Moving to Carlow

Snaffles2014

Hi there,

We are looking to move to Carlow in the next year or so and we do not really know the area that well so looking to find out what areas are nice, and maybe some areas to avoid. Two kids in primary school so anywhere that is kid friendly etc. but really just looking to find out where is best and close enough to town if possible.

Also, any new developments being planned, where would we find out about that?

Nokia6230i

First off welcome to Carlow lad for when it happens; secondly I suggest you subscribe to the Nationalist; it's our local weekly compact (can't call it a tabloid) newspaper & can be read online as well's purchased for €2.70 & delivered in Carlow (during C19 anyway) for same price.

From Court Reports to Council Notes you'll get a good feel for the town; we've also got Carlow Live (online only & since August 2019 but since 3rd of June it seems to've ceased publishing) and, to a lesser extent, Carlow People & our local station is constituency based KCLR 96 FM; primary shows there'd be KCLR Live M-F 10am-12 Noon & The Way It Is 5:30-7 or as it has been during C19 4-6pm.

It has a perceived particular political leaning however....

As for areas for your kids I'll pass on that one; I'm a no kid person & in any case I was south of the county originally but'm now an adopted townie for over a decade having lived here between 97 - 99 too when I was going to local RTC; now the IT.

Rough areas? Reluctant to name any but there are certain town centre streets and one or two developments off some of them that're rather dubious to say the least & when you see a 2 Bedroom Duplex Apt. going for €47 Grand a year ago.....; some bigger ones too but I'll see what ones crop up.

Also bear in mind our county town is split geographically & politically with Co. Laois; something to remember when you're voting/registering/transferring; examples of mixed estates would be in Graiguecullen where in some estates houses & indeed businesses're rate paying to Laois & others Carlow; differential rents for some (higher) to one LA than the other.

There are a number of student housing developments in pipeline; can think of 3 that've been granted PP in past year or two including last week; the town is tight in terms of rentals with 3-4 beds going for €800-€1600 depending on area; an advantage of being a county town though is that by time you move here we **will** have a two route cross town bus service.........

Areas up round Sandhills're quite nice; I call it the Beverly Hills of Carlow but those here longer than I might say that's Browneshill; both are quite close (walking 5-10 minutes in some cases) to Presentation Secondary School & Askea Boys & Girls National Schools.

Areas to avoid I'll be interested to hear as I could name some already but you never know who's lurking round these parts sadly......

Fwiw the IT has 7,700 Full & Part Time students (unsure re staff); majority're based locally obviously (approx. guess is 5,000?) so that can affect buy to let purchase prices & you are competing with that market; flip side of that is most of such accommodation has already been bought up & some areas on Kilkenny Rd. side're quite settled & residents quite used to the annual influx of 3rd Level students; it has a thriving enough night life as a result albeit there's only one night club in town.

UNUM & MSD'd be biggest employers in town; MSD is expanding & already employs about 500; the hand-wringing that continues re Lapple & Braun closures needs to be balanced against success of MSD locally.

Oglesby & Butler, Autoimage & Burnside in the town & county'd be big employers too.

We've all the main supermarkets, corner shops, convenience stores & shopping centres that any regional town worth its salt has & a number of business parks on Wexford Rd., Dublin Rd. etc. too with decent local hotels too.

Real Life

Theres many nice areas and many not so nice areas but I think to be able to answer your questions or give better advice it would be helpful to know a bit more like:

Do you have a school picked for the kids?
If not, what kind of school would you be looking for?
Would you like to live in town, at the edge of town or outside town?
Have you got work lined up or can you say what area you work in?

Theres definitely areas to avoid but as Nokia6230i has said id be reluctant to say because you could have other posters on here who will argue against it or whatever and that wont be helpful to you.

If you've been looking at houses in certain areas but are unsure feel free to drop me a private message if you want to know about it, if I can help I will.

Delirah

If I were to buy a house in Carlow again I would choose Browneshill, Pollerton or Dublin Rd area. Or if looking further outside the town Killeshin or Palatine.

Feel free to pm.

ScallionAyter

Areas to avoid depends on what you want to avoid.

Top of my list would be avoiding student parties, so avoid housing estates near the college. Green Road does look like a lovely road, but I'd only consider a one off house in that location.

If you want to avoid flooding events and an uninsurable house then stay away from houses near the Burrin or Barrow.

If you want to avoid litter and nocturnal boy racers stay away from housing near retail parks.

If you want to avoid anti-social types then have a read of the addresses mentioned in the court reports...its the same in every town - areas with a concentration of social housing.

The safest bets in my opinion are Green Lane, Oak Park, Castlecomer Road and Green Road.

kalkat2002

Similar situation here...wife to work in tullow st and kids to go to education together
Any recomended house estate in that north area or near
Also what place would you recommend for housing/living between tullow,borris and muinebheag
Regards

Delirah

Castle Oaks on Dublin Road maybe?

Real Life

kalkat2002 wrote: »

Similar situation here...wife to work in tullow st and kids to go to education together
Any recomended house estate in that north area or near
Also what place would you recommend for housing/living between tullow,borris and muinebheag
Regards

I would think if your kids were going to Educate Together and your wife working on Tullow St maybe tullow,borris and muinebheag might not be the areas to be looking to live.

Theres a number of different areas/estate around a lot closer to them.
Castle Oaks as previously mentioned, also the Graiguecullen area might be more suitable with estate like Brotherton, Heather Hill, Rochfort Manor, Crossneen Manor, Highfield Manor or maybe some houses along the Killeshin Rd.

mneylon

ScallionAyter wrote: »

If you want to avoid flooding events and an uninsurable house then stay away from houses near the Burrin or Barrow.

yeah and some of the insurers have essentially flagged the entire town as a flood risk, which makes getting insurance a lot of "fun"

kalkat2002

Thanks all 4 the info I appreciatte it regarding carlow

My second question wasn't clear sorry...

If you could choose destination what place would you recommend for housing/living between tullow,borris and muinebheag with two kids

Regards

byhookorbycrook

At the risk of leaving myself open to the Muinebheag Mafia, it wouldn't be my choice.

Nokia6230i

kalkat2002 wrote: »

Thanks all 4 the info I appreciatte it regarding carlow

My second question wasn't clear sorry...

If you could choose destination what place would you recommend for housing/living between tullow,borris and muinebheag with two kids

Regards

Borris but only or mainly because I'm from there!

"The Tech" to give the nod to Borris Vocational School is quite progressive & presents itself well online in terms of extra-curricular activiites & the National School is in the centre of the village.

Public transport is c**p; 2 Buses to Kilkenny & 2 back daily for 6 days.

Local Links do serve the village though but these're subject to demand.

Borris House, Clashganny, River Barrow in general are on your doorstep.

Grand Pubs like (O') Sheas, Joyces & Bobs Bar not to mention the Stephouse & Clashganny Restaurant.

Petrol Station top of the village, Centra (O'Sheas) which has an Offy in middle & Brophys down the bottom.

Decent bit of business to be done; Mart, Keenans, Borris Agri Sales, Boramic Candles, Kellys of Borris (Agri Machinery, Steelworks etc.), Beauticians, Hairdressers etc.

Wouldn't be gone on Bagenalstown tbh but it does offer more in terms of ALDI, Supervalu & PP secured for a LIDL & it has a decent industrial/business park & Connollys Hardware & Walshes Hardward on Royal Oak not to mention Doyles Royal Oak Stores & Pres. DLS & Vocational School etc. plus there's an unmanned, an unstaffed train station too.