How would you rate towns in Wicklow?

We are FINALLY househunting after years of renting and are looking to relocate from Dublin to Wicklow. We have two small children and have already spent endless hours dragging them around Wicklow looking probably more at areas than at actual houses. The biggest decision we are facing is location, location, location...it really is a lifestyle choice we have to make before we can consider a house as such and we feel completely clueless about Wicklow.

We are looking for input from those of you who grew up in Wicklow or who live there currently...

How would you rate the following towns to live in (1 being crap and 5 being fantastic) - you can elaborate if you would like:
1. Rathnew
2. Ashford
3. Kilcoole
4. Newcastle
5. Bray
6. Wickow town

We would really appreciate some local knowledge...remember we have young kids so we are looking at schools, recreation & safety and basic community spirit - "a nice place to live". Feel free to recommend particular areas or estates!
NAHOY

1. Rathnew- good access to new motorway, some nice new houses, schools there is one primary & I don't know much about it.
2. Ashford- Haven't a clue apart from the fact that it's very clannish.
3. Kilcoole- lovely village, new school, country living not far from the city.
4. Newcastle- nothing in it, you blink you miss it & somehow the houses there cost a fortune. I'm talking massive houses nearing the €1million!
5. Bray-we recently bought here after years of renting and have 2 kids so we are very happy. The school our little fella goes to is St.Patricks and it's great, our baby is in a brilliant creche and we love the estate we are in. I get the dart to work stress free, hubbie gets to Sandyford in minutes on the M50. I could be called biased but I am happy one thing is that it's hard to get to know people and can get lonely but since our little lad started school I have got to know some really nice fellow mums and even have a few drinking buddies now!!. PM me for anymore info, have lots!!. Oh yeah Bray Emmets Academy is great for the kids, lots of other things to do. We are very happy and had the same circumstances as yourself and our kids are very happy to!!.
6. Wickow town- We NEARLY moved there but pulled out. It's a nice town but the houses are overpriced and you have to drive everywhere and I found it very hard to get info on schools. The train service is crap despite what they "try" to tell you, it's really bad. The Coral Leisure centre is lovely and there are nice walks, plenty of golf, tennis club but unless you buy up near Rosehill or that direction you are not within walking distance. We paid less money for our house in Bray that we nearly did for the house in Wicklow, we decided to sit it out a bit and it paid of.

Was meant to ask, what is your budget if you don't mind me asking??. Ours was max €440k & we bought on the Herbert Road in a lovely estate!!. Don't be afraid to play hard ball with the estate agents in the town some of them are unreal!!!. I could write a book. Best of luck with it all!!!.
If you need anymore info on schools, catchment areas, clubs etc ask away!!

Thanks so much for your post. It really really helped! Are feeling much clearer re balancing our specs and what is good value for money. Also feeling more interested in Bray which we werent before (had heard negative reports and then didnt know where was good etc) and can at least isolate an area... we are in the same price range as yourselves so have started looking at the Herbert Rd/ Killarney estates on the internet. Is the Boghall road in the same category...? Wheatfield estate? Saw a nice house on the net.

Its great to hear that your move has gone so smoothly as the impending trauma of uprooting kids etc can be quite daunting! We moved to Ireland from South Africa almost 6 years ago and are a bit afraid of starting from scratch again...but it has to be done!

I have one boy in school and another currently in Montessori...you mentioned a good creche (which may not be a montessori/playschool) - any good tips? Is St PAtricks the nearest school to you? What about the Bray Community Project school?

Thanks again for the "localised knowledge" - you never know, we could end up being neighbours!

