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Moving to Ratoath

duffalosoldier

Hi,

Did post similar message on a much older thread but advised to start a new one so sorry for any repetition....

We're considering relocating from Dublin to Ratoath and have our eye on the Steeplechase estate specifically. Would be keen to get peoples opinions and comments on the important considerations such as public transport, schools and kids facilities. Particularly keen to find out more about the latter. I cant get any information on nearby parks, playgrounds and general kids activities etc. which would be an important consideration for us. Has there been much recent improvements in recent years on things like supermarkets, pubs etc or has it stayed pretty much the same and what are peoples opions on the area and people itself?

Lastly, as we are not familiar with the area, Is the Steeplechase estate a nice place to raise kids? Seems to be little else available in Ratoath.

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tony1980

Hi all, may as well post in here instead of creating another moving to Ratoath thread.

I was just offered a job in Dublin, will be in the office in Merchants Quay about once a week and the rest of the time visiting clients around the greater Dublin area. My wife has some family friends living in Ratoath who have recommended we check it out. We have two young kids, 3 and 1 so places in a school would be a very important part of our decision. Has anyone who moved there recently in this thread have much information in regards to how they got on with schools?

Also, we are moving from Limerick so at the moment, all I have access to is daft.ie and I can't see many houses for rent in Ratoath on daft. Are there a lot more available through local auctioneers, etc and if so, Could someone recommend any auctioneers I could contact?

What are the average rental prices for a 3 bedroomed house in a nice estate in Ratoath?

Cheers :-)

Popmart97

Wow, some of the houses in there are quite nice too. Yeah the neighbours complaining about kids playing seems to be a common issue, not just in Ratoath. Bizarre. Well thanks for the advice, much appreciated!!

beetlebailey

I'd avoid Somerville estate... I'm living there nearly 10years........houses are very poorly built, suffers with limescale in the water, rubbish boiler, no insulation so always freezing cold. Alot of the residents don't seem to like kids playing in the estate either?!
Avoid!!

Popmart97

Like previous posters, me my girlfriend and our little girl are considering a move to Ratoath. I really like the place and its ideal considering we both work on the north side of the city.

We really like the look of Steeplechase, although it seems so built-up! Are there estates you could recommend or indeed any we should avoid?

Thanks!

Baggies

b318isp wrote: »

There is the original Ratoath National School - now divided into a junior and senior school. These are both on the same grounds but effectively run independently. I'm not impressed by the head-mistress of the junior school, but the teachers are good. The senior school is run better IMO.

There is also St. Paul's - a relatively new school. I have no direct experience of it, but haven't really heard anything significantly bad (other than parking and access difficulties).

Like any school, the catch often comes down to particular teachers. Some are better than others. We have had 4 children go through the National School - and I'd say that only one teacher would have been poor.

I hope that helps.

It does greatly, thank you for that.
You are correct, its down to the teachers but I feel that you need a strong head of school also but often its hard to get both and its the teachers that deal with the kids every day so thats the most important.

b318isp

Baggies wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, just looking for people's opinions on the primary schools?

There is the original Ratoath National School - now divided into a junior and senior school. These are both on the same grounds but effectively run independently. I'm not impressed by the head-mistress of the junior school, but the teachers are good. The senior school is run better IMO.

There is also St. Paul's - a relatively new school. I have no direct experience of it, but haven't really heard anything significantly bad (other than parking and access difficulties).

Like any school, the catch often comes down to particular teachers. Some are better than others. We have had 4 children go through the National School - and I'd say that only one teacher would have been poor.

I hope that helps.

Baggies

Thanks for the reply, just looking for people's opinions on the primary schools?

b318isp

Baggies wrote: »

Sorry for the thread revival, just looking for an update from those who moved down recently to see how they are getting on and those who were thinking of moving, did you go in the end?

We are very close to selling our house in south Dublin and making the move but we are just a bit cautious of the difference between the schools, I started a new thread about it in this section (Can't post the link as new user)

Not sure what you are specifically asking. There are 2 primary schools and one secondary school.

IMO, they are generally good - I'm particularly impressed with the secondary school (Ratoath College).

How they compare to schools you have used before is hard to say!

Baggies

Sorry for the thread revival, just looking for an update from those who moved down recently to see how they are getting on and those who were thinking of moving, did you go in the end?

We are very close to selling our house in south Dublin and making the move but we are just a bit cautious of the difference between the schools, I started a new thread about it in this section (Can't post the link as new user)

Celtic Runner

Cheers Obrieski, have arranged a house viewing for later in the week so will use that as a dummy run to gauge the commute

Obrieski

Celtic Runner wrote: »

My wife and I are considering making the move as well. We have been down for drives around different estates over the last few weeks to get a feel for the village and like it a lot. I work in the IFSC in Dublin City Centre and I'm going to give the after work commute a go this evening. Going to the get the train to the M3 Parkway and drive from there to the village. Could someone advise which station to get on at when leaving Dublin ? Cheers.

Sorry for the late response to you Celtic, the best bet is to get to the Docklands station as the M3 train goes direct from there everyday. Alternatively, considering you work in the IFSC, going from Connolly on any Manynooth bound service, if you get off at Clonsilla or a station along there (I think, open to correction on this) and wait for the M3 train, it should come along fairly regularly after that. The timetable on the Irish Rail website will help with sorting out times that suit.

To go with bus, the bus home goes from Beresford Place which is only a short walk from IFSC and goes very regularly to Ratoath. The 7.45am from the Auld Stand goes through Ashbourne and will more often than not get you into O'Connell Street for around 8.45...obviously very traffic dependent.

Celtic Runner

My wife and I are considering making the move as well. We have been down for drives around different estates over the last few weeks to get a feel for the village and like it a lot. I work in the IFSC in Dublin City Centre and I'm going to give the after work commute a go this evening. Going to the get the train to the M3 Parkway and drive from there to the village. Could someone advise which station to get on at when leaving Dublin ? Cheers.

duffalosoldier

duffalosoldier wrote: »

Thanks Martin, sounds like were in the same boat !! How you finding the commute?? Are you driving or taking the bus? Im working in Ballsbridge and considering both. Think the drive is best part of an hour so may opt for the bus. Looking forward to moving in the coming weeks - look out for one man and his van !!!

Ah right. Gonna give driving a go before I try the bus isuppose.

KERSPLAT!

Big street festival on this weekend with live music, food stalls, raffles, bouncy castles and loads of other stuff

Han534

Love the town

KERSPLAT!

Hammer Archer wrote: »

He has a mental disability and is an alcoholic but is harmless and a nice man (saved my mother from a holdup 20 years ago in the shop she works).

Not sure where you're getting the alcoholic part from. I've often seen him in the pub but have never seen him have more than 2 pints at a time, usually just the one and then he heads off

Anyway, like you said, he's a nice man and harmless.

Hammer Archer

ChuckProphet wrote: »

what's the story with the chap in ratoath walks round with the hi-viz jacket all the time? in his 50's I'd say

He has a mental disability and is an alcoholic but is harmless and a nice man (saved my mother from a holdup 20 years ago in the shop she works).

martin101

duffalosoldier wrote: »

Thanks Martin, sounds like were in the same boat !! How you finding the commute?? Are you driving or taking the bus? Im working in Ballsbridge and considering both. Think the drive is best part of an hour so may opt for the bus. Looking forward to moving in the coming weeks - look out for one man and his van !!!

Have to say the commute isn't too bad, I don't drive but it doesn't really bother me, I get a lift to work in the morning from my girlfriend and coming home I get the bus. Usually it's an hour on the bus but I don't mind that, I was living in castleknock before I moved and it was taking me just as long some days to get home. Loving ratoath so far I have to say. Delighted we made the move out.

Chiorino

ChuckProphet wrote: »

what's the story with the chap in ratoath walks round with the hi-viz jacket all the time? in his 50's I'd say

Definately not Nick Killian, he's just an old guy who lives on the Fairyhouse Road. He's a bit odd alright but harmless enough.

duffalosoldier

martin101 wrote: »

I've made the move from dublin to ratoath. I'm only here 2 weeks, but so far so good. If you want any advise il do my best to help. So far though I'm loving it. I work in dublin city centre but it's actually pretty easy to get in and out from there.

Thanks Martin, sounds like were in the same boat !! How you finding the commute?? Are you driving or taking the bus? Im working in Ballsbridge and considering both. Think the drive is best part of an hour so may opt for the bus. Looking forward to moving in the coming weeks - look out for one man and his van !!!

martin101

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

The Chinese at Apache is really nice and the Indian at Ratoath Inn is great.

There's 3 restaurants that I can think of and all 3 are really good. Massimos on the main street beside the post office, Bella Sora above the Auld Stand and La Bucca around the corner from Centra

Thanks for the quick reply. Il check them all out very soon

KERSPLAT!

martin101 wrote: »

What's the best take away place or restaurant in ratoath? Only there two weeks and only have tried macari's so far

The Chinese at Apache is really nice and the Indian at Ratoath Inn is great.

There's 3 restaurants that I can think of and all 3 are really good. Massimos on the main street beside the post office, Bella Sora above the Auld Stand and La Bucca around the corner from Centra

martin101

What's the best take away place or restaurant in ratoath? Only there two weeks and only have tried macari's so far

b318isp

It might be Nick Killian, a very active councillor for the area.

He has a beard: http://nickkillian.ie/

ChuckProphet

what's the story with the chap in ratoath walks round with the hi-viz jacket all the time? in his 50's I'd say

martin101

I've made the move from dublin to ratoath. I'm only here 2 weeks, but so far so good. If you want any advise il do my best to help. So far though I'm loving it. I work in dublin city centre but it's actually pretty easy to get in and out from there.

duffalosoldier

Well we settled on Ratoath in the end! Contracts signed and hoping to move in at the end of the month. Thanks to everybody for the comments and words of wisdom, which were helpful in making our decision. Looking forward to the move.

duffalosoldier

Sun in Capri wrote: »

Amazing that the estate agent does not know this!

Might be too late to reply to this but I believe its a voluntary contribution of about €150 per annum.

duffalosoldier

Sun in Capri wrote: »

Amazing that the estate agent does not know this!

Might be too late to reply to this but I believe its a voluntary contribution of about €150 per annum.

Thekopkid

We took the decision in 2007 to move to ratoath from santry,we now have 4 kids from 12 to 2 years old and it's a fantastic place to live,my advice would be to visit diff estates at diff times of the day on diff days of the week till you find the level of activity that your happy with I say that because we liked a house in another estate but after the random visits it was like a ghost estate and with having a small family it was not for us.we have the right amount of everything and anything else is 10 min away ,we have lovely neighbours and have made some really great friends and the only thing we will do when the kids leave the nest is downsize but will remain in ratoath .the schools are fantastic and the clubs for both adults and kids are aplenty.