusing on the more important stuff like schools, commute , safety and the house I was buying

Coffee shops and car washes weren't top of the list

rubadub

Fratton Fred wrote: »

It is hard to beat Sandycove for building sandcastles. As soon as the schools break up for summer though, it becomes stupidly packed on hot days. You can also explore the rock pools by the 40 foot or go Seal spotting at Bulloch.

sandycove can get full of drunken robbing scumbag teens when really busy. White rock is good except for the steps.

I know a mates kid feeds the seals at bullock, I have been down there and seen them all in. Not sure how it works, might be fishermen with scrap bits of fish.

HandsomeDan wrote: »

It's a rough area.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/graphic-content-footage-emerges-of-brutal-dalkey-knife-attack-35331714.html
"For a few minutes (on Christmas Eve night) it was like downtown Aleppo with the roaring and shouting, sirens, ambulances and squad cars. All this lasted two hours and 20 minutes."