Oldtown, Dublin
Encyclopedia
Oldtown is one of a network of rural villages in North Fingal, which function as local centres, servicing the agricultural hinterland within the County. The R122 runs through the village linking Naul to St. Margaret's and Dublin Airport
.
The original chapel, which was built in 1827, became the focal point of the village and attracted a range of other services such as the national school, community hall, priest’s house, shop, public house and forge. The term ‘chapel villages’ has been coined for settlements, which evolved in association with the growing social and cultural importance of the Catholic Church in Irish society.
The Parliamentary Gazette of Ireland 1843–44 states that the population of Oldtown in 1841 was 156 and 27 houses were located within the village area of 10 acres (40,468.6 m²). After the Great Famine of 1848 the census of 1851 states the population of the village as recorded as 32 people.
Molly Weston a heroine of the 1798 rebellion was born near Oldtown. She fought alongside her three brothers at Tara. A memorial was erected to her memory at Oldtown during the 1798 Bi-Centennial in 1998.
Another local celebrity and honorary mascot is a donkey rumoured to be in excess of 80 years of age named Tu'pence. Now dead, his age is as yet unverified.
Oldtown was the first town in the State to benefit from the Rural Electrification Scheme, run by the Electricity Supply Board
from 1946 to 1979. The first electricity pole was ceremoniously erected in November, 1946 at Kilsallaghan, and the first switch-on, was in Oldtown itself, in January 1947. The 50thanniversary of the event was commemorated in the village, by the ESB hosting a dinner, to which families living in the area since 1946, were invited.
More recently in the winter of 1981/1982 a large snowstorm cut off the village for 5 days, eventually the Air Corps
had to fly in supplies such as food and medicine via helicopter to relieve the village.
The recently redeveloped thatched cottage and Oldtown Local Hall, a corrugated community hall recently restored, add to the unique identity of the village – however the small development of detached dormer bungalows located to the north of the village, contribute little to the streetscape and village character. The northern, western and southern approaches to the village are characterised mainly by low density ‘one-off’ dormers and bungalows with the exception of Shamrock Park, a small Council housing development to the south of the village.
The Catholic Church, Our Lady Queen of Peace, and presbytery are located south of the village core.
There is a significant level of undeveloped land within and close to the village core, which will serve to facilitate the augmentation and consolidation of the village.
Community facilities include the local primary school, the Catholic Church, the Oldtown Local Hall and a horse riding stable. The County Council’s mobile library service visits the village on a weekly basis. The Oldtown Health and Care Centre is a large Health Service Executive
facility located to the south of the village which provides full time care for disabled people and a community Health Centre where a wide variety of health and related services are provided. A Citizens Information Centre is also available here a few days each month.
Oldtown has a large playing field, close to the centre of the village, which is home to the Wild Geese. First founded in 1888, it is said to be the oldest Gaelic Athletic Association
club in Dublin. The club recently won the Junior 'E' Dublin football championship, beating Park Rangers in the final. The field is also the location of an indoor handball
alley, which is still in regular use. Oldtown has a proud tradition in the sport and a number of former world champions are from the village. The alley is primarily used nowadays for racquetball
.
The village itself is situated in a shallow valley drained by a small river known locally as ‘The Daws River’ and is surrounded by lands zoned as agricultural in the 1999 Fingal County Development Plan. It is the policy of the Council to protect and provide for the development of agriculture and rural amenity within this zone.
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
.
Physical Features
Oldtown is a compact village with a distinct village identity, characterised by its narrow roads and village lanes around Oldtown House. The Daws River and stone bridge, together with the mature trees throughout the village form strong visual elements within the village core.History
Oldtown is a good example of a ‘chapel village’ which lead to a widespread investment in chapel building following the re-emergence of institutional Catholicism in the late eighteenth century.The original chapel, which was built in 1827, became the focal point of the village and attracted a range of other services such as the national school, community hall, priest’s house, shop, public house and forge. The term ‘chapel villages’ has been coined for settlements, which evolved in association with the growing social and cultural importance of the Catholic Church in Irish society.
