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Wicklow town

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  • 20-04-2020 7:27pm
    #1
    kcv_dcm
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭


    Hi Guys. I and my wife are thinking (whether) to buy a house in Marlton Road, Wicklow town. We are new to Dublin (less than 3 years) and we like quite life, close to nature. But we are not sure about commuting. I work near the UCD Stillorgan and my research job does not require for me to be present more than 3 days a week and much of my research work is done from home. We don’t have a car and don’t wanna buy one anytime soon. So, we have to rely on public transport (bus 133 and Intercity rail). We don’t need to travel to Dublin city more than twice or thrice a month. I will be grateful if you can provide some insights about commuting. Is it a nightmare as I read somewhere?

    Also, how reliable is internet speed (currently I am on Virgin media account)? My research work depends a lot of internet speed.

    Thanks in advance guys.


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    #2
    loyatemu
    Registered Users Posts: 14,794 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    you'll struggle living in outer suburbia without a car IMO.

    the train service to Wicklow Town is poor, only 5 services a day and the last one leaves Dublin at 18.30
    The 133 bus is fairly frequent but gets badly affected by traffic congestion on the N11.

    Broadband - depends on the house, there is 1Gb fibre available in Wicklow, you'd have to check before buy.


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    #3
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 40,912 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    The 133 is very unreliable

    https://m.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/news/133-the-most-complained-about-bus-route-last-year-38360051.html

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



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    #4
    kcv_dcm
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭kcv_dcm


    Thanks guys..


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    #5
    Mortelaro
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,431 ✭✭✭Mortelaro


    Train and Dart would leave you walking distance to UCD from Booterstown


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    #6
    ElMatt
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭ElMatt


    Hi everyone,

    Could I hijack this thread quickly? Does anyone have a decent idea of good and bad parts of Wicklow? We're (young family) moving from the UK in the next couple of months, I work at UCD too. I know some areas but just don't have the more in depth knowledge about where is nicer or not!


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    #7
    Baybay
    Registered Users Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭Baybay


    When you say good & bad, do you mean in relation to proximity to schools for your young family, train station for yourself, house prices etc or which areas might be more desirable than others? All of it, I suppose!

    Are you familiar with the town already, ElMatt?


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    #8
    sumo12
    Registered Users Posts: 584 ✭✭✭sumo12


    ElMatt wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    Could I hijack this thread quickly? Does anyone have a decent idea of good and bad parts of Wicklow? We're (young family) moving from the UK in the next couple of months, I work at UCD too. I know some areas but just don't have the more in depth knowledge about where is nicer or not!

    Loads of new estates being built, plenty of choice in new builds. What is a good area and what is a bad area is highly subjective. I'd have personal opinions but they are just that and I certainly wouldn't put them on here ;)

    As a sweeping generalistion I think the whole town is decent, yes there are a few rogues / dodgy neighbours / narcotics sellers dotted around but hey, that's the same as everywhere...


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    #9
    becm
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭becm


    sumo12 wrote: »
    Loads of new estates being built, plenty of choice in new builds. What is a good area and what is a bad area is highly subjective. I'd have personal opinions but they are just that and I certainly wouldn't put them on here ;)

    As a sweeping generalistion I think the whole town is decent, yes there are a few rogues / dodgy neighbours / narcotics sellers dotted around but hey, that's the same as everywhere...

    Hey - could I jump in on this thread too? We have been looking at Wicklow Town too, but more at the south of the town, around Bayside Glen, Yachtman's Point and Seapoint....distance in terms of to the town etc not an issue so much as I drive but more wondering from a quietness/any trouble perspective!
    Thanks!


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    #10
    Baybay
    Registered Users Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭Baybay


    becm wrote: »
    Bayside Glen, Yachtman's Point and Seapoint....distance in terms of to the town etc not an issue so much as I drive but more wondering from a quietness/any trouble perspective!
    Thanks!

    Those are quite established estates, some of the first houses built maybe twenty or so years ago. I haven’t heard anything untoward about any of them.
    They are quite a bit out of town in terms of walking with the nearest commercial premises being Wicklow Golf Club whose bar/restaurant has the most amazing coastal & links views.


