Basically, what is Parnell sq local community like?

audray

Hello Dubliners,
We are a couple in our early thirties moving to Parnell sq (NW) from London next month. We heard a lot about how rough this area is but would like to understand why is that? We get that there are junkies around and it might not be as posh/ pretty as Ranelagh but is it really a 'no go zone' after dark? We use to live near Whitechapel/ Bethnal green in London and imagine Parnell to be something similar. It seems unreal that somewhere central like Rotunda, with museum and theatre around, can be that bad. 
While on here, would love to ear your view on local life, coffees, restaurant, pub worth trying. Basically, what is Parnell sq local community like?
Cheers& ;)

wakka12

Imo people, especially people on boards, vastly exaggerate how dangerous dublin is. I am regularly in Dublin, north south of city, day and night, never ever experienced the slight bit of trouble..yes there can be an unsafe vibe created by many of the characters in the city, undoubtedly, but honestly I think most will not harm you or be aggressive
Robbery/assault are no more common here than london, Im sure bad areas and good areas of dublin are roughly equivalent to londons bad and good areas in terms of safety

wakka12

And I dont know whether youre intending to live in parnell square area for long but over the next few years the new national library will be built there, and the georgians gardens restored to their original layout/appearance, and the whole square in general restored as a 'cultural quarter'. Itll bring a lot of tourists to the area and much more footfall to the area..gentrification..safer area overall..

audray

Thank you Wakka. Thats very good to know. Sounds exciting for Dublin city centre!

strandroad

It won't give you a warm fuzzy feeling but it's grand (grand means fine here BTW). People wise it's a mix of a very transient renting population and salt of the earth social housing types. Addicts too but I wouldn't worry, just look after your bike and your phone. It's close to everywhere plus has really good transport options, and there's plenty of eateries and shops around of the not-posh variety. I like Capel St nearby for that.

Victor

It can be hard to see a community in Parnell Square as it is overlaid by the huge number of people who travel through the area every day. The residents of the area are very mixed, with about 50% Irish and the rest a bit of everything. Social class varies a lot and there are some very deprived pockets in the area. Being a busy commercial area, everything is pretty much on your door step.

If you are living on the square itself, be aware that there are quite a few bus stops and there are services for 18 hours a day. Luas services are expected to start on 9 December.

wakka12 wrote: »

And I dont know whether youre intending to live in parnell square area for long but over the next few years the new national library will be built there, and the georgians gardens restored to their original layout/appearance,

What are you basing this on?

L1011

Victor wrote: »

What are you basing this on?

City central library, to leave the ILAC.

http://parnellsquare.ie/about-the-project/city-library-services/

wakka12

Victor wrote: »

It can be hard to see a community in Parnell Square as it is overlaid by the huge number of people who travel through the area every day. The residents of the area are very mixed, with about 50% Irish and the rest a bit of everything. Social class varies a lot and there are some very deprived pockets in the area. Being a busy commercial area, everything is pretty much on your door step.

If you are living on the square itself, be aware that there are quite a few bus stops and there are services for 18 hours a day. Luas services are expected to start on 9 December.

What are you basing this on?

What do you mean basing this on? The national library is moving from ilac centre to parnell square and parnell square itself will be decluttered of the rotunda hospital buildings(the ones which arent protected structures) eventually as the hospital is also moving from there.
Plenty of articles online about it
Its been granted planning permission also

alastair

audray wrote: »

... but is it really a 'no go zone' after dark?

It’s not. Don’t listen to the scaremongers who really have no idea what living in the city is like. As mentioned, the Square is going to be given a dose of additional gentrification, but even without any of that, it’s a safe place, if lacking in a real sense of community on account of mix of offices, businesses, tenants and owner occupiers not really having any significant common shared space to bond in. It’s a busy coming and going kinda place.

Victor

wakka12 wrote: »

The national library is moving from ilac centre

City Library.

http://parnellsquare.ie/about-the-project/city-library-services/

The Coláiste Mhuire site at 23 – 28 Parnell Square offers an opportunity to provide the contemporary library service which the new City Library will need

cgcsb

OP if you're coming from London, then nowhere in Dublin is going to feel 'unsafe' for you. Irish people who say that on boards about parts of Dublin are mostly Irish country folk who get their first taste of urbanism in Dublin. Remember Ireland is the most ruralized society in Europe, approx. 40% of our population live in rural areas because we never had an industrial revolution. So basically country bumpkins will tell you it's 'mad' because the main street in their village probably doesn't see many foreigners or the occasional addict(generally harmless folk truth be told).

You'll be fine. It's an edgy place (which I find much more interesting than the boring posh areas like Ballsbridge). I'd recommend the 147 deli Parnell St for lunch and the Lovin' Spoon Café North Frederick st for a chilled weekend full Irish breakfast. Parnell st also has REAL Chinese restaurants where actual Chinese people eat. The more common Irish-Chinese food is interesting too, get yourself a nice spicebag after a night out.

audray

Thank you for those valuable answers. It’s gold!

