South Dublin
Encyclopedia
South Dublin is a county
in Ireland
. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin
was divided in 1994. The county seat
is Tallaght
, the largest suburb of Dublin and the biggest urban centre in the county. Other important centres of population are Lucan and Clondalkin
. Much of the county is heavily urbanised but small rural settlements exist in the western parts of the county. South Dublin has a population of 246,935 according to the 2006 census.
Regional Authority was established. It is one of eight such Authorities in the state. Local government in the region was further regulated by the Local Government Act 1994. This provided for the legal establishment of the following local government administrative areas:
and also recognised the extant Dublin Corporation area, vesting its powers in a renamed entity - Dublin City Council
.
The statutory instrument giving effect to the Act came into force on 1 January 1994 The instrument also provided for the abolition of Dublin County Council
- the entity that had proviously had responsibility for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin. The four entities collectively comprise the former entity known as County Dublin
. This entity, which had been created during the Norman invasion of Ireland
, was abolished under the Acts.
South Dublin was based on an existing electoral division, Belgard (An Bealach Ard), whose boundaries were only finalized in 1993, to accommodate the M50 motorway
, and then used when it was made an Administrative County in 1994 (Fingal and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown's boundaries and names were both set in 1985). The name of Belgard did have a historical association with the area, being the designation of one of the border fortresses of the Pale
that existed in that area. It was altered however due to a view that the name Belgard might create associations with areas of modern development in Tallaght
that now also use that name. Various organs of state use alternative subdivisions of the Dublin region for administrative reasons, for example the Dublin postal codes.
South Dublin County Council is the local authority
for the administrative county
. It was established at the same time that Dublin County Council
and the Corporation of Dún Laoghaire
were abolished in 1994, by an Act of the Oireachtas, the Local Government (Dublin) Act, 1993. It is one of four councils in the Dublin Region
. The county is divided into five local electoral areas
for the purpose of elections: Clondalkin
(6 councillors), Lucan
(5 councillors), Rathfarnham
(4 councillors), Tallaght Central
(6 councillors), and Tallaght South
(5 councillors).
The heraldic crest for South Dublin reads "This We Hold In Trust" in both English
and Irish
, while incorporating elements relating to the history, geography and present day infrastructure of the area.
Parts of three constituencies for elections to Dáil Éireann
are contained within the county's borders. They are: Dublin Mid West
, Dublin South West
and Dublin South
.
to the north, Lucan and Palmerstown
to the west, Tallaght
to the south-west and the Dublin Mountains (the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains
) to the south. South Dublin is bordered by the counties of Fingal
, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
, Kildare
and Wicklow
as well as by Dublin City Council
, which in law has equal status to administrative counties.
The County Council designates status of towns, villages and suburbs in three tiers - town, district centre and local centre, and these are used in planning and management. In the current development plan, the towns and district centres are listed as:
while the more local centres are noted in three groups:
Counties of Ireland
The counties of Ireland are sub-national divisions used for the purposes of geographic demarcation and local government. Closely related to the county is the County corporate which covered towns or cities which were deemed to be important enough to be independent from their counties. A county...
in 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 one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
was divided in 1994. The county seat
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
is Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
, the largest suburb of Dublin and the biggest urban centre in the county. Other important centres of population are Lucan and Clondalkin
Clondalkin
-Today:Modern Clondalkin is a busy satellite town of Dublin, with a population of 43,929 in 2006. Retail facilities include Tesco Ireland- and Dunnes Stores-led shopping centres, and Aldi and Lidl stores on the Fonthill Road and New Nangor Road respectively, and the village centre is a base for...
. Much of the county is heavily urbanised but small rural settlements exist in the western parts of the county. South Dublin has a population of 246,935 according to the 2006 census.
Legal status
As part of the Dublin Region, South Dublin is within the geographic remit of the Dublin Regional Authority. Following the enactment of the Local Government Act 2001, theRegional Authority was established. It is one of eight such Authorities in the state. Local government in the region was further regulated by the Local Government Act 1994. This provided for the legal establishment of the following local government administrative areas:
- Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown
- FingalFingalFingal is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. With its county seat located in Swords, it has a population of 239,992 according to the 2006 census...
- South Dublin
and also recognised the extant Dublin Corporation area, vesting its powers in a renamed entity - Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
.
The statutory instrument giving effect to the Act came into force on 1 January 1994 The instrument also provided for the abolition of Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council was a local authority for the administrative county of County Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. It was established by the Local Government Act 1898....
- the entity that had proviously had responsibility for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin. The four entities collectively comprise the former entity known as County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
. This entity, which had been created during the Norman invasion of Ireland
Norman Invasion of Ireland
The Norman invasion of Ireland was a two-stage process, which began on 1 May 1169 when a force of loosely associated Norman knights landed near Bannow, County Wexford...
