Welcome To Cois Inbhir
Beaverstown Road, Donabate
Local Amenities
Cois Inbhir is close to a number of amenities in North Dublin, none more prevalent than our extensive coastline and public parks.
Coastal Amenities
There are 3 beaches and a cliff walk along the east coast of the Portrane/Donabate peninsula. The extracts on the beaches below are taken from the from Fingal County Council site (http://www.fingalcoco.ie/EnvironmentandWater/Beaches/ListofBeaches). The three beaches are:
Burrow Beach - Portrane
The Burrow beach is a long, sandy beach that extends from the village of Portrane northward into Rogerstown Estuary. The area supports a diverse range of native species and is known for certain birds and plants in particular.
Balcarrick Beach - Donabate
Balcarrick Beach in Donabate is a long sandy beach, 3.4 km in length, consisting of a large sandy dune area, which has formed over the last 25-30 years. There are a number of pedestrian accesses to the beach. It stretches from Donabate to the Malahide estuary.
Tower Bay Beach - Portrane Tower Bay Beach is a tiny cove-shaped beach located at the very tip of Portrane. A small cliff face overlooks the beach with a series of steps leading down onto the strand. There is a fabulous view of Lambay Island from this location. Tower Bay is on the Donabate Peninsula. To the north you can see Rockabill lighthouse, to the southeast you can see Howth and the Dublin mountains.
Cliff walk/Nurses' Walk
The walk is approximately 2.5km each way and runs from the car park in Portane south to the Waterside House Hotel in Donabate. It is often referred to as the "Nurses' Walk" as it has been and continues to be a walk taken by the staff working in St. Ita's Hospital. Along the walk, you will see Lambay island, Malahide and Howth. On a clear day, you can see across Dublin bay to Poolbeg power station and the Dublin mountains.
Rogerstown Bird Watch
Due to the threat to its future many years ago, Rogerstown Estuary has become one of the Fingal branch's main focuses for conservation. Thanks to the hard work of the branch an extension of the landfill further onto the inner estuary was stopped and in 1995 Bird Watch Ireland purchased 30 acres of wetland habitat (including the flooded field) and entered management agreements with sympathetic landowners for a further 15 acres. In 1998, thanks to the co-operation of Fingal County Council, a hide was erected on the south shore of the estuary on council land. It is a large cargo container fitted with a timbre interior and raised 2 metres off the ground. It has been a phenomenal success with hundreds of bird watchers from near and far visiting annually.
This extract has been taken from the Bird Watch Ireland (Fingal Branch) web site: http://www.bwifingal.ie/rogerstown_project.htm)
Inland Amenities
Newbridge House & Demesne (1736)
Newbridge Demesne was built for Archbishop Charles Cobbe in 1736 and remained in the Cobbe family until 1985. It was bought by Dublin County Council in 1985 and opened to the public. It covers a large part of the Donabate/Portrane peninsula (360 acres). Original furniture, paintings and objets d'art are a feature of this gracious Georgian house. It also includes a walled garden, a wildlife and deer park, barbecue area, playground, playing and walking areas, 18th century museum of rural live in Ireland and a 19th Century working farm, where animals, machinery and old farming techniques are on view.
Shopping, eating and entertainment
Cois Inbhir is minutes away from Donabate village where it has access to the usual shopping outlets such as a supermarket, florist, hair dresser, post office etc. Just a short drive away in Swords, you will find a large variety of shops including the Pavillions shopping centre and 10 screen cinema. Malahide is also close by (5 minutes by train). Malahide hosts a strong mix of speciality shops and restaurants.
Community Amenities
Primary Schools
Donabate/Portrane has three national Schools. They are Saint Patrick's Boys' N.S., Saint Patrick's Girls' N.S. and Donabate/Portrane Educate Together.
Secondary school
Donabate/Portrane Community College is scheduled to open in September 2008. A permanent school is planned for 2010 which will share a large site with the Educate Together School and proposed library. It is expected that the new school will have 1,000 students when at full capacity.
Library
Donabate/Portrane has a proposed site for a public library but currently relies on the mobile library that travels to the area once a week.
Community Centre
The community centre is a pivotal centre to the social fabric of the peninsula. There are a vast amount of activities taking place in the centre every week such as dancing classes, football, basketball, martial arts, youth clubs, the list goes on.
Donabate Sea Scouts
The 63rd Dublin Donabate 14th Port of Dublin Sea Scouts are based on the Portrane Road.
Transport By Road (M1)
By Train
There is a regular train service between Connolly station and Donabate. The average travel time is 25 minutes
with most trains (but not all) stopping at Howth Junction, Portmarnock and Malahide. North of Donabate are the coastal towns of Rush, Skerries, Balbriggan, Laytown, Drogheda and Dundalk. Detailed train times are available at the Iarnrod Eireann site.
Donabate is situated approximately 4km off the main Dublin to Belfast Road (M1) and approximately 14km from Dublin City Centre. The M1 motorway links Donabate to the city centre via Drumcondra or the Dublin Port Tunnel. Travel time ranges from 25 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. There are no tolls on the M1 south of Donabate (except via the Dublin Port Tunnel).