A closer look at Fairview

Fairview has been a part of suburban Dublin since the 1800s. In the beginning, it was a refuge for the well off seeking solace from the bustling city. The area originally bore the same name as neighbouring Ballybough. However, in 1856, a local church was dedicated to Our Lady of Fair View and the surrounding area eventually took the same name.

Old meets new in Fairview

Walk through Fairview and you’ll feel its unique vibe. It’s like a cross between The Liberties and Clontarf.

Trendy bars and eateries sit comfortably alongside hardware stores and charity shops that have been here for years. Families who have been in the area for generations live happily alongside a metropolitan mix of young professionals.

Fairview has long been home to interesting people. Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, was born on the Georgian terrace of Marino Crescent in 1847. The private park that it surrounds now bears his name.

Lion trainer, Bill Stephens, was also known for keeping his lions behind Fairview Cinema. However, that came to an end in 1951 when a lioness escaped and mauled a man before being shot by gardaí.

What about Fairview’s current residents?

It’s safe to say that today’s residents are a little less scary. So Dublin.ie spoke to Noelle Lau, who grew up in Fairview in the 1960s, to get a local’s view of the neighbourhood. Her family lived above and worked in Walshe’s shop on Fairview Strand. Her mother, Anna, opened the store back in 1953.

For 26 years, it employed her seven children – once they were big enough to reach the counter – along with countless others. Today, the building remains the family home and the shop front and store are preserved in their original state, bridging the gap between Fairview’s past and present.

“My childhood memories of Fairview are of a bustling community of families. With a church and schools nearby and the city centre a stone’s throw away,” she says. “This much has not changed.”

“Fairview Strand isn’t the longest road but it was always a hive of activity, lined with chemists, a pub, an off licence and several shops. Happily, Fairview Strand is a bustle again! A different time with a different vibe but, nonetheless, still a great place to live,” she adds.

The suburb’s most noteworthy spots

While established haunts like Wright’s fishmongers and Gaffney & Son pub continue to thrive, new enterprises are popping up around them to cater to the needs of the area’s modern residents.

Foodie haunt Kennedy’s, Chopped salad bar, Indian takeaway Bombay Pantry and craft beer hub Brú House have all opened their doors over the past decade.

Noelle has sweet memories of long summers spent in Fairview Park playing tennis and football.

“I would swing to my heart’s content on one of the few swings in the playground as a disorderly queue of my childhood peers waited impatiently for a go,” she says. “The bandstand regularly featured musical and Irish dancing entertainment during the summer months too.”

The refurbishment of Fairview Park has ensured that Fairview’s young residents will continue to make memories there for years to come.

The park now features floral displays, an interactive playground, a performance area and playing fields. In spring, the beds of daffodils bring a smile to all who pass – and children don’t have to wait for a swing as long as when Noelle was growing up. There’s even a skate park for the more adventurous.

Fairview remains a great place to live today. It’s a community-centred village close to the city with great schools nearby and fantastic transport links. Noelle is “only raging that the bus stop which now is two doors up from the shop came years too late for teenage me!”

Are you new to the city? Check out our guide to Dublin’s neighbourhoods for more local insights.