This is rubbish. You have bus services in Lucan like any other Dublin suburb and the Adamstown railway station is now open. Even though a limited number of trains stop at Adamstown you can still get trains in the morning and evening for commuting to/from town
Lucan?
- Thread starter Julesanddave
- Start date
This is rubbish. You have bus services in Lucan like any other Dublin suburb and the Adamstown railway station is now open. Even though a limited number of trains stop at Adamstown you can still get trains in the morning and evening for commuting to/from town
I think it really depends on which part of Lucan you live in and how close you are to the amenities you need to use. You seem to be hard done by on all accounts.
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rev18
Guest
I do wish people would be a little less over the top in their responses!
Lucan is 9 miles from the city centre, hardly the depths of the country!!
It has a good bus service with the 25A/25X/Mortons routes and indeed, depending on which part you live in, has the leixlip, celbridge, maynooth, buses as well which go right through Lucan village and skirt Lucan South areas.
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rev18
Guest
I live in Lucan South also however the 25A bus stop is 3 minutes walk, the local pub is 5 minutes walk and the nearest national school to me is 3 minutes walk. While I sympathise with your predicament I think its a little unfair to write off a whole area just because you are further away from services that are close to others. As always, when choosing a place to live, location is very important.
I would agree that Griffeen in particular certainly appears to be a concrete jungle and the new shops imo are a right eye sore. After reading your post I am even happier that I don't live there. Thankfully my Lucan experience is far better than yours.
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Nodser
Guest
I used to live in Lucan (Finnstown Abbey like DonKing) I would not recommend Lucan at all as a place to live. Very little amenities. It will soon have a similar population to Waterford City with a fraction of the benefits. DonKing is obviously very happy there but if you ask most people living in Lucan do they intend to be there in 5 years time they will answer no. Traffic is a huge oproblem and you need a car to have any quality of life.
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Blueberry08
Guest
As another Lucanite (well, for half of the year) it's hard to know what to advise. I've lived in a few places around Dublin over the last few years and nowhere was the traffic to and from town quite as hellish - and I'm speaking from experience having done that morning and evening commute for months on end. (Hallelujah, no more!).
Most mornings it would take me at least an hour to get from Lucan to the M50 roundabout, and on a good day it was another 30 minutes in to town after that (but often another hour). That added up to, at the very least, three hours in the car every day, sometimes four. (My destination meant the bus wasn't an option).
So that is very definitely an issue to explore before you make a decision, no matter what you're told here.
I often thought life might be easier if I lived in Maynooth near the train station, but the Maynoothites will help you out on that one. The Adamstown train station is an option if you live near enough to it, but if you don't you probably have to drive there and the traffic to it in the morning is chronic. My brother lives in Finnstown (which is on the road up to Adamstown) and it takes him up to 30 minutes to even get out of his estate in the morning!
But I do like Lucan itself, especially the village and the older more settled parts. I have to admit my worst nightmare would be to live up Liffey Valley way, in the newer estates, that area is my definition of hell on earth. Sorry.
If you could afford to buy nearer the village - eg Esker Lawns, Beach Park, Kew Park, Canonbrook, etc - that would be ideal, but they might be out of your budget range at the moment, I'm not sure.
My advice, then, is to avoid the newer parts of Lucan, think twice about living there at all if you have to commute in to town every day - if you don't, and you can afford to live in the older parts, then it's a fine place to live.
Most mornings it would take me at least an hour to get from Lucan to the M50 roundabout, and on a good day it was another 30 minutes in to town after that (but often another hour). That added up to, at the very least, three hours in the car every day, sometimes four. (My destination meant the bus wasn't an option).
So that is very definitely an issue to explore before you make a decision, no matter what you're told here.
I often thought life might be easier if I lived in Maynooth near the train station, but the Maynoothites will help you out on that one. The Adamstown train station is an option if you live near enough to it, but if you don't you probably have to drive there and the traffic to it in the morning is chronic. My brother lives in Finnstown (which is on the road up to Adamstown) and it takes him up to 30 minutes to even get out of his estate in the morning!
But I do like Lucan itself, especially the village and the older more settled parts. I have to admit my worst nightmare would be to live up Liffey Valley way, in the newer estates, that area is my definition of hell on earth. Sorry.
If you could afford to buy nearer the village - eg Esker Lawns, Beach Park, Kew Park, Canonbrook, etc - that would be ideal, but they might be out of your budget range at the moment, I'm not sure.
My advice, then, is to avoid the newer parts of Lucan, think twice about living there at all if you have to commute in to town every day - if you don't, and you can afford to live in the older parts, then it's a fine place to live.
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Blueberry08
Guest
That is, in my experience, true. Most of the younger people I know who lived in Lucan did so, they said, only because the houses were more affordable than most parts of Dublin, but once they could afford to spend more they left. It's the starter-home capital of the county. Some, though, have been happy to stay.....but only if they didn't have to commute in to town.