NAHOY

Ah I'm delighted. I would be glad to help anytime as I know only too well how you feel, it's tough esp with 2 kids to consider. In responce to your questions....
*Is the Boghall road in the same category...? Wheatfield estate?- I think that house is overpriced tbh, you could do alot better. DNG in Bray have one in Mountain View Drive for €415k & that's a nice estate, give them a ring, better than Wheatfield I think anyway!!.The Boghall Road is okay imho, avoid Deerpark/Oldcourt areas. You will probably have to send your son to St. Fergals or Bray school project. I don't know too much about those schools but there is no uniform in Bray school project, it has a website so check it out www.brayschoolproject.ie . St. Fergals has a bit of a rough element in it from what I have HEARD, most would prefer their kids in St. Patricks or BSP or Scoil Chulain. The Boghall Road is not in the catchment area for St. Patricks, it's the Holy Redeemer Parish and luckily we are in it. Our son loves it there and is really happy, it's a lovely school and would highly recommend it but it's hard to get into, you have to enrol your child the previous Oct before they are due to start with proof of address etc but they do have kids from outside the catchment area in there too coz it's really big so chances are the kids do get in,it's an Irish thing this catchement area carry-on. Just so you know it's just Junoirs & Senoir infants for the boys and then they move to St.Cronans just up the road from it in first class which again is a lovely school.
My daughter goes to The Park Adademy Creche and Montessori on the Southern Cross Road and I cannot speak highly enough of it. Beautiful creche, lovely staff and just ticks all the right boxes and she has a ball and they cater right up to afterschool care and do part and full time.
As I said feel free to pm me or even if you are in Bray any weekend you could give us a shout and we will happily give you some useful tips. I also have some great boozer and resturant, take aways and chipper recommendations... For your wife if she is anything like me she will be thrilled to know that Dundrum SC is 12 mins in the car....my husband now HATES the mention of Pennys or Daisy & Toms...LOL!!

Here are a few you might want to look at, remember that houses are taking longer to sell now and prices are being dropped, it worked well for us and can for you. The ones I have picked out for you have been for sale for at least 3 months now:

[broken link removed]= just remember these houses are deceptively small inside. But do have a look yourself if you are interested.

[broken link removed]= nice estate, I know a few people living there and they are really nice. I would play hardball as regards the price though.

[broken link removed]= I would strongly advise viewing this property, nice estate and in good condition.

[broken link removed]= not bad at all!

Just to give you a second opinion,
I'm from Greystones, have lived there all my life. Just bought in Bray myself.
As far as towns go, I think you were given the right idea about Ashford, Rathnew and Wicklow. Ashford and Rathnew are both abit clannish though they are getting a bit more built up at the moment. If you are talking bout commuting to Town there a bit far though a lot of people do it. With 2 kids you'd never see them in the morning though!
Wicklow is a bit further out, but a nice town. Facilities are very good, but it is on a hill. You would have to drive to most of it and there isn't much public Transport. Commuter train morning, evening and lunchtime.
Newcastle is getting more built up at the moment though there isn't much facilities. one community centre, Secondary school in either kilcoole or wicklow.
Kilcoole and Bray are both highly recommended.
The schools in Kilcoole are all pretty good, and all have space with field for sports. There is an active Soccer club and GAA club(girls and boys) though don't think there are too many girls there. Greystones is only 5 mins down the road with some more shops and sports (Rugby Tennis Baseball and GAA). There is a new secondary school that has great facilities aswell. Kilcoole is a fairly safe area and there are no major problems in any of the housing estates.Kilcoole has the train in the morning(same one as wicklow) and it is on the 84 bus route (84X is very good in the morning and evening aswell)
Bray is a great area, I don't know much about the primary schoools to be honest but the Irish one has a great reputation as does St. Patricks. There are more buses in the area again (145 84, 45 all to town).

The Southern cross has some nice estates and a bus service. Wolfe Tone Square is a mature council estate and is alot nicer now, was looking at a few places there myself. Wheatfield is nice too. Just avoid Oldcourt. and in North Bray avoid Fassaroe and Hollybank.

Bray Emmets has a great juvinile club as well as senior club. There are alot of sports and Bray has a nightclub and alot more pubs. 2 Badminton clubs, and aldut education places. And for bringing up kids, I have alot of friends from Bray and they liked growing up there!

