In contact with nature: Susie Aherne-Grey on the steps of her home

Susie Aherne-Grey lives in a beautiful Georgian house in Terenure, with high ceilings and large windows.

But she fears losing three metres of her front garden under the Bus Connects plan, which will mean "traffic will be flying past these windows".

Her home is a protected structure, built in the 1800s. The age of the house certainly adds character, but also structural problems.

Cracks appear frequently in the walls, which builders fill in regularly. She is very worried about the effect that road-widening and uprooting trees will have on her house, considering its age.

She is also in a somewhat unique position, because her home is also her business. She has a Montessori school in her basement.

Three metres of her front garden are potentially going to be purchased by the NTA, including ancient trees.

"Now there is a bit of separation between us and the road. But if they take the three metres, you're literally going to have the traffic flying past these windows, and the pollution is bad for your health," she said.

Ms Aherne-Grey also has a very rare hybrid arbutus strawberry tree in her front yard. It is one of only 10 in Ireland, and hers is the widest and tallest in the country.

She believes it is probably 160 years old.

"You're going from having this lovely greenery around you, and the birds singing. You just feel like you have some contact with nature, even though you're in the city.

"Why is everything aimed at being on the road? Nothing is about taking things off the road," she added.

Irish Independent