Every day’s a holiday in our seaside town (2024)

At Vanity Fur, on Theatre Lane in Greystones, dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes stand to attention as they are brushed, buffed and fluffed. Among the services are blueberry facials, hair cutting and a doggy equivalent to the manicure — nail clipping. Maria Sweeney opened the parlour five years ago after “a complete burnout” demanded a career change.

“I needed to do something different. I didn’t like the experience dogs were getting at run-of-the-mill dog groomers, and I saw a gap in the market for a luxury salon experience, like a posh hairdresser for dogs. Greystones people love their dogs, and lots of people have designer crossbreeds with coats that need care.”

She’s not wrong. Walking down the cafe-packed Church Road in the Wicklow seaside town is a parade of designer dogs, reminiscent of Piazza del Duomo in Florence or the colonnaded streets of Bologna. “There are a lot of high-end businesses here,” says Sweeney. “A dog salon fitted in perfectly. People in Greystones are willing to pay for their dogs to have luxury treatments.”

Fifty minutes’ drive from Dublin city centre, in the shadow of the Little Sugarloaf Mountain, Greystones has attracted the middle classes of south Co Dublin in recent years, drawn by the sea views, more affordable homes and a different lifestyle.

Less than five minutes’ walk from the main street is the beach. On a winter’s day, it is wild and windy and waves crash and roar. In the summer it is no less wild, but the wind dies down, the blue of the ocean meets the blue of the sky, and it feels as though you have stepped onto the edge of the world. It is a dramatic bookend for a town with a quaint feel.

Stepping out of the Dart station, which was built in the 1850s, you find a long main street that has changed little since the town began to expand after the introduction of the railway line.

In recent years there has been massive development, off the main street and at the harbour. Meridian Point Shopping Centre, set back off it up a flight of granite steps, opened in 2004.

More than 2,000 new homes were built at Charlesland, on the outskirts of the town, between 2004 and 2006 — just a small portion of the building taking place. After almost 10 years in development, new houses and apartments are going up beside the new marina. Further up the hill, Waverley and SeaGreen are among other new schemes.

The La Touche, a hotel built in 1894 that was formerly the Grand, closed its doors for the last time in 2004. The hotel is known across north Wicklow as a place responsible for many a first date following a slow set in its nightclub. It was also where Michael Collins proposed to Kitty Kieran in 1921. After 15 years of dereliction, the building’s interior has been gutted to make way for new apartments. The facade now stands like a ghostly shell, awaiting its next chapter.

All this building is bringing in new people and a new vibrancy. The town has become a foodie hotspot. There is an abundance of independent coffee shops and restaurants. Barry Hargadon opened his delicatessen in Church Road, Eleven Deli, in 2017. He sources local produce and says it has helped his business to connect with the area and develop a loyal customer base.

“I have a degree in culinary entrepreneurship and I wanted to open a restaurant, but I have a young family and restaurant life isn’t very family friendly, so I decided a delicatessen was the way to go,” he says. “Greystones has lots of cafes and restaurants, but there was no independent deli. I found the perfect place to rent and, over a year later, here we are.”

Hargadon says it is the locals who maintain the town’s businesses. “During the week it’s the locals who support us all. It is important to look after them. There is a big range of diverse independent shops here, more so than in other towns, and that is all down to the people of Greystones, who buy local and support local.”

Another business grateful for community support is the Village Book Shop on Church Road, which has been open for 28 years. Fenella Murphy took over its running from her mother, Mairead, in 2001. “People choose to shop here rather than online or in chain bookstores. Over the years we did have to diversify and we expanded our children’s range. Most Greystones people are the type who discourage their children from spending too much time on their devices; they want them to read. We work with the schools, and run various book clubs,” she says.

Murphy says Greystones has a holiday feel to it. “There is a vibrancy that comes with that holiday feeling. We feel it in the shop when day-trippers come in.”

The explosion in population is the biggest change she has seen in the town. “Greystones was a village, and now it’s a thriving town. People are keen to maintain its identity and work hard to stop it from becoming a generic high-street town. There is a community effort to maintain individuality and to make shopping here attractive.”

Not everything is perfect — and we’re not talking about the 2.4-metre high bear sculpture by Patrick O’Reilly that received a mixed reaction when it was unveiled in 2014. Public transport is an issue. Residents say the Dart, which winds its way around Bray Head, is infrequent, and insufficient to deal with the number of new residents. The bus service is less than adequate. Locals argue that, with the new developments, transport concerns must be addressed.

Ross McParland, who runs the 130-seat Whale Theatre on Theatre Lane, beside Meridian Point, says the town nevertheless has plenty to offer. He owns the block of shops containing Vanity Fur, and opened the theatre in 2017 after buying a development of six shops and dance studios. He has since built a fifth-floor penthouse, as well as three duplex apartments.

“There’s never been a more exciting time to be part of Greystones,” says McParland. “The number of people who visit the town daily — many of them coming over the Cliff Walk — reflects just how vibrant Greystones is. There’s a constant sense of movement, of growth and ideas — and art and performance are such a big part of that. How could I not open a theatre at such a time, and in such an environment?”

More than 500 artists have performed at the Whale since it opened, with tickets priced at as little as €10. It also organises outdoor movie screenings during the summer at Cove Beach.

Blogger and writer on parenting Kate Gunn, the author of Untying the Knot, a guide to separation, is a Greystones native. She has happy memories of swimming from the beach and loves taking her three children, Kaya, 14, Marley, 12, and Baxter, 10, there. “Sea swimming has had a resurgence. There are lots of swimming groups who head down to the beach together. The amenities are much better than when I was young — there’s now a playground and clubs — but, with the beach and the harbour, we have always been blessed with what’s on the doorstep. My boys are both members of a football club and my daughter plays hockey. It’s an active lifestyle.”

Gunn says Greystones is the type of town that many people never leave, or they move back to when they have their own families. “People want to stay here. I am friends with many of my old school friends, who still live here. We all have families now and our children are friends.”

Buying or renting in Greystones is not cheap. Ciara Brassington, of agent Sherry Fitzgerald, says the sea is a big draw for trader-uppers. “The town has grown massively over the past 20 years, yet the feel of the area has managed to stay the same. It’s kept its charm. More and more people who were born in Greystones are staying here to raise their families, and others are moving here because it has many attractive features.”

Prices for an average three-bedroom semi-detached range from €400,000 to €450,000, says Brassington. “New estates, such as Glenheron, see semis fetch about €465,000. On older estates they can go for about €395,000.” The average two-bedroom apartment will sell for €260,000 to €300,000.

Brassington says it is more of a buyer’s market than a rental one. “Rental stock is limited and rents are similar to those in the south Dublin market. A three-bedroom property will cost about €1,800 to €2,000 a month.”

The lowdown

Eateries: The list is extensive and varied. For lunch, coffee and cake, try the Café Gray, Bear Paw Deli or the Happy Pear. Eleven Deli is perfect for local produce to take home. For something more substantial the Hungry Monk is a Greystones institution. The Three Qs and Las Tapas come well recommended, and Bochelli is the perfect spot for some pizza and pasta with the family. Tiffin, an Indian delicatessen in Charlesland, is owned by chef Sunil Ghai and his wife, Leena. Mrs Robinson is a must-visit bar, with its quirky decor and extensive co*cktail list. The Burnaby is a more traditional pub on the main street, and the Beach House at the harbour has been open since 1850 and is perfect for a pint and a night out.

Amenities: Greystones is a big sporting town, offering everything from rugby clubs to lawn tennis. With the sea on its doorstep, there are plenty of water sports clubs. The town has few big-brand shops — most retail businesses are local. Brooke and Shoals, the scented candle maker, is based on Church Road.

Celebrities: Once home to Samuel Beckett, Greystones can now lay claim to author Ruth Fitzmaurice, health minister Simon Harris, and musicians Hozier and Damien Rice. Three-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan also bought a five-bedroom house in the area in 2018.

Homes to lust after in Greystones

Period piece in heart of town

€1.2m
There may be much new development in Greystones, but there are still some period gems. Bushfield House is a renovated four-bedroom home on the popular Church Road. Upgrades include a zoned heating system and underfloor heating on the ground floor, wall insulation, refurbished timber floors and new timber sash windows.
mcgovernestates.ie

http://www.mcgovernestates.ie/residential/brochure/bushfield-house-church-road-greystones-wicklow/4309453 High drama in a penthouse

€345,000
No 11 The Crescent, at Charlesland, is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouse duplex apartment. The 125 sq m living space includes an open-plan living room and kitchen, two bedrooms and bathroom on the lower level. The third bedroom and en suite bathroom are on the mezzanine. Vaulted ceilings add a touch of drama.
sherryfitz.ie

https://www.sherryfitz.ie/buy/apartment/wicklow/greystones/11-the-crescent-charlesland-greystones-845 Sleek and chic by the marina

https://www.sherryfitz.ie/buy/apartment/wicklow/greystones/11-the-crescent-charlesland-greystones-845 €625,000
The owners of No 5 The Pier, at Marina Village, bought it new in 2017. They have added contemporary light fittings and plantation shutters, landscaped the back garden and painted. There are engineered hardwood floors throughout. The kitchen has sleek handleless units and an island from German brand Leicht.
ogormanproperties.com