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A Definitive Ranking of Ireland's Shopping Centres from Worst to Best

That escalated quickly.

TIS THE SEASON of goodwill to all men, festive cheer and turkey eating… oh, and shopping.

Sweaty, frantic, panicky shopping in centres of commerce across the land.

So, with that in mind, we’ve ranked a selection of Ireland’s shopping centres from worst to best.

Criteria for selection included:

  • Presence of a fountain
  • Selection of eateries
  • Presence of a Dunnes/Penneys/M&S/grand big Boots
  • Ease of access to car park
  • Indoor greenery
  • Benches for old people to sit on
  • Grimness
  • Notions

The ranking is final and definitive.

20. Phibsboro Shopping Centre, Dublin

A Really Ugly Shopping Centre infomatique infomatique

Pros: Eddie Rockets, Burdocks, ATM that usually works

Cons: Grim Tesco, grim edifice, car park designed by Satan

19. Caspo Centre, Naas, Co. Kildare

caspo journal-emer journal-emer

Pros: No car park to negotiate, proximity to Post Office

Cons: No car park to negotiate, linear layout, indeterminate shops, high grim quotient

18. Santry Omni Park

omni Google Maps Google Maps

Pros: Recently acquired a H&M, has fountain with surrounding seating area, has a grand big Boots

Cons: Contender for smallest car parking spaces in Ireland, misleading outer structure. Boots is outside main centre

17. The Square, Tallaght

Tallaght - The Square Shopping Centre infomatique infomatique

Pros: Someone wrote a song about it, presence of fountain, the excitement when it opened in 1990 (local kids got a day off school)

Cons: Dizzying escalator system, sad balloons trapped in glass pyramid, is fairly grim

16. The Ilac Centre, Parnell Street, Dublin

ilac Google Maps Google Maps

Pros: Contains a large library, provides an entertaining short cut between Parnell Street and Mary Street, decent ice-creams

Cons: Constant rotation of shops selling odd curios, they did away with the water feature, dearth of places to sit

15. Johnston Court, Sligo

1johnston_03 (1) JohnstonCourt.ie JohnstonCourt.ie

Pros: Provides decent short cut to other side, nice and new, has shop called ‘Nevada Bobs’, plenty of benches

Cons: Vacant stores, people use it as a short cut

14. Galway Shopping Centre, Headford Road, Galway

terry Google Maps Google Maps

Pros: Supermacs in close proximity, grand big car park, lots of stores

Cons: No fountain, no M&S

13. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Dublin

DSCF0529 mattbuck4950 mattbuck4950

Pros: Lovely Architecture, city centre location, greenery

Cons: You have to pay for the toilets, confusing escalator system,

12. Eyre Square Centre, Galway

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Pros: Galway’s only Burger King, big Dunnes AND Penneys

Cons: Smelly fish counter right inside one entrance, tricky parking system

11. City Square Shopping Centre, Waterford

waterford WaterfordIreland.ie WaterfordIreland.ie

Pros: City centre location, range of eateries, grand big Dunnes

Cons: Lacking a water feature, tricky to get to in Waterford city traffic

10. Powerscourt Town Centre, South William Street, Dublin

Powerscourt Centre is an attractive shopping centre set in an elegant Georgian house infomatique infomatique

Pros: Lovely to look at, nice greenery, delicious food options, Dublin city centre

Cons: Parking nightmare, pricey notion-y shops

9. The Cresent, Dooradoyle, Limerick

facade Google Maps Google Maps

Pros: Has won out in the rivalry with The Parkway shopping centre because it’s “shinier”, Tess Daly recently visited, library

Cons: Grim facade, McDonald’s situated outside the main shopping centre

8. The Marshes, Dundalk

Dundalk- Marshes Avenue- The Marshes Shopping Centre- (WDR & RT TAGGART ARCHITECTS) c.2005- 2007 May 22 112 Cairlinn Cairlinn

Pros: Fierce fancy looking, was once on MTV, posh butchers,

Cons: So notion-y that when they filmed MTV’s My Super Sweet Sixteen in nearby Blackrock, they had the invitation-giving-out-ceremony at The Marshes

7. Jervis Street Shopping Centre, Dublin

The Streets Of Dublin - Jervis Shopping Centre infomatique infomatique

Pros: Huge M&S, great location, world’s largest New Look store, nice pick ‘n’ mix selection

Cons: Too many escalators, not enough pay parking machines, fierce warm, rubbish mobile phone reception

6. Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Dublin

vue Google Maps Google Maps

Pros: Giant Boots, nice cinemas, grand big M&S, food court, benches for sitting

Cons: Like the seventh circle of hell on a Sunday afternoon in December, linear layout, ease at which one can lose one’ car in sprawling car parks

5. Victoria Square Shopping Centre, Belfast

Victoria Square - Belfast infomatique infomatique

Pros: Fancy architecture, large selection of shops

Cons: Some of it is in the open and therefore you might get wet/chilly,

4. Mahon Point, Cork

nahon Google Maps Google Maps

Pros: Great selection of eateries and shops, retail park adjacent, sea adjacent, KFC AND Nandos

Cons: Fair few notions, gets very busy

3. Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, Dublin

The Blanchardstown Centre Bnpparibas Bnpparibas

Pros: Huge Penneys AND Boots, TGI Fridays, Two McDonalds

Cons: Has had some haphazard cosmetic additions, so many roundabouts, confusing entrances

2. Whitewater Shopping Centre, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

Whitewater Shopping Centre Newbridge (County Kildare) On Christmas Day 2012 infomatique infomatique

Pros: Easy navigation, large range of shopping choices, big new Tiger store, not too warm

Cons: Pay parking, fierce busy

1. Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin

DUNDRUM TOWN CENTRE infomatique infomatique

Pros: Huge range of shops, fancy coffees and designer handbags, giant M&S, Jamie Oliver restaurant with the pasta making machine

Cons: Ugg boots, so many Ugg boots, laid out in a series of confusing mezzanines and levels so that you feel like you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave

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Author
Emer McLysaght
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