Greystones
Encyclopedia
Greystones is a coastal town and small seaside resort
in County Wicklow
, Ireland
. It is located on Ireland’s east coast, 8 km (5 mi) south of Bray
and 27 km (16.8 mi) south of Dublin (it is within the Greater Dublin Area
), with a population in the region of 15,000.
The town’s name is derived from a one kilometer stretch of coastal grey rocks situated between two beaches; this rocky area is known as the sea front. The harbour area and the railway station are at the northern and southern ends respectively. The North Beach, which begins at the harbour, is a stony beach and some of its length is overlooked by the southern cliffs of Bray Head
, which are subject to erosion. The South Beach is a broad expansive sandy beach about one kilometer long. It is a Blue Flag beach
and receives many visitors and tourists, mainly in the summer.
The town is bordered by the Irish Sea
to the east, Bray Head
to the north and the Wicklow Mountains
to the west.
In 2008, Greystones was named as the world's 'most livable community' at the LivCom Awards in China.
of the Barony of Rathdown. There was a hamlet which, like the castle, was known as Rathdown, and which appeared on a 1712 map. This site occupied an area now known as the Grove, north of Greystones harbour, but only the ruins of a chapel, St. Crispin's Cell, survive. Greystones is a much more recent settlement and is first mentioned in Topographia Hibernica
, a 1795 publication. Here it is described as a "noted fishing place four miles beyond Bray."
In the early 19th century, there were some families scattered around the harbour, Blacklion, Windgates, Killincarrig
and Rathdown. Delgany
was a more substantial and longer established village. However, Greystones was put on the map with the coming of the railway in 1855, a difficult undertaking which was performed in consultation with Isambard Kingdom Brunel
, the famous engineer. The train station was built on the line dividing the properties of two landowners; the La Touche family of Bellevue House (now in ruins, near Delgany
), and the Hawkins-Whitshed family of Killincarrig
House (which is now Greystones Golf Club). It provided links with Bray and Dublin, and left room for development on the adjoining estates.
In the latter half of the 19th century, under the ownership of William Robert La Touche, Greystones' development gathered momentum. To the north of the station, Church Road, Victoria Road, and Trafalgar Road were laid out and many houses were built in the years following the arrival of the railway. Following her father's death, Elizabeth Hawkins-Whitshed
was the sole inheritor of his property. In 1879, she married Frederick Gustavus Burnaby; a soldier, politician and traveller. Burnaby died in battle in 1885 and Elizabeth remarried twice, but the property continued to be known as the Burnaby Estate. In the early 20th century, the Burnabys began to expand the town on their side of the station, and the roads and houses of the Burnaby were developed and the population grew considerably. The names of these two families remain well-known today, with many roads and housing estates bearing their names.
Between 1885 and 1897, the people of Greystones campaigned for a harbour to aid the fishing industry and imports such as coal. The pier, dock, sea wall and boat-slip remain but have endured substantial damage. In the early 20th century, the town felt the effects of coastal erosion (which is still a major problem); the loss of fields and most of the houses on the North Beach Road, and the costly inland relocation of the railway have all resulted. In 1968, the old Kish
lighthouse foundation was added to the end of the pier.
At the end of World War II
, cars and petrol became widely available, allowing Greystones to gradually expand, filling in the space between itself and outlying areas such as Blacklion, Killincarrig, and Delgany. However, the popularity of the railway declined; its very existence being in jeopardy during the 1980s, as government cutbacks reduced the service to just a few trains per day. The 1990s brought a revival with the arrival of the electrified DART
from Bray, and a much more frequent schedule.
Greystones has experienced a huge increase in its population since the 1970s with the construction of several large housing estate
s. A new development at Charlesland
, just south of the town, includes over 1,000 dwelling units. As of the 2006 census the population of Greystones, including town and environs, stands at 14,569 making it the second largest town in the county after Bray
.
Along with the housing developments, road networks and facilities have been improved to cater for the growth. The road between Greystones and Bray has been widened and realigned. A new dual carriageway link road (R774
) connecting Greystones to the N11 has been completed. Construction of a full interchange with the N11 has also been completed.
