Saturday morning in Stepaside, definitely part of the rural hinterland when we were growing up in Rathfarnham. Now the pitch and putt course where we whiled away many a Saturday morning is gone (sold for development) and Stepaside has become a satellite suburb on the periphery of the new edge city of Sandyford. From every vantage point, Sandyford draws the eye. It is like a mini-Dubai city emerging on the skyline of south Dublin. Back gardens that once looked out on greenery and hills, now lie in the shadow of canyon office blocks. People are angry that an urban landscape has rudely invaded their suburban idylls…..densities are increasing, green space is disappearing, and infrastructure is lagging far behind development. There is a palpable sense of grievance that the juggernaut of “development” is destroying everything – nature, open spaces, communities- that lie in its path. Its time for change…..
Spanking new suburban housing estates nestle in the foothills of the Dublin mountains. Young children play out front, bathed in dappling sunlight. Swedish au pairs are the only people home at the first three houses I canvass. My male canvassing colleague is mad as hell he didn’t get to meet them. Welcome to the suburban frontier in Dublin South.
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Commiserations on not getting a seat, however - please remember - there are an awful lots of us living in the new Sandyford and most of us are happy to be here.
We like our mini-Dubai :-)
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