‘The town is so welcoming from the moment you arrive with flowers everywhere and really friendly people.’
For Antonia Daly, owner of Antonia’s Bookstore on Navan Gate, the sense of community spirit in the town of Trim is what makes it special – so much so it’s why she wanted to open her business there.
“I grew up in Enniscorthy but my grandparents lived in Summerhill just outside Trim. When I started thinking about opening a bookshop, I looked at loads of different towns but as soon as I arrived in Trim, I knew it was the place… And if I’m going to have a shop that sells fairytales, what better town than one with a castle?”
For Brian Heffernan, chairman of Trim Tidy Towns in Co Meath, it’s this feeling of togetherness that stands out to him.
“Community spirit permeates the town,” he says. “Trim is unusual for its very extensive voluntary community sector and the facilities that are on offer for a town of its size.”
Meaning ‘town at the ford of elderflowers’, Trim has an interesting history. Soon after proclaiming Christianity in Ireland, St Patrick built a church here. He built it near an ancient ford that crossed the river beyond the town’s main bridge over the River Boyne, and it was from this that Trim got its name.
The town is known for its heritage, with Trim Castle at the heart of it. Built in 1172, the castle is the largest Anglo-Norman fortification in Ireland.
The town – which has a population of 9,000 – is ideally located for commuters, with 37,000 people within a 15-minute radius. The M3 provides an easy link to Dublin city (the drive takes about 45 minutes), making for an optimal choice for first-time buyers who want to be close to the capital.
Located a short stroll from Trim town centre is Riversend @ Effernock, a new development from Glenveagh Homes consisting of two, three and four-bed houses.
If you’re house-hunting at the moment, could Trim be a worthy addition to your list? We asked some locals to weigh in…
‘We like to help each other out’
With an array of restaurants, cafes, shops and boutiques, Trim is a hive for small and medium-sized businesses. The aforementioned sense of community spirit, says Brian Heffernan, “follows through to its business community, where we like to help each other out. We have a fantastic and very active traders group.”
For Brian, public park The Porchfields is his favourite spot. “The Porchfields is a medieval ‘open field’ that connects the medieval walled town of Trim to a rival medieval town of Newtown. The park is circa 92 acres and has beautiful multiple walkways, some along the River Boyne.”
‘You never have far to go to find help with anything’
Antonia Daly also praises how well-kept the town is. “The Tidy Towns committee is very active in Trim, so the streets are always clean and there are always beautiful flowers on the approach roads, which I think makes all the difference when you’re arriving into a town for the first time.”
In 2019, Trim won the county award in the National Tidy Towns competition for the second year in a row, and it’s clear that the community is proud of these accolades. Glenveagh has supported this initiative by providing planters to be placed around the town. The planters were produced using recycled material and put in place by the local Effernock site team.
With experience both as a business owner and a resident, Antonia says it’s the people who make the town special. “Everyone is so helpful and supportive of each other, so you never have far to go to get advice or find help with anything. Trim has a lovely community feel so we really get to know a lot of our customers and their families.”
‘There’s a great sense of community’
Janet Moran, secretary at Summerhill Ladies Gaelic Football Club, whose main sponsor for the 2021 season is Glenveagh, says Trim’s heritage stood out to her when she was planning where to build her home.
“Trim is a heritage town with beautiful historical buildings. I love Trim Castle and the surrounding walking areas and the history of these places.
“Although it’s a large town, it still has a country feel and a sense of community.”
The appeal of lower rents outside the capital is what drew Niamh Devereux and her partner to Trim in January 2021. “We knew nobody here when we moved. The rent we were paying in Dublin no longer made sense to us, especially in lockdown. So we looked at commuter towns to rent in and a house in Trim stood out. Once we visited for the viewing, we fell in love with the town and hoped against hope that we would be picked for the house. Thankfully, we were and we’ve been so happy here ever since.”
Like Janet, Niamh says Trim “has the sense of a small town, but with so much to offer.”
“There are lots of gorgeous restaurants to choose from, fantastic pubs and lovely coffee spots. Of course, Trim Castle and the river walk on the Porchfields is what really makes it special. The sense of history and beauty is unmatched and never gets old.
“I also love to sit opposite the castle and take it all in; there’s always friendly locals out walking their dogs or meeting friends for a coffee and the atmosphere is always so warm.”
Having moved in during lockdown, there’s one standout item on Niamh’s Trim bucket list: “I can’t wait to visit the James Griffin pub when it fully reopens for one of their famous trad nights!”
Considering making Trim your new home? Riversend @ Effernock is launching soon – register your interest here.
At Glenveagh Homes, our vision is that everyone should have the opportunity to access great-value, high-quality homes in flourishing communities across Ireland. We understand that buying a home is possibly the biggest decision you will ever make in your life – but we want to make it your easiest. Click here to find out more about Glenveagh developments.