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    #11
    becm
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭becm


    Baybay wrote: »
    Those are quite established estates, some of the first houses built maybe twenty or so years ago. I haven’t heard anything untoward about any of them.
    They are quite a bit out of town in terms of walking with the nearest commercial premises being Wicklow Golf Club whose bar/restaurant has the most amazing coastal & links views.

    Thanks a million for that, useful to hear from people that know the area! The views out there are stunning alright, I just love the sea views :)


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    #12
    storker
    Registered Users Posts: 5,646 ✭✭✭storker


    becm wrote: »
    Thanks a million for that, useful to hear from people that know the area! The views out there are stunning alright, I just love the sea views :)

    Wait til you do the lighthouse walk...

    Wicklow is fine. I've lived here most of my life and there are only a couple of areas I'd avoid. Ironically, one has probably the best view in the whole town, but it's neither of the ones you asked about. :)


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    #13
    XxMCRxBabyxX
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 7,439 Mod ✭✭✭✭XxMCRxBabyxX


    becm wrote: »
    Hey - could I jump in on this thread too? We have been looking at Wicklow Town too, but more at the south of the town, around Bayside Glen, Yachtman's Point and Seapoint....distance in terms of to the town etc not an issue so much as I drive but more wondering from a quietness/any trouble perspective!
    Thanks!

    I grew up is in one of these estates and my parents still live there. The only noise or trouble problem we ever had was our 90 year old neighbours' family house parties!

    It is a bit of a walk into town - about 25 minutes to the nearest bus stop at Flannerys and you'd need to drive to any of the supermarkets. The walk home is also very steep!


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    #14
    Cerco
    Registered Users Posts: 2,034 ✭✭✭Cerco


    XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »
    The walk home is also very steep!

    There are few places in Wicklow town that are not on a steep hill. Mind you the benefit is in the lovely views.


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    #15
    XxMCRxBabyxX
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 7,439 Mod ✭✭✭✭XxMCRxBabyxX


    Cerco wrote: »
    There are few places in Wicklow town that are not on a steep hill. Mind you the benefit is in the lovely views.

    True, but I just particularly hate the walk back to my house which is very much the top of the hill! :D


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    #16
    into_the_wild
    Registered Users Posts: 142 ✭✭into_the_wild


    We are a couple in our early 30s looking to buy somewhere close to the sea. Is Wicklow town nice and safe? I know some areas are to be avoided. Is the Wexford bus to Dublin reliable enough in case we are to start working back in offices later on?


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    #17
    storker
    Registered Users Posts: 5,646 ✭✭✭storker


    into_the_wild wrote: »
    Is Wicklow town nice and safe?

    Yes.
    I know some areas are to be avoided.

    Few enough that I know of.
    Is the Wexford bus to Dublin reliable enough in case we are to start working back in offices later on?

    I don't think the Wexford bus stops at Wicklow, but there's a dedicated Wicklow bus that does (133). It runs every hour and more frequently on weekday mornings. My wife uses it.

    The train journey to Dublin is very pleasant, but the timetable isn't great, especially for getting home. There's a park-and-ride for the DART in Greystones, though, so that might be an option.


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    #18
    into_the_wild
    Registered Users Posts: 142 ✭✭into_the_wild


    storker wrote: »
    Yes.



    Few enough that I know of.



    I don't think the Wexford bus stops at Wicklow, but there's a dedicated Wicklow bus that does (133). It runs every hour and more frequently on weekday mornings. My wife uses it.

    The train journey to Dublin is very pleasant, but the timetable isn't great, especially for getting home. There's a park-and-ride for the DART in Greystones, though, so that might be an option.

    Thank you for your response :)
    Would you recommend any of these areas here?

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/meadow-gate-meadow-gate-wicklow-town-wicklow/4374765

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/blackthorn-close-greenhill-road-wicklow-town-wicklow/4429319

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/carraig-beag-ballynerrin-hawkstown-wicklow-wicklow/4339814

    My wife and I are looking at moving to wicklow town but have never lived there and don't know much about the dodgy parts except a few names like Sea crest, Pier View etc.


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    #19
    Baybay
    Registered Users Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭Baybay


    into_the_wild wrote: »
    Would you recommend any of these areas here?

