Smugglers, assorted thugs, prostitutes, thieves, disease and rats the size of cats. Just some of the minor deterrents that traditionally kept “proper” city folk well clear of their local docklands district.

In the 19th century, Dublin’s docks were an especially dangerous place, not least for the dockers and manual labourers based there. Work was scarce and the possibility of a day’s graft was sorted out in the pub with a bribe for corrupt foremen, or in the back alley with a fist fight.

Accidents were frequent and deaths at work were common. Coalyard and dock workers lived in alley-tight slums where disease was rampant and child mortality was outrageously high. Not surprisingly, the docklanders were a tough breed. Frilly-necked merchants and simpering city socialites were simply not welcome and were likely to be tipped into the water if they got lost there.

A century on and the arrival of containers effectively ended the function of the old docklands, as it sealed the fates of the old port areas of many cities throughout the world. Another 20 years on and Ireland’s main docklands, like those of London, Manchester, Belfast and Boston, are being resurrected.

Shiny new apartment and office blocks continue to spring up, and wealthy professionals are now all but killing one another to get a foothold on ground where they might once have been killed, literally. Some schemes are already in place, such as Dublin’s 16-storey Charlotte Quay, a flash cubist dream of open-plan luxury apartments overlooking the water. Then there is Clarion Quay, another shining village in glass and steel.

The two largest docklands projects in Ireland are those in rival cities Dublin and Cork. Dublin started to revamp its docklands in the 1990s, with the drawing-up of a long-term development plan and the establishment of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) to push it through. Not be outdone, the “real capital” has just got its docklands plan off the blocks, but because of its smaller, more intimate site and a fast-track approach, it may well complete its docklands vision sooner. As infill sites and suburban development sites continue to dry up in both cities, property buyers will be increasingly pushed towards the new homes emerging in both docklands.

Both have promoted nirvanic visions of happy districts awash with trendy restaurants and shops. Whether this will be the reality when the builders finally leave is another story.

So the question remains for the property investor or home-buyer: which city comes in top of the docks for investment? To find out, we compared the attributes, attractions and problems of both docklands, awarding points in a number of categories. These include amenities, trendiness, access and mobility, architecture and design, and convenience. Finally, we assessed which city’s docks had the best chance of fulfilling the overall vision in the development plans. Marks were awarded out of 10 for each category.

Perhaps the biggest advantage Cork has is that its docklands are in a city-centre location fringed by vibrant districts. Dublin’s docks struggle to create a hub some miles away from the city centre. There are few lively areas around it and almost a decade into its redevelopment, it shows. Those living in the Cork docklands will be less isolated than their Dublin counterparts. Getting in and out of Dublin docks without a car is hellish. Public transport is almost non-existent. Meanwhile, motorists will find themselves paying out a king’s ransom (about €35,000) for the luxury of a car space.

“Transport has been a problem,” admits the DDDA’s Gerry Kelly. “The Transport Authority is working with a designer to investigate water taxis to be used on the river that will be able to go under all the bridges.”

Kelly concedes that the distance of the main docklands hub, the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), from the city centre has created teething problems in the scheme, but he believes things are improving.

Public transport in Cork is also considered “dire” but Corkonians believe this to be the very reason to invest in its docklands given their proximity to the centre. The recent opening of the Jack Lynch tunnel keeps heavier traffic out of the city centre and off the quays.

Until recently, those seeking to live in the Dublin docks could not walk along the entire waterfront. This problem has only recently been solved by the acquisition of the land known as the Campshires from the Dublin Port Authority.

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