Blackrock
Encyclopedia
Blackrock is a suburb
of Dublin in County Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
, Ireland
. It is 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of Dún Laoghaire
.
, Mount Merrion
, Stillorgan
, Deansgrange
and Monkstown. The area has a range of industries, notably in the IT and service areas.
(DART) line, which is 15 minutes away by train from the city centre. The DART runs on the same track that was built in 1834 for the Dublin-Kingstown railway
. Blackrock railway station
, on both the DART and the mainline Dublin-Wexford railway, opened on 17 December 1834.
Dublin Bus
also serves the area with multiple bus routes including the 4/a and 7 from the city centre.
The Aircoach
services to Dublin Airport from Dalkey and Greystones call at Blackrock en route to the airport.
The Blackrock bypass was built in the late 1980s and officially opened by Councillor Anne Brady on 24 March 1988. The bypass is part of the N31 which joins the ferry port at Dún Laoghaire to the national Primary Route network.
Blackrock was historically a small fishing village, which began to be developed only in the 19th century, although a settlement at the same location from medieval times is well attested to.
Blackrock is named after the local geological rock formation to be found in the area of Blackrock Park. Most of it is now buried under the park, but it is said that it is possible to see it just north of the pond. The rock itself is a limestone calp that when wet appears black, this giving the name Black Rock. For the construction of the railway in 1834, the rock was extensively used for the wall cappings between Williamstown and Blackrock and can also be seen in the walls of the train station at Blackrock. Interestingly, St. Marys Chapel of Ease
on St. Mary's Place, nicknamed the "Black Church", is constructed using the same Black Rock (limestone calp), although the rock used in its construction is locally sourced to the church.
constructed by the High King of Ireland several centuries before St. Patrick, to connect Tara with what is now southern Dublin and north-east Wicklow. The road may have facilitated the O'Toole
and the O'Byrne clans in their raids on the neighbourhood of Dublin.
In 1787, the Blackrock road was such a common place for highway robberies that, in an attempt to put an end to these crimes, a local meeting was held at Jennett's Tavern in Blackrock and chaired by the then Lord Viscount Ranelagh
. The meeting concluded when one of the outcomes was "Resolved, That we will give a reward of £20 to any person who will apprehend and prosecute to conviction any person guilty of a robbery upon the Blackrock-road, from Dublin to Dunleary, Bullock, Dalkey, Rochestown, Cabinteely, and Loughlinstown". In fact, in 1826, Rev. George Wogan, the curate of Donnybrook, was murdered in his house in Spafield Place near Ballsbridge. Later on the evening of his murder, two bandits were apprehended for a highway robbery on the Blackrock Road and confessed to the murder and were hanged. This illustrates the danger faced by travellers of the Blackrock road at certain times in the past.
Blackrock had a beach that was a popular bathing place until the construction of the railway close to the shoreline. The space between the shore and the railway created an area that flooded with sea water at high tide. This created a malodorous salty marsh similar to that at Booterstown marsh
. This marsh was a cause of local discomfort for years until it was decided by the Blackrock Town Commissioners (established in 1860) to fill the area in and create a park. The park, which stretches from Blackrock to Booterstown (encompassing Williamstown), was created in the early 1870s. The granite gates at the main entrance once belonged to a house called Vauxhall. The gardens at the entrance were part of the gardens of the old house.
The Williamstown Martello Tower
, located in Blackrock Park, was built between 1804–1806. When the tower was built, it would have been surrounded by sea water at high tide as it was built in the inter-tidal beach area. The tower became isolated from the sea when the construction of the railway took place, but sea water still flowed into the area at high tide. It wasn't until the filling in of the area to form the Blackrock Park that the tower was to be on dry land. That part of the tower which is visible today is actually the first floor as the ground floor is buried underground.
In 2007, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
published plans for the conservation and development of the park. The plans include extensive redevelopment of the course of the Priory River, as well as refurbishment of several of the buildings within the park. As of 2010, no work has been carried out as part of the redevelopment masterplan, with work expected to commence in 2011.
The Blackrock baths were provided for by the railway company in 1839 and were built beside the Blackrock train station. Quoting: BLACKROCK, in Dublin, is the most celebrated sea- bathing place in the vicinity of the capital. The streets are rather confined, but the extraordinary beauty of the country residences, and of the sea-shore, secures to the Rock a long train of equestrian visitors and jaunting cars, which have, however, considerably decreased since the railway to Kingstown was established. It was possible to buy a special train ticket that also permitted you entrance to the baths. In 1887 the baths were rebuilt in concrete with a large gentlemen's bath and a smaller ladies' bath. In 1928, the Urban District Council bought the baths for £2,000 and readied them for the Tailteann Games
. The baths, with a 50 metre pool, were well known for their swimming galas and water polo and could accommodate up to 1,000 spectators.
Eddie Heron
lived in Sandycove and is known for his achievement as 36 years undefeated Springboard and Highboard Diving Champion of Ireland. A plaque commemorating him is located on the railway bridge that crosses over to the baths.
On 11 September 1891, Thomas Joseph Crean
, while swimming with fellow students near Blackrock, helped rescue a 21-year-old art student named William Ahern. Crean noticed that Ahern was in trouble and together with a young solicitor named Leachman from Dundrum, he managed to bring him ashore. For his bravery he was awarded a medal by the Royal Humane Society
.
The decline in use of the baths started in the 1960s when indoor heated swimming pools started to appear. Dun Laoghaire Corporation closed the Blackrock Baths in the late 1980s and by 1992, due to lack of maintenance, parts of the baths were dismantled. The baths can still be seen near the train station along with the diving platform. They have since been sold to developers Treasury Holdings, who have raised the possibility of building high-rise apartments on the site.
Many fine houses of historical and architectural significance were built in the area, some of which are still existing today, while others have been demolished.
Frescati House
, built in 1739, was a fine example and was at one time the childhood home of Lord Edward FitzGerald. Frescati, despite much local protest to save it, was demolished in 1983 and Frascati Shopping Centre now stands in its place.
Maretimo House was built in 1770 as a summer residence for Nicholas Lawless, 1st Lord Cloncurry, who had his main house in Lyons, County Kildare. His son Valentine Lawless, 2nd Baron Cloncurry
gave land beside the house for the building of the Roman Catholic Church, St. John the Baptist. At the time of the construction of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway
, Lord Cloncurry was compensated with, among other things, a private railway bridge and harbour. Maretimo house was demolished in 1970 and apartments of the same name now stand in its place. The private railway bridge can still be seen today, but is not maintained and its once elegant walkway has been replaced by a corrugated iron walkway.
Blackrock House, built in 1774 by John Lees (1737–1811), is one of a few 18th-century houses built with red brick. It has some fine features such as a two-storey red brick porch. It also features a large coach-house, stable yard and gate-lodge. With the construction of the railway Lees was also compensated with a tunnel being built through his land. There is a ruin of a small summer-house near Lord Cloncurry's harbour. The house is still here to be seen today, although it is currently divided into flats.
Rosefield (previously Belleville) was demolished in 1983 to make way for the Blackrock Clinic. Rosefield was one of the first seaside villas built on the Fitzwilliam estate around 1750.
Talbot Lodge was an 18th century villa that was later doubled in size. It was bought by the Sisters of Charity and became part of the Linden Convalescent Home. It was sold to developers and was demolished in December 1989.
The Anglican (Church of Ireland) parish built two churches in the area. The Booterstown parish was established in 1821 from the Donnybrook parish and the first church built was St. Philip and St. James Church
in 1822 on Cross Avenue. To follow was All Saints Church on Carysfort Avenue in 1868.
The Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul (Catholic) founded St. Catherine's Seminary in 1939 with the purchase of the house Dunardagh, Temple Hill.
The Dominican Order (Catholic)
came to Blackrock in the 1830s with the purchase of the house Sion Hill on the corner of Mount Merrion Avenue and Cross Avenue. They set up Sion Hill Convent, a girls' school called Dominican College Sion Hill
, and Froebel College of Education
. They also run an Adult Education Centre and they ran St. Catherine's College of Education for Home Economics between 1929 and 2007.
The Holy Ghost Fathers (Catholic)
came to Blackrock from Paris and established Blackrock College
in 1860 with the purchase of Castle Dawson. They later bought Williamstown Castle in 1875, Clareville in 1899 and Willow Park in 1924. All of these buildings, except Clareville, are still standing today and form Blackrock College and Willow Park School.
The Kellyite sect was formed by Rev. Thomas Kelly (1769–1854), who broke away from the Church of Ireland. He built a church called Christchurch on Carysfort Avenue. The sect did not last long and in 1872 the church was handed over to the Church of Ireland. In the early 1960s the church was demolished as it was surplus to needs. The old church was located where the car park is on the corner of Carysfort Avenue and the Blackrock Bypass.
The Methodist congregation established a church on George's Avenue in the 19th century. The church is still standing but disused. The congregation moved to a new church beside the town hall on Newtown Avenue. The congregation consolidated with that of Dun Laoghaire around the middle of the 20th century. Since then the Blackrock building is used as a community meeting place called Urban Junction.
The Order of St. Camillus have a community residing at South Hill Avenue.
Opus Dei (Catholic)
established Rosemont secondary school off Temple Hill around 1970.
The Presbyterian (Church of Ireland) congregation established their Blackrock parish in 1895 and met in the Blackrock Town Hall until they built St. Andrew's Church on Mount Merrion Avenue in 1899.
Religious Sisters of Charity (Catholic)
arrived in 1864 with the purchase of Linden and established Linden Convalescent Home. They later bought Talbot Lodge which became part of the convalescent home. The home was sold in the late 1990s to developers who built the Linden residential complex. More recently, in 2003, the congregation expanded Our Lady's Hospice
to Blackrock with the opening of The Venerable Louis and Zelie Martin Hospice.
The Roman Catholic parish of Blackrock was established from Booterstown
in 1922. The first church in the area was built on Sweetman's Avenue in 1823. In 1845 a much larger church, St. John the Baptist
was constructed on Temple Hill. Another church was built in 1967 on Newtownpark Avenue called the Church of the Guardian Angels.
The Society of Friends (Quakers) have their Dublin burial grounds, Friends Burial Ground
, located at Temple Hill. Their meeting house is located on Carrickbrennan Road, Monkstown.
, a private clinic (in the Williamstown locality) which was built on the site of Rosefield House.
The town hall was completed in 1865 while the Carnegie Library and the Technical Institute were built in 1905. The site for the Technical Institute was presented to the Town Commissioners by a resident, William Field MP, in 1898.
The Blackrock Shopping Centre was built in 1984 by Superquinn
who manage the development and are the anchor store.
There are many high street finance branches for AIB
, Bank of ireland
, EBS
, National Irish Bank
, Ulster Bank
and the Blackrock Credit Union. Permanent TSB closed their Blackrock branch in March 2010 but retain their administrative offices on Carysfort Avenue.
There are many office buildings that house large corporations such as Canada Life Financial
, Zurich Financial Services
and AIG
. Also car delaers such as Carroll & Kinsella Motors, Maxwell Motors (generally BMW) and Eco Aer (eco electric vehicles).
The Blackrock Market was set up in 1996 just off Main Street and has a range of independent sellers who sell all sorts of items like bean bags, candles, stamps & coins, second hand books and antiques. There are also food sellers of crepes, cakes and ethnic food. The market is open Saturday and Sunday, but some stalls open during the week also.
In April 2010 a new business organisation for the area was formed. It is known as the Blackrock Business Network. In Spring 2011 a new website "I Love Blackrock" was launched. and promotes small businesses in the area such as Reform Pilates.
Lord Edward FitzGerald
(1763–1798) was born and lived in Frescati House for a part of his life. He was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary and was one of the commanders in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
.
Valentine Lawless
(1773–1853) the second Baron Cloncurry
, was an Irish politician and landowner that had a summer residence in Blackrock called Maretimo. He is reputed to have played a part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
and 1803. See Maretimo House under Historic houses for further information on Valentine's local contributions.
Patrick Byrne
(1783–1864) lived at 3 Waltham Terrace from 1855. He was an Irish Architect who built many Catholic churches in Dublin including the local Catholic parish church, St. John the Baptist
. He also served as a vice president of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
.
James Stephens (1825–1901) at one time lived at 82 George's Avenue, Blackrock and was a founding member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
.
Charles Kickham
(1828–1882) lived at James O'Connors former house of 2 Montpelier Place, off Temple Hill. He was a novelist, poet, journalist and one of the most prominent members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
.
Lieutenant General Harry Hammon Lyster
(1830–1922) was born in Blackrock and was an Anglo-Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
William Edward Hartpole Lecky
(1838–1903) was an Irish historian and publicist born in Newtown Park. He is noted for his chief work of A History of England during the Eighteenth Century.
