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Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Charming two-bed with courtyard garden and period features in Blackrock for €795,000
Address : 10 Green Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin Price : €795,000 Agent : Sherry FitzGerald View this property on Green Road, which connects Sydney Avenue and Waltham Terrace in Blackrock , is a residential street with a rich history dating back to the early 19th century. It was originally part of the Pembroke Estate and development of the road happened in stages – the majority occurring around 1908 – hence it features a variety of architectural styles from Victorian, Edwardian and 1930s types, reflecting its phased development. It is impossible to compare homes on the Property Price Register alone, as they vary so much in size. For example, the most recent sale listed is that of Seaforth, at Number 14; a semidetached, five-bedroom 180sq m (1,937sq ft) Edwardian in need of upgrading and with a good-sized garden, which achieved €1.225 million in 2020. Sherry FitzGerald has just listed Number 10 to the market for €795,000. It is part of a terrace of three and dates from 1840, making it one of the older properties on this stretch of prime Blackrock real estate, and extends to 102sq m (1,097sq ft). It lies at the Sydney Avenue end close to the junction with Sydney Terrace, so is close to the village, schools, good transport links and plenty of amenities. The fact that it is double-fronted allows for a good-sized livingroom on one side of the hall, and a family room that leads to a dining space on the other. Off the dining area, a set of Crittall-style doors open into a contemporary galley-style kitchen that itself opens out to a rear courtyard, as does the dining space. There's also a much-coveted, separate utility room located off the dining space, and it's close to the courtyard for drying linens in the fresh air. READ MORE Upstairs are two double bedrooms flanking each side of the landing, which is flooded with light thanks to a tall sash window. A family bathroom lies to the rear. As it has two living areas downstairs, it could have the potential to be a three-bedroom unit. There's room out front for morning cups of coffee, with privacy from a tall hedge. To the rear, a tall, woven willow fence provides much privacy to a small courtyard garden, which has a southeasterly aspect and where its owner has sundowners and barbecues. Its Ber rating is E1, but it retains its original sash windows, most of which are working, so heavy curtains and closing the shutters will keep rooms toastier in winter months. Entrance hall Front entrance Livingroom/dining space Kitchen Dining space Bathroom Courtyard Number 10 may interest those looking for an alternative to an apartment in the south Dublin suburbs, with the benefit of having its own door, a terrace and courtyard. It retains numerous original period features such as sash windows, old fireplaces, high ceilings and interesting curvature to bedroom ceilings. Though in good nick, the purple carpets upstairs may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a small cosmetic change to an otherwise lovely old house.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
The Brooklyn, Swords review: One star for the worst chicken burger I've ever tasted
The Brooklyn Address : The Plaza, Malahide Road, Townparks, Swords, Co Dublin, K67 WV44 Telephone : 01 840 6760 Cuisine : Modern International Website : Cost : €€ Walk into The Brooklyn and the vibe hits immediately – all thump, gloss and security detail. Three suited bouncers check bookings – because nothing says 'gastro bar' like nightclub security at 6.15pm on a Friday evening. This is the latest dinner booking we can get at the new 160-seater in Swords , Co Dublin , and the place is already operating at full volume. It's a €2.5 million fit-out by O'Donnell + O'Neill – known for polished interiors such as The Leinster and Sophie's Rooftop Restaurant at The Dean , both in Dublin. This one aims for Brooklyn chic but lands somewhere between cocktail lounge and influencer backdrop: pineapple lamps, considered mismatched furnishings, salvaged brick and reclaimed timber. Dramatically lit big-brand bottles – Beefeater, Bombay – perch on glass shelves aiming for niche and premium but not quite hitting the note. Michael Wright and his sons, Brook and Mikey, say they're here to break norms and push boundaries. The result is an all-day menu in what they call a premium casual style, letting the ingredients speak for themselves. READ MORE There's nothing wrong with a one-pager offering burgers, wings, steaks and pasta – plenty of places do it, and people love