According to the 2006 census, Greystones has the largest Church of Ireland
presence as a proportion of the population (9.77%).
connects with the town via a dual carriageway
.
, which opened on 30 October 1855, is the southern terminus of the DART
railway line, a service which connects thirty stations along Dublin's east coast. Iarnród Éireann
diesel Commuter
and InterCity
trains also serve Greystones, linking the town with Wicklow
, Arklow
, Gorey
, Wexford
, and Rosslare Europort
to the south, and Dublin's Connolly Station
to the north.
routes whilst an Aircoach
service starting at Charlesland links the area with Dublin Airport.
. The walk is 6 km long and takes approximately two hours.
constituency and the Wicklow
Dáil Éireann
constituency. In local government Greystones has four councillors on Wicklow County Council
which operation is based in Wicklow
Town. In the town, there are nine elected Councillors on Greystones Town Council
, headed by a Mayor
who is elected by the Town Councillors.
consortium
of Sisk and Park Developments) in a public-private partnership
with Wicklow County Council. This has been and remains a major topical issue in the town. Objections revolved around the privatization of public beach front land without broad public agreement, but work started. The development was to include a new harbour, 341 apartments, a 230 berth marina, a new public plaza and facilities for local sporting clubs.
The town was divided on the granting of planning permision; 6,210 submissions were received by An Bord Pleanála
on initial plans, of which more than 6,200 were objections. Many of the objections came from outside County Wicklow
, according to a spokesman for Wicklow County Council. Many objected to specifics of the plan while approving the general idea. An oral hearing was held and the board requested the developers to make certain changes which resulted in the plans being scaled down by approximately 10%. Some 3,700 objections were made on these updated plans. On 9 August 2007, the board approved the final plans, while imposing 13 conditions on construction works, including the retention of public access to the Cliff Walk during the development period, strict guidelines in relation to dust suppression, the re-use of demolition materials, and limitations on the hours of operation and noise levels. The board also over-ruled an earlier inspector's report, instead permitting an old unlicenced landfill to remain beside the new apartments.
The new breakwaters may increase the ongoing coastal erosion on the soft shorelines of the Greystones North beach area. In an effort to mitigate this, the developers will dump 12,000 tonnes of gravel each year on the beach in a process called "beach nourishment". Professor Andrew Cooper (University of Ulster) cautioned against beach nourishment at the second oral hearing.
In Feb 2010, it was announced that development of the marina would be paused indefinitely due to conditions in the Irish property market.
) are home to several celebrities including:
club is located on the Mill Road, at the south end of the town. The club has recently undergone a major reconstruction which saw improvements made to the club house, pitches, lighting and parking facilities. It is now one of the most used club facilities in the Greystones area.
, Glen of the Downs
, Kilcoole
, Druids Glen
(just outside Kilcoole), Bray
, and Woodbrook.
Greystones rowing club was established 1920 and still going today
Shore angling for cod and plaice at the beaches and the harbour attracts many people, especially during the summer. Swimming is popular in warmer weather, especially on the south beach. The coast is also suitable for jogging and hiking.
), an Evangelical
Reformed, and an Evangelical Arminian church in Greystones.
Carraig Eden Theological College is the premier Pentecostal centre for theological study and ministerial training in Ireland, offering BTh and MTh degrees in Applied Theology
The majority of residents are Roman Catholic, but Greystones is the town with the highest population of Protestants in the Republic of Ireland with 9.77% of residents claiming to be Church of Ireland (according to the 2006 census).
), a non-denominational Educate Together school and an Irish-language inter-denominational Gaelscoil (these last two are newly opened in 2008).
The town also has a Catholic secondary school, St. David's Holy Faith, which is a public, co-educational school with approximately 500 students. There is a Spanish school, School SEK-Dublin, in Belvedere Hall in Windgates.
There is a Carnegie library
overlooking Burnaby Park just south of the main street (Church Road).
courts and a playground. A large number of gigs organised by local independent youths take place, played by mostly local bands although international punk and hardcore acts have played in the town. The Greystones Theatre, suitable for drama, dance, concerts and other events, is located in the town centre and is supplemented by Greystones Studios, which provide classes, performance space, practice rooms and AV studios.
