Ranelagh

The brunch capital of Dublin, Ranelagh is the epitome of affluent leafy suburban living at its best. Within walking distance of the city centre, the village is also served by the Luas, alongside the usual clatter of buses.

In the early years of the Irish Confederate Wars the area was the scene of skirmishes culminating in the Battle of Rathmines in August 1649. The area between Rathmines and Ranelagh was for years known as the Bloody Fields. In the not so distant past, it was known as ‘Flatland’ as Victorian and Edwardian houses were subdivided to create a welter of bedsits serving students attending nearby universities and colleges. In recent years, these have been reclaimed as family homes, a change reflected in the gradual disappearance of chippers from the area, to be replaced by more upmarket eateries.