, was abolished under the Acts.
South Dublin was based on an existing electoral division, Belgard (An Bealach Ard), whose boundaries were only finalized in 1993, to accommodate the M50 motorway
M50 motorway (Ireland)
The M50 motorway is a motorway in Ireland running in a C-shaped ring around the north-eastern, northern, western and southern sides of the capital city, Dublin. The northern end of the route is located at the entrance to the Dublin Port Tunnel. Anti-clockwise it heads northwest through the tunnel...
, and then used when it was made an Administrative County in 1994 (Fingal and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown's boundaries and names were both set in 1985). The name of Belgard did have a historical association with the area, being the designation of one of the border fortresses of the Pale
The Pale
The Pale or the English Pale , was the part of Ireland that was directly under the control of the English government in the late Middle Ages. It had reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast stretching from Dalkey, south of Dublin, to the garrison town of Dundalk...
that existed in that area. It was altered however due to a view that the name Belgard might create associations with areas of modern development in Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
that now also use that name. Various organs of state use alternative subdivisions of the Dublin region for administrative reasons, for example the Dublin postal codes.
Government and politics
| Party | Seats | Change |
| Labour Party Labour Party (Ireland) The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish... |
9 | + 1 |
| Fine Gael Fine Gael Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000... |
8 | + 5 |
| Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál... |
4 | - 2 |
| Sinn Féin Sinn Féin Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970... |
3 | = |
| People Before Profit People Before Profit Alliance The People Before Profit Alliance is an Irish political party formed in October 2005. It is active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.-Overview:It was established by the Socialist Workers Party... |
1 | + 1 |
| Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
1 | = |
South Dublin County Council is the local authority
Local government in the Republic of Ireland
Local government functions in the Republic of Ireland are mostly exercised by thirty-four local authorities, termed county or city councils, which cover the entire territory of the state. The area under the jurisdiction of each of these authorities corresponds to the area of each of the 34 LAU I...
for the administrative county
Administrative county
An administrative county was an administrative division in England and Wales and Ireland used for the purposes of local government. They are now abolished, although in Northern Ireland their former areas are used as the basis for lieutenancy....
. It was established at the same time that Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council was a local authority for the administrative county of County Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. It was established by the Local Government Act 1898....
and the Corporation of Dún Laoghaire
Corporation of Dún Laoghaire
The Corporation of Dún Laoghaire was a local authority in County Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland from 1930 to 1994, covering the municipal borough of Dún Laoghaire...
were abolished in 1994, by an Act of the Oireachtas, the Local Government (Dublin) Act, 1993. It is one of four councils in the Dublin Region
Dublin Region
The Dublin Region is a NUTS Level III region of Ireland and is governed by the Dublin Regional Authority. It consists of the area under the jurisdiction of the county councils of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin, as well as Dublin City Council. The Dublin Region has an area of...
. The county is divided into five local electoral areas
Local electoral area
A local electoral area is a sub-division of a county and city-level local government used for electoral purposes in Ireland. Each local electoral area consists of a number of lower-level units known as district electoral divisions...
for the purpose of elections: Clondalkin
Clondalkin
-Today:Modern Clondalkin is a busy satellite town of Dublin, with a population of 43,929 in 2006. Retail facilities include Tesco Ireland- and Dunnes Stores-led shopping centres, and Aldi and Lidl stores on the Fonthill Road and New Nangor Road respectively, and the village centre is a base for...
(6 councillors), Lucan
Lucan
Lucan is the common English name of the Roman poet Marcus Annaeus Lucanus.Lucan may also refer to:-People:*Arthur Lucan , English actor*Sir Lucan the Butler, Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend...
(5 councillors), Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
(4 councillors), Tallaght Central
Tallaght Central (Local Electoral Area)
Tallaght Central is a local electoral area in South Dublin County. It comprises parts of Clondalkin and Ballymount, much of Tallaght itself , and also Templeogue and large parts of Terenure...
(6 councillors), and Tallaght South
Tallaght South (Local Electoral Area)
Tallaght South is a local electoral area in South Dublin County. It comprises much of Tallaght, including Oldbawn, Killinarden and parts of Jobstown, and the Bohernabreena housing area, and a number of nearby districts, such as Firhouse and Ballinascorney...
(5 councillors).
The heraldic crest for South Dublin reads "This We Hold In Trust" in both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
, while incorporating elements relating to the history, geography and present day infrastructure of the area.
Parts of three constituencies for elections to 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...
are contained within the county's borders. They are: Dublin Mid West
Dublin Mid West (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin Mid–West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
, Dublin South West
Dublin South West (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin South–West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
and Dublin South
Dublin South (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin South is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
.