John Boyd Dunlop
(1840–1921) lived in a large 18th century house called "South Hill" and developed the first practical pneumatic or inflatable tyre. He was one of the founders of the rubber company that bore his name, Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company.
Sir William Orpen
(1878–1931) lived in a house called "Oriel" on Grove Avenue, just off Mount Merrion Avenue. He was a portrait painter and official war artist during the first world war. Some of his work is permanently on display in the National Gallery of Ireland.
Maurice Walsh
(1879–1964) lived on both Stillorgan Park Avenue and Avoca Road in Blackrock. He is noted as a novelist and best known for his short story The Quiet Man
amongst others.
Éamon de Valera
(1882–1975) lived in a few houses in the area including "Bellevue" on Cross Avenue 1933–1940. He was educated at Blackrock College
and later taught there and at Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort
. He retired to Linden Convalescent Home after his Presidential term ended and on 29 August 1975 he died there.
The writer James Joyce
(1882–1941) lived in 23 Carysfort Avenue known as "Leoville" for one year in the early 1890s. This house is still extant. In his book A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
he makes reference to the local parish church St. John the Baptist.
Kevin O'Higgins
(1892–1927) once rented "Lisaniskea" ("Lios na Uisce"), near Blackrock, during 1923–1925. He later moved to "Dunamase" on Cross Avenue and was the Minister for Justice in the Government of The Irish Free State. He was assassinated on the Booterstown end of Cross Avenue on his way to mass at his local parish church on 10 July 1927 by members of the IRA. It is believed that he was assissinated for ordering the execution of many republicans, including Rory O'Connor (Irish republican)
, during his tenure in office. Rory O'Connor was Kevin's best man at his wedding in 1921.
Brian O'Nolan (1911–1966) lived at 4 Avoca Terrace and later at 81 Merrion Avenue. He was an Irish novelist and satirist, best known for his novels At Swim-Two-Birds and The Third Policeman written under the nom de plume Flann O'Brien.
The abstract painter Cecil King (1921–1986) lived for many years on Idrone Terrace, and one of his paintings is entitled 'Idrone'.
The artist Sean O'Sullivan, (1906–1964),lived for many years in Avoca Avenue. He painted many notable people including the President of Ireland, Éamon de Valera.
The portrait painter Reginald Gray
was born in Blackrock in 1930. He lived for twenty-seven years at 10 Avoca Place and was a near neighbour of the artist Seán O'Sullivan
. He lived most of his life in France. He is an elected member of The American Society of Portrait Artists.
Rowan Gillespie
is an Irish bronze casting sculptor of international renown, who created the "Blackrock Dolmen" sculpture in Blackrock. He works out of Blackrock with a purpose built bronze casting foundry in a house called "Clonlea".
Ryan Tubridy
was born in Blackrock in 1973 and went to Blackrock College
. He is an RTÉ
presenter of radio and television shows and the current host of the long-running chat show The Late Late Show
.
Eoin Dillon
Uilleann pipper, of Kila
, was brought up in the Blackrock area and lived until recently on Idrone Terrace late 2010, he says that living in blackrock has influenced many of his contemporary tunes.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Dublin in County Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. Located to the south-east of Dublin city, its county seat is the town of Dún Laoghaire. It is one of the four constituent parts of the Dublin Region...
, 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 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
.
Location and access
Blackrock covers a large but not precisely defined area, rising from sea level on the coast to 90 metres (295.3 ft) at White's Cross on the N11 national primary road. Blackrock is bordered by BooterstownBooterstown
Booterstown,, is a coastal townland and civil parish, situated in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council area of the former County Dublin, about south of the city of Dublin in Ireland.-Location and access:...
, Mount Merrion
Mount Merrion
Mount Merrion is an area of Dublin, Ireland. It is roughly 7 kilometres south of the city centre. It is situated on and around a hill of the same name.-Location and access:...
, Stillorgan
Stillorgan
Stillorgan , formerly a village in its own right, is now a suburban area of Dublin in Ireland. Stillorgan is located in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County, and contains many housing estates, shops and other facilities, with the old village centre still present...
, Deansgrange
Deansgrange
Deansgrange in is a suburban area of South Dublin, centered around a crossroads. The area shares the name Clonkeen . The area further east of Deansgrange is known as "Kill of the Grange" Deansgrange in is a suburban area of South Dublin, centered around a crossroads. The area shares the name...
and Monkstown. The area has a range of industries, notably in the IT and service areas.
Transport
Blackrock has a station on the Dublin Area Rapid TransitDublin 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...
(DART) line, which is 15 minutes away by train from the city centre. The DART runs on the same track that was built in 1834 for the Dublin-Kingstown railway
Dublin and Kingstown Railway
The Dublin and Kingstown Railway , which opened in 1834, was Ireland’s first railway. It linked Westland Row in Dublin with Kingstown Harbour’s West Pier in County Dublin.-History:...
. Blackrock railway station
Blackrock railway station
Blackrock railway station serves Blackrock in County Dublin, Ireland.The station opened on 17 December 1834.The station is served by the 7, 7a, 8, 17, 45 and 114 buses....
, on both the DART and the mainline Dublin-Wexford railway, opened on 17 December 1834.
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...
also serves the area with multiple bus routes including the 4/a and 7 from the city centre.
The Aircoach
Aircoach
Aircoach is a Republic of Ireland based subsidiary company of the United Kingdom based FirstGroup. It provides airport bus express coach services from Cork, Greystones, Bray, South Dublin and Dublin City Centre to Dublin Airport. It also operates contracted bus service for airport car parks...
services to Dublin Airport from Dalkey and Greystones call at Blackrock en route to the airport.
The Blackrock bypass was built in the late 1980s and officially opened by Councillor Anne Brady on 24 March 1988. The bypass is part of the N31 which joins the ferry port at Dún Laoghaire to the national Primary Route network.