Just to give you a second opinion,
I'm from Greystones, have lived there all my life. Just bought in Bray myself.
As far as towns go, I think you were given the right idea about Ashford, Rathnew and Wicklow. Ashford and Rathnew are both abit clannish though they are getting a bit more built up at the moment. If you are talking bout commuting to Town there a bit far though a lot of people do it. With 2 kids you'd never see them in the morning though!
Wicklow is a bit further out, but a nice town. Facilities are very good, but it is on a hill. You would have to drive to most of it and there isn't much public Transport. Commuter train morning, evening and lunchtime.
Newcastle is getting more built up at the moment though there isn't much facilities. one community centre, Secondary school in either kilcoole or wicklow.
Kilcoole and Bray are both highly recommended.
The schools in Kilcoole are all pretty good, and all have space with field for sports. There is an active Soccer club and GAA club(girls and boys) though don't think there are too many girls there. Greystones is only 5 mins down the road with some more shops and sports (Rugby Tennis Baseball and GAA). There is a new secondary school that has great facilities aswell. Kilcoole is a fairly safe area and there are no major problems in any of the housing estates.Kilcoole has the train in the morning(same one as wicklow) and it is on the 84 bus route (84X is very good in the morning and evening aswell)
Bray is a great area, I don't know much about the primary schoools to be honest but the Irish one has a great reputation as does St. Patricks. There are more buses in the area again (145 84, 45 all to town).

The Southern cross has some nice estates and a bus service. Wolfe Tone Square is a mature council estate and is alot nicer now, was looking at a few places there myself. Wheatfield is nice too. Just avoid Oldcourt. and in North Bray avoid Fassaroe and Hollybank.

Bray Emmets has a great juvinile club as well as senior club. There are alot of sports and Bray has a nightclub and alot more pubs. 2 Badminton clubs, and aldut education places. And for bringing up kids, I have alot of friends from Bray and they liked growing up there!

Mon 50...you wouldn't mind giving me some info on the badminton club as I miss the game terrible and didn't know there was one in Bray and would love to start playing again!. Ditto on area's you recommended to be avoided. On Wolfe Tone, a friend of my sils bought there and her neighbours are horroble and quiet a few people that bought there in the past 2 years have had trouble with neighbours who have been there years and seem to have a bit of a problem with new people...weird carry-on!!. The Southern Cross have some really nice estates but the price of a 3 bed semi at €535k to START is mental and you are not within walking distance of anything, my opinion only I'm sure it's a nice place to live. The 84X and 145 are both excellent services btw. I think Bray and Kilcoole would be the two towns in Wicklow I would recommend for a family. We were looking in Woodstock at the time we were buying and there was nothing on the market.

I'm a Bray native. Here's more info on Bray including a list of the schools.

If you want the best links to Dublin then Bray is definitely the best selection in Wicklow. Greystones is extremely nice also but the DART service to it isn't as good. Greystones and Malahide have the highest number of ABCs in the country if I'm not mistaken. Further south the prices go down but you'll be more car dependent.

Bray is very big so if you buy a long way from the railway station you'll have a long walk although there are local buses.

hello there

I moved to Wicklow town 5 years ago from Dublin and havent looked back! Its a great community of people and I always feel safe walking around. I dont drive and manage fine (ok you have to like a bit of excercise and you will have thighs of steel from those hills!) I commute daily on Bus Eireann to Dublin where I work - door to door in an hour so not bad! (it takes as long for som people I work with to travel in 7 miles from parts of Dublin). I absolutely love my going on long walks on the beach, walking the dogs...

anyway - just my two cents

A wealth of information - thanks all. Will be checking out the houses mag05 and really given us very clear direction in isolating a good area, good schools and ammenities...Bray & Kilcoole are our top rated spots so far so the hunt is on! Keep you posted.

Bray School Project is a FANTASTIC school, with a large waiting list but sometimes places come up. Reckon it churns out brilliantly well adjusted kids. Bray has a lot more going for it than the other areas in terms of facilities. Greystones is quite lovely though with its shops, markets and pretty village atmos with the seaside as a bonus. Dart services are ridiculously infrequent as its not far from Bray.

An another note, primary schools in Bray may give a great start, but after that the secondary schools in Bray don't give a great finish, which is a problem. Would welcome comments on recommended secondary's in Bray.

Re secondary schools...

I know Loreto in Bray is in the list of top 10 girls schools in Ireland with respect to Leaving cert results, and I think it's the only non-fee paying school in the listing. Pres always had a decent rep for boys, and the Irish school, Colaiste Raithin has a good reputation too.