Advice on Killester area

dbs103

Hi. I'm looking for any advice that can be offered.

Myself and my partner are looking in different areas to buy a property. We have seen a property in Killester/Donnycarney but know nothing about the area. The property is on Clanawley road. Is this a nice area, is it safe? It\'s seems to be an easy commute into town and a short walk to Clontarf so things like shops,pubs etc. being on our doorstep aren't too important.

From what I've read online there seems to be mixed opinions on the area so any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks.

spurious

'Full of old people' would be my impression of it. I've never heard anyone describe Killester as in any way dangerous, unless in danger of falling asleep.

I would imagine parking is the usual curse thanks to the train station and the FE college.

As safe as anywhere else in Dublin, though I'm never sure what people mean when they ask is a place safe.

Samuel T. Cogley

Donnybrook has very poor public order - google doesn't always give you the full picture. Killester is absolutely fine and actually bordring on quite posh in places.

dbs103

Thanks for the replies.

Being a "quiet" area wouldn't really bother us, it would make a nice change to the student town we currently live in.

Samuel T. Cogley- when you say poor public order what do you mean, gangs of scumbags hanging around or drunken people loudly making their way home at closing time or break-ins?

Samuel T. Cogley

Donnybrook is quite a nice area of Dublin (and no where near Killester). It has a lot of Public order issues becuase of Students and pubs. I was simply making the point that it's very difficult to judge any area in Dublin by what you read online.

Killester is settled and middle class.

dbs103

ok, sorry I assumed it was a typo of Donnycarney.

Point taken though.

Joe prim

Just be aware that Killester and Donnycarney are two separate and very diferent areas, although like e.g Glasnevin and Finglas, where the boundary lies can depend on the honesty of the EA you're dealing with. The former is a very settled (and nowadays quite expensive) enclave, mostly consisting of former "soldiers and sailors" houses built for returnees from WW1. The latter is an old corporation estate, now fairly settled, but around the "clans" roads, it was quite rough around the edges in its day.

Samuel T. Cogley

dbs103 wrote: »

ok, sorry I assumed it was a typo of Donnycarney.

Point taken though.

D5 is a flippin' bargain if you get the right place. Don't be put off by Dublin property snobbery, throughly reseach the area. Go and hang round at night etc. It's well worth checking anywhere out properly.

Clanawley Road is lovely. Very quiet area. Never saw any problems in around that Collins Ave East area and I used to be there very frequently between visiting friends and attending the college.

dbs103

budgese...

Thanks for that, good to know.

humberklog

The Clan... estate had a bad name way back in the 70's and I think this still resonates in some people's minds but's a great settled and welcoming area now with a brilliant location re city and suburban amenities.

Clanawley Rd. at that end of the Clans would be the pick of the bunch too with Killester village and Dart on your doorstep.

I did notice it being called Clontarf West on an estate agent's site...now that's a bit of a push:pac:.

Samuel T. Cogley

humberklog wrote: »

I did notice it being called Clontarf West on an estate agent's site...now that's a bit of a push:pac:.

Well I enjoy my South Sutton residence (1 minute walk from the Kilbarrack Dart station). :P

humberklog

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Well I enjoy my South Sutton residence (1 minute walk from the Kilbarrack Dart station). :P

As I do in my South Malahide des res beside the Airport Hilton:)

odyssey06

That should read west OF clontarf... east of java. Maybe.

ixoy

I'm near there and, while I don't walk down that particular road much any time that I did it seemed quite nice. Very quiet. The nearby area is quiet and, as you say, very handy for the DART and SuperValu.

whiskeyman

Nice area and good local facilities.
I'd try hard to get a better feel for the area yourselves before committing to purchasing. Drive around, park up and walk and even talk to locals.
Best of luck

Rumpy Pumpy

Killester is lovely.

bren2001

My only concern with that road would be parking, extremely busy with the DART station there. Lovely area and great amenities.

dbs103

@whiskeyman... we've driven around the area a couple of times and it seemed like a nice area, we'll definitely look around at night and walk around to get a feel for the place before we'd seriously consider making an offer on anything around the area.

Unfortunately the offers have gone a crazy amount over the asking price and more than we'd be willing to pay. All to common lately.

There is another few nearby on Clanranald and Clanree road, people have said that it used to be quite rough.

Any thoughts on that area and what to expect nowadays?

Thanks again for all the responses, they've been a great help.

spurious

The young lads that gave this area a reputation of being 'rough' are now in their 60s. It's the same with lots of areas - they change.

I wouldn't have any issue buying anywhere off that end of Collins Avenue, though Parnell park crowds might annoy me further up. Like I said, I would imagine it will be parking is the pain in the bum.

dbs103

Some of the houses have a driveway so parking shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Samuel T. Cogley

The entire area all the way up to Baldoyle is settled and extremely well covered with amenities. If you look at the map anything on the coast side of the DART line is fine and runs from very settled working class areas to millionaires row. In Kilbarrack *some* areas over the DART line are a little bit rougher, we're talking a bit of yelling on a Friday night once in a blue moon. Technically that's Raheny but I digress. *Some* areas in Raheny and Harmonstown are going to be the rougher end of working class. The further from the coast you go is a good rule of thumb.