History
Origin of the name
Blackrock, some hundreds of years ago was variously called Newtown-at-the Black Rock, Newtown on the Strand by the Black Rock, Newtown Castle Byrne, or simply Newtown, so that "Blackrock" is simply an abbreviation of one of its ancient titles. For example, the town was called 'Newtown' in a 1488 Act of Parliament The name 'newtown' still survives in Newtown Avenue, and Newtown House. It was thus distinguished from Newtown-in-the-Deer-Park, as the village of Newtown Park was then called, from the circumstance that it was built in the Deer Park belonging to Stillorgan House, or Castle (a quo 'Newtownpark Avenue').Blackrock is named after the local geological rock formation to be found in the area of Blackrock Park. Most of it is now buried under the park, but it is said that it is possible to see it just north of the pond. The rock itself is a limestone calp that when wet appears black, this giving the name Black Rock. For the construction of the railway in 1834, the rock was extensively used for the wall cappings between Williamstown and Blackrock and can also be seen in the walls of the train station at Blackrock. Interestingly, St. Marys Chapel of Ease
St. Marys Chapel of Ease, Dublin
St. Marys Chapel of Ease universally known as 'The Black Church' is one of the most infamous and curious buildings in Dublin. It was a church of the Church of Ireland located on St. Mary's Place, Broadstone Dublin, Ireland. Constructed from local calp limestone, the building's nickname ‘The Black...
on St. Mary's Place, nicknamed the "Black Church", is constructed using the same Black Rock (limestone calp), although the rock used in its construction is locally sourced to the church.
The Rock Road
The Rock Road, which forms the south western boundary of the park, is said to form part of one of the oldest roads in the country, having been part of the ancient Slíghe ChualannSlíghe Chualann
Slíghe Chualann was an ancient roadway which stretched from the residence of the High King of Ireland at Tara to the lands of Cuala. Cuala is the area that is seen today as from South County Dublin to North County Wicklow including Bray...
constructed by the High King of Ireland several centuries before St. Patrick, to connect Tara with what is now southern Dublin and north-east Wicklow. The road may have facilitated the O'Toole
O'Toole (family)
The O'Tooles of Leinster, one of the leading families of that province, are descended from Tuathal mac Augaire, King of Leinster , who belonged to the Uí Dúnlainge dynasty...
and the O'Byrne clans in their raids on the neighbourhood of Dublin.
In 1787, the Blackrock road was such a common place for highway robberies that, in an attempt to put an end to these crimes, a local meeting was held at Jennett's Tavern in Blackrock and chaired by the then Lord Viscount Ranelagh
Viscount Ranelagh
The titles of Viscount Ranelagh and Baron Jones of Navan were created in the Peerage of Ireland by Charles I on 25 August 1628 to Sir Roger Jones, son of Thomas Jones Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Thomas Jones father was Henry Jones, Esq. of Middleton in Lancashire...
. The meeting concluded when one of the outcomes was "Resolved, That we will give a reward of £20 to any person who will apprehend and prosecute to conviction any person guilty of a robbery upon the Blackrock-road, from Dublin to Dunleary, Bullock, Dalkey, Rochestown, Cabinteely, and Loughlinstown". In fact, in 1826, Rev. George Wogan, the curate of Donnybrook, was murdered in his house in Spafield Place near Ballsbridge. Later on the evening of his murder, two bandits were apprehended for a highway robbery on the Blackrock Road and confessed to the murder and were hanged. This illustrates the danger faced by travellers of the Blackrock road at certain times in the past.
Blackrock Park
Booterstown marsh
Booterstown Marsh Nature Reserve is located in Booterstown, County Dublin between the coastal railway line and the Rock Road. It is a salt marsh with brackish water, covering an area of approximately 4.3 ha...
. This marsh was a cause of local discomfort for years until it was decided by the Blackrock Town Commissioners (established in 1860) to fill the area in and create a park. The park, which stretches from Blackrock to Booterstown (encompassing Williamstown), was created in the early 1870s. The granite gates at the main entrance once belonged to a house called Vauxhall. The gardens at the entrance were part of the gardens of the old house.
The Williamstown Martello Tower
Martello tower
Martello towers are small defensive forts built in several countries of the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the Napoleonic Wars onwards....
, located in Blackrock Park, was built between 1804–1806. When the tower was built, it would have been surrounded by sea water at high tide as it was built in the inter-tidal beach area. The tower became isolated from the sea when the construction of the railway took place, but sea water still flowed into the area at high tide. It wasn't until the filling in of the area to form the Blackrock Park that the tower was to be on dry land. That part of the tower which is visible today is actually the first floor as the ground floor is buried underground.
In 2007, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is the local authority for the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown in Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolition and one of four councils in the Dublin Region. It serves a population of...
published plans for the conservation and development of the park. The plans include extensive redevelopment of the course of the Priory River, as well as refurbishment of several of the buildings within the park. As of 2010, no work has been carried out as part of the redevelopment masterplan, with work expected to commence in 2011.
Blackrock Baths
Tailteann Games
The Tailteann Games were an ancient sporting event held in Ireland in honour of the goddess Tailtiu. They ran from 632 BC to 1169-1171 AD when they died out after the Norman invasion....
. The baths, with a 50 metre pool, were well known for their swimming galas and water polo and could accommodate up to 1,000 spectators.
Eddie Heron
Eddie Heron
Eddie Heron was an Irish swimming champion.Eddie was Ireland diving champion on multiple occasions in the 1930s, and 1940's.Eddie trained with Olympic Champion Pete Desjardins in the U.S.A. in his younger years....
lived in Sandycove and is known for his achievement as 36 years undefeated Springboard and Highboard Diving Champion of Ireland. A plaque commemorating him is located on the railway bridge that crosses over to the baths.
On 11 September 1891, Thomas Joseph Crean
Thomas Joseph Crean
Major Dr. Thomas Joseph Crean, VC, DSO was an Irish rugby union player, British Army soldier and doctor. During the Second Boer War, while serving with the Imperial Light Horse, he was awarded the Victoria Cross. His VC medal is displayed at the Army Medical Services Museum...
, while swimming with fellow students near Blackrock, helped rescue a 21-year-old art student named William Ahern. Crean noticed that Ahern was in trouble and together with a young solicitor named Leachman from Dundrum, he managed to bring him ashore. For his bravery he was awarded a medal by the Royal Humane Society
Royal Humane Society
The Royal Humane Society is a British charity which promotes lifesaving intervention. It was founded in England in 1774 as the Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Drowned, for the purpose of rendering first aid in cases of near drowning....
.
The decline in use of the baths started in the 1960s when indoor heated swimming pools started to appear. Dun Laoghaire Corporation closed the Blackrock Baths in the late 1980s and by 1992, due to lack of maintenance, parts of the baths were dismantled. The baths can still be seen near the train station along with the diving platform. They have since been sold to developers Treasury Holdings, who have raised the possibility of building high-rise apartments on the site.