it. But it has to be good. It has to be confident. The prawn tempura (€14) suggests otherwise. The wild Argentinian prawns come sealed in batter so thick and joyless 'tempura' feels like a typo. The calamari (€12) fares a little better: evenly cut, criss-crossed squid coated in golden panko. The pieces are just a little too precise to feel handcrafted, and the dipping sauce doesn't do much to elevate things. Inside The Brooklyn in Swords, Co Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson The Brooklyn has an all-day menu in what it calls a premium casual style. Photograph: Alan Betson The menu promises cocktails and a 'curated' wine list. Stick to the more affordable classics – my Margarita (€12) is fresh and zingy, but the signatures run from €14 to €16. The Paul Mas Chardonnay (€8.50) is the best of a deeply unambitious glass selection, which veers into supermarket territory with Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Rioja. The fish and chips (€19) arrives with all the self-righteous fanfare the menu can muster – 'sustainably caught haddock, hand-cut fries, crushed sweet peas, tartar sauce' – as if this is some major flex. No points for highlighting a supplier using nets with larger mesh sizes while serving farmed sea bass and salmon. Pan fried sea bass at The Brooklyn. Photograph: Alan Betson The Brooklyn. Photograph: Jimmy Hawkshaw The Brooklyn. Photograph: Jimmy Hawkshaw And the poor fish. It lands in a slab of batter so thick and tough I consider asking for a serrated knife to get through it. The fish has spent way too much time in the heat, like it has been batch-cooked and revived to order. And the weird thing is, there's barely any flesh – it's mostly batter. It is, without a doubt, the worst battered fish I've ever had. Anywhere. Ever. The Korean chicken burger (€19) faces a similar fate, encased in a wodge of thick, hard, batter. How so much of it clings to the scrap of dried-out chicken is the real mystery. There's barely any flavour, certainly no real taste of kimchi. Compare and contrast with the glorious burgers at Korean fried chicken specialist, Chimac – crisp, juicy, and alive with heat – and try not to laugh. It's the worst chicken burger I've ever had – it is gasp-inducingly poor. Both mains come with hand-cut fries which are uniformly skinny – someone in the kitchen is hand-cutting with machine-like precision. One bowl is hot, the other cold. We're despairing. We share the sticky toffee pudding (€8). It's fine. The sponge is soft. The sauce is not overly confected. There is ice cream. It is the one dish that arrives as expected and tastes as described. If everything had been at the level of the pudding, we'd have left with fewer complaints. Not compliments – just fewer complaints. But this isn't a bad night at a good place. This is exactly how it's meant to be: calculated, commercial, and built to a brief. A concept, not a kitchen. A venue, not a restaurant. This is €2.5 million spent proving that money buys lighting, velvet banquettes, and nice mirrors. But not food. Not flavour. Not even a whiff of interest. It's a revenue stream with a menu. And they called it The Brooklyn. Why? Because 'The Swords' wouldn't sell a €19 chicken burger like this one and get away with it. Dinner for two with three drinks was €99. The Verdict: Gasp-inducingly poor. Food provenance: Haddock from Kilmore Quay, wild Argentinian prawns, Greek farmed sea bass, Scottish farmed salmon, duck from Musgraves, Manor Farm free-range chicken, O'Mahony's pork, John Stone beef, and Keelings. Vegetarian options: Caesar salad, soups, flatbreads, bruschetta, spaghetti aglio e olio, halloumi burger, and grilled cauliflower steak. Wheelchair access: Fully accessible with an accessible toilet. Music: Disco and soul.
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Motorcyclist injured in collision which killed Garda dies in hospital
A motorcyclist injured in a collision in which a Garda member was killed, has died in hospital. A Garda spokesperson said the man aged in his 30s died in Beaumont Hospital on Saturday evening. Advertisement The spokesperson added: 'Garda family liaison officers are providing ongoing support and information to both families involved. 'Investigations are ongoing.' Kevin Flatley was killed at a checkpoint in Dublin last month (An Garda Síochána/PA) Garda Kevin Flatley died on May 11th when he was struck by the motorcycle while carrying out a speed checkpoint in Co Dublin. His funeral last month was told he had left no stone unturned in his duty of care to others. Advertisement Garda Flatley, originally from Newcastle, Co Dublin, had served in An Garda Síochána for 26 years and with the roads policing unit since 2018.
