Moving to Portarlington

Catuohy · 29-05-2013 11:13am #1

Hey all,

Myself and my boyfriend and his two year old are currently looking at renting a house in Portarlington in Castlelea. I'm originally from Dublin and going to college there so I love the fact there's a number of trains going regularly. We're currently in Athy and it's awful

We love the house and think the area seems really nice. Not being from around here just looking for a bit of advice? Is the area as nice as it seems? Would you recommend living here?

Thanks :-)

westies4ever · 29-05-2013 12:10pm

castlelea is only half finished; have you visited in person or just looked online?

sydthebeat · 29-05-2013 1:32pm

The best houses build in portarlington in "the boom times" is white fields. If you can rent in there, then id look at that first.

a bit of advice if renting or buying a house built after 2000, knock on the walls... if it sounds hollow, walk away...

connundrum · 29-05-2013 1:36pm

I notice that approx 15 of the 23 houses which pop up in a daft search were actually in Castlelea.. that'd be a sign there.

I lived in Whitefields for 2 years, grand houses, nice area, close to railway station.

Catuohy · 30-05-2013 10:59am

Yeah we went to view it. I liked the house was more wondering about the area is it rough or ok? Can't seem to find any houses for rent in whitefields. I just assumed the houses couldn't sell recession and all thats why they were being rented out. Any recommendations on somewhere else to rent?

sydthebeat · 30-05-2013 11:02am

Catuohy wrote: »

Yeah we went to view it. I liked the house was more wondering about the area is it rough or ok? Can't seem to find any houses for rent in whitefields. I just assumed the houses couldn't sell recession and all thats why they were being rented out. Any recommendations on somewhere else to rent?

Castlea is fine family wise, kilnacourt its another matter all together. unfortunately its reputation its in tatters due to a few rough elements.

Anywhere along station road is good to rent.

westies4ever · 30-05-2013 11:42am

Just had a quick look at daft there and whats on offer - theres a house in Pine Villas - its really nice and well established estate although you'd need a car to get to the train station in the mornings. Also Station Court or Railway Mews. As previous, I'd avoid Kilnacourt.

westies4ever · 30-05-2013 11:43am

sydthebeat wrote: »

Castlea is fine family wise, kilnacourt its another matter all together. unfortunately its reputation its in tatters due to a few rough elements.

Anywhere along station road is good to rent.

I think castlelea is going to end up the same as Kilnacourt - very few owner occupiers, almost all renters.

Bob Bob · 31-05-2013 9:14am

sydthebeat wrote: »

a bit of advice if renting or buying a house built after 2000, knock on the walls... if it sounds hollow, walk away...

Or its just a stud wall is is supposed to sound hollow

sydthebeat · 31-05-2013 9:55am

Bob Bob wrote: »

Or its just a stud wall is is supposed to sound hollow

sorry, i should clarify, i was referring to the external walls.

generalmental · 04-06-2013 12:53am

Catuohy wrote: »

Hey all,

Myself and my boyfriend and his two year old are currently looking at renting a house in Portarlington in Castlelea. I'm originally from Dublin and going to college there so I love the fact there's a number of trains going regularly. We're currently in Athy and it's awful We love the house and think the area seems really nice. Not being from around here just looking for a bit of advice? Is the area as nice as it seems? Would you recommend living here?

Thanks :-)

Hi myself and my wife are from jobstown in dublin and we moved down to portarlingon just before christmas and to be honest i think its a grand place from what i can make out so far.
most of the people i have met so far have been nice and friendly, i cannot comment on castlelea but i can comment on kilnacourt.

we were old not to move to kilnacourt that it had a reputation that it was as rough as fcuk but to be honest i really find it to be a nice estate have not heard a bit of trouble since we moved in, its a hell of alot better than coneyboro let me put it that way.

The only 2 issue`s i have with port is the lack of work but thats a nationwide problem. and the water its very hard in portarlington but we are getting used to that

take the plunge you wont regret it

Bigtoe107 · 04-06-2013 1:10am

Port is a great place to live, the people are generally nice and friendly, and the area is close to everything you could need.

