Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.
Having spent two thirds of my life living north of the Liffey, I committed the ultimate Dublin sin a couple of years back and began renting across the river. Joking aside, the move has been nothing short of pleasurable but it has got me thinking about the age-old debate that has plagued the capital for generations.
Northside v Southside can be best described as a friendly rivalry which can bubble over the surface the odd time. Case in point, a tongue-in-cheek snowball fight that was arranged on Facebook during the height of Storm Emma. But when it comes down to it, which side of the Liffey is actually better? To find the answer I thought the fairest way would be to take some of the most important criteria and pit them against each other to determine who the true champions of Dublin are.
Let battle commence...
Shopping
Henry Street or Grafton Street is a pretty tough choice so it has to come down to the two behemoth shopping centres on either side of the Liffey. The free parking in Blanchardstown just edges out Dundrum.
Northside 1 Southside 0
Nightlife
While the Northside has plenty of great pubs of its own, it's no secret that most weekend revellers flock south of the Liffey for their late night festivities.
Northside 1 Southside 1
Parks
Bushy Park, Marlay Park, Herbert Park. Southsiders are no strangers to a bit of green space but none of it compares to the vastness of the Phoenix Park. It's the largest enclosed park in Europe don't you know?
Northside 2 Southside 1
Transport
Now that Luas has made it's way further into the Northside things have improved but there's a long way to go before it has the same kind of service as the south. Metro North, anyone?
Northside 2 Southside 2
Sport
Summer days at Croker vs the Lansdowne Roar at the Aviva Stadium on a big international matchday. Hard to call but GAA HQ would have to edge it given its history, atmosphere and the sheer size of the place. Plus the Northside is home to Bohemian FC, without doubt the coolest football club in the city.
Northside 3 Southside 2
Canals
Each side has got a grand stretch of waterway to call their own with the Royal Canal stretching far into the north and the Grand Canal lining the streets of the south.
As a born and bred Northsider, you can't beat the view of Croker as you stroll into town, saying hello to Brendan Behan on the way. Sorry, Patrick Kavanagh. Only one winner here.
Northside 4 Southside 2
Food
Gorgeous restaurants dot the streets of the capital but it's fair to say most of the best ones are south of the river.
Northside 4 Southside 3
Last but not least... House Prices
A recent report by Daft tells you everything you need to know about which side of Dublin is cheaper to buy on. (images below)Northside 5 Southside 3
So, having lived on both sides of the Liffey, there's only one winner for me. The Northside takes home the prize and of course I'm not biased at all. Are you in agreement and what criteria have I left out? Let me have it in the comments.