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
in County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is located on Ireland’s east coast, 8 km (5 mi) south of Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
and 27 km (16.8 mi) south of Dublin (it is within the Greater Dublin Area
Greater Dublin Area
Greater Dublin Area , or simply Greater Dublin, is a term which is used to describe the city of Dublin and various counties in the hinterland of the city in Ireland. The term has no basis in law and no local government, department of government or agency of the state is bound by the term...
), with a population in the region of 15,000.
The town’s name is derived from a one kilometer stretch of coastal grey rocks situated between two beaches; this rocky area is known as the sea front. The harbour area and the railway station are at the northern and southern ends respectively. The North Beach, which begins at the harbour, is a stony beach and some of its length is overlooked by the southern cliffs of Bray Head
Bray Head
Bray Head is a hill and headland located in northern County Wicklow, Ireland, between the towns of Bray and Greystones. It forms part of the Wicklow Mountains and is a popular spot with hillwalkers. At the top of the head is a concrete cross which was placed there in 1950 during the holy year...
, which are subject to erosion. The South Beach is a broad expansive sandy beach about one kilometer long. It is a Blue Flag beach
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
and receives many visitors and tourists, mainly in the summer.
The town is bordered by the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
to the east, Bray Head
Bray Head
Bray Head is a hill and headland located in northern County Wicklow, Ireland, between the towns of Bray and Greystones. It forms part of the Wicklow Mountains and is a popular spot with hillwalkers. At the top of the head is a concrete cross which was placed there in 1950 during the holy year...
to the north and the Wicklow Mountains
Wicklow Mountains
The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous upland area in Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into Counties Carlow, Wexford and Dublin. Where the mountains extend into County Dublin, they are known locally as the Dublin Mountains...
to the west.
In 2008, Greystones was named as the world's 'most livable community' at the LivCom Awards in China.
History
Greystones is located south of the site of an ancient castleCastle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
of the Barony of Rathdown. There was a hamlet which, like the castle, was known as Rathdown, and which appeared on a 1712 map. This site occupied an area now known as the Grove, north of Greystones harbour, but only the ruins of a chapel, St. Crispin's Cell, survive. Greystones is a much more recent settlement and is first mentioned in Topographia Hibernica
Topographia Hibernica
Topographia Hibernica , also known as Topographia Hiberniae, is an account of the landscape and people of Ireland written by Gerald of Wales around 1188, soon after the Norman invasion of Ireland...
, a 1795 publication. Here it is described as a "noted fishing place four miles beyond Bray."
In the early 19th century, there were some families scattered around the harbour, Blacklion, Windgates, Killincarrig
Killincarrig
Killincarrig is a suburban village between Greystones and Delgany in North County Wicklow. It lies at the crossroads of the R762 and the R761 roads. Like neighbouring Delgany it has been steadily built-up over the past 40 years and now forms part of the continuous urban area of Greystones....
and Rathdown. Delgany
Delgany
Delgany is a village in County Wicklow on the R762 road between Greystones and the N11 road at the Glen of the Downs. It is about south of Dublin City centre....
was a more substantial and longer established village. However, Greystones was put on the map with the coming of the railway in 1855, a difficult undertaking which was performed in consultation with Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
, the famous engineer. The train station was built on the line dividing the properties of two landowners; the La Touche family of Bellevue House (now in ruins, near Delgany
Delgany
Delgany is a village in County Wicklow on the R762 road between Greystones and the N11 road at the Glen of the Downs. It is about south of Dublin City centre....
), and the Hawkins-Whitshed family of Killincarrig
Killincarrig
Killincarrig is a suburban village between Greystones and Delgany in North County Wicklow. It lies at the crossroads of the R762 and the R761 roads. Like neighbouring Delgany it has been steadily built-up over the past 40 years and now forms part of the continuous urban area of Greystones....
House (which is now Greystones Golf Club). It provided links with Bray and Dublin, and left room for development on the adjoining estates.
