You practically beside the flats then, ok in a way as they tend not to dirty on their own doorstep so to speak. The area has much imporved over the past years, back in the 70's and 80's it was a bit of a nightmare living so close to the flats. We actually had window guards up for 12 years as we were constantly getting our windows broken. Not had any trouble for a long time but there are plenty of gangs of lads hanging around and they blantly break into cars during the day practically in front of you. Tends to be quite seasonal though, Christmas, Easter, Summer Holidays. You just really have to be aware of the area and make sure that you have nothing on show in your car as it will be broken into, without a doubt, but this is not too unusual in Dublin City as a whole. Most of the people around the area are really nice.
There are even some people who live in the flats park their cars elsewhere. I lived in Hamilton Street, where the backs of the houses open up on Donore Avenue, opposite the Church. Parking was a nightmare, but I found out that many of the cars at the end of the Street were actually belonging to people living in the flats. They are basically opportunists, and if you give them the opportunity they will take it but you are living in the city centre and it comes with the territory. But it is definately not nearly as bad as it was years ago.
Very handy for bus routes where you are considering, you have all the 50's. 56's, and 77's on Cork Street and the 19 and 22 on South Circular Road. No idea what the parking is like now where you are considering but that part is very quite for traffic as you really have to know the area to take this as a shortcut. I would suggest that you drive around the area in the evening and also on a Saturday afternoon, tends to be quite on a Sunday. There are many kids also in that part. Hope some of this helps, as I said I was brought up around that area so I know what to expect but for folks who say lived in a quite country town, they would get quite a shock moving there.