On estates I have lived in Kilnacourt for the past seven years it's a nice place to live and there is very rarely any trouble. In fact apart from the couple of incidents a few months ago I can't think of any trouble ever happening in the estate. Plus most of the estate is finished so it doesn't have the untidy look of some other estates

Whitefields is another good shout, but to be honest most estates are grand.

stan1979 · 04-06-2013 1:59pm

im living in lansdowne rd beside castlea and im guessing its the 3 bed semi houses you were looking at. as far as i know the builders kingscroft are renting the houses out directly. overall the estate is a lovely place to live,and well maintained in my view anyway.

Catuohy · 25-06-2013 1:31pm

Thanks everyone for your comments. We still haven't decided think we're going to make the move to port but to a different estate

elvis jones · 25-06-2013 8:16pm

Catuohy wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your comments. We still haven't decided think we're going to make the move to port but to a different estate

Which one ?

lastsplash · 26-06-2013 8:18pm

I wonder how many people answering about these estates actually live in these estates ? Only people who inhabit the estates can comment on what they are like . Lots of people pass comments on what they don't know or have experience of which is unhelpful to these people asking a question.
I live in castlelea / lansdowne and its quiet , friendly and I've had no problems . Similarily I have family in kilnacourt who have had no problems . The problems it's had we're localised to a minority . It's a big estate .
Any estate you move to will welcome you . Take your advice from actual residents imo

artful_codger · 28-06-2013 12:36pm

I lived in Kilnacourt for four years and it was the quietest place i've ever lived. There was a problem with outsiders using the apartment bin area. One bollocks came from as far as Geashill to dump, Another dumper came from Lough Gate, but either way the issue of dumping effects all parts of Port. A gangster was shot dead last year but in such a small town as Port you really can't get away from the trouble that a few scumbags bring wherever they go. Anyone who thinks Kilnacourt is in any way a 'rough' estate has led a very sheltered life...the sort that see some teenagers sitting on a wall and assume they're dealing crack cocaine. I'll be happy to live there again if the chance arises.

jimmynippy · 02-07-2013 9:29pm

I too dont understand the people having a pop at Kilnacourt,I have lived in the Glen since the start and apart from the one incident we all know about,I have really enjoyed living here.The people are friendly and the area is quiet.As with a previous poster,I think people making comments do not know Kilnacourt that well!

J.e.n.k · 31-08-2013 12:58am

Kilnacourt woods is a nice place to live coming from a resident very well maintained , finished and has some lovely houses and people in it .

sydthebeat · 06-12-2013 10:36am

Petrol bombing in kilnacourt last night. Children having to be pulled through Windows.

<modsnip>

elvis jones · 06-12-2013 11:53am

sydthebeat wrote: »

Petrol bombing in kilnacourt last night. Children having to be pulled through Windows.

<modsnip>

Not everyone in those apts are of "that class" good friends of mine have their apt for sale for almost 3 yrs to get out of it. They were lucky to get out alive last night:mad:

J.e.n.k · 06-12-2013 3:43pm

Unfortunately In any large built up area there is sometimes going to be trouble from a small minority . People quick to judge kilnacourt in all good place . People don't know area talk and get excited .

elsy · 06-12-2013 7:43pm

I live in The Glen in Kilnacourt Wood and have young children I never hear and see any trouble and feel very safe there. The residents committe is fabulous Santa visits organised for Christmas, Easter egg hunts at Easter and big family fun day in the summer to name but a few events I have family that live in other estates in Portarlington and they never have events like we do. So I feel the need to defend Kilnacourt apart from a few unfortunate things which are happening all over the country it is a great place to live and I wouldn't move from there my kids have a great childhood living there with fantastic neighbours and lovely community spirit

elvis jones · 06-12-2013 10:57pm

Bigtoe107 wrote: »

Port is a great place to live, the people are generally nice and friendly, and the area is close to everything you could need.

On estates I have lived in Kilnacourt for the past seven years it's a nice place to live and there is very rarely any trouble. In fact apart from the couple of incidents a few months ago I can't think of any trouble ever happening in the estate. Plus most of the estate is finished so it doesn't have the untidy look of some other estates

Whitefields is another good shout, but to be honest most estates are grand.

As much as I agree I think a murder, drug/gun find and the petrol bombing of a set of apts are
"A couple of incidents".

But I feel its the rental market where landlords will rent to anyone or anything to keep a house/apt full and warming.