In the latter half of the 19th century, under the ownership of William Robert La Touche, Greystones' development gathered momentum. To the north of the station, Church Road, Victoria Road, and Trafalgar Road were laid out and many houses were built in the years following the arrival of the railway. Following her father's death, Elizabeth Hawkins-Whitshed
Elizabeth Hawkins-Whitshed
Elizabeth Hawkins-Whitshed was a British pioneer of mountaineering in a time when it was almost unheard of for a woman to climb mountains...
was the sole inheritor of his property. In 1879, she married Frederick Gustavus Burnaby; a soldier, politician and traveller. Burnaby died in battle in 1885 and Elizabeth remarried twice, but the property continued to be known as the Burnaby Estate. In the early 20th century, the Burnabys began to expand the town on their side of the station, and the roads and houses of the Burnaby were developed and the population grew considerably. The names of these two families remain well-known today, with many roads and housing estates bearing their names.
Between 1885 and 1897, the people of Greystones campaigned for a harbour to aid the fishing industry and imports such as coal. The pier, dock, sea wall and boat-slip remain but have endured substantial damage. In the early 20th century, the town felt the effects of coastal erosion (which is still a major problem); the loss of fields and most of the houses on the North Beach Road, and the costly inland relocation of the railway have all resulted. In 1968, the old Kish
Kish Bank
The Kish Bank is a shallow sand bank about seven miles off the coast of Dublin, in Ireland. It is marked by the Kish Lighthouse, a landmark well known to sailors and ferry passengers passing through Dublin Bay and Dún Laoghaire harbour.Many ships were wrecked on these shallows...
lighthouse foundation was added to the end of the pier.
At the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, cars and petrol became widely available, allowing Greystones to gradually expand, filling in the space between itself and outlying areas such as Blacklion, Killincarrig, and Delgany. However, the popularity of the railway declined; its very existence being in jeopardy during the 1980s, as government cutbacks reduced the service to just a few trains per day. The 1990s brought a revival with the arrival of the electrified 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...
from Bray, and a much more frequent schedule.
Population and development
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
s. A new development at Charlesland
Charlesland
Charlesland is located on the southside of Greystones in County Wicklow about 25 kilometres from Dublin city centre. Charlesland has about 1,500 houses and apartments, a neighbourhood shopping complex with supermarket, hairdressers, pizza take-away, a pharmacy, and also a number of pre-schools and...
, just south of the town, includes over 1,000 dwelling units. As of the 2006 census the population of Greystones, including town and environs, stands at 14,569 making it the second largest town in the county after Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
.
Along with the housing developments, road networks and facilities have been improved to cater for the growth. The road between Greystones and Bray has been widened and realigned. A new dual carriageway link road (R774
R774 road
The R774 road is a regional road in County Wicklow, Ireland, which has been named the Farenkelly Road. It is a dual-carriageway that connects the town of Greystones with the N11 national primary road...
) connecting Greystones to the N11 has been completed. Construction of a full interchange with the N11 has also been completed.
According to the 2006 census, Greystones has the largest Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
presence as a proportion of the population (9.77%).
Road
Greystones is accessible from the N11 Dublin-Wexford road; a new interchange (Junction 11 on the N11) constructed near CharleslandCharlesland
Charlesland is located on the southside of Greystones in County Wicklow about 25 kilometres from Dublin city centre. Charlesland has about 1,500 houses and apartments, a neighbourhood shopping complex with supermarket, hairdressers, pizza take-away, a pharmacy, and also a number of pre-schools and...
connects with the town via a dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
.
Rail
Greystones railway stationGreystones railway station
Greystones railway station serves Greystones in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is the southern terminus of the DART electrified rail network, and is not served by all DART trains. Trains had previously terminated at Bray Daly Station. Construction began on the extended service between 1995 and 1999,...
, which opened on 30 October 1855, is the southern terminus 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...
railway line, a service which connects thirty stations along Dublin's east coast. Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
diesel Commuter
Commuter (Iarnród Éireann)
Commuter is the brand name given to the suburban rail services operated by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland. These operate in and around the suburban rail networks of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway, in contrast to the majority of services which are classed as InterCity...
and InterCity
InterCity (Iarnród Éireann)
InterCity is the brand name given to rail services operated by Iarnród Éireann that run between Dublin and other major cities in the Republic of Ireland.-Services:InterCity services from Dublin operate from two main stations:...
trains also serve Greystones, linking the town with Wicklow
Wicklow
Wicklow) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island, it has a population of 10,070 according to the 2006 census. The town is situated to the east of the N11 route between Dublin and Wexford. Wicklow is also connected to the rail...