Irish Times
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Happy with your husband?
Sir,– Eighty-four per cent of women change their names on marriage (Letters, 30th May ). I wonder how many then try to change their husbands and, failing that, how many change their husbands? – Yours, etc, MICHAEL KEEGAN, Booterstown, READ MORE Co Dublin.
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Letters to the Editor, May 27th: On housing, cycling and the decline of retail
Sir, – That Dublin could run out of capacity for new homes by 2028 because of a delayed sewage plant sounds like satire – but it's deadly serious. In the middle of a housing crisis, with rents through the roof and wages barely moving, we're now being told that even if we wanted to build, we might not be able to. This isn't just poor planning – it's State failure. The Greater Dublin Drainage project has been talked about for over two decades. In that time, entire cities have been built elsewhere. Here, we can't even get past the paperwork. People are running out of patience. You can't keep telling families to wait while the cost of living climbs and the promise of a home drifts further out of reach. Scarcity like this – when it's avoidable and clearly political doesn't just fuel frustration. It risks something deeper: a loss of faith in the system itself. If we don't get serious about delivery, don't be surprised when the politics start to get serious too. –Yours, etc, READ MORE GAVIN REDDIN, Swords, Co Dublin. Sir, – Not a day goes by without mention of Ireland's housing crisis – yet it only seems to get worse. It's hard to avoid the conclusion that our politicians either lack the will or the ability to fix it. I have some sympathy for them, because any meaningful solution would probably mean reducing the paper value of what many homeowners believe is their greatest asset. (I'll leave it to the economists and philosophers to explain the difference between cost and value.) Perhaps I can help by going back to first principles. What is a house? Well, in Ireland – much like Humpty Dumpty in Lewis Carroll's, 'Through the Looking Glass' - a house is whatever the planning officers say it is. And what they say it is will typically cost you €500,000 or more, and probably won't look very interesting. But here's the thing: it's not actually that difficult to build a perfectly good home for a fraction of that price. The problem is, such a home wouldn't satisfy the planning department's arbitrary rules and definitions. So what if we changed their job? What if the planning authorities stopped defining what a house must be, and instead focused on planning the services – the roads, water, power, waste, broadband – that are needed wherever people choose to live? Let the buyer decide what kind of house they want, and what they can afford. As for how to appease current homeowners who are worried about falling values ¨– I don't know. But I do know that there's an entire generation coming up that doesn't give a damn about propping up old property values. They just want somewhere to live. – Yours, etc, JOHN HOLSTEAD, Ventry, Co. Kerry Public spending and fiscal policy Sir, – The Central Bank's call for the exchequer to 'anchor' fiscal policy is probably long overdue (Saturday May 24th): Public expenditure has continued to exceed budgetary limits and targets, mainly as a result of an increase in current, and mainly recurring, expenditure, which taxpayers will be asked to finance in the event of a downturn. Meanwhile, investment in upgrading key infrastructure lags, not to mention housing. The Universal Social Charge (USC), introduced 17 years ago as a temporary measure, continues to levy incomes when the emergency it was designed to fund is long over. The disposition of nearly all parties to find new or increased expenditure programmes just because the exchequer is in surplus, has to stop. Instead what is needed is a root and branch review of existing expenditures to improve efficiency and eliminate waste. – Yours, etc, JOE LENIHAN, Collins Avenue, Dublin. On your bike Sir, – Joe Humphreys in his 'Unthinkable' piece ( 'Cyclists versus drivers: How to avoid road rage ' May 26th) suggests that 'taking a Zen approach could help motorists and cyclists to be less judgemental about each other' . All very well , however whilst cycling recently I was almost meeting my maker by a large SUV more suitable for the rocky mountains than suburban Dublin . As a cyclist I can assure your columnist there is no 'moral superiority ' merely the will to avoid injury or death on the roads . Sometimes rage is the only appropriate response. – Yours, etc, MIKE MORAN, Clontarf, Dublin 3. Sir, – Joe Humphries' article on the dangers of cyclists feeling morally superior to cars had the worthy aim of increasing mutual respect on roads, but he missed something. He didn't mention those who are neither in cars nor on bicycles. As a walker