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/meadow-gate-meadow-gate-wicklow-town-wicklow/4374765

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/blackthorn-close-greenhill-road-wicklow-town-wicklow/4429319

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/carraig-beag-ballynerrin-hawkstown-wicklow-wicklow/4339814

    My wife and I are looking at moving to wicklow town but have never lived there and don't know much about the dodgy parts except a few names like Sea crest, Pier View etc.

    Of the developments you mention, Meadowgate is the closest to town, still a bit of a walk but on the flat until you get to the entrance of the estate & after that, it depends where you buy! Most of the town is on some sort of hill! They look quite nice but I haven’t been inside any of them. It seems quite a sizeable estate. There are other more established estates on the same road & I don’t think there’s much, if anything untoward going on in any of them. Have a look maybe at Marlton Demesne, Brooklands etc to get an idea of the area.

    Greenhills would be quite a bit further out of town, possibly amazing views from the development, there certainly is from the scenic car park on the way up but it is not walkable, in my opinion. From time to time, maybe but it is very hilly so not driving might not be ideal. There are a lot of nice houses up in that area.

    Carraig Beag, distance wise is probably as far from the town centre as the Greenhills houses & it is also quite hilly but not quite as steep. Again you’d probably like to have a car for most things. It’d have handy enough access for the the way out to the M11.


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    #20
    storker
    Registered Users Posts: 5,646 ✭✭✭storker


    into_the_wild wrote: »
    Thank you for your response :)
    Would you recommend any of these areas here?

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/meadow-gate-meadow-gate-wicklow-town-wicklow/4374765

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/blackthorn-close-greenhill-road-wicklow-town-wicklow/4429319

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/carraig-beag-ballynerrin-hawkstown-wicklow-wicklow/4339814

    My wife and I are looking at moving to wicklow town but have never lived there and don't know much about the dodgy parts except a few names like Sea crest, Pier View etc.

    Pretty much what Baybay said. I've passed that Meadow Gate development a few times as my daughter has a friend who lives in one of the estates even further up that hill and they've often walked between there and the main street. It's a nice area and the least hilly of all the options. Greenhill road has some great views but it's a mother of a hill.


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    #21
    into_the_wild
    Registered Users Posts: 142 ✭✭into_the_wild


    Thanks guys. So all 3 estates are ok safety wise?
    Both of us work in Dublin so might be taking the 133 bus or the train. I guess it's an hour journey as far as I can see on the timetables so shouldn't be too bad considering we might be working from home most of the time in the future


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    #22
    Baybay
    Registered Users Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭Baybay


    into_the_wild wrote: »
    So all 3 estates are ok safety wise?
    Both of us work in Dublin so might be taking the 133 bus or the train. I guess it's an hour journey as far as I can see on the timetables so shouldn't be too bad

    As far as I know, the Greenhills development is quite small. There are already houses of different types there, I’d guess most built individually rather than by developers. I’m not sure it’d even be described as an estate really. Haven’t heard anything bad about the area.
    In my opinion the other estates, which are larger, are still a bit too new to have much of a reputation. They’re still being built but seem fine.

    The 133 is a good service to have although I use it infrequently so hopefully someone else who uses it more regularly might comment on here.


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    #23
    into_the_wild
    Registered Users Posts: 142 ✭✭into_the_wild


    Baybay wrote: »
    As far as I know, the Greenhills development is quite small. There are already houses of different types there, I’d guess most built individually rather than by developers. I’m not sure it’d even be described as an estate really. Haven’t heard anything bad about the area.
    In my opinion the other estates, which are larger, are still a bit too new to have much of a reputation. They’re still being built but seem fine.

    The 133 is a good service to have although I use it infrequently so hopefully someone else who uses it more regularly might comment on here.

    Thanks :) We are going to view a couple of new builds this week and see how it goes. Just wondering, how come Wicklow town prices are as high as compared to let's say seaside places like Lusk, Rush, Donabate etc in North Dublin?

    One would imagine the bigger distance from Dublin would make them slightly cheaper but we are seeing ~380k for 3 beds in Wicklow which is at par with North Dublin prices.


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    #24
    Baybay
    Registered Users Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭Baybay


    into_the_wild wrote: »
    Thanks :) Just wondering, how come Wicklow town prices are as high as compared to let's say seaside places like Lusk, Rush, Donabate etc in North Dublin?