Anything closer to town than Raheny/Harmonstown is middle class, settled and frankly pretty bloody expensive. Other than retreating to the absolute fringes of South Co. Dublin suburbs you really are not going to find 'nicer' places. Even Clontarf will have the odd little knacker that's got lost hanging around from time to time, they're absolutely nothing to worry about.

dbs103

@Samuel T. Cogley... Thanks a million for the advice, really helpful as I know nothing about the northside.

Decuc500

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

In Kilbarrack *some* areas over the DART line are a little bit rougher, we're talking a bit of yelling on a Friday night once in a blue moon. Technically that's Raheny but I digress. *Some* areas in Raheny and Harmonstown are going to be the rougher end of working class. The further from the coast you go is a good rule of thumb.

I live in Raheny, very near to Kilbarrack. There aren't any rough parts in Raheny that I can think of.

It's pretty much all middle class and settled down.

Samuel T. Cogley

Decuc500 wrote: »

I live in Raheny, very near to Kilbarrack. There aren't any rough parts in Raheny that I can think of.

It's pretty much all middle class and settled down.

I'm not suggesting it's rough as is someone will get beaten up or robbed, simply that it's the rougher side of working class. I not an expert of parish boundaries but to me once you cross over the tracks you're in Raheny (Edenmore predominantly). To be fair I'm happy to be corrected on the exact street.

This house is an example of what I mean. It's probably perfectly fine living there but it is going to be a rougher crowd like myself. Now I won't rob you but if your dog ****s on my law it'll get a kick in the arse.

3 bed house though for under 200K on the DART line. Bargain.

Decuc500

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

I'm not suggesting it's rough as is someone will get beaten up or robbed, simply that it's the rougher side of working class. I not an expert of parish boundaries but to me once you cross over the tracks you're in Raheny (Edenmore predominantly). To be fair I'm happy to be corrected on the exact street.

This house is an example of what I mean. It's probably perfectly fine living there but it is going to be a rougher crowd like myself. Now I won't rob you but if your dog ****s on my law it'll get a kick in the arse.

3 bed house though for under 200K on the DART line. Bargain.

I'm not being snobby but Edenmore is Edenmore and Kilbarrack is Kilbarrack. Raheny, even the part I'm in near Kilbarrack dart station, is nowhere near the rougher side of working class.

That house is at the dart station and ok, rough enough. The other side of the school is Grange Park Raheny. An old estate, middle class, middle income.

Samuel T. Cogley

Decuc500 wrote: »

I'm not being snobby but Edenmore is Edenmore and Kilbarrack is Kilbarrack. Raheny, even the part I'm in near Kilbarrack dart station, is nowhere near the rougher side of working class.

That house is at the dart station and ok, rough enough. The other side of the school is Grange Park Raheny. An old estate, middle class, middle income.

We can debate whether edenmore is in Raheny or Kilbarrack but it doesn't change the fact that some areas very close to (I say in) Raheny are working class. The area around KB dart is absolutely working class and I say that with no aspersions what so ever, I'm working class. The area and people are lovely.

Samuel T. Cogley

Actually I'll have to concede Edenmore:

On 1 July 1966, Raheny and Killester reemerged as separate parishes, though somewhat changed from their old boundaries, and Edenmore was organised as a further parish, taking in some land from Coolock-Artane parish also.

Raheny was reduced in scale by the erection of Grange Park as a new parish in 1971 and in turn, Donaghmede parish was formed from the northern area of this in 1974. Later changes included the development of Foxfield-St. John (begun in 1971 from Bayside, itself a division of Kilbarrack from part of another large Union, which took in the ancient territories of Howth and Sutton, as well as Baldoyle, for which it was named) as a new parish, later renamed Kilbarrack-Foxfield.

In July 2007, Edenmore and Grange Park parishes were placed under a single Parish Priest.

corwill

I moved in around the corner from Clanawley Road a few months ago, and we're delighted with the area. Very quiet, feels safe as houses. Loads of amenities within a short walk or 5 minute drive, and it's superbly served by public transport, both Dart and buses.

Haven't had the stones to wander into the Ramble Inn yet, looks as rough as a badger's hoop. It's almost comically out of place! I walk the extra couple of minutes down to the Beachcomber. I'll have to summon up the courage to go into the Ramble at some stage, though, it's only a 4 minute walk from me.

humberklog

The Ramble is surprisingly sound. It wouldn't be the most exciting but friendly enough. The Beachcomber is grand but a bit bland?

Another 10 minutes walk and you're in Harry Byrne's which is a bit posh but lively and the other direction is The Goblet which is a well run boozer. Good laugh when there's a band on in the lounge.

odyssey06

humberklog wrote: »

The Ramble is surprisingly sound. It wouldn't be the most exciting but friendly enough. The Beachcomber is grand but a bit bland?

Food in the Beachcomber has gone up a notch since the Dorans restaurant opened up, but I'd prefer Harrys for a drink or watching a game.
I haven't checked out Dorans wine \ tapas bar yet.