One of the city’s most prestigious addresses, Donnybrook in Dublin 4 is best known as the home of RTÉ and Leinster Rugby. That gives you some idea as to its elevated position in the cultural life of the city.
Donnybrook is home to some of the city’s priciest streets (though it’s even left in the shade of neighbouring Ballsbridge), and with that you get proximity to the city centre, a wide range of amenities and pleasant, leafy surroundings.
Residents past and present include writers Brendan Behan and Flann O’Brien, musician Shane MacGowan and political titans including Éamon de Valera, Garret Fitzgerald and Albert Reynolds.
Fancy joining them? Here’s Donnybrook by numbers...
Population*
18,226, as of the 2016 census.
*Figure taken from CSO data for all electoral areas that include parts of Donnybrook
Average house price 2019 H1*
€798,217
By house size**
1-bed: €340k
2-bed: €467k
3-bed: €666k
4-bed: €1,071k
5-bed: €1,213k
*Figure for Donnybrook provided by Perfect Property
**Figures for Dublin 4, according to the Daft 2019 Q4 house price report.
Most expensive house*
€3,000,000: 10 Greenfield Crescent, Donnybrook (5-bed detached house)
*Correct according to Daft.ie as of 7/1/19
Least expensive house*
€295,000: Apartment 4, Broc Hall, Beech Hill Avenue, Donnybrook (1-bed apartment)
*Correct according to Daft.ie as of 7/1/19
Availability*
38 properties for sale
*Correct according to Daft.ie as of 7/1/19
Services
Garda Station: Donnybrook Garda Station, 43 Donnybrook Rd
Post Offices: Belfield Post Office, Gerard Manley Hopkins Centre, UCD, Stillorgan Road; Ballsbridge Post Office, Shelbourne Road
Nearest Library: Pembroke Library, Anglesea Rd
No. of schools/creches*
Pre-schools: 0
Primary Schools: 1
Secondary Schools: 2
*Figures from education.ie and childcare.ie.
Parks and playgrounds
One of Donnybrook's main attraction is Herbert Park – a great facility that features landscaped grounds, a lake, a playground, tennis courts, a bowling green and playing fields.
Otherwise, the area is lighter than you might expect on public parks, though its leafy streets are perfectly pleasant to wander around, while the Dodder makes a great companion for a riverside stroll.
Public transport links
The Luas bypasses Donnybrook by passing through Ranelagh and Milltown to the west, while to the east the DART serves the Sandymount area. That just leaves Dublin Bus, whose routes 7b, 7d, 25x, 32x, 39, 39a, 41x, 46a, 46e, 66x, 67x, 116, 118, 145, 155 all serve the area.
Time to city centre*
Driving: 17 minutes (traffic dependent)
Public Transport: 17 minutes (bus)
Cycling: 15 minutes
Walking: 47 minutes
*Times (except public transport) taken from the Beaver Row junction on the Stillorgan Road to College Green, according to Google Maps.
Food and drink
There are 22 restaurants listed on Yelp.ie, most of them clustered along the Donnybrook Road on the city side of the Dodder river. These include such highly rated establishments as Mulberry Garden (Irish), Avalon (Asian fusion), Khan Balti House (Indian) and the fine dining Seasons Restaurant situated in the InterContinental Hotel.
There’s also a range of pubs in the same area with Arthur Mayne’s and McCloskey’s highly rated by drinkers.
Takeaway fans have a whopping 244 places to choose from on Deliveroo, 134 on Just Eat and 41 on Uber Eats.
Shopping
The main village area on Donnybrook Road has a range of local services including a dry cleaners, a hardware store and some ladies fashions, as well as a Tesco Express for your groceries. Closer to the city on Morehampton Road, there’s deli food at Donnybrook Fair, a bookshop, a health food store and more.
Sport and leisure
Donnybrook is steeped in sporting heritage. The IRFU’s Leinster Branch is based at Donnybrook Stadium, which is where Ireland A, the Ireland Women's Team and Leinster underage sides play home games. Old Wesley and Bective Rangers are based there too, and the stadium also hosts schools and international hockey matches.
There are several tennis clubs in Donnybrook – Donnybrook Lawn Tennis Club, St Mary’s LTC, and Bective LTC - while Merrion Cricket Club is based on Anglesea Road.
Belmont FC is the local soccer club, based in Herbert Park, while the closest GAA club is Ranelagh Gaels.
Muckross Hockey Club is based at Muckross Park College, on Marlborough Road.