I rarely have a problem with cars; they mostly stay off pavements, stop at red lights and respect crossings. In contrast, cyclists often ignore all three with impunity, which is why pedestrians can no longer amble along the pavement in a relaxed fashion or trust the green man to provide a safe crossing. No doubt Humphries is the sort of responsible rider who stays off the pavement and always obeys traffic lights – in which case, well done he – but many cyclists don't obey the rules of the road, which is why pedestrians sometimes feel less affection for cyclists than they otherwise might. – Yours, etc, DAVID HARRIS, Coptic St, London. Joe Humphreys admits that as a cyclist, he sometimes experiences a sense of moral superiority . As a pedestrian of many years standing, I wonder if that superiority also applies to the cohort that cycle on footpaths? My most recent episode involved having to give way to a female cyclist on a footpath which ironically is parallel to a dedicated cycle lane. You couldn't make it up! –Yours, etc, FRANK J BYRNE, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. Inaction on Gaza Sir, –Una Mullally has accurately and eloquently identified 'the hypocrisy that drives people stone mad' when it comes to 'the lack of a concerted international effort to stop what Israel is doing in Gaza' (Why are Kneecap facing consequences when Israel is not? May 26th). But what if there is an even more uncomfortable explanation for such hypocrisy and inaction? What if the governments of European 'democracies' are actually complicit in Israel's alleged crimes? Israel enjoys privileged access to European markets under the EU-Israel Association Agreement (1995). Article Two of this Agreement renders its provisions dependent on 'respect for human rights and democratic principles', a respect long absent from Israel's treatment of Palestinians within Israel itself and in the territories that it occupies. The illegality of this occupation was reaffirmed by the International Court of Justice in July 2024. The EU has consistently resisted calls for the suspension of the Agreement, while certain European countries (Germany, Italy, Britain) have continued to export arms to Israel since the onset of its current campaign against Gaza. The Irish Government has turned a blind eye to the transit of arms to Israel through Irish airspace, allows the USAir Force to use Shannon Airport in furtherance of American support for Israel, and has failed to stop the Central Bank from selling Israeli war bonds across the EU. If European governments are truly complicit in Israel's alleged crimes while the majority of their citizens oppose them, this raises questions about the genuineness of what Michael McDowell has recently called 'Europe's model of enlightened liberal democracy'. Surely we cannot afford to leave such questions unanswered? – Yours, etc, RAYMOND DEANE, Primrose Avenue, Dublin 7. Sir, – Last weeks's statements of concern about Gaza, from some world powers and the EU are welcome. However, they do not lessen the impetus to enact Ireland's Occupied Territories Bill (OTB). The list of powerful nations included all the major external suppliers of bombs and weaponry used on Gaza's devastated territory. Each has already had the option of withholding supplies or using them as a lever for a ceasefire. In reality, mighty nations and power blocs are often bound by commercial and strategic interests, or alliances that can override the inhumanity of bombing starving children. Smaller countries can be less compromised. Against the background of a broken world order, the Tanaiste Simon Harris's commitment to, at last, enact the OTB offers hope. Properly enacted, it will be a peaceful but practical counterbalance for less powerful countries to employ. It focuses on objective illegality, rather than imposing blanket boycotts. Thus it will not involve blameless Israelis or citizens of other countries where the OTB might be deployed. The Occupied Territories Bill (2018), as proposed b y Senator Frances Black reads as a moderate. cohesive whole. Re-drafting, or even tinkering to placate, could render it ineffective. It has a potential to sanction any illegally occupied territory in the world. It is vital that this remains in the Bill, in a disordered world, where UN motions are ignored or vetoed, with impunity. The delaying of the OTB, over a five-year period when it offered a potential for peace in Palestine and Israel, is a matter of profound regret. This must not be compounded by further unnecessary delay or revision of its impact. – Yours etc PHILIP POWELL, Dublin. A bridge too far Sir, – David Raleigh ('Decades of 'daily frustration' over traffic end as Killaloe-Ballina bridge opens, May 23rd) notes that decades of frustration due to traffic congestion ended on May 22nd due to the opening of the new Brian Boru bridge over the river Shannon. He omits to mention the frustration