Sorry after reading the last two posts, you would have to question how many people have been in lucan in the last 6-8 months, or even 2 years!
If your living 30 mins for pennyhill on the griffin avenue, then the lord lucan is close to you.
Not sure where you live on griffen avenue to be 15 mins from 25a bus stop, tullyhall is probably the furthest from it and thats 10 min walk less if you go through rossbery.
Say there is no faclities in lucan, that person hasnt a clue, more facilities there than most areas of dublin.
Traffic Issue
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I usually get the bus to work, and have to go right across the city so have driven this a few times.
To get to m50 roundabout leaving lucan at 730, you be there by 750-800 latest, last time took 35 mins as accident on m50 but and entry to m50 was closed off.
Now to get from m50 roundabout to ballsbridge is another 25-30 mins max. Can have problems sometimes but never an hour.
Finnstown
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Our bus goes by Finnstown at 740 every day and access to the road there is easy, no traffic, this morning at 755 i looked right up towards finnstown hotel and zero traffic there too, it used to back up as far as superquinn but all the road works have solved the problem, no backups that far now.
Village
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Think everyone would tell you village is a lovely area, but the main problem with the village, the traffic there is worst than the n4 by a good bit. Both exits to village do be blocked up, but the new bridge at superquinn cross roads will help this hopefully.
If your living 30 mins for pennyhill on the griffin avenue, then the lord lucan is close to you.
Not sure where you live on griffen avenue to be 15 mins from 25a bus stop, tullyhall is probably the furthest from it and thats 10 min walk less if you go through rossbery.
Say there is no faclities in lucan, that person hasnt a clue, more facilities there than most areas of dublin.
Traffic Issue
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I usually get the bus to work, and have to go right across the city so have driven this a few times.
To get to m50 roundabout leaving lucan at 730, you be there by 750-800 latest, last time took 35 mins as accident on m50 but and entry to m50 was closed off.
Now to get from m50 roundabout to ballsbridge is another 25-30 mins max. Can have problems sometimes but never an hour.
Finnstown
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Our bus goes by Finnstown at 740 every day and access to the road there is easy, no traffic, this morning at 755 i looked right up towards finnstown hotel and zero traffic there too, it used to back up as far as superquinn but all the road works have solved the problem, no backups that far now.
Village
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Think everyone would tell you village is a lovely area, but the main problem with the village, the traffic there is worst than the n4 by a good bit. Both exits to village do be blocked up, but the new bridge at superquinn cross roads will help this hopefully.
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Blueberry08
Guest
I've lived in Lucan on and off for the last 30 years! And anyone who's honest about the place will admit the traffic situation is dire. I just find so many people who have moved to Lucan in recent years are so defensive about it, refusing to concede the traffic issue is as bad as it most certainly is. The OP is asking for honest advice about Lucan, so we should give it to her. It's simply my opinion, based on first hand experience, that it's generally a lovely place to live, but not if you have to commute in to town every day.
aishling99
Registered User
- Messages
- 39
Blueberry do you currently commute into town every day from lucan?
I've been doing it for the past 4 years, I get the bus at 7.40 and am at my desk in work before 8.30. I get the 6 o clock bus home every evening and am home around 6.45. Apart from a few months when there were roadworks on the newcastle road this has not changed in the last 4 years.
Everyone has different opinions on what they like/dislike about where they live but you cannot say commuting to town by bus (which is what the poster said her husband would be doing) from lucan is bad.
I've been doing it for the past 4 years, I get the bus at 7.40 and am at my desk in work before 8.30. I get the 6 o clock bus home every evening and am home around 6.45. Apart from a few months when there were roadworks on the newcastle road this has not changed in the last 4 years.
Everyone has different opinions on what they like/dislike about where they live but you cannot say commuting to town by bus (which is what the poster said her husband would be doing) from lucan is bad.
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Nodser
Guest
right Nodser!
We have 2 golf courses, liffey valley, lidl, aldi, two big parks, tennis courts, astro pitch with another 2 on the way, running track, skate boarding area, gaa pitches and soccer pitches in the park. gyms, hair dressers, medical centre, bookies, finnstown hotel which has a nice restaurant, another 2 pubs, cinema in liffey valley, centra, superquinn, library, good bus service.
Any answer to these?
We have 2 golf courses, liffey valley, lidl, aldi, two big parks, tennis courts, astro pitch with another 2 on the way, running track, skate boarding area, gaa pitches and soccer pitches in the park. gyms, hair dressers, medical centre, bookies, finnstown hotel which has a nice restaurant, another 2 pubs, cinema in liffey valley, centra, superquinn, library, good bus service.
Any answer to these?
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Nodser
Guest
When your facilities include Centra ,bookies, medical centre, football pitches and hairdressers then you are really scrapping the barrell. Also Liffey Valley is not in Lucan. Indeed Ballyfermot is as close to Liffey Valley as parts of Lucan.