    One would imagine the bigger distance from Dublin would make them slightly cheaper but we are seeing ~380k for 3 beds in Wicklow which is at par with North Dublin prices.

    No idea about north Dublin although Wicklow is also a seaside town & close to blue flag Brittas Bay. Easy Dart access from Bray (& the desirable but pricy Greystones) the train to Dublin from the town itself, busses through the city centre & on to the airport, M11 upgrades, plenty of new builds, fair amount of second hand housing stock plus a good sprinkling of amenities in the town all play their part I suppose.


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    #25
    storker
    Registered Users Posts: 5,646 ✭✭✭storker


    Baybay wrote: »
    No idea about north Dublin although Wicklow is also a seaside town & close to blue flag Brittas Bay. Easy Dart access from Bray (& the desirable but pricy Greystones) the train to Dublin from the town itself, busses through the city centre & on to the airport, M11 upgrades, plenty of new builds, fair amount of second hand housing stock plus a good sprinkling of amenities in the town all play their part I suppose.

    ...and don't forget the Wicklow mountains are an easy drive westwards. Wicklow is a very well-situated town.


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    #26
    into_the_wild
    Registered Users Posts: 142 ✭✭into_the_wild


    Baybay wrote: »
    No idea about north Dublin although Wicklow is also a seaside town & close to blue flag Brittas Bay. Easy Dart access from Bray (& the desirable but pricy Greystones) the train to Dublin from the town itself, busses through the city centre & on to the airport, M11 upgrades, plenty of new builds, fair amount of second hand housing stock plus a good sprinkling of amenities in the town all play their part I suppose.

    That's true I suppose. We both cycle a lot so we'll check out how cycle friendly the roads are there


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    #27
    BigMoose
    Registered Users Posts: 1,207 ✭✭✭BigMoose


    Someone asked about Wexford bus - they do indeed run a service to Wicklow Town - 740A. It misses out most of the villages that the 133 goes through so imagine is quicker, although there is an undocumented 133 in the morning that stops in Rathnew then heads straight up the N11. Problem with both is the traffic on the N11, buses get stuck in that along with cars. I found the 133 arrival times in the morning wildly optimistic and that was a couple of years ago.


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    #28
    into_the_wild
    Registered Users Posts: 142 ✭✭into_the_wild


    BigMoose wrote: »
    Someone asked about Wexford bus - they do indeed run a service to Wicklow Town - 740A. It misses out most of the villages that the 133 goes through so imagine is quicker, although there is an undocumented 133 in the morning that stops in Rathnew then heads straight up the N11. Problem with both is the traffic on the N11, buses get stuck in that along with cars. I found the 133 arrival times in the morning wildly optimistic and that was a couple of years ago.

    Thanks for the heads up there :)
    It was going to be hard for us to estimate the bus journey since the traffic these days isn't at the same pre-covid levels so good to know that. How "wildy optimistic" are we talking by the way? :pac:


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    #29
    sy_flembeck
    Registered Users Posts: 884 ✭✭✭sy_flembeck


    into_the_wild wrote: »
    That's true I suppose. We both cycle a lot so we'll check out how cycle friendly the roads are there

    They're excellent. Both landscape and variety - it ain't called the Garden County for nothing.

    And for the best part the drivers are a patient bunch too. Wicklow town is ideally located for the north south or west of the county. With the added bonus of relatively light traffic by and large


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    #30
    into_the_wild
    Registered Users Posts: 142 ✭✭into_the_wild


    Thanks guys. Any clue how Keatingstown area is? Looks like they have some new builds there with sea views 😊

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/the-oak-sea-scape-keatingstown-wicklow-town-wicklow/4415002


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    #31
    storker
    Registered Users Posts: 5,646 ✭✭✭storker


    into_the_wild wrote: »
    Thanks guys. Any clue how Keatingstown area is? Looks like they have some new builds there with sea views ��

    https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/the-oak-sea-scape-keatingstown-wicklow-town-wicklow/4415002

    Keatingstown is a decent area and it's also very close to one of the secondary schools. I wouldn't consider it within walking distance of town, though. Also, I avoid driving that way when possible because of the large number of speed ramps. :)


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