that the official opening generated. At one o'clock on May 22nd it was announced that the bridge was open. Some of us were gullible enough to believe that this meant open to traffic. However, this did not happen until 5.30 pm. Ironically, the tailback on the approach road to the old bridge was three or four times its normal length while the politicians and those who were officially invited were congratulating themselves on the new bridge which was cordoned off on both sides. It was an exercise in political arrogance and hardly an example of bridge building. – Yours etc MARGARET LEE. Co Tipperary Not united on Man United Sir – Michael Walker's excellent piece on just how bad things are at Old Trafford ('Once people were desperate to join United; now United are just desperate', Sport, May 24th) made for sobering reading for the many Red Devils fans here. Yet, a powerful punch was pulled by not mentioning Scott McTominay. The poor judgment of letting the talismanic Scotsman go last summer should be reframed as outright lunacy after his key role in Napoli winning the Serie A title this term. He scored a dozen goals (no United player got into double figures in this season's Premier League) and was voted Serie A's MVP (Most Valuable Player). Shame on the United decision makers. –Yours etc BRIAN QUIGLEY, Dublin 9. Drowning the oceans Sir, – Last week I went to David Attenborough's latest film: Ocean. In my opinion, this film is vital viewing for us all as it reveals a level of marine/ oceanic destruction beyond anything the general public currently conceive. It highlights the immense contribution the ocean and its life make in the capture of carbon, and the production of oxygen, as well as providing food in this highly complex and extraordinary ecosystem. It shows clearly how our industrialised fishing and the methods this uses is contributing more to global warming and destruction of our planet than much of what we are doing on land. The film portrays the stark reality of the impact of our current highly industrialised fishing industry on our oceans and seas– throughout the globe including the deep seas and Antarctic areas which previously had been less exploited. It shows mega bottom trawlers drawing vast metal chain or beam based nets along the floors of the oceans. These sweep everything in their track into their nets in this dredging process. As the metal based nets work their way across the oceans' floors, metal claws dig into the oceans' beds, breaking their surfaces to extract as much as can be taken, regardless of whether what is dredged up will later be deemed marketable. It seems to be the crudest, most wasteful, and most destructive form of fishing imaginable. On land, these practices currently being conducted throughout our global marine waters might be compared to a legitimised and approved scorched earth policy. This type of fishing doesn't make sense as it is the antithesis of sustainable practice. The film tells us that currently approximately 3 per cent of the world's oceans are being preserved from exploitation. This is not adequate to save our oceans or ourselves. The film has been released in preparation for the UN's World Oceans Day in June which is campaigning for 30 per cent of the world's oceans to be preserved from exploitation. It seems to me that supporting this campaign and taking action to realise this level of preservation of our waters, is not only good for all on this earth, but on the most basic level supports human self-interest. I hope that we as an island nation play our part in the realisation of this goal. – Yours, etc, MARY O'BRIEN, College Road, Galway. Trump's tariffs Sir, – Donald Trump's extended tariff deadlines are almost as numerous as BAM's completion deadlines for the new national children's hospital. – Yours, etc, PAUL DELANEY, Dublin. Retail regeneration Sir, – As I walked through my local town-well, technically, Armagh is a city – I was struck by the sheer number of charity shops, hairdressers, and coffee outlets now dominating its streets. This isn't unique to Armagh; towns across the UK and Ireland are following the same dispiriting pattern. Meanwhile, traditional businesses like butchers, grocers, and independent pubs are quietly disappearing from our high streets. We must act to arrest this drift towards commercial monoculture. Local authorities could offer grants to improve shopfronts, providing incentives for entrepreneurs to take over vacant premises, and investing in broader streetscape revitalisation. They might also consider planning restrictions to prevent over-concentration of similar business types. A town centre should serve as the beating heart of commerce and community – not merely a corridor of caffeine and coiffure. Without intervention, we risk losing the diverse, vibrant high streets that make our towns distinctive and genuinely useful to residents. - Yours, etc, ENDA CULLEN, Armagh.