I seen it at the end of my own estate with a block of flats that ended up housing nothing but scum.

artful_codger · 07-12-2013 1:02am

elvis jones wrote: »

As much as I agree I think a murder, drug/gun find and the petrol bombing of a set of apts are
"A couple of incidents".

The thing that all these incidents seem to have in common is that they're unsold units which are rented out by the developer, rather than private landlords. The Glen (where Englington was shot) and the Oaks (where last nights petrol bombing happened) were some of the last units built in Kilnacourt before work stopped completely.

Thank f*ck the fire brigade are only two minutes away, or that family could have been killed. It infuriates me that a town as nice as Port is getting a bad rep because of a few dangerous animals. Last nights incident and the previous gun find are probably related to the same one person.
http://www.midlands103.com/news/drugs-local-copy-rcpk-3

J.e.n.k · 07-12-2013 1:29pm

It is a shame that a few undesirables do give a place a bad rep also a shame people letting property to these people don't care . But kilnacourt woods and the glen is a very large area with a lot of respectable normal people getting on with life also which should not be forgotten . These forms of crime are nationwide at moment and not just singled to one area of laois .there is issues in other estates quite similar but don't seem to be noted on as they jump on kilnacourt area to take attention away .

Dellers · 07-12-2013 11:08pm

Hi
I just wanted to post a reply to this, I am an owner occupier in the Oaks the last 8 years, in the block where the fire was on Thur nite. The information above is incorrect, all the apartments in the Oaks where finished and sold,the developer has no involvement in them or of the renting of them out, that is down to private landlords. all of the incidents are a minority of people who have now been removed from the oaks, and who were renting from private landlords.

elvis jones · 07-12-2013 11:27pm

Dellers wrote: »

Hi
I just wanted to post a reply to this, I am an owner occupier in the Oaks the last 8 years, in the block where the fire was on Thur nite. The information above is incorrect, all the apartments in the Oaks where finished and sold,the developer has no involvement in them or of the renting of them out, that is down to private landlords. all of the incidents are a minority of people who have now been removed from the oaks, and who were renting from private landlords.

As i said

jimmynippy · 14-12-2013 10:31am

sydthebeat wrote: »

Petrol bombing in kilnacourt last night. Children having to be pulled through Windows.

<modsnip>

So this suggests that the hundreds of other people that live there are of the same type???Very simplistic narrow minded attitude!Like another poster said,there is a great community spirit and interaction amongst the residents in what is in my opinion normally a lovely place to live.

sydthebeat · 14-12-2013 10:54am

jimmynippy wrote: »

So this suggests that the hundreds of other people that live there are of the same type???Very simplistic narrow minded attitude!Like another poster said,there is a great community spirit and interaction amongst the residents in what is in my opinion normally a lovely place to live.

no it doesnt, it suggests that in portarlington the estate where this is type of activity happens most, and thus most likely to happen, is Kilnacourt.

You can dress it up all you want but you cannot hide from the facts.

I have never at any stage questions Kilnacourts community spirit or the people there.

but if someone is asking for advise on where to move to in portarlington i will not dance around any elephant in the room. Read the thread before you come on here claiming i have a narrow mind!!!!

J.e.n.k · 14-12-2013 9:37pm

Wow this is still going on isn't helpful at this stage plenty of stuff happening all over people need to move on . Let kilnacourt woods be plenty people happy in it and plenty positive attributes going for it. Few bad one's won't overrule that .

Paddy Fields · 06-01-2014 7:52pm

artful_codger wrote: »

I lived in Kilnacourt for four years and it was the quietest place i've ever lived. There was a problem with outsiders using the apartment bin area. One bollocks came from as far as Geashill to dump, Another dumper came from Lough Gate, but either way the issue of dumping effects all parts of Port. A gangster was shot dead last year but in such a small town as Port you really can't get away from the trouble that a few scumbags bring wherever they go. Anyone who thinks Kilnacourt is in any way a 'rough' estate has led a very sheltered life...the sort that see some teenagers sitting on a wall and assume they're dealing crack cocaine. I'll be happy to live there again if the chance arises.