, Arklow
Arklow
Arklow , also known as Inbhear Dé from the Avonmore river's older name Abhainn Dé, is a historic town located in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. Founded by the Vikings in the ninth century, Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion...
, Gorey
Gorey
Gorey , is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland, situated beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the Gorey Guardian and Gorey Echo....
, Wexford
Wexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
, and Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Europort is a modern seaport located at Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland, near the southeastern-most point of Ireland's coastline, handling passenger and freight ferries to and from Wales and France....
to the south, and Dublin's Connolly Station
Dublin Connolly railway station
Dublin Connolly, commonly called Connolly station , is one of the main railway stations in Dublin, Ireland, and is a focal point in the Irish route network. Opened in 1844 as Amiens Street Station, the ornate facade has a distinctive Italianate tower at its centre...
to the north.
Bus
Greystones is served by the 84, 184, and 84X Dublin BusDublin 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...
routes whilst an 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...
service starting at Charlesland links the area with Dublin Airport.
Walking
Bray and Greystones are linked by a Cliff Walk, which follows the route of the railway line around Bray HeadBray Head
Bray Head is a hill and headland located in northern County Wicklow, Ireland, between the towns of Bray and Greystones. It forms part of the Wicklow Mountains and is a popular spot with hillwalkers. At the top of the head is a concrete cross which was placed there in 1950 during the holy year...
. The walk is 6 km long and takes approximately two hours.
Politics
Greystones is part of the East European ParliamentEuropean Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
constituency and the Wicklow
Wicklow (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Wicklow is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
constituency. In local government Greystones has four councillors on Wicklow County Council
Wicklow County Council
Wicklow County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Wicklow in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of...
which operation is based in Wicklow
Wicklow
Wicklow) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island, it has a population of 10,070 according to the 2006 census. The town is situated to the east of the N11 route between Dublin and Wexford. Wicklow is also connected to the rail...
Town. In the town, there are nine elected Councillors on Greystones Town Council
Greystones Town Council
Greystones Town Council is the local authority which is responsible for the town of Greystones, County Wicklow in Ireland. The Council is responsible for the community, roads, footpaths, transportation, and development, amenity, culture, and environment. The head of the council has the title of...
, headed by a Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
who is elected by the Town Councillors.
Marina
This was to be a €300 million redevelopment scheme for the harbour, to be built by the Sispar consortium (Sispar is a joint ventureJoint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
of Sisk and Park Developments) in a public-private partnership
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...
with Wicklow County Council. This has been and remains a major topical issue in the town. Objections revolved around the privatization of public beach front land without broad public agreement, but work started. The development was to include a new harbour, 341 apartments, a 230 berth marina, a new public plaza and facilities for local sporting clubs.
The town was divided on the granting of planning permision; 6,210 submissions were received by An Bord Pleanála
An Bord Pleanála
An Bord Pleanála is an independent statutory administrative tribunal that decides on appeals from planning decisions made by local authorities in the Republic of Ireland. As of 2007 The Planning Board directly decides major strategic infrastructural projects under the provisions of the Planning...
on initial plans, of which more than 6,200 were objections. Many of the objections came from outside County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, according to a spokesman for Wicklow County Council. Many objected to specifics of the plan while approving the general idea. An oral hearing was held and the board requested the developers to make certain changes which resulted in the plans being scaled down by approximately 10%. Some 3,700 objections were made on these updated plans. On 9 August 2007, the board approved the final plans, while imposing 13 conditions on construction works, including the retention of public access to the Cliff Walk during the development period, strict guidelines in relation to dust suppression, the re-use of demolition materials, and limitations on the hours of operation and noise levels. The board also over-ruled an earlier inspector's report, instead permitting an old unlicenced landfill to remain beside the new apartments.
The new breakwaters may increase the ongoing coastal erosion on the soft shorelines of the Greystones North beach area. In an effort to mitigate this, the developers will dump 12,000 tonnes of gravel each year on the beach in a process called "beach nourishment". Professor Andrew Cooper (University of Ulster) cautioned against beach nourishment at the second oral hearing.
In Feb 2010, it was announced that development of the marina would be paused indefinitely due to conditions in the Irish property market.
People
Greystones and its environs (including DelganyDelgany
Delgany is a village in County Wicklow on the R762 road between Greystones and the N11 road at the Glen of the Downs. It is about south of Dublin City centre....
) are home to several celebrities including:
- Éamon de BuitléarÉamon de BuitléarÉamon de Buitléar is an Irish writer and film maker. He is managing director of Éamon de Buitléar Ltd., a company which specialises in wildlife filming and television documentaries...
; wildlife film maker and naturalist. - Reggie CorriganReggie CorriganReggie Corrigan is a former Irish rugby union footballer, playing at loose-head prop-forward. He attended school in Presentation College, Bray....
; former professional rugby player, IrishIreland national rugby union teamThe Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
team member and former most capped LeinsterLeinster RugbyLeinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
player of all time. - Ronnie DrewRonnie DrewJoseph Ronald "Ronnie" Drew was an Irish singer and folk musician who achieved international fame during a fifty-year career recording with The Dubliners. He was born in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin...
of The DublinersThe DublinersThe Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in 1962.-Formation and history:The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin...
lived in Greystones. - John L. MurrayJohn L. MurrayJohn Loyola Murray is an Irish judge and served as the Chief Justice of Ireland from 2004 to 2011.Murray was born in Limerick in 1943 and educated at Crescent College, Limerick, Rockwell College, County Tipperary, University College Dublin, and the Honorable Society of King's Inns. He was...
; Chief Justice of IrelandChief Justice of IrelandThe Chief Justice of Ireland is the president of the Supreme Court of Ireland.Under Constitution of Ireland, the Chief Justice of Ireland also occupies several positions ex officio, these include;* A possible judge of the High Court....
2004-2011. - George HamiltonGeorge Hamilton (commentator)George Hamilton is an Irish sportscaster born in Belfast. He works for Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and is a household name in Ireland where his voice and refined commentary style of football are familiar to sports fans. He also presents a show on RTÉ lyric fm and previously presented Know Your Sport...
; commentator for RTÉ television. - Frank KellyFrank KellyFrank Kelly is an Irish actor, singer and writer, whose career has covered television, radio, theatre, music, screenwriting and film. He is best known for his role as Father Jack Hackett in the comedy Father Ted. He is the son of the cartoonist Charles E...
; the actor who portrayed Father Jack in Father TedFather TedFather Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
. - Paul McNaughtonPaul McNaughtonPaul Peter Patrick McNaughton , was an Irish rugby union, soccer and GAA player during the 1970s and 1980s. He played rugby as a centre, with Leinster, Ireland , Greystones and Wanderers. Although better known as a rugby player, he also played soccer for both Shelbourne F.C. and Bray Wanderers A.F.C....
; former Irish International Rugby player, ex LeinsterLeinster RugbyLeinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
manager - Sean FitzPatrickSean FitzPatrickSeán FitzPatrick was chairman of Anglo Irish Bank until he resigned in December 2008 amid mounting revelations over hidden loans...
;disgraced and bankruptBankruptcy in the Republic of IrelandBankruptcy in Irish Law is a legal process, supervised by the High Court whereby the assets of a personal debtor are realised and distributed amongst his or her creditors in cases where the debtor is unable or unwilling to pay his debts....
former chairman of Anglo Irish BankAnglo Irish BankAnglo Irish Bank was a bank based in Ireland with its headquarters in Dublin from 1964 to 2011. It went into wind-down mode after nationalisation in 2009.... - Marten ToonderMarten ToonderMarten Toonder was a Dutch comic creator, born in Rotterdam. He was probably the most successful comic artist in the Netherlands and had a great influence in the Dutch language by introducing new words and expressions....
; Dutch comic writer. - Stephen DonnellyStephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly is an Irish independent politician. He was elected as a Teachta Dála for the Wicklow constituency at the 2011 general election...
