Dundalk is a vibrant historical town located about 80km north of Dublin city centre in Co Louth. It is surrounded by natural beauty, with its bay, the seaside at Blackrock and the breathtaking landscape of the Mourne, Cooley, Gullion region.It presents an attractive option for professionals working in the capital who want to prioritise an outdoor lifestyle during their time off. The most efficient way to the capital is by train, with some services bringing you as far as Dublin Connolly in an hour.The town, centred around a European-style market square, has a rich heritage. Local landmarks include St Patrick’s Pro Cathedral, while it is also home to Louth’s County Museum. Dundalk caters for culture vultures too, with the well-established An Táin Arts Centre and Spirit Store music venue.Commuters buying in and around the town find they get a lot more space for their money than in Dublin, says selling agent Jacqueline Watters of Blue Sky Property.Younger professional couples tend to go for done-up town houses walking distance from amenities, she says, and there’s also an appetite, for those upsizing, to purchase four-beds close to the sea in nearby Blackrock. Dundalk has long been seen as well placed between Belfast and Dublin, Watters says, and now with hybrid working, its popularity has only increased.“There’s plenty going on in the town, with restaurants, theatre, music and sports, and it’s a great place to raise a family.” TransportBus: Matthews coaches routes 900 and 901 to Cathal Brugha Street, with journeys of about 1½ hours; Bus Éireann Expressway route 100X to Westland Row, with journeys of about an hour and 15 minutes. Train: Irish Rail services from Dundalk Clarke Station to Dublin Connolly, with journey times ranging from an hour to an hour and 20 minutes.Driving to Dublin city via the M1 takes between an hour and 1½ hours, depending on traffic.LeisureAn Táin Arts Centre Dundalk LibraryOmniplex and IMC cinemaCounty MuseumScouts and Brownies clubsHorse racing at Dundalk StadiumSoccer, GAA, golf, fishing, whiteriver karting, athletics, martial arts, bowls and tennis clubsOutdoor amenitiesBlackrock seaside villageMourne Cooley Gullion regionStephenstown Pond Nature ParkMuirhevnamor ParkIce House Hill ParkSupermarketsAldi, Tesco, Lidl, SupervaluEducationDundalk Institute of Technology, secondary schools and primary schools, including a Gaelscoil.Homes for sale in Dundalk 18 Park Avenue, Dundalk, Co Louth€370,000, DNG Duffy18 Park Avenue, Dundalk, Co Louth This three-bed, two-bath terraced home is in a residential enclave less than a 15-minute walk from Dundalk train station and just five minutes from the town centre. It comes to the market in turnkey condition with a redbrick facade, cream-framed shuttered windows and fresh interiors throughout. [ Navan: Why move there, and where to buy in the commuter town?Opens in new window ]Extending to 102sq m (1,098sq ft), it features two reception rooms opening to a modern galley kitchen to the rear. French doors in the kitchen open to a spacious back garden with a patio; there is also a downstairs loo. Upstairs, there are two double bedrooms, one of which is en suite, a single bedroom and a bathroom. Ber C1114 Medebawn, Dundalk, Co Louth€425,000, Sherry FitzGerald Carroll114 Medebawn, Dundalk, Co Louth This four-bedroom, three-bath semidetached house comes to the market in a housing estate less than a 10-minute drive from the train station and the town centre. It has a driveway to the front and a spacious lawned back garden. Extending to 131sq m (1,410sq ft), the turnkey home features comfortable living spaces including a sittingroom, a bright kitchen/diningroom, a utility room and a downstairs loo. There are four double bedrooms, including an en suite main, and a bathroom upstairs. Ber B31 Harbour Grove, Lower Point Road, Dundalk, Co Louth€545,000, Blue Sky Property 1 Harbour Grove, Lower Point Road, Dundalk, Co Louth This four-bed, three-bath detached home is close to the scenic Navvy Bank walkway and is about an eight-minute drive from the town centre and 12 minutes from the train station. Extending to 141sq m (1,518sq ft), this well-laid-out home comprises a bright and spacious livingroom, a contemporary kitchen/diningroom, a sittingroom, a utility room and a guest loo on the ground floor; and there is a built-in desk unit under the stairs. [ Commuter towns – Kildare: Why move there, and where to buy?Opens in new window ]Upstairs, two of the four bedrooms are en suite, and the main bedroom also has a walk-in wardrobe. As well as a cobblelocked front yard, the back garden is a spacious and low maintenance, also laid in cobblelock. Ber A2Vere Foster Mews, Glyde Road, Tallanstown, Co Louth From €425,000, REA GunneVere Foster Mews The chance to buy a newly built home may appeal to first-time buyers who may be eligible to claim government financial assistance in the form of the Help to Buy and First Home schemes. There are currently four terraced houses on the market at Vere Foster Mews, including two three-beds (147sq m/1,583sq ft) priced from €425,000, and two four-beds (166sq m/1,787sq ft) priced from €465,000. The development overlooks the river Glyde outside the village of Tallanstown and is a 20-minute drive from the train station in Dundalk. Ber A