That's encouraging as I'm going to look at a house there tomorrow. I'm surprised at some of the negativity about Kilnacourt. The whole point of my moving is to get out of the big smoke and "Escape to the Country" just like the title of the BBC programme. Somewhere quiet is top of the list so petrol bombing didn't really cross my mind. :eek:

J.e.n.k · 07-01-2014 8:53am

Best of luck it's a very large estate any bit of trouble that happened could have happened anywhere and has .Also they are well built houses well finished in most places particularly older part kilnacourt the glen is newer estate. In good position central /health care centre schools etc Never had any problems here personally .Some previous posts were very dramatic and only dwell on negativity .

elvis jones · 07-01-2014 11:22am

Paddy Fields wrote: »

That's encouraging as I'm going to look at a house there tomorrow. I'm surprised at some of the negativity about Kilnacourt. The whole point of my moving is to get out of the big smoke and "Escape to the Country" just like the title of the BBC programme. Somewhere quiet is top of the list so petrol bombing didn't really cross my mind. :eek:

Then perhaps you should look at a house "in the country" and not in a housing estate less than 15 yrs old in a town that has a lot of Dublin people living in it.

elvis jones · 16-01-2014 10:06pm

hmmmmmm, a lovely estate will murder and petrol bombings, what else could happen..........

http://www.portarlington.ie/cannabis-factory-raided-in-portarlington/

J.e.n.k · 17-01-2014 12:23pm

Surely it's a good thing the Garda are cracking down on crime . There has been few busts like this in portarlington over the years like in 2011 €100,000 heroin and gun found in canal court off whitefields and it's fine since . If your not urself involved in criminality doesn't affect you .

elvis jones · 17-01-2014 1:31pm

J.e.n.k wrote: »

Surely it's a good thing the Garda are cracking down on crime . There has been few busts like this in portarlington over the years like in 2011 €100,000 heroin and gun found in canal court off whitefields and it's fine since . If your not urself involved in criminality doesn't affect you .

Tell that to the families who had to escape from their burning homes when they were petrol bombed before christmas. Criminality effects everyone.

J.e.n.k · 17-01-2014 2:51pm

Thankfully the people in apartments effected that night were all ok there is other problems there like no emergency exits in apts also hope they get sorted and need better security . But no point bringing up same things over and over criminality doesn't effect everyone .

elvis jones · 17-01-2014 3:05pm

J.e.n.k wrote: »

Thankfully the people in apartments effected that night were all ok there is other problems there like no emergency exits in apts also hope they get sorted and need better security . But no point bringing up same things over and over criminality doesn't effect everyone .

Knowing some of those families and how they are still being effected by the incident with management companies & insurance companies i can tell you that that specific night started a ripple that will last for 6 to 12 months or more.

Saying that criminality doesn't effect everyone is just plain wrong. How much of the tax we pay goes to

1. combating criminality
2. cleaning up after criminality
3. housing criminals

How many break in's and small crimes go unreported because people feel there's no point as they criminals will never be caught and if they are they'll be in and out of prison in no time.

Ask yourself how much could shops reduce prices if they didn't have to deal with shoplifters and pay for security.

In a small town like Portarlinton Centra on Main St now has a security guard in the evenings, why ??

Sorry its just wrong to say criminality doesn't effect everyone on a daily basis, clearly it does.

J.e.n.k · 17-01-2014 4:20pm

I would agree with some of those points .but can't make smart generalisation that these crimes are making kilnacourt / portarlington a bad place .when the normal everyday people don't deserve it. Best thing is not pay them so much attention and hope it is over with . Don't let them ruin portarlington .

elvis jones · 17-01-2014 4:39pm

J.e.n.k wrote: »

I would agree with some of those points .but can't make smart generalisation that these crimes are making kilnacourt / portarlington a bad place .when the normal everyday people don't deserve it. Best thing is not pay them so much attention and hope it is over with . Don't let them ruin portarlington .

I would say that a gangland murder, apts being petrol bombed and a cannibas factory in the same estate give the place a bad name. Its not like these are being made up, that happened AND to show how little landlords in that estate care about others...........the guy who the petrol bombing was aimed at has now moved into another apt in Kilnacourt....:rolleyes:

I never said the crimes are making Portarlington a bad place BUT to say that crime doen't effect everyone is a very naive outlook on society.

J.e.n.k · 17-01-2014 6:07pm

Also naive to think kilnacourt is only place with trouble few bad ones all over town .

elvis jones · 17-01-2014 6:25pm

J.e.n.k wrote: »

Also naive to think kilnacourt is only place with trouble few bad ones all over town .