The Parliamentary Gazette of Ireland 1843–44 states that the population of Oldtown in 1841 was 156 and 27 houses were located within the village area of 10 acres (40,468.6 m²). After the Great Famine of 1848 the census of 1851 states the population of the village as recorded as 32 people.
Molly Weston a heroine of the 1798 rebellion was born near Oldtown. She fought alongside her three brothers at Tara. A memorial was erected to her memory at Oldtown during the 1798 Bi-Centennial in 1998.
Another local celebrity and honorary mascot is a donkey rumoured to be in excess of 80 years of age named Tu'pence. Now dead, his age is as yet unverified.
Oldtown was the first town in the State to benefit from the Rural Electrification Scheme, run by the Electricity Supply Board
Electricity Supply Board
The Electricity Supply Board , is a semi-state electricity company in Ireland. While historically a monopoly, the ESB now operates as a commercial semi-state concern in a liberalised and competitive market...
from 1946 to 1979. The first electricity pole was ceremoniously erected in November, 1946 at Kilsallaghan, and the first switch-on, was in Oldtown itself, in January 1947. The 50thanniversary of the event was commemorated in the village, by the ESB hosting a dinner, to which families living in the area since 1946, were invited.
More recently in the winter of 1981/1982 a large snowstorm cut off the village for 5 days, eventually the Air Corps
Irish Air Corps
The Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces of Ireland providing support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as search and rescue and the Ministerial Air Transport Service...
had to fly in supplies such as food and medicine via helicopter to relieve the village.
Modern Development
The village core consists of a mix of two-storey nineteenth century stone built dwellings, single-storey cottages and bungalows. The new stone-built terraced dwellings within the core complement the scale and the vernacular architecture of the village.The recently redeveloped thatched cottage and Oldtown Local Hall, a corrugated community hall recently restored, add to the unique identity of the village – however the small development of detached dormer bungalows located to the north of the village, contribute little to the streetscape and village character. The northern, western and southern approaches to the village are characterised mainly by low density ‘one-off’ dormers and bungalows with the exception of Shamrock Park, a small Council housing development to the south of the village.
The Catholic Church, Our Lady Queen of Peace, and presbytery are located south of the village core.
There is a significant level of undeveloped land within and close to the village core, which will serve to facilitate the augmentation and consolidation of the village.
Facilities
Currently there are limited commercial facilities in the village. These include a public house – The Oldtown House – and general grocer – Dave's Village Store – and a veterinary surgery.Community facilities include the local primary school, the Catholic Church, the Oldtown Local Hall and a horse riding stable. The County Council’s mobile library service visits the village on a weekly basis. The Oldtown Health and Care Centre is a large Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive
The Health Service Executive is responsible for the provision of healthcare providing health and personal social services for everyone living in Ireland, with public funds. The Executive was established by the Health Act, 2004 and came into official operation on January 1, 2005...
facility located to the south of the village which provides full time care for disabled people and a community Health Centre where a wide variety of health and related services are provided. A Citizens Information Centre is also available here a few days each month.
Oldtown has a large playing field, close to the centre of the village, which is home to the Wild Geese. First founded in 1888, it is said to be the oldest Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
club in Dublin. The club recently won the Junior 'E' Dublin football championship, beating Park Rangers in the final. The field is also the location of an indoor handball
Gaelic handball
Gaelic handball is a sport similar to Basque pelota, racquetball, squash and American handball . It is one of the four Gaelic games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association...
alley, which is still in regular use. Oldtown has a proud tradition in the sport and a number of former world champions are from the village. The alley is primarily used nowadays for racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...
.
Landscape
The village of Oldtown is situated within the Low-Lying Agricultural landscape character area indicated in the County Development Plan. This area generally contains mixed pasture and arable farming on low lands, consisting of large fields with few tree belts or large settlements with few panoramic views or prospects.The village itself is situated in a shallow valley drained by a small river known locally as ‘The Daws River’ and is surrounded by lands zoned as agricultural in the 1999 Fingal County Development Plan. It is the policy of the Council to protect and provide for the development of agriculture and rural amenity within this zone.