There is no Cinema , no public swimming pool, almost no jobs, very few pubs, no nightclubs, very few playgrounds, not enough school places, no third level college, onl;y 2 real supermarkets, no significant clothes shops, verry few restaurants. All thats just opff the top of my head. These are things many towns in Ireland with a population of 5000 would have never mind a place of 50,000
aishling99
Registered User
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- 39
so nodser where would u recommend the poster lives that has all the facilities you feel lucan is missing? not much help to the poster to put somewhere down without offering alternatives
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Nodser
Guest
Well the poster only asked for opinions on Lucan.They did not ask for alternatives.
However in the area, as others have said Maynooth is better. Indeed given its close proximity to Liffey Valley maybe Ballyfermot is a better choice.
Personally I would recommend going as close to town as their budget allowed. As the market is falling at present I may not buy atall but rent for a while and decide themselves after a while living in Dublin.
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Blueberry08
Guest
No, but I did up until three months ago - and was doing that commute for 30 years, on and off. Old crony that I am I pine for the days it took 20 minutes to get from Lucan to town. These days I only have to do the commute occasionally, which is just as well - it takes me a week to recover from the experience.
I assume you're lucky enough to work right in the centre of town? Even so, I'm amazed at those times, they just don't tally with my own family and friends' experience - they tell me it takes an hour, minimum, to get from Lucan to town in the morning by bus. And you're lucky if the first five buses that come along aren't full.
Absolutely. My opinion is that many people who live in Lucan have a chip on their shoulder about it because its reputation (traffic, planning corruption which led to the concrete hell that is the newer part of the town, lack of facilities, shortage of school places, etc), with those who don't live there (and some who do) isn't great. So they are defensive and refuse to acknowledge the problems it quite obviously has, traffic being one of them.
Apologies, my mistake, I missed the OP saying she and her husband would be commuting by bus. I would still strongly recommend that she test the rush hour bus commute to and from Lucan herself, before considering buying there, so she experiences firsthand just how long it takes.
Show me anywhere in Ireland that doesn't have a traffic problem ! And where are all these people going with house prices the way they are that is ideal ? I would love to know (cos I'll follow them).
Yes Lucan is bad during rush hour esp. if you want to get into town but if you leave early enough it's not as bad. Also there are new bus corridors that have helped and new traffic light junctions etc. The M50 roundabout which caused such chaos is being improved so that there won't be as much of a bottleneck - the lights are removed from it. (If only they could get rid of the tollbridge we'd be in luck).
The major plus is that the Luas is due to be announced in March 08 and indications look like it will be on the Southside which is where the population is for it (i.e. Griffeen, Finnstown, Castle Riada - in fact there could be a Castle Riada Luas stop, I could go on but you should find it all on the website [broken link removed]).
So if I were you - I wouldn't look until the RPA announce where the Luas is going (you can check their website for details of the proposed routes and no doubt the announcement in March) for obvious reasons.
There are two major routes proposed - the Southside which DonKing described & the Northside which goes through the village into Liffey Valley etc. - however the council have proposed a 3rd route which will effectively take in the Southside route and turn back towards the village too.
Other posters are suggesting Maynooth and although I love Maynooth personally - Lucan is still closer to town and has more growth potential with the Luas. Having said that of course Maynooth has a train station if you wanted to buy close to that.
Unfortunately though with the Luas-works traffic will no doubt get worse for a good while and it won't be built until 2013 but does anyone remember where they were in 2003 ? It's that close...
Julesanddave
Registered User
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- 19
Hi all
Thanks so so much for all of your honest advise on Lucan, It really has given me a much better idea.
At the moment my husband commutes into London and that takes at least an hour door to door. So no matter where we buy in Dublin/Kildare we are expecting a commute. Unfortunately with our budget we are quiet restricted on where we can buy. Im orginally from Ballinteer and would love to move back there.. But will need a lotto win first!
Somebody suggested that we should try to move closer to town.. I would think on our budget if we moved closer to town, we would probably have to live in a not so nice estate! My main concern would be anti social behaviour, followed by school places.. From what I have read there seems to be little anti social behaviour in Lucan and the school places arent that much of a problem. ( If we get my sons name down early)
Thanks so so much for all of your honest advise on Lucan, It really has given me a much better idea.
At the moment my husband commutes into London and that takes at least an hour door to door. So no matter where we buy in Dublin/Kildare we are expecting a commute. Unfortunately with our budget we are quiet restricted on where we can buy. Im orginally from Ballinteer and would love to move back there.. But will need a lotto win first!
Somebody suggested that we should try to move closer to town.. I would think on our budget if we moved closer to town, we would probably have to live in a not so nice estate! My main concern would be anti social behaviour, followed by school places.. From what I have read there seems to be little anti social behaviour in Lucan and the school places arent that much of a problem. ( If we get my sons name down early)