Geography
South Dublin has an area of 222.74 square kilometres and begins 15 km south west of Dublin's centre. It is bounded by the Dublin Mountains to the south, the River LiffeyRiver Liffey
The Liffey is a river in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. The river supplies much of Dublin's water, and a range of recreational opportunities.-Name:The river was previously named An Ruirthech,...
to the north, Lucan and Palmerstown
Palmerstown
Palmerstown , occasionally referred to as Palmerston, is a suburb of Dublin,Ireland. It is located about 8km west of the city centre, in the administrative county of South Dublin. The area is bordered to the north by the River Liffey, to the west by Lucan, to the south by Ballyfermot and to theeast...
to the west, Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
to the south-west and the Dublin Mountains (the foothills of 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 south. South Dublin is bordered by the counties of Fingal
Fingal
Fingal is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. With its county seat located in Swords, it has a population of 239,992 according to the 2006 census...
, 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...
, Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
and 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...
as well as by Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
, which in law has equal status to administrative counties.
Towns and villages
Most areas in south Dublin are also suburbs of Dublin city but some, such as Newcastle, Rathcoole and Saggart, are too remote for this.The County Council designates status of towns, villages and suburbs in three tiers - town, district centre and local centre, and these are used in planning and management. In the current development plan, the towns and district centres are listed as:
- Tallaght (county seat)
- Clondalkin ("to be facilitated and developed as a Town Centre... including northward development")
- Lucan (with notes on the Liffey Valley Centre, and the developing Adamstown area - a future "district centre" - and a stated aim to avoid Lucan merging with LeixlipLeixlip-Politics:Since 1988 Leixlip has had a nine member Town Council , headed by a Cathaoirleach , which has control over many local matters, although it is limited in that it is not also a planning authority...
) - and with a proposal to develop a Town Centre around the Liffey Valley Centre at Quarryvale
while the more local centres are noted in three groups:
- city suburbs including at least Rathfarnham, Palmerstown, Templeogue, Knocklyon and Greenhills
- villages such as Rathcoole, Newcastle(-Lyons), and Saggart
- new neighbourhoods, some within bigger, older areas - including such as Kilnamanagh, Ballyowen, Finnstown, and, in development, Adamstown.
Residential areas
- AdamstownAdamstown, DublinAdamstown is the first new town planned in Ireland since Shannon Town in 1982. The new settlement is being developed 16 km from Dublin city centre, on a 220 hectare site just south of Lucan, west of the Griffeen River and north of the Grand Canal. No date has been set for the official...
- BallybodenBallybodenBallyboden is a locality within the suburb of Rathfarnham in South Dublin, at the foot of the Dublin mountains between Whitechurch, Ballyroan and Knocklyon....
- BallyfermotBallyfermotBallyfermot is a suburb in the city of Dublin.Celebrities such as the famous Furey Brothers and the brilliant Keenan family have all resided in Ballyfermot.Ireland, located 7 kilometres due west from the city centre, and to the south of the Phoenix Park...
- BallyroanBallyroan, County DublinBallyroan is a suburb in Rathfarnham, County Dublin in Ireland. It lies at the foot of the Dublin mountains, alongside Ballyboden, Butterfield, Knocklyon, Old Orchard, and Scholarstown...
- ClondalkinClondalkin-Today:Modern Clondalkin is a busy satellite town of Dublin, with a population of 43,929 in 2006. Retail facilities include Tesco Ireland- and Dunnes Stores-led shopping centres, and Aldi and Lidl stores on the Fonthill Road and New Nangor Road respectively, and the village centre is a base for...
- EdmondstownEdmondstownEdmondstown is an area in South Dublin. It situated on the R116 regional road, south of Ballyboden and north of Rockbrook, in the valley of the Oewdoher River. Edmondstown National School is a senior primary school which serves the local area. The school principal is Mr.Damien Burke.The school...
- FirhouseFirhouseFirhouse is a small outer suburb of Dublin, in South Dublin County, Ireland, developed from what was historically a rural village. It is located just south of the River Dodder, and is in the postal district of Dublin 24...
- GreenhillsGreenhillsGreenhills is a suburb situated in Templeogue in the Southside of the city of Dublin, Ireland. It sits between Walkinstown, Kimmage, Tallaght, Terenure and Templeogue. It is generally understood to comprise the Greenhills Estate as well as Greenpark, Limekiln and Temple Manor...
- InchicoreInchicore-Location and access:Located five kilometres due west of the city centre, Inchicore lies south of the River Liffey, west of Kilmainham, north of Drimnagh and east of Ballyfermot. The majority of Inchicore is in the Dublin 8 postal district...
- JobstownJobstownJobstown is an area now considered part of West Tