So, I've been offered a job in Dublin, in the Southsideat a place called Sandyford. Family of 4, 2 kids aged just under 4 and 7.5yrs, so schools area consideration. We have been looking online at Bray, Eniskerry, Greystone etc, but no idea about the south west (Rathcoole way I think).

We are visiting on the 7th and 8th for a fly by recce of some property agents and locations. Ideally I would like to cycle to work- currently cycle approx 12 miles each way at the moment.

Does anyone have any advice? Also looking for a decent cycling and climbing club too and routes in the Wicklow area I guess!!

Your help is appreciated!!

CHeers!!

Hope you are rich Dublin is **** expensive

Is the Guinness actually better in Dublin?

It's all brewed there now [for the UK anyway]

They add snake oil to it over there so it's boud to taste better.

Is Dublin still silly expensive? I remember a time when house prices were as high as London while the Irish government were stoking the Celtic Tiger economy by offering massive tax breaks to companies setting up there, hence why a lot of the computer/technology companies have their EMEA HQs overthere (Dell and Apple are two examples). But didn't the whole thing crash really badly a few years ago?

A pint around 4 Euro, a crap ticket to see Iron Maiden at O2 Dublin around 70 Euro, bottle of scotch around 30, decent bread 3 a loaf.
Bike parts are stupidly priced, tube can cost 8 Euro easily and there's virtually no choice. When you say you want Shimano SPD's you might get a BBB copy instead.
Having said this, The Wicklows are stunning, it's much a quieter life.
BTW Check your road tax, anything with a engine will be costly. 1.0l buzzer is fine. And don't think you can keep your UK plates, south of Dublin the customs are mean.
I live North of the Village of Dublin, my bro's to the West. South? Pretty but thanks no.
Email me if you want some details.
Enjoy!
Kris

Bike parts are stupidly priced, tube can cost 8 Euro easily and there's virtually no choice.

Shame there wasn't a web based retailer over in Ireland. 😛

What are housing prices like? What does it cost to rent a 1-bed flat?

Bray would be my choice, access to Wicklow is good and you have the sea too.

Life there isn't cheap tho', but it's a rich life.

CRC are based in Northern Ireland not Ireland (it's a small but technically important point 😉 ) Having said that they post anywhere.

I'd say you'd need to double your salary in Dublin to make it worth it Comparing Dublin to Belfast from experience, wife worked down there for quite a while and we looked the the logistics and stuck with the north. She took a pay cut and moved back up here. That was three years ago and the cost of living difference may even be greater now

Was in Wicklow recently & it seemed to me that house prices had come down considerably from a few years ago. Cost of living is still higher than UK though.

Plenty of mtb areas there though, Ballinastoe is the official trail but there are plenty of others around.

as for the guiness tasted exactly the same as far as i could tell just cost a lot more
which makes no sense as the brewery is just down the road

Take a long look at rentals, you might get a nice deal because plenty of people are stuck with properties and just looking to cover their costs. I would look to stay close to the coast and pick a decent area which will take care of the schools. Epic MTB seem like a good bunch of people.

Rent can be cheap – in Drogheda a 3-bed flat starts from 650 pcm, 1-beds are a 100 cheaper. In Maynooth my bro pays 700 for a dingy 1-bed while a mate's moving another 30kms further West to pay 600pcm for a 3-bed house with a huge garage.
I dislike Bray, just a bad feel I had when I last visited.
CRC will deliver bike bits but it's taken them 10 days from the Belfast area where they are to Drogheda, some 60-80 mins driving time.
BTW Cycle Logical have quoted me 40 Euro for fixing a flat road tyre. Cycleways were marginally cheaper. And you can't take the bike on a train.