; TD in the Irish Parliament. - Damien RiceDamien RiceDamien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
; Musician. - Amy BowtellAmy BowtellAmy Bowtell is a Irish professional tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is No. 560, which she reached on November 21, 2011. Her career high in doubles is No. 652, which she reached on November 21, 2011. Bowtell is the highest ranked player from Ireland...
; Irish Female Professional Tennis Player.
Badminton
St. Kilian's Badminton Club plays in Shoreline Leisure Center on Mill Road every Thursday. Their website may be found at St. Kilian's Badminton ClubBaseball
Greystones is home to the Greystones Mariners Baseball Club, catering to all ages. The Mariners adult team compete nationally and several of the players represent Ireland on the National Baseball Team.Gaelic games
Éire Óg Greystones GAAEire Og Greystones GAA
Éire Óg Greystones GAA Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club with approximately 600 members and 20 different teams competing in Hurling, Gaelic Football, and Ladies Football in Wicklow League and Championship competitions. It comprises adult and juvenile sections. The majority of the clubs...
club is located on the Mill Road, at the south end of the town. The club has recently undergone a major reconstruction which saw improvements made to the club house, pitches, lighting and parking facilities. It is now one of the most used club facilities in the Greystones area.
Golf
There are two 18-hole golf courses and a driving range within the town. Greystones Golf Club was founded in 1895 and allows fine views over the town, the countryside, and Irish Sea. Charlesland Golf Club is newer, flatter, and located by the sea. These venues can be reached by walking from the train station. There are other courses within short driving distance (less than eight km) at DelganyDelgany
Delgany is a village in County Wicklow on the R762 road between Greystones and the N11 road at the Glen of the Downs. It is about south of Dublin City centre....
, Glen of the Downs
Glen of the Downs
The Glen of the Downs is a 2 km long wooded glacial valley with steep sides rising to almost 250m on the east coast of Ireland. It contains a designated Nature Reserve comprising 59 ha, as well as a candidate Special Area of Conservation ....
, Kilcoole
Kilcoole
Kilcoole is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is three kilometres south of Greystones, 14 kilometres north of Wicklow, and about 25 kilometres south of Dublin. It was used as the set for the Irish television series Glenroe, which ran through the 1980s and 1990s...
, Druids Glen
Druids Glen
Druids Glen is a golf resort in Ireland, situated about south of Dublin in County Wicklow. The resort consists of the 5-star Marriott Druids Glen Hotel & Country Club, two championship golf courses, and Woodstock House, which was built in 1770 and is now the clubhouse at Druids Glen.The "Druids...
(just outside Kilcoole), Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
, and Woodbrook.
Marine
Greystones has many marine based clubs including sailing and wind-surfing, angling, diving, rowing and Sea Scouts.Greystones rowing club was established 1920 and still going today
Shore angling for cod and plaice at the beaches and the harbour attracts many people, especially during the summer. Swimming is popular in warmer weather, especially on the south beach. The coast is also suitable for jogging and hiking.
Football
The town is home to a successful football club, Greystones United, which is based at Woodlands near the south beach. GUFC is the largest schoolboy/girl football club in the country, and has in excess of 700 members. Perhaps the club's most famous alumnus is current Irish international Paul McShane. Another successful club, Greystones AFC, is located at 'The Arch Field' just beside the railway bridge at the harbour. Five of their players have represented Ireland at various levels. Ian Horan, Chris Mason and Stephen McCann have represented the Irish Intermediate team and Stephen Roche and Richie O Hanlon have represented the Irish Colleges team. The Saturday and Sunday sides both play in the top division of the Leinster Senior League.Religion
Greystones has variety of Christian denominations in the locality, with most divisions of mainstream Christianity represented. There is a Roman Catholic, a Presbyterian, an Anglican (Church of IrelandChurch of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
), an Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Reformed, and an Evangelical Arminian church in Greystones.
Carraig Eden Theological College is the premier Pentecostal centre for theological study and ministerial training in Ireland, offering BTh and MTh degrees in Applied Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
The majority of residents are Roman Catholic, but Greystones is the town with the highest population of Protestants in the Republic of Ireland with 9.77% of residents claiming to be Church of Ireland (according to the 2006 census).
Education
Greystones has six primary schools: St. Kevin's NS, St. Brigid's NS, St. Laurence's NS, St. Patrick's NS. (Church of IrelandChurch of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
), a non-denominational Educate Together school and an Irish-language inter-denominational Gaelscoil (these last two are newly opened in 2008).
The town also has a Catholic secondary school, St. David's Holy Faith, which is a public, co-educational school with approximately 500 students. There is a Spanish school, School SEK-Dublin, in Belvedere Hall in Windgates.
There is a Carnegie library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
overlooking Burnaby Park just south of the main street (Church Road).
Entertainment
Greystones has a number of entertainment facilities; Charlesland Sports and Recreation Park which include a skate park, several all-weather football and basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
courts and a playground. A large number of gigs organised by local independent youths take place, played by mostly local bands although international punk and hardcore acts have played in the town. The Greystones Theatre, suitable for drama, dance, concerts and other events, is located in the town centre and is supplemented by Greystones Studios, which provide classes, performance space, practice rooms and AV studios.
Greystones in Film and Television
- The Ormonde cinema in Greystones, which closed in July 2007, featured in the Father TedFather TedFather Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
episode "The Passion Of St TibulusThe Passion of St Tibulus"The Passion of St Tibulus" is the 3rd episode of Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.-Synopsis:Father Hernandez, from Cuba, is staying on Craggy Island...
" and also in an episode of Custer's Last Standup. - Greystones featured as the backdrop for some scenes in the popular BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series BallykissangelBallykissangelBallykissangel is a BBC television drama set in Ireland, produced in-house by BBC Northern Ireland. The original story revolved around a young English Roman Catholic priest as he became part of a rural community. It ran for six series, which were first broadcast on BBC One in the UK from 1996 to 2001...
. - In the 1980s, many scenes from a series called "Rose of Dublin" were filmed around the harbour area of Greystones.
- The town was commonly used in the Irish programme GlenroeGlenroeGlenroe was an Irish television drama series broadcast between September 1983 and May 2001 on RTÉ One. The programme was a spin-off from Bracken, a short-lived RTÉ drama itself spun off from The Riordans. Glenroe was broadcast on Sunday nights at 20.30, generally from September to May. The show was...
. - The movie TaffinTaffinTaffin is a 1988 Irish thriller film directed by Francis Megahy and starring Pierce Brosnan in the title role of Mark Taffin. It also featured Ray McAnally, Alison Doody and Jeremy Child...
, starring Pierce BrosnanPierce BrosnanPierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
, was filmed in Greystones. - Greystones featured in an episode of Dream TeamDream Team (TV series)Dream Team is a British television series produced by Hewland International which aired on Sky1 and Sky3 from 1997 to 2007; it chronicled the on-field and off-field affairs of the fictional Harchester United Football Club....
, a Sky OneSky OneSky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two...
soccer soap series. - Parts of George Gently, a 2007 British detective one-off by BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, were filmed around the Harbour. Martin ShawMartin ShawMartin Shaw is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in shows such as The Professionals, The Chief, Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently.-Theatrical background:...
, starred in the production which is set in sixties-Britain (Northhumberland). The Beach House pub was renamed 'The Mariner's Rest' for the occasion.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
External links
- Greystones at Wicklow County Tourism
- Greystones Chamber of Commerce
- Greystones Arts Festival website
Schools
- Gaelscoil na gCloch Liath (Irish speaking school)
- Saint David's Secondary School
- Saint Laurence's National School
- Saint Patrick's National School
- Saint Kevin's National School
- Saint Brigid's National School
Sports
- Greystones Mariners Baseball Club
- Greystones Sailing Club
- Greystones Ridge Angling Club
- Greystones Golf Club
- Charlesland Golf Club
- Greystones Lawn Tennis Club
- Greystones United Football Club
- Éire Óg GAA Club
- Greystones Rugby Football Club
- Greystones Table Tennis Club
Marina-related
- Wicklow County Council Information about the harbour development.
- Greystones Harbour Official harbour development website.
- The Greystones Protection and Development Association An organisation strongly opposed to the development of the harbour.