Historic houses
Frescati House
Frescati House
Frescati was an estate situated in Blackrock, Dublin, between the mountains and the sea. During the eighteenth century, Blackrock found favour with the well-to-do of Ireland and it grew into a fashionable seaside resort. The gentry of smog-ridden Dublin advanced into the area to embrace the sea air...
, built in 1739, was a fine example and was at one time the childhood home of Lord Edward FitzGerald. Frescati, despite much local protest to save it, was demolished in 1983 and Frascati Shopping Centre now stands in its place.
Maretimo House was built in 1770 as a summer residence for Nicholas Lawless, 1st Lord Cloncurry, who had his main house in Lyons, County Kildare. His son Valentine Lawless, 2nd Baron Cloncurry
Valentine Lawless, 2nd Baron Cloncurry
Valentine Brown Lawless, 2nd Baron Cloncurry , was an Irish politician and landowner. He lived in Lyons, under Lyons Hill Ardclough County Kildare.-Birth:...
gave land beside the house for the building of the Roman Catholic Church, St. John the Baptist. At the time of the construction of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway
Dublin and Kingstown Railway
The Dublin and Kingstown Railway , which opened in 1834, was Ireland’s first railway. It linked Westland Row in Dublin with Kingstown Harbour’s West Pier in County Dublin.-History:...
, Lord Cloncurry was compensated with, among other things, a private railway bridge and harbour. Maretimo house was demolished in 1970 and apartments of the same name now stand in its place. The private railway bridge can still be seen today, but is not maintained and its once elegant walkway has been replaced by a corrugated iron walkway.
Blackrock House, built in 1774 by John Lees (1737–1811), is one of a few 18th-century houses built with red brick. It has some fine features such as a two-storey red brick porch. It also features a large coach-house, stable yard and gate-lodge. With the construction of the railway Lees was also compensated with a tunnel being built through his land. There is a ruin of a small summer-house near Lord Cloncurry's harbour. The house is still here to be seen today, although it is currently divided into flats.
Rosefield (previously Belleville) was demolished in 1983 to make way for the Blackrock Clinic. Rosefield was one of the first seaside villas built on the Fitzwilliam estate around 1750.
Talbot Lodge was an 18th century villa that was later doubled in size. It was bought by the Sisters of Charity and became part of the Linden Convalescent Home. It was sold to developers and was demolished in December 1989.
Religion in history
There is a broad religious association with Blackrock going back over many years:The Anglican (Church of Ireland) parish built two churches in the area. The Booterstown parish was established in 1821 from the Donnybrook parish and the first church built was St. Philip and St. James Church
St. Philip and St. James Church, Booterstown
St. Philip and St. James Church, Booterstown is a church of the Church of Ireland located in Booterstown, Dublin.-Beginning the Parish:The area of the parish of Booterstown was founded in 1821, where the area had previously been covered by the parish of Donnybrook.-Initial Building:The site of the...
in 1822 on Cross Avenue. To follow was All Saints Church on Carysfort Avenue in 1868.
The Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul (Catholic) founded St. Catherine's Seminary in 1939 with the purchase of the house Dunardagh, Temple Hill.
The Dominican Order (Catholic)
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
came to Blackrock in the 1830s with the purchase of the house Sion Hill on the corner of Mount Merrion Avenue and Cross Avenue. They set up Sion Hill Convent, a girls' school called Dominican College Sion Hill
Dominican College Sion Hill
Dominican College Sion Hill is one of the oldest girls' secondary schools in Ireland. It was founded in 1836 in Blackrock, County Dublin in Ireland. Its approach to education is based on the Dominican ideal of developing the whole person...
, and Froebel College of Education
Froebel College of Education
Froebel College of Education, is located at Sion Hill, Cross Avenue, Blackrock, Dublin and is run by the Dominican Order. It is one of five Colleges in Ireland which is recognized by the Department of Education and Skills for the training and education of national school teachers.Froebel College,...
. They also run an Adult Education Centre and they ran St. Catherine's College of Education for Home Economics between 1929 and 2007.
The Holy Ghost Fathers (Catholic)
Holy Ghost Fathers
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit is a Roman Catholic congregation of priests, lay brothers, and since Vatican II, lay associates...
came to Blackrock from Paris and established Blackrock College
Blackrock College
Blackrock College is a Catholic voluntary secondary school for boys aged 14–18, located in Williamstown, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The College was founded by French missionaries in 1860, to act as a school and civil service training centre. Set in of grounds, it has an illustrious...
in 1860 with the purchase of Castle Dawson. They later bought Williamstown Castle in 1875, Clareville in 1899 and Willow Park in 1924. All of these buildings, except Clareville, are still standing today and form Blackrock College and Willow Park School.
The Kellyite sect was formed by Rev. Thomas Kelly (1769–1854), who broke away from the Church of Ireland. He built a church called Christchurch on Carysfort Avenue. The sect did not last long and in 1872 the church was handed over to the Church of Ireland. In the early 1960s the church was demolished as it was surplus to needs. The old church was located where the car park is on the corner of Carysfort Avenue and the Blackrock Bypass.
The Methodist congregation established a church on George's Avenue in the 19th century. The church is still standing but disused. The congregation moved to a new church beside the town hall on Newtown Avenue. The congregation consolidated with that of Dun Laoghaire around the middle of the 20th century. Since then the Blackrock building is used as a community meeting place called Urban Junction.
The Order of St. Camillus have a community residing at South Hill Avenue.
Opus Dei (Catholic)
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
established Rosemont secondary school off Temple Hill around 1970.
The Presbyterian (Church of Ireland) congregation established their Blackrock parish in 1895 and met in the Blackrock Town Hall until they built St. Andrew's Church on Mount Merrion Avenue in 1899.
Religious Sisters of Charity (Catholic)
Religious Sisters of Charity
The Religious Sisters of Charity or Irish Sisters of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Mary Aikenhead in Ireland in 1815.Its motto is "Caritas Christi urget nos" ....
arrived in 1864 with the purchase of Linden and established Linden Convalescent Home. They later bought Talbot Lodge which became part of the convalescent home. The home was sold in the late 1990s to developers who built the Linden residential complex. More recently, in 2003, the congregation expanded Our Lady's Hospice
Our Lady's Hospice
Our Lady's Hospice is a Hospice with its main centre in Harold's Cross, Dublin and a specialist palliative care unit in Blackrock, County Dublin in Ireland. The Hospice was founded and run by the Religious Sisters of Charity, a congregation themselves founded by Mary Aikenhead. They provide...
to Blackrock with the opening of The Venerable Louis and Zelie Martin Hospice.
The Roman Catholic parish of Blackrock was established from Booterstown
Church of the Assumption, Booterstown
Church of the Assumption, Booterstown is a Roman Catholic church located in Booterstown, County Dublin, Ireland. The church represents the Parish of the Assumption Booterstown, which was established in 1616. The present church opened in 1813 and was built as a replacement for the old chapel that...
in 1922. The first church in the area was built on Sweetman's Avenue in 1823. In 1845 a much larger church, St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist, Blackrock
St. John the Baptist, Blackrock is a Roman Catholic church in the parish of Blackrock, Ireland. The church is still in use and named after the Saint John the Baptist. It is located on Temple Road, Blackrock, County Dublin.-History:...
was constructed on Temple Hill. Another church was built in 1967 on Newtownpark Avenue called the Church of the Guardian Angels.
The Society of Friends (Quakers) have their Dublin burial grounds, Friends Burial Ground
Friends Burial Ground, Dublin
The Friends Burial Ground is a Quaker burial ground located at Temple Hill, Blackrock, Dublin. It opened in 1860 and is the only Quaker burial ground in Dublin.-History:...
, located at Temple Hill. Their meeting house is located on Carrickbrennan Road, Monkstown.
Features
Blackrock ClinicBlackrock Clinic
Blackrock Clinic in Blackrock, Dublin was co-founded in 1984 by surgeons Joseph Sheehan, his brother Jimmy Sheehan, Maurice Neligan and Nuclear Medicine Specialist George Duffy as a private, high-tech hospital offering healthcare to privately insured patients....
, a private clinic (in the Williamstown locality) which was built on the site of Rosefield House.
The town hall was completed in 1865 while the Carnegie Library and the Technical Institute were built in 1905. The site for the Technical Institute was presented to the Town Commissioners by a resident, William Field MP, in 1898.
Commerce
Blackrock is quite a large commercial centre with cafes, bars, restaurants, boutiques, hairdressers and barbers, pharmacies, supermarkets, art galleries, antiques and home- improvements outlets. There are some notable bars in Blackrock, such as Jack O'Rourkes, O'Donohues, Sheehans, Tonic and The Wicked Wolf.The Blackrock Shopping Centre was built in 1984 by Superquinn
Superquinn
Superquinn is an Irish supermarket chain. Until 2005, the company was entirely privately held by the Quinn family. It is now a subsidiary of Select Retail Holdings Limited....
who manage the development and are the anchor store.
There are many high street finance branches for AIB
Allied Irish Banks
Allied Irish Banks p.l.c. is a major commercial bank based in Ireland.AIB is one of the so called "big four" commercial banks in the state. The bank has one of the largest branch networks in Ireland; only Bank of Ireland fully rivals it. AIB offers a full range of personal and corporate banking...
, Bank of ireland
Bank of Ireland
The Bank of Ireland is a commercial bank operation in Ireland, which is one of the 'Big Four' in both parts of the island.Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Irish banking history...
, EBS
EBS Building Society
EBS Limited was a financial institution in Ireland and was the country's largest building society. EBS has more than 400,000 members and distributes its products through a branch and franchised agency network. It handles direct business by telephone and the Internet...
, National Irish Bank
National Irish Bank
National Irish Bank is a commercial bank in Ireland, one of the traditional Big Four. In December 2004 Danske Bank agreed to purchase National Irish Bank from the National Australia Bank for GB£967m ....
, Ulster Bank
Ulster Bank
Ulster Bank is a large commercial bank, one of the Big Four in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Ulster Bank Group is subdivided into two separate legal entities, Ulster Bank Limited and Ulster Bank Ireland Limited...
and the Blackrock Credit Union. Permanent TSB closed their Blackrock branch in March 2010 but retain their administrative offices on Carysfort Avenue.
There are many office buildings that house large corporations such as Canada Life Financial
Canada Life Financial
Canada Life Financial Corporation is a Canadian company that offers life, health, and disability insurance for groups and individuals.Founded in 1847, it was acquired by The Great-West Life Assurance Company in 2003, after rejecting a hostile takeover bid by rival Manulife.Hugh Cossart Baker, Sr...
, Zurich Financial Services
Zurich Financial Services
Zurich Financial Services AG is a major financial services group based in Zurich, Switzerland.-History:The Company was founded in 1872 as subsidiary of the Schweiz Marine Insurance Company under the name Versicherung Verein...
and AIG
AIG
AIG is American International Group, a major American insurance corporation.AIG may also refer to:* And-inverter graph, a concept in computer theory* Answers in Genesis, a creationist organization in the U.S.* Arta Industrial Group in Iran...
. Also car delaers such as Carroll & Kinsella Motors, Maxwell Motors (generally BMW) and Eco Aer (eco electric vehicles).
The Blackrock Market was set up in 1996 just off Main Street and has a range of independent sellers who sell all sorts of items like bean bags, candles, stamps & coins, second hand books and antiques. There are also food sellers of crepes, cakes and ethnic food. The market is open Saturday and Sunday, but some stalls open during the week also.
In April 2010 a new business organisation for the area was formed. It is known as the Blackrock Business Network. In Spring 2011 a new website "I Love Blackrock" was launched. and promotes small businesses in the area such as Reform Pilates.
Primary schools
For a more comprehensive list of schools in Blackrock and its hinterland, see the link below (Primary Schools in South County Dublin).- Benincasa, Mount Merrion Avenue (Roman Catholic)
- Carysfort National School, Convent Road (Roman Catholic)
- Guardian Angels, Newtownpark Avenue (Roman Catholic)
- Willow Park, Rock Road (Roman Catholic)Willow Park SchoolWillow Park School is a Catholic, private primary school for boys, located in Booterstown, County Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1935 by the Roman Catholic Congregation of the Holy Spirit as a junior school to Blackrock College, and acts as that school's principal feeder. It is situated on the...
- St. Augustine's, Obelisk Park (Roman Catholic)
- All Saints, Carysfort Avenue (Church of Ireland)
- Booterstown National School, Cross Avenue (Church of Ireland)
- Our Lady of Mercy National School, Rosemount Avenue (Roman Catholic)
Secondary schools
- Blackrock College, Rock Road (Roman Catholic)Blackrock CollegeBlackrock College is a Catholic voluntary secondary school for boys aged 14–18, located in Williamstown, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The College was founded by French missionaries in 1860, to act as a school and civil service training centre. Set in of grounds, it has an illustrious...
- Dominican College Sion Hill, Cross Avenue (Roman Catholic)Dominican College Sion HillDominican College Sion Hill is one of the oldest girls' secondary schools in Ireland. It was founded in 1836 in Blackrock, County Dublin in Ireland. Its approach to education is based on the Dominican ideal of developing the whole person...
- Newpark Comprehensive School, Newtownpark Avenue (Church of Ireland)Newpark Comprehensive SchoolNewpark Comprehensive School is a non-fee paying, co-educational comprehensive secondary school under Church of Ireland management, located on Newtown Park Avenue in Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland....
- Newpark Music School, Newtownpark Avenue
- Rosemont Secondary School, Temple Road (Roman Catholic)
- St. Andrew's College, Booterstown Avenue (Presbyterian) St. Andrew's College, DublinSt. Andrew's College - is a co-educational inter-denominational, international day school, founded in 1894 by members of the Presbyterian community, and now located in Booterstown, Dublin, Ireland.St...
Third level
- Carysfort College was a large teacher training college located in the area, until its closure in 1988.
- Froebel College of Education, Cross AvenueFroebel College of EducationFroebel College of Education, is located at Sion Hill, Cross Avenue, Blackrock, Dublin and is run by the Dominican Order. It is one of five Colleges in Ireland which is recognized by the Department of Education and Skills for the training and education of national school teachers.Froebel College,...
is one of the 5 major Teacher Training Colleges in Ireland. - Michael Smurfit Graduate School of BusinessMichael Smurfit Graduate School of BusinessThe UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School is the business school of University College Dublin, located in Blackrock in Dublin, Republic of Ireland....
is a business school of UCD that occupy the old buildings of Carysfort College. - Newpark Music Jazz School, Newtownpark Avenue
- Progressive College, Carysfort Avenue & UCD Blackrock Campus, specialises in the provision of a range of childcare and healthcare courses.
- Construction of the new Blackrock Institute of Further Education will finalized in early 2012. This college will be located in the centre of Blackrock following a re-location of Senior College Dun LaoghaireSenior College Dun LaoghaireSenior College Dún Laoghaire is a college of further education which was established in 1982 under the statutory authority of the Dún Laoghaire Vocational Education Committee...
Churches
- All Saints, Carysfort Avenue (Church of Ireland)
- Church of the Guardian Angels, Newtownpark Avenue (Roman Catholic)
- St. Andrew's, Mount Merrion Avenue (Presbyterian)St. Andrew's, BlackrockSt. Andrew's, Blackrock is a Presbyterian church on Mount Merrion Avenue, Blackrock, County Dublin. The Blackrock parish was established in 1895 and the church was opened in 1899. Its sister church is St. Andrew's of Bray.-History:...
- St. John the Baptist, Blackrock (Roman Catholic)St. John the Baptist, BlackrockSt. John the Baptist, Blackrock is a Roman Catholic church in the parish of Blackrock, Ireland. The church is still in use and named after the Saint John the Baptist. It is located on Temple Road, Blackrock, County Dublin.-History:...
- St. Philip and St. James, Cross Avenue, (Church of Ireland)St. Philip and St. James Church, BooterstownSt. Philip and St. James Church, Booterstown is a church of the Church of Ireland located in Booterstown, Dublin.-Beginning the Parish:The area of the parish of Booterstown was founded in 1821, where the area had previously been covered by the parish of Donnybrook.-Initial Building:The site of the...
Notable people
Lord Edward FitzGerald
Lord Edward FitzGerald was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary. He was the fifth son of the 1st Duke of Leinster and the Duchess of Leinster , he was born at Carton House, near Dublin, and died of wounds received in resisting arrest on charge of treason.-Early years:FitzGerald spent most of his...
(1763–1798) was born and lived in Frescati House for a part of his life. He was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary and was one of the commanders in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
.
Valentine Lawless
Valentine Lawless, 2nd Baron Cloncurry
Valentine Brown Lawless, 2nd Baron Cloncurry , was an Irish politician and landowner. He lived in Lyons, under Lyons Hill Ardclough County Kildare.-Birth:...
(1773–1853) the second Baron Cloncurry
Baron Cloncurry
Baron Cloncurry, of Cloncurry in the County of Kildare, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 29 December 1789 for Sir Nicholas Lawless, 1st Baronet, who had earlier represented Lifford in the Irish House of Commons. He had already been created a Baronet, of Abington in the...
, was an Irish politician and landowner that had a summer residence in Blackrock called Maretimo. He is reputed to have played a part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
and 1803. See Maretimo House under Historic houses for further information on Valentine's local contributions.
Patrick Byrne
Patrick Byrne (architect)
Patrick Byrne was an Irish Architect who built many Catholic churches in Dublin. He also served as a vice president of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.-History:...
(1783–1864) lived at 3 Waltham Terrace from 1855. He was an Irish Architect who built many Catholic churches in Dublin including the local Catholic parish church, St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist, Blackrock
St. John the Baptist, Blackrock is a Roman Catholic church in the parish of Blackrock, Ireland. The church is still in use and named after the Saint John the Baptist. It is located on Temple Road, Blackrock, County Dublin.-History:...
. He also served as a vice president of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland founded in 1839, is the competent authority for architects and professional body for Architecture in the Republic of Ireland....
.
James Stephens (1825–1901) at one time lived at 82 George's Avenue, Blackrock and was a founding member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
Irish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...
.
Charles Kickham
Charles Kickham
Charles Joseph Kickham was an Irish revolutionary, novelist, poet, journalist and one of the most prominent members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.-Early life:...
(1828–1882) lived at James O'Connors former house of 2 Montpelier Place, off Temple Hill. He was a novelist, poet, journalist and one of the most prominent members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
Irish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...
.
Lieutenant General Harry Hammon Lyster
Harry Hammon Lyster
Lieutenant General Harry Hammon Lyster VC, CB was an Anglo-Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:He was 27 years old and a lieutenant in the 72nd Bengal...
(1830–1922) was born in Blackrock and was an Anglo-Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
William Edward Hartpole Lecky
William Edward Hartpole Lecky
William Edward Hartpole Lecky, OM was an Irish historian.-Early life:Born at Newtown Park, near Dublin, he was the eldest son of John Hartpole Lecky, a landowner....
