Once a rural bywater, in recent years Stepaside and the surrounding area has seen significant growth in both population and amenities.
There’s no doubting the appeal of the village’s rural setting, with stunning views from the area over the city and a slower pace of life than elsewhere in Dublin.
That’s not to say that Stepaside is isolated though – quite the opposite. With good public transport links and easy access to the M50, it should not be discounted for anyone looking to set up home outside the city proper.
Well-known residents include Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott, the late comedian Hal Roach and Olympic athlete Ronnie Delany. Fancy joining them? Here’s Stepaside by numbers...
Population*
19,773, as of the 2016 census.
*Figure taken from CSO data for the Glencullen electoral area, which includes the villages of Stepaside, Glencullen and Kiltiernan
Average sold house price 2019 H2*
€465,776
By house size**
1-bed: €277k
2-bed: €378k
3-bed: €524k
4-bed: €893k
5-bed: €986k
*Figure for Stepaside provided by Perfect Property
**Figures for South County Dublin, according to the Daft 2019 Q4 house price report.
Most expensive house*
€750,000: 47 Stepaside Park, Stepaside (5-bed detached house)
*Correct according to Daft.ie as of 18/2/19
Least expensive house*
€224,950: Apartment 9, The Oak, Parkview, Stepaside (1-bed apartment)
*Correct according to Daft.ie as of 18/2/19
Availability*
31 properties for sale
*Correct according to Daft.ie as of 18/2/19
Services
Garda Station: Cabinteely Garda Station, Bray Rd, Kilbogget
Post Offices: Stepaside Post Office, The Village, Enniskerry Road
Nearest Library: Shankill Library, Library Rd, Shankill; Cabinteely Library, Bray Road, Cabinteely
No. of schools/creches*
Pre-schools: 1
Primary Schools: 2
Secondary Schools: 1
*Figures from education.ie and childcare.ie
Parks and playgrounds
Dublin’s newest public park is in Stepaside – the former estate of Fernhill House in the village was recently opened to the public, which puts heritage buildings, gardens, parkland and woods on your doorstep.
In addition, a short stroll from the village takes you into open countryside, while if you’re looking for something wilder then Ticknock Forest is nearby, along with a variety of hiking trails.
Public transport links
You have a choice of bus or Luas – Dublin Bus routes 44, 47 and 118 and Go-Ahead Ireland routes 63 and 63a serve the vilage
The Glencairn and The Gallops stops on the Luas Green Line are approximately 2 kilometres from the centre of the village.
Time to city centre*
Driving: 37 minutes (traffic dependent)
Public Transport: 30 minutes (bus and Luas); 53 minutes (direct bus)
Cycling: 37 minutes there, 47 minutes back (it’s all uphill)
Walking: 2 hour 23 minutes
*Times (except public transport) taken from the Kilgobbin Road junction on Enniskerry Road to College Green, according to Google Maps.
Food and drink
Stepaside has a nice range of places to stop in for a bite to eat – there are 7 listed on Yelp, which includes the modern Woodruff restaurant, the more traditional Step Inn and the Quattro Woodfire pizzeria.
There are a couple of pleasant cafés too – Fern & Co and Fire & Stone both cater for hungry patrons from breakfast time onwards.
And if you’re looking for a couple of drinks in the evening then there are 4 on Yelp.ie to choose from. The Step Inn is one, and there’s also The Blue Light – a cosy little country pub with magnificent views over the city.
As for takeaways, there are 43 options on Just Eat but beware – neither Deliveroo nor Uber Eats serve the area yet.
Shopping
The village centre has a handful of local businesses – a convenience store, a health food store, a pharmacy and the post office, for example – but you won’t be able to shop ‘til you drop unless you go a little further afield.
Fortunately, The Park Carrickmines is only a 5-minute drive away or 10 minutes on a bike. There you’ll find a range of big-box outlets like Ikea, Next Home, Halfords, Harvey Norman, TK Maxx etc etc.
Sandyford Business District and Dundrum Town Centre are both also a short distance away, so although Stepaside has a rural feel, it’s actually more than convenient for shoppers.
Sport and leisure
Golfers are well served in this semi-rural part of Dublin – within a short distance from Stepaside you have courses at Leopardstown, Foxrock, The Burrow, Jamestown, Carrickmines, Glencullen and Stackstown as well as Stepaside itself.
Stepaside doesn’t have a GAA club of its own but there are a few in the general area – Stars of Erin in Glencullen, Kilmacud Crokes in Stillorgan, Geraldine P Moran’s in Cabinteely, Ballyboden Wanderers and Ballinteer St John’s.
Stepaside FC is the local soccer club, while Wayside Celtic FC are a short distance away in Kilternan.
Meanwhile De La Salle Palmerston is one of the city’s longest-established rugby clubs – again, in Kilternan.
The nearest cinema is at Dundrum Town Centre.
