Re-locating to South Dublin with young family

D

damurt

Guest
Hello,
We're hoping to move back to South Dublin from abroad in 2010/ 2011 with our three children, aged 1-5. Budget will depend on a few factors and who knows what the market will be like then, but let's say 800k. Need to commute to IFSC and have a reasonable route to airport. Schools will be a major factor, need boys and girls or mixed and worried that we don't have their names down! We have family in Clonskeagh.

Where would you recommend we start our search and look into schools?
Thanks in advance.
 
Thanks. Blackrock/Monkstown has been suggested but other places too if school situation is better. Are most national schools girls or boys only (we have both) or are there any good mixed ones? A lot seem to be Church of Ireland and we would be looking for Catholic probably. Sorry to be so vague - we are open to suggestions really! We want a nice family area. Moving back to Ireland after 15 years away so a bit out of touch.
 
No probs.. you may find it helpful to read this recent thread..
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=120563&highlight=south+dublin

Good schools include..Holly Park School in Foxrock, it's near to Blackrock and Monkstown but as with all the schools you will need to check if you are living within the catchment parish.

Alot of schools will take your name if you are outside the catchment area but your chances of actually getting in are low..the advantage with Holly Park is that you can apply for enrolment the year previous to when you want your child to start. To get into most decent schools in South Dublin you need to have the chiilds name down asap, alot (unlike me!!) had their name down at 2 months .

St Brigids in Cabinteely is a good girls school, both girl and boys schools in Johnstown (near monkstown ) are meant to be excellant. Scoil Lorcain (mixed) is an excellant gaelscoil, it's in monkstown also, but again has a massive waiting list.

If your children are baptised, it will help you greatly. Sad as it may seem most schools prioritise these children first and are within their rights to do so.

Some people also like the Educate Together in Monkstown, just depends on what you want for your children really.

Hope that helps!! Often you can pre-register with a lot of these schools via email or by just calling them up.
 
Just to add to the point above, I agree with it all, but just so you know Johnstown is in Cabinteely near Killiney and not anywhere near Monkstown, I would kinda know as I went there.

I put my child's name down for Brigids and Johnstown. Would also consider Holly Park and Our Lady by the Wayside in Kilternan. Really depends where we end up. There is also a good Gaelscoil in Stepaside.

For young kids I don't think you can beat Stepaside Park, The Gallops or Sandyford Hall, so would recommend the Sandyford/Stepaside area for South Dublin. The Luas will be open in the coming months and will be ideal for town. We have done a lot of investigating over the last number of months and found many of the well known estates have an older population now and we like the idea of our kids being able to go out and play with their mates in a safe environment.
 
Need to commute to IFSC and have a reasonable route to airport.
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As both of these are on the northside, wouldnt it be better to live on the same side of the city (none of the usual jokes, I'm giving some serious advice).

Anywhere along the Howth Road or Malahide Road would be handy for IFSC and airport. And there are areas to suit all budgets and tastes just off these roads.
 
Hi

Sorry I meant to say Johnstown school is nearer to the Deansgrange area which may be more the direction you want to go in by what you said.. Johnstown is next to Killiney/Cabinteely but is not in St Brigids Parish Cabinteely. I had to ring them and that's what they told me. (oh the technicalities!!) :)
 
Commuting to IFSC from Southside via East Link Bridge and use the Port Tunnel for the Airport makes an easy journey. Tunnel fees are being reduced and in any case the time saved in busy times makes it worthwhile.
800000 budget for housing should bring a lot of Booterstown, Mount Merrion etc into the frame. Plenty educational choices there.
 
All the schools mentioned are excellent, I would know children in all the schools, the school never mentioned in these situations is St Brigids boys school which is also excellent and also very good at helping children adapt when they come from different countries, the area has great shopping and park areas and if you were looking for a more reasonable priced house, Cherrywood just off the M50 is also included in the Brigids parish
 
damurt said:
Hello,
We're hoping to move back to South Dublin from abroad in 2010/ 2011 with our three children, aged 1-5. Budget will depend on a few factors and who knows what the market will be like then, but let's say 800k. Need to commute to IFSC and have a reasonable route to airport. Schools will be a major factor, need boys and girls or mixed and worried that we don't have their names down! We have family in Clonskeagh.
Where would you recommend we start our search and look into schools?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Dalkey, Glenageary, Monkstown, Blackrock, Booterstown, Sandycove.

Several national schools:

Glenageary National [mixed]
Harold Boys School

Girls: Rathdown, Rockford Manor, Sion Hill, Cluny
Boys: Blackrock, Monkstown, Michaels, Andrews

All areas on the DART line and traffic feeds to the coast road from one side.
Prices have tumbled but go in hard and low an see what bargains you can drive.
Don't expect too much because properties in these areas are often end-of-life choices.
That is to say, people tend to get carried out in a box as opposed to leaving to trade up.