(1838–1903) was an Irish historian and publicist born in Newtown Park. He is noted for his chief work of A History of England during the Eighteenth Century.
John Boyd Dunlop
John Boyd Dunlop
John Boyd Dunlop was a Scottish inventor. He was one of the founders of the rubber company that bore his name, Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company....
(1840–1921) lived in a large 18th century house called "South Hill" and developed the first practical pneumatic or inflatable tyre. He was one of the founders of the rubber company that bore his name, Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company.
Sir William Orpen
William Orpen
Major Sir William Newenham Montague Orpen, KBE, RA, RHA was an Irish portrait painter, who worked mainly in London...
(1878–1931) lived in a house called "Oriel" on Grove Avenue, just off Mount Merrion Avenue. He was a portrait painter and official war artist during the first world war. Some of his work is permanently on display in the National Gallery of Ireland.
Maurice Walsh
Maurice Walsh
Maurice Walsh was an Irish novelist best known for the short story The Quiet Man which was later made into an Oscar nominated movie directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Walsh was born in 1879 in Ballydonoghue near Listowel, Co. Kerry, Ireland...
(1879–1964) lived on both Stillorgan Park Avenue and Avoca Road in Blackrock. He is noted as a novelist and best known for his short story The Quiet Man
The Quiet Man
The Quiet Man is a 1952 American Technicolor romantic comedy-drama film. It was directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Victor McLaglen and Barry Fitzgerald. It was based on a 1933 Saturday Evening Post short story by Maurice Walsh...
amongst others.
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
(1882–1975) lived in a few houses in the area including "Bellevue" on Cross Avenue 1933–1940. He was educated at Blackrock College
Blackrock College
Blackrock College is a Catholic voluntary secondary school for boys aged 14–18, located in Williamstown, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The College was founded by French missionaries in 1860, to act as a school and civil service training centre. Set in of grounds, it has an illustrious...
and later taught there and at Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort
Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort
Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort was an important College of Education in Dublin, Ireland from its foundation in 1877 until its closure in 1988...
. He retired to Linden Convalescent Home after his Presidential term ended and on 29 August 1975 he died there.
The writer James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
(1882–1941) lived in 23 Carysfort Avenue known as "Leoville" for one year in the early 1890s. This house is still extant. In his book A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a semi-autobiographical novel by James Joyce, first serialised in the magazine The Egoist from 1914 to 1915, and published first in book format in 1916 by B. W. Huebsch, New York. The first English edition was published by the Egoist Press in February 1917...
he makes reference to the local parish church St. John the Baptist.
Kevin O'Higgins
Kevin O'Higgins
Kevin Christopher O'Higgins was an Irish politician who served as Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister for Justice. He was part of early nationalist Sinn Féin, before going on to become a prominent member of Cumann na nGaedheal. O'Higgins initiated the An Garda Síochána police force...
(1892–1927) once rented "Lisaniskea" ("Lios na Uisce"), near Blackrock, during 1923–1925. He later moved to "Dunamase" on Cross Avenue and was the Minister for Justice in the Government of The Irish Free State. He was assassinated on the Booterstown end of Cross Avenue on his way to mass at his local parish church on 10 July 1927 by members of the IRA. It is believed that he was assissinated for ordering the execution of many republicans, including Rory O'Connor (Irish republican)
Rory O'Connor (Irish republican)
Rory O'Connor was an Irish republican activist. He is best remembered for his role in the Irish Civil War 1922-1923, which led to his execution.-Background:...
, during his tenure in office. Rory O'Connor was Kevin's best man at his wedding in 1921.
Brian O'Nolan (1911–1966) lived at 4 Avoca Terrace and later at 81 Merrion Avenue. He was an Irish novelist and satirist, best known for his novels At Swim-Two-Birds and The Third Policeman written under the nom de plume Flann O'Brien.
The abstract painter Cecil King (1921–1986) lived for many years on Idrone Terrace, and one of his paintings is entitled 'Idrone'.
The artist Sean O'Sullivan, (1906–1964),lived for many years in Avoca Avenue. He painted many notable people including the President of Ireland, Éamon de Valera.
The portrait painter Reginald Gray
Reginald Gray (artist)
Reginald Gray is a portrait artist born in Dublin in 1930. He studied at The National College of Art and then moved to London, becoming part of the School of London led by Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and Frank Auerbach. In 1960, he painted a portrait of Bacon which now hangs in the permanent...
was born in Blackrock in 1930. He lived for twenty-seven years at 10 Avoca Place and was a near neighbour of the artist Seán O'Sullivan
Seán O'Sullivan (painter)
Seán O'Sullivan was an Irish painter.Primarily a portrait painter, O'Sullivan composed works featuring Éamon de Valera, Douglas Hyde, W B Yeats, and James Joyce. He designed the cover for the Capuchin Annual in 1930....
. He lived most of his life in France. He is an elected member of The American Society of Portrait Artists.
Rowan Gillespie
Rowan Gillespie
Rowan Fergus Meredith Gillespie is an Irish bronze casting sculptor of international renown. Born in Dublin to Irish parents, Gillespie spent his formative years in Cyprus...
is an Irish bronze casting sculptor of international renown, who created the "Blackrock Dolmen" sculpture in Blackrock. He works out of Blackrock with a purpose built bronze casting foundry in a house called "Clonlea".
Ryan Tubridy
Ryan Tubridy
Ryan Tubridy , affectionately known as "Tubs", is an Irish broadcaster and writer, a presenter of live shows on radio and television in Ireland. He has been described as "one of Ireland's most gifted broadcasters"...
was born in Blackrock in 1973 and went to Blackrock College
Blackrock College
Blackrock College is a Catholic voluntary secondary school for boys aged 14–18, located in Williamstown, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The College was founded by French missionaries in 1860, to act as a school and civil service training centre. Set in of grounds, it has an illustrious...
. He is an RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
presenter of radio and television shows and the current host of the long-running chat show The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
.
Eoin Dillon
Eoin Dillon
Eoin Dillon is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Milford and is a substitute Full Back for the Cork Inter-County Team...
Uilleann pipper, of Kila
Kila
Kila or KILA can refer to:* Kíla, Irish folk band* Kila, Kozani, Kozani Prefecture, Greece* Kila Marr, a xenologist in the fictional Star Trek universe* Kerala Institute of Local Administration...
, was brought up in the Blackrock area and lived until recently on Idrone Terrace late 2010, he says that living in blackrock has influenced many of his contemporary tunes.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland