Baldoyle
Encyclopedia
Baldoyle is a small coastal area on the northside
of Dublin, Ireland
. It is in the part of the historic County Dublin
now administered as Fingal
.
Baldoyle is located north east of the city, and borders Donaghmede
, which was formed from its western part, Portmarnock
, Sutton
and Bayside
. It can be accessed from the coast road from Dublin to Howth
, which includes a cycle track, from Sutton Cross via Station Road, or from Donaghmede, or Portmarnock. Baldoyle is served by Dublin Bus
and Irish Rail, the latter currently via the Sutton and Bayside stations on the Howth Branch of the DART
, and by Clongriffin station
on the Northern Branch.
A major townland of Baldeadly, encompassing much of what is now Donaghmede, is Grange, indicating that it was previously farmland.
to the Danes to distinguish them from the Norwegians
or "fair strangers" (finn-ghaill) who first settled in Ireland in 841-842.. While it is sometimes rendered as "Doyle's town" with reference to the personal name Doyle which itself derives from dubh-ghaill, there is no evidence for this usage - see previous references.
Among the local residents are the retired members of the Congregation of the Irish Christian Brothers, whose retirement home is located in the town.
For most of the 20th century, Baldoyle was famed for its racecourse, which was one of three in the greater metropolitan area. Over the early 2000s Baldoyle has been at the centre of a large house building programme, with the former Racecourse, long closed, having being sold to developers. The new developments have begun, as "The Coast", facing a new local centre at the northern edge of Donaghmede, Clongriffin
. Clongriffin Dart station
opened in April 2010 serving Baldoyle and racecourse developments such as "The Coast", and northern Donaghmede.
A description of Baldoyle from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Dublin, 1837 gives a useful summary of what was then a substantial rural fishing village:
The village is pleasantly situated on an inlet or creek of the Irish Sea, to the north of the low isthmus that connect Howth
, with the mainland: it comprises about 200 houses, and is much frequented in summer for sea-bathing. Some of the inhabitants are engaged in the fishery, which at the commencement of the present century employed nine wherries belonging to this place, averaging seven or eight men each; at present nearly 100 men are so, engaged. Sir W. de Windsor, lord-justice of Ireland, held a parliament here in 1369. The creek is formed between the mainland and the long tract of sand on the north of Howth, at the point of which, near that port, a white buoy is placed; it is fit only for small craft. The manor was granted to the priory of All Saints, Dublin, by Diarmit, the son of Murchard, King of Leinster, who founded that house in 1166.
The parliament mentioned above was held at Grange Church, better known as "Grange Abbey", which now lies in Donaghmede and was partly restored in the late 20th century.
On 31 October 1973, one of the most spectacular and audacious escapes from an Irish prison took place when three of the Provisional IRA's key personnel were airlifted to freedom in a seconded helicopter from Mountjoy Prison. The helicopter touched down at Baldoyle racecourse where the IRA members escaped in waiting cars.:
Northside (Dublin)
The Northside is the area in County Dublin, Ireland bounded to the south by the River Liffey to the east by Dublin Bay, to the north and west by the boundaries of County Dublin.- Introduction :...
of Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It is in the part of the historic County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
now administered as Fingal
Fingal
Fingal is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. With its county seat located in Swords, it has a population of 239,992 according to the 2006 census...
.
Location and Access
Donaghmede
Donaghmede is a residential suburb of Dublin, in the province of Leinster, Ireland.-Location:Donaghmede is situated approximately to the north east of the Dublin city centre, and is in the constituency of Dublin North East...
, which was formed from its western part, Portmarnock
Portmarnock
Portmarnock is a small suburban village to the north of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the administrative county of Fingal.-Location:Portmarnock lies on the coast and, owing to its proximity to Dublin city, is a form of dormitory village north-northeast of the city centre...
, Sutton
Sutton, Dublin
Sutton is a residential suburb of Dublin's Northside, Ireland, at the base of Howth Head, the peninsula which forms the northern edge of Dublin Bay.-Location and geography:...
and Bayside
Bayside, Dublin
Bayside is a small modern residential Northside suburb of Dublin, Ireland.-Location and access:Bayside is located close to the sea and about 10 km north-east of the city centre, on the coast inshore from North Bull Island...
. It can be accessed from the coast road from Dublin to Howth
Howth
Howth is an area in Fingal County near Dublin city in Ireland. Originally just a small fishing village, Howth with its surrounding rural district is now a busy suburb of Dublin, with a mix of dense residential development and wild hillside, all on the peninsula of Howth Head. The only...
, which includes a cycle track, from Sutton Cross via Station Road, or from Donaghmede, or Portmarnock. Baldoyle is served by Dublin Bus
Dublin Bus
Dublin Bus is a public transport operator in Ireland. It operates an extensive bus network of 172 radial, cross-city and peripheral routes and 18 night routes in the city of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area. The company, established in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann which is...
and Irish Rail, the latter currently via the Sutton and Bayside stations on the Howth Branch of the DART
Dublin Area Rapid Transit
The Dublin Area Rapid Transit is part of the suburban railway network in Ireland, running mainly along the coastline of Dublin Bay on the Trans-Dublin route, from Greystones in County Wicklow, through Dublin to Howth and Malahide in County Dublin.Trains are powered via a 1500V DC overhead catenary...
, and by Clongriffin station
Clongriffin railway station
Clongriffin railway station serves Dublin Area Rapid Transit and InterCity .-Location:Clongriffin railway station is situated along the Dublin–Belfast railway line between Portmarnock railway station and Howth Junction.-History:...
on the Northern Branch.
A major townland of Baldeadly, encompassing much of what is now Donaghmede, is Grange, indicating that it was previously farmland.
Name
The district name derives from baile meaning town and dubh-ghaill meaning "dark stranger", the name given by the GaelsGaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
to the Danes to distinguish them from the Norwegians
History of Norway
The history of human settlement in what is present day Norway goes back at least 11,000 years, to the late Paleolithic. Archaeological finds in the county of Møre og Romsdal have been dated to 9,200 BC and are probably the remains of settlers from Doggerland, an area now submerged in the North Sea,...
or "fair strangers" (finn-ghaill) who first settled in Ireland in 841-842.. While it is sometimes rendered as "Doyle's town" with reference to the personal name Doyle which itself derives from dubh-ghaill, there is no evidence for this usage - see previous references.
Features and Development
Baldoyle village today has a coastal main street, with a Roman Catholic church and community hall, a branch library, and some shops, pubs and a secondary school, St. Mary's. Slightly inland, among the older suburban houses, are a small shopping precinct, a football club and other amenities. On the approach from the coast road is another large secondary school, Pobalscoil Neasain and the well-known pub, the Elphin, while on the road into Donaghmede is a light industrial estate. There are also two primary schools, St. Peter & Paul's Boys Primary School, and St. Mary's Girls Primary School. There is another Roman Catholic church in the village.Among the local residents are the retired members of the Congregation of the Irish Christian Brothers, whose retirement home is located in the town.
For most of the 20th century, Baldoyle was famed for its racecourse, which was one of three in the greater metropolitan area. Over the early 2000s Baldoyle has been at the centre of a large house building programme, with the former Racecourse, long closed, having being sold to developers. The new developments have begun, as "The Coast", facing a new local centre at the northern edge of Donaghmede, Clongriffin
Clongriffin
Clongriffin is a new locality in northern Donaghmede, Dublin, Ireland.-Name:The name Clongriffin is a modern invention, a concatenation of 'clon', the anglicisation of cluain and griffin...
. Clongriffin Dart station
Clongriffin railway station
Clongriffin railway station serves Dublin Area Rapid Transit and InterCity .-Location:Clongriffin railway station is situated along the Dublin–Belfast railway line between Portmarnock railway station and Howth Junction.-History:...
opened in April 2010 serving Baldoyle and racecourse developments such as "The Coast", and northern Donaghmede.
Historical Notes
Baldoyle with its sheltered waterside location, was a Viking base for many years, eventually suppressed by an attack by the King of Leinster.A description of Baldoyle from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Dublin, 1837 gives a useful summary of what was then a substantial rural fishing village:
The village is pleasantly situated on an inlet or creek of the Irish Sea, to the north of the low isthmus that connect Howth
Howth
Howth is an area in Fingal County near Dublin city in Ireland. Originally just a small fishing village, Howth with its surrounding rural district is now a busy suburb of Dublin, with a mix of dense residential development and wild hillside, all on the peninsula of Howth Head. The only...
, with the mainland: it comprises about 200 houses, and is much frequented in summer for sea-bathing. Some of the inhabitants are engaged in the fishery, which at the commencement of the present century employed nine wherries belonging to this place, averaging seven or eight men each; at present nearly 100 men are so, engaged. Sir W. de Windsor, lord-justice of Ireland, held a parliament here in 1369. The creek is formed between the mainland and the long tract of sand on the north of Howth, at the point of which, near that port, a white buoy is placed; it is fit only for small craft. The manor was granted to the priory of All Saints, Dublin, by Diarmit, the son of Murchard, King of Leinster, who founded that house in 1166.
The parliament mentioned above was held at Grange Church, better known as "Grange Abbey", which now lies in Donaghmede and was partly restored in the late 20th century.
On 31 October 1973, one of the most spectacular and audacious escapes from an Irish prison took place when three of the Provisional IRA's key personnel were airlifted to freedom in a seconded helicopter from Mountjoy Prison. The helicopter touched down at Baldoyle racecourse where the IRA members escaped in waiting cars.:
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland