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“THERE’S NOT A lot that can’t be solved by a walk along the coast, listening to the sound of crashing waves.” Having grown up by the sea, local Lucy O’Connor champions both the proximity to the water and the close-knit community in Donabate.
Situated a 25-minute train north from Dublin city centre, Donabate benefits from a nearly ideal location, but that’s not all it has going for it. It boasts a wide range of walking and sea swimming activities, a cute coffee shop and a beloved pub.
You can reach Donabate by car via the M1, or take a city bus or commuter train to Donabate train station, making it attractive for those who need to commute in and out of the city.
If you’re considering relocating to Donabate or buying a home in the area, you’ll want to know just what the town has to offer. We checked in with locals to discover what they love about the area to give you a sense of the town’s amenities.
First up, where to explore the great outdoors, since Donabate has those options in spades.
“Tower Bay beach is definitely my favourite place as it is secluded and is an amazing place to go for a swim,” according to local Megan Hogan, who has called Donabate home for her whole life. “I love it here and it’s amazing being so close to the sea and still close to the city centre,” she said.
If you’re looking to stay dry, Hogan suggests the local cliff walk, “The cliff walk goes around the whole peninsula.” It’s easily accessed from many points around the peninsula, including the Shoreline Hotel.
O’Connor adds two more walking areas to the local list, “For a change of scene there are great walks up Paddy’s Hill and around the forests of St Ita’s,” she said.
For families old and young, you’ll want to head over to Newbridge Farm, “It’s such a lovely park and playground and walk around the farm,” O’Connor explained. There’s a large playground available to the public, as well as walking trails, or pay into the farm itself and meet the animals inside.
When it comes to food, all roads lead back to Keelings Pub, followed by a pitstop at the local ice cream shop.
Hogan explains her weekends usually include the local carvery, “Sunday afternoon is often not complete without a trip to Keelings Pub for a carvery and then to Scrumdiddly’s.”
O’Connor concurs, “After building up an appetite in the sea air, we love to grab a bite to eat in Keelings Pub,” she said, “The wings with hot sauce are a firm family favourite.” The O’Connor family sometimes diversifies with a takeaway from Chung’s, but they’re equally loyal to their frozen treats, “My kids might vote for Scrumdiddlys ice cream shop as their favourite eatery!
Every town needs a go-to coffee shop, and Hogan offers a recommendation for one that fits the bill, “On the weekend we always stop into Triangle Coffee co for a flat white and then to Pea and Pod for some lunch.”
But you will have your choice of coffee shop, with Cate’s Cafe and Cuppacabana also in located in the village.
“Of course it wouldn’t be Donabate without our GAA club St. Pats,” Hogan reminds us. You’ll want to break out the black and green, as it sounds like the whole town comes out to support the teams.
O’Connor says her family don the black and green as well, “We are members of St. Pats GAA club, where all three of my kids play a combination of Gaelic football, hurling and camogie.” And it’s a family affair, “My husband also still plays hurling and you will often catch me on the sidelines of Ballymastone, chatting with fellow parents,” she explained,
But St. Pats isn’t the only club in town, O’Connor explains, “If I’m not cheering on the GAA sidelines, I change my colours for soccer, shouting for Portrane Athletic.”
If golf is your sport, you’ll be spoiled for choice with Beaverstown, Balcarrick, Corballis Links, The Island, and Donabate golf clubs all located in the area.
Even the locals are excited about seeing new faces around their town, “There is a great sense of community in Donabate and it’s great to see many new young families coming to settle in.”
Considering making Donabate your new home? Homes at Semple Woods are coming soon – register your interest here.
At Glenveagh Homes, our vision is that everyone should have the opportunity to access great-value, high-quality homes in flourishing communities across Ireland. We understand that buying a home is possibly the biggest decision you will ever make in your life – but we want to make it your easiest. Click here to find out more about Glenveagh developments.
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Vincent Brown is an excellent interviewer. No wonder many politicians wish to avoid him e.g. Gerry Adams.
Enda Kenny is scared shitless of Vincent Brown .
Actually at times he comes across as a bully. Especially last week when he was supposed to interviewing an ex British Army officer who served in Afgahnistan on the security situation in the ME and proceeded to verbally assault and berate him for decisions taken by his govt. that he had no input into whatsoever. It was obvious he had been set up for an ambush by Browne. Shameful stuff.
considering all the British Army ambushes in Ireland or “terrorist attacks” as they called them at the time then was this not Karma from Mr. Browne ?
Northern Ireland – Proof the U.N. is an over-paid waffle shop for the bewildered !
Enda Kenny is scared of his own reflection……
Some say his own reflection doesn’t even like him…
And what will happen in the end is that Browne’s show will suffer for his ambush tactics, as he’ll struggle to get high profile guests. Instead he’ll be stuck interviewing clowns from People before Profit or the AAA.
Scipio, do you just complain about everything?
Vincent Browne has reduced himself to the level of an political Jeremy Kyle. No serious politician will ever go on his show unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Skippy is bang on the money, he’s already the level where his staple guests are irrelevant nutters like Joe Higgins, Declan Ganley and that PBP fool in the checked shirt.
Yet he still draws in big names in Irish politics and culture, draws in over 160,000 viewers in one of the worst slots and is good enough to be compared to Jeremy Paxman by the Guardian. Jon Snow of Channel 4 News is often called a bully, yet he’s still one of the most highly respected British journalists and Channel 4 has few problems drawing in highly significant people for interviews, even when the interviewees are at their most vulnerable. Basically, your claims have nothing to support them
You know his show is online right? I can actually open it up in my browser and sit here asking myself who are these people. Some of them are only there because they have twitter accounts.
It’s kinda like government backbenchers isn’t Ron ? …Who are these people all they have is Party Support …….
Has he had Twink on yet? It’s only a matter of time.
Yeah Twink would certainly qualify as one of those leading lights of Irish culture that ‘Free Gaza’ was talking about.
No she sticks to R.T.E. – just like Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour – Sinn Fein were banned from R.T.E. during the British Army “Terror with terror” (their own words) campaign until Paddy decided to call of the Grand National and we got to see all the posh British crying because their horseys couldn’t run around a field …
That was funny – and no bomb at all, at all ……
Scipio – Anyone who opens a comment with ‘you are an idiot’ , has clearly already lost the argument .
Except if they’re obviously addressing an idiot.
Scipio, completely misquoting me yet again. Never said anything about the leading lights of Irish culture. I simply said that Vincent Browne consistently has big enough names when it comes to the Irish context. I don’t know half the people on Frontline, the Late Late Show, Question Time or Newsnight most of the time so that’s hardly a measure of the presenter’s/interviewer’s credibility and skill. There are over 220 politicians at a national level in Ireland, plus almost a thousand at local level, never mind all the other politicians and activists across the island.
Ron mentioned the “irrelevant nutters” that appear on his show, yet we all know who Joe Higgins and Declan Ganley are, what they stand for and we actually pay some sort of attention to what they say or do, whether we take them seriously or not.
The fact that Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour and the lovely Twink all stick to RTE supports the point that Skippy was making Dermot.
Section 31 and ‘horseys’ are not relevant to this conversation..
Brown completely demolished Joan when she was on the show with Joe Higgins. She has never been on it since!
Nor has anyone else of consequence.
Seriously do any of you think Kenny or any of his likes would have the neck to go on Vincent Browne ..I don’t ..he is actually excellent at not letting his “guests” off the hook …id love to see Kenny.try to worm his way out of his broken election vows
This is just more proof of his legend status .
Answer the question to quote ..Vincent
Vincent would eat Enda for breakfast and Enda knows it.
Big fan of him. And he can have a bit of craic too.
Brown a big bully
he’s fantastic takes no shite .
I am so sick of fools calling people irrelevant just cause they’re not in the big four parties. Its toxic to democracy to regard deviation from mainstream politics as laughable or irrelevant. And of course there’s always this feeling its being done to stamp out opposition to those mainstream policies through snide laughter and ridicule
I agree with Sean bent above about the main parties but I would say 3.
The vincent Browne’s and George Hook’s of this country like the status quo and are scared shitless of Sinn Fein coming to power.
They knock them absoultely every chance they get.
Gerry, hook doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Vincent Brown. He’s a rugby commentator and I see very little intellect.
UTV ireland is fast approaching. TV3 and VINB be afraid, be very afraid.
Enda would be afraid of Fionnán Sheehan.
Yeah the same few politicians on his show like thomas byrne going on about t’frozen chips. Bloody hell.
That was a very important insight into the cluelessness of the economic policies of Fianna fail – that and the fact that irish people had been calling for it for years while they made Frozen Pizzas in Galway for years !
Vincent for president
J-J-JUST ANSWER THE BLOODY QUESTION
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