Dyr

Victor wrote: »

City Library.

http://parnellsquare.ie/about-the-project/city-library-services/

They've been working on that site for a looong time. Not suprised as those buildings must be close to falling down at this stage

Odd decision to relocate into them

cgcsb

Bambi wrote: »

They've been working on that site for a looong time. Not suprised as those buildings must be close to falling down at this stage

Odd decision to relocate into them

Well a private enterprise wouldn't take on such restoration work specifically because they're close to falling down so a public use or dereliction were probably the only options.

RasTa

Move to Ranelagh. Parnell sq is a mess. Although the hop house has good Korean food and regular Irish lads drinking Guinness from Korean barmen. Weed allowed to be smoked out the back.

Esel

RasTa wrote: »

Move to Ranelagh. Parnell sq is a mess. Although the hop house has good Korean food and regular Irish lads drinking Guinness from Korean barmen. Weed allowed to be smoked out the back.

With your username, I wouldn't have thought that would upset you.

gozunda

cgcsb wrote: »

OP if you're coming from London, then nowhere in Dublin is going to feel 'unsafe' for you. Irish people who say that on boards about parts of Dublin are mostly Irish country folk who get their first taste of urbanism in Dublin. Remember Ireland is the most ruralized society in Europe, approx. 40% of our population live in rural areas because we never had an industrial revolution. So basically country bumpkins will tell you it's 'mad' because the main street in their village probably doesn't see many foreigners or the occasional addict(generally harmless folk truth be told).

You'll be fine. It's an edgy place (which I find much more interesting than the boring posh areas like Ballsbridge). I'd recommend the 147 deli Parnell St for lunch and the Lovin' Spoon Café North Frederick st for a chilled weekend full Irish breakfast. Parnell st also has REAL Chinese restaurants where actual Chinese people eat. The more common Irish-Chinese food is interesting too, get yourself a nice spicebag after a night out.

:rolleyes: Beware of the Dublin / rural divide that is nowhere more celebrated than Dublin itself.

This goes back to the history of the "Pale" and a somewhat Dublin castle orientated view of the rest of the island...

The basics are is that when originally built - Parnell Square area was a Georgian square catering for the better off in society.

The move of more fashionable society to the South of the Liffey, saw many beautiful Georgian squares and streets falling in social status to the point that many Georgian houses became slums / tenements with large families renting and occupying single rooms often without sanitation or other basic facilities.

The tenements / slums were largely cleared in the 20th century and areas like Parnell Square although not directly affected fell into further decline with Georgian buildings being reused or demolished in some instances. What was left in surrounding areas became cheap bedsits or flats used by students etc. Many surroundings areas were used to provide social housing. Poverty and social issues once again became prevalent in many parts of the city including Parnell Square in the last couple of decades of the last century.

Happily the area appears to have improved in the last decade or so - whatever it's current rate however it definitely is not Grosvenor Square ...

Some good views of Parnell Squares Georgian heritage here

https://theirishaesthete.com/tag/parnell-square/

testaccount123

RasTa wrote: »

Move to Ranelagh. Parnell sq is a mess. Although the hop house has good Korean food and regular Irish lads drinking Guinness from Korean barmen. Weed allowed to be smoked out the back.

ermahgawd

RasTa

Esel wrote: »

With your username, I wouldn't have thought that would upset you.

No it doesn't bother me at all. Did surprise a few of the lads I brought in one day.

I remember Parnell Mooney's reggae night back in the day. Bouncers would walk over to ya "only rule we have here lads is don't roll your joints on the tables"

One place the smoking ban did actually kill.

Assetbacked

Luckily the trouble the Irish locals would potentially give is slowly but surely being silenced as there are a lot of foreigners in the area, it is so close to O'Connoll Street so there is a good Airbnb and general tourist sect about. One thing about the foreigners there is that they tend to cram at least two grown adults into one bedroom for dirt cheap rent so there are certain unpleasant looking ones around.

It's always different for women generally but I would have lived there no problem when we were searching for an apartment the past two months as I've never experienced any actual hassle or even lippy feral kids.

imme

Have you taken the chance to fly to Dublin and check out Parnell Square yourself OP?

An hours flight away from a city that you're moving to, would that not be sensible.

Parnell Square is not a no go area.

The Rotunda buildings and the Garden of Remembrance can lead to a feeling of a less than cohesive 'square'.

To start the shape is not quite square, it is not all flat, the northern end is more elevated then the southern end.
All in all it doesn't exactly feel like a square.

It has buildings of note, the northern end has a slightly monumental feel. There's a church and substantial gallery with world class exhibits, Rodin, Monet etc

There's a restaurant called chapter 1 which is regarded as one if the best in Dublin.
There are offices and residential in many of the converted Georgian houses.

But I don't feel there is a sense of community in the square given the fragmentation.