House hunters an object of wonder as they queue for estate launch

The little row of deckchairs outside a new housing estate in Swords, Co Dublin, had become an object of wonder by yesterday afternoon. An occasional car drove up to the entrance of Millers Glen to see what all the fuss was about. So unusual was the sight of people queuing for an estate launch that reporters and photographers found themselves in a queue, waiting to talk to the people in the queue.

Megan O’Shaughnessy started the queue on Tuesday and her mother Elaine was minding her place yesterday afternoon. “I was the one who said to her ‘right, let’s go up there’,” she said. “She was gobsmacked when I said it but it’s the only way to make sure she gets what she wants. There are only three of the type of house she wants, that’s within her budget.”

Megan is queuing for a three-bedroom house listed at €279,000. “You’d be kicking yourself if you let it go,” her mother said. “I live across the way so it would be great to have her nearby. She’s getting married in February. It’s perfect for her. She better get it now. There’ll be murder if she doesn’t. Or a riot.”

Megan’s boyfriend Rob did the night shift in the deck chair on Tuesday night. “It was miserable last night,” his mother-in-law-in-waiting said, “really cold and a lot of fog. But the security man was there and the street lights were on so it wasn’t too bad. Please God it will be all worth it on Saturday [when the first houses go on sale].”

Shantelle Farrell arrived shortly after Megan on Tuesday to take the second place in the queue. She was growing bored with the media attention. "Not another one," she said, as The Irish Times approached. She lives up the road from the new estate and thought it was worth queuing. "I'm probably going for the two-bed but I'm not sure yet," she said. "They're nice houses and it's close to everything here. Applewood Village is just down the road."

Mother-of-two Samantha Barnwall made up the trio queuing yesterday afternoon. Her friends kept her place in the queue on Tuesday night. "People are saying there's like 600 people for 30-something houses here," she said. "If you don't queue, you won't get." The timing is perfect for the Barnwalls as the family of four has outgrown their two-bed house in Swords and have just sold it. "There's nothing like this coming up so we've been watching it closely," she said. "We didn't think they would come up so quick. They are good value."

They have their eye on the three-bed semi-detached house. “The auctioneer was telling us yesterday that the three-bed here is bigger than the four-bed in Glen Ellan and Glen Ellan are supposed to be the biggest houses in Swords.”

Her five-year-old daughter Holly was playing on the green opposite with her father. “She thinks we have it already,” she said. “She’s after bringing her friends up to show them her new house. She’s very excited.”