Ok, well then name another estate with murder, petrol bombs AND a cannabis grow factory. The FACTS are that all that has happened in Kilnacourt and statistically speaking it has had a high level of serious crime in recent times compared to any other area of the town.

You can try to dress it up any way you want but facts are facts.

elsy · 22-01-2014 3:40pm

http://www.midlands103.com/news/11drugs-copy-local-md-news

Just wanted to point out it's not only Kilnacourt things like this happen in!

elvis jones · 23-01-2014 12:47pm

elsy wrote: »

http://www.midlands103.com/news/11drugs-copy-local-md-news

Just wanted to point out it's not only Kilnacourt things like this happen in!

Agreed but no one said it was. What i said was the majority of high level criminal acts in recent times have involved Kilnacourt and there's no arguing about that. I don't like it, i lived in Kilnacourt myself almost 9 years ago and only, i have friends that live there now and i only live a short distance from it now. But you can't hide the what's happened there in recent times.

elsy · 23-01-2014 12:59pm

I'm not disputing what has happened they happened nothing can change that but what I am disputing is that it is a horrible place to live. On a day to day basis I like living here I'm living here since 2007 and generally it is very quite. Obviously the mentioned events did happen but honestly if I heard a noise outside my house It would throw me completely cause I never hear a thing or person and any of the neighbours I do know are great people. It's very easy to forget the positive.

sydthebeat · 23-01-2014 1:19pm

elsy wrote: »

I'm not disputing what has happened they happened nothing can change that but what I am disputing is that it is a horrible place to live. On a day to day basis I like living here I'm living here since 2007 and generally it is very quite. Obviously the mentioned events did happen but honestly if I heard a noise outside my house It would throw me completely cause I never hear a thing or person and any of the neighbours I do know are great people. It's very easy to forget the positive.

??? who at any stage said that kilnacourt was a horrible place to live?

I think you are having an argument that doesnt exist.

Kilnacourt has a bad reputation that is unfortunately based on previous incidents within what is, obviously, the biggest estate in portarlington.

I would still stand by my opinion that if someone was to ask me where the best places to live in portarlington were, kilnacourt would be towards he bottom of the list... mainly due to the previous incidents but also due to the standard of construction and the standard of the estate design.

elvis jones · 23-01-2014 6:13pm

sydthebeat wrote: »

??? who at any stage said that kilnacourt was a horrible place to live?

I think you are having an argument that doesnt exist.

Kilnacourt has a bad reputation that is unfortunately based on previous incidents within what is, obviously, the biggest estate in portarlington.

I would still stand by my opinion that if someone was to ask me where the best places to live in portarlington were, kilnacourt would be towards he bottom of the list... mainly due to the previous incidents but also due to the standard of construction and the standard of the estate design.

+1 on all that.

elsy · 23-01-2014 7:37pm

Comments like <modsnip> are very derograrderogotry to the decent people living there. I do accept that due to the incidents that have happened it might not be top of a list of recommendations but I'm just saying that the vast majority of people living there are very decent people. There seems to be a huge clamp down by the Gardai in all of portarlington at present so hopefully it will stop been viewed as a safe haven for these criminals. I'm not trying to say the events didn't happen or argue I just find some of the comments insulting to those of us living here that are decent people.

J.e.n.k · 23-01-2014 7:38pm

For anyone reading This was never a fair or useful boards on moving to portarlington at all .It instead became an unnecessary obvious nasty rant and crime watch that everyone already knew . we can look up news . Think of all the developments in portarlington .there are some very poorly constructed estates in port yet no mention of those not that there should be just saying. Just an ongoing rant ... That needs to end .

sydthebeat · 26-01-2014 10:36pm

J.e.n.k wrote: »

For anyone reading This was never a fair or useful boards on moving to portarlington at all .It instead became an unnecessary obvious nasty rant and crime watch that everyone already knew . we can look up news . Think of all the developments in portarlington .there are some very poorly constructed estates in port yet no mention of those not that there should be just saying. Just an ongoing rant ... That needs to end .

there are six, YES SIX, estates mentioned in the first 7 posts in this thread

:rolleyes:

Whats with people trying to create arguments out of nothing in this thread? they either haven fully read it and are making silly assumptions, or they are deliberately ignoring whats been posted......