Firhouse Dublin 24 provides mature housing and access to the mountains

At the foothills of the Dublin Mountains, between Ballycullen and Knocklyon, just off Junction 12 of the M50 and within 10 minutes' drive of Tallaght and Templeogue, Firhouse is a busy Dublin suburb with a population of around 24,000.

With views of the Dublin Mountains and by the river Dodder, it has regular bus services, easy access to the city and a number of school options.

Why choose Firhouse?

“You get a lot more for your money,” says Leonie Dennison, who bought here in 2012. “The older houses in Firhouse were much bigger for the money I had to spend,” she says. “It's central enough – you're beside the M50 and not too far from the city. There are also lovely walks in the area. It's quite close to the Hellfire Club, two minutes up the road to the Dublin Mountains. And you're not too far away from Marlay Park or Bushy Park, either.”

How do I get there?

Transport to and from Firhouse is a cinch, with the area well served by Dublin bus routes 15, 49, 65B, 75, 75A and 175, as well as Nitelinks 49N and 15N. The Tallaght Square Luas stop is a nine-minute drive away, while driving into Dublin city centre will take around 30 minutes, according to Google Maps.

Firhouse is also ideally located just off the M50, providing easy access to both north and south sides of the city. A 14-minute drive will take you to Dundrum Town Centre, while the airport is 21 minutes in the opposite direction. You'll spend just nine minutes – 10, if you include finding a parking space – to get to Templeogue or to the County Library in Tallaght, one of Dublin's newest and best-equipped libraries.

Schools

There are a variety of schools in Firhouse including Scoil Carmel Junior Primary School, catering to children up to second class, while Scoil Treasa Senior Primary School takes over from third class up.

There is also Firhouse Educate Together National School, with an Educate Together secondary school currently taking enrolment for September 2021 admissions.

Firhouse Community College is another option for secondary-level students, with a lively programme of sports, theatre and assorted extra-curricular activities.

Where's good to live?

As a long-established community, Firhouse has a network of housing developments and associated amenities – and there is, says Dennison, a great sense of community spirit.

She credits the “settled” nature of the older developments in the area such as Carriglea, Killakee and Monalea with providing a great sense of security. “We have a nice WhatsApp group that looks out for each other if anything's going on,” she says. “We set it up during the snow, really, in case anybody needed anything and couldn't make it out to get it for themselves.”

Firhouse's real USP is its array of decent-sized family homes, with three- and four-bedroom homes making up the bulk of what's available to buy at any given time.

As for new builds, Dennison says that the newest developments in the area are being built a little outside the centre of the suburb, on the Knocklyon and Tallaght ends.

A river runs through it

Dennison, who's been working as a Covid tester throughout the pandemic, says that, for her, the Dodder River has been a hidden gem she only discovered during lockdown. “It's within my five kilometres,” she explains. “And it's just gorgeous. It's nice and safe to cycle down to Templeogue – it's kept really well by a team of volunteers.”

The Dodder Greenway cycle route is being introduced and will run from Bohernabreena in the Dublin Mountains, along the Dodder all the way into the city centre.

Sporting activities include Firhouse Carmel Football Club which runs a big mini World Cup annually, there are two community centres as well as the nearby Ballyboden GAA club. “There are a lot of schools and shops, things like that – and there's a big GAA club, loads of sports for kids in the area, football pitches. It's a lovely little family area,” Dennison says.

Firhouse also has a selection of pubs to go to for a Sunday afternoon pint, or a decent roast dinner. Dennison's favourite? The Speaker Connolly gastropub on the Firhouse Road. “That's really nice, and does really good food on a Sunday, too.”

There's also Scholars Pub and Morton's – which has recently opened a small shop and café where its off-licence used to be, “it's a nice little happening spot to go for a takeaway coffee, right by the Dodder,” says Dennison.

Making a move

Aideen Quinn, a mortgage specialist with Bank of Ireland based in Dublin 24, says the area is “a pleasure to work in”.

“It's an older community with very genuine people and a special community spirit,” she says. Quinn characterises Firhouse as “sprawling suburb in the shadow of the Dublin Mountains, near the busy village of Tallaght, with its traditional pubs and casual eateries, plus the Square shopping centre.”

[ Aideen.Quinn@boi.com ]

The lender is Bank of Ireland Mortgages. Lending criteria and terms and conditions apply. Over 18s only. Mortgage approval is subject to assessment of suitability and affordability. A typical mortgage to buy your home of €100,000 over 20 years with 240 monthly instalments costs €615.79 per month at 4.2% variable (Annual Percentage Rate of Charge (APRC) 4.3%). APRC includes €150 valuation fee and mortgage charge of €175 paid to the Property Registration Authority. The total amount you pay is €148,114.60. We require property and life insurance. You mortgage your home to secure the loan. Maximum loan is generally 3.5 times gross annual income and 80% of the property value (90% of the property value for first-time buyers). A 1% interest rate rise would increase monthly repayments by €54.02 per month. The cost of your monthly repayments may increase – if you do not keep up your repayments you may lose your home.

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