IN...STONEYBATTERThe Dublin city neighbourhood of Stoneybatter has been likened to Greenwich Village and Monmartre but it is still a bit shabby, writes Paul O'Doherty
STONEYBATTER - despite the bottlenecked traffic, Montmartre-style scruffiness and dilapidated used-car compounds - is a gem of vibrancy within walking distance of the city centre. From the tightness of Prussia Street - where the Dublin mountains peep through a bend in the road - to the expanse of Manor Street, the character and eccentricity of the houses, buildings and businesses invite curiosity.
Away from the excitement of the main street, a labyrinth of quieter roads brim with a more laid-back lifestyle.
Change is happening with newbuilds in the pipeline and plenty of sites for sale, including 29A to 37 Stoneybatter; 31 to 34 Arbour Place and 1 Arbour Hill which will take away a chunk of the high street to the developer with €13.9 million to invest.
Over the wall, so to speak, the planned development of 73 acres at Grangegorman into a DIT campus will have a positive knock-on effect for the community, attracting investors out of hibernation.
How's the market?
Like everywhere, agents are agreed that property is down by 20 per cent on two years ago.
Fitzgerald Chambers' Helena Fitzgerald describes the market as "very weak with no confidence. People are nervous and afraid to buy." There is an over-supply of two-bed terraced houses, and what is selling are reasonably priced properties. Fitzgerald says "viewings are up with more people prepared to have a look".
Specifically, a one-bedroom ground-floor studio apartment at Grange Court looks attractively priced at €200,000, while considerably more style and space in the same division is available at Collins Square for €295,000 (recently reduced by €35,000).
A renovated and refurbished two-bed terraced house on Viking Road, which was withdrawn at one stage, is back on the market at €420,000 (down €10,000).
Something similar on Sitric Road is yours for €410,000 with a terraced house on Prussia Street, needing a modern touch, looking a little pricy at €450,000. A little more eccentric but desirable is a quirky end-of-terrace house with outhouses and parking to the rear on Arbour Hill at €475,000.
Into the three-bedroom category comes a cheerful and bright double-fronted end-of-terrace home in a quiet cul-de-sac at Palatine Square, on Arbour Hill, which seems keen at €510,000, while there's lots of character and space in a four-bed terraced house (that looks much better on the inside than on the outside) on Manor Street, down €50,000 to €600,000.
And to rent?
The Property Shop's Sharon Noone says "the rental market is flying and it's mostly professionals. Only recently we rented to three architects in Kirwan Street and two pharmacists in Oxmantown Road. It's going so well, we only have one place left on our books."
A one-bed flat in a redbrick terrace, near the hub on Prussia Street, costs €850 a month, while a one-bed apartment, in a stylish development on Manor Street, seems more inviting at €1,000.
Two-beds start in the €1,200 range for something like the cottage with the modish interior on Sigurd Road. An extra €150 a month will also get you peace and quiet on Murtagh Road.
Going out?
Good selection of traditional pubs with more restaurants opening up, and Seven and Plan B, in particular, both etching out popular reputations.
Price of a pint
In Kavanagh's it's €3.90 in the bar and €4.10 in the lounge.
Good for families?
Primary or secondary places are available and there are vacancies (at €50 a week) in the Seven Dwarfs Community Playgroup. There are also places (€2 a visit) in the Stoneybatter Parent and Toddler Group.
What's to do?
Very close to what is going on in the city, it also has bingo every Tuesday in the parish centre, along with ballet classes, Denise Murray and Darren Saunders' schools of dance, children's art classes, kick boxing and kung fu.
Home to . . .
Irish Council for Civil Liberties.
Locals say
"It was a wonderful place growing up. Now it's so rundown" (Dervla Mahon).
"Stoneybatter is the Greenwich Village of Dublin" (Ken Butler).
"It's a great place to live, for people who want to be on top of their workspaces" (Brian McLoughlin).
"There's a great warmth here - it's still a village" (Carol Foley).
"The drugs are a big problem" (David Lynch).
"Get out of the way, you gobshite" (bloke coming very fast towards me on a bike, down the steep pathway from Prussia Street).