Four car routes to the airport:
East Wall and Fairview
Eastlink, [both over the New Bridge at the O2]
straight through the Town Centre,
M50

Airport Buses from Dun Laoghaire
Patton Flyer Private Bus

HTH.

Good luck with the search.

ONQ.

PS you could consider properties out as far as Killiney - Mapas Road, Ballinclea, etc., - quiet areas, good value now too.
 
How about somewhere like Churchtown/Dundrum/Goatstown/Taney. On the Luas, lots of schools within walking/cycling distance, and houses available at a much more reasonable price than Dalkey, Killiney etc. (unless you want Bono as your neighbour). Plenty of Shopping Centres, not least the fantastic Dundrum Town Centre, and the recently upgraded Nutgrove Shopping Centre. In addition, an Aldi and a Lidl - best shops in Ireland! Good luck with your search - I assume you're using www.daft.ie or www.myhome.ie to help in your search.
 
Eithneangela said:
How about somewhere like Churchtown/Dundrum/Goatstown/Taney. On the Luas, lots of schools within walking/cycling distance, and houses available at a much more reasonable price than Dalkey, Killiney etc. (unless you want Bono as your neighbour). Plenty of Shopping Centres, not least the fantastic Dundrum Town Centre, and the recently upgraded Nutgrove Shopping Centre. In addition, an Aldi and a Lidl - best shops in Ireland! Good luck with your search - I assume you're using www.daft.ie or www.myhome.ie to help in your search.
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Good suggestions here, and the airport is still within easy reach via the M50. You will get more bang for your buck in terms of house prices in these areas compared to Monkstown/Blackrock etc. You will get a lot more bang for your buck in Rathfarnham/Ballinteer.

What ages are the kids?
 
Thanks for all the responses everyone,lots of food for thought. We're planning a reconnaisance trip around Easter! In response to some of the points raised, the kids are 5, 3 and 1 (2 girls and a boy) and don't think we want Gaelscoil.They are all baptised RCs and we will probably stick southside. The Schooldays.ie website is helpful except I have to memorise the Dublin postcode numbers! A number seem to be Church of Ireland. Ideally, I think we would like co-ed at national level and then single sex secondary. This may require another move later on but in the meantime can anyone tell me which areas have co-ed nationals? Most I have checked are girls or boys only. Glenageary is a possibility. Thanks again!
 
Rathfarnham/Terenure area would have lots of good schools nearby plus near M50 for airport. V good family areas.
 
damurt said:
Thanks for all the responses everyone,lots of food for thought. We're planning a reconnaisance trip around Easter! In response to some of the points raised, the kids are 5, 3 and 1 (2 girls and a boy) and don't think we want Gaelscoil.They are all baptised RCs and we will probably stick southside. The Schooldays.ie website is helpful except I have to memorise the Dublin postcode numbers! A number seem to be Church of Ireland. Ideally, I think we would like co-ed at national level and then single sex secondary. This may require another move later on but in the meantime can anyone tell me which areas have co-ed nationals? Most I have checked are girls or boys only. Glenageary is a possibility. Thanks again!
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My children currently attend Rathfarnham Educate Together National School and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Co educational, multi denominational and "child centred". Just finished a new building programme, teachers are called by their first names. Lovely atmosphere.

In relation to the Church of Ireland schools that you mention, be aware you will be very far down on their entry policy if your children are RC. Whitechurch NS, Rathfarnham Parish School and many others will take protestant children first and children with at least one protestant parent. They tend to be in demand also.


A.
 
Lots of co-ed National Schools. I can only speak for the Dundrum area but St Attractas, St Olafs, Holy Cross are the first three I can think of.
 
St Louis National School in Rathmines is co-ed and the secondary school is girls only. The school would be very accessible from Terenure, Templeogue, Rathfarnham or Harold's Cross. They're expensive enough areas to buy in (particularly Rathfarnham and Terenure) but nowadays €800,000 would easily get you a house in any of those areas.
 
liaconn said:
St Louis National School in Rathmines is co-ed and the secondary school is girls only. The school would be very accessible from Terenure, Templeogue, Rathfarnham or Harold's Cross. They're expensive enough areas to buy in (particularly Rathfarnham and Terenure) but nowadays €800,000 would easily get you a house in any of those areas.
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You could buy well in any of those areas for €600,000 a little more if you would like period house in Terenure.
 
Buddyg said:
Eughh, another step backward for society.
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Why? Totally natural for the children, and for the teachers. They still have to put up their hands to get Carol's (instead of Miss Byrne's )attention. The teacher is still the teacher. Just less stuffy and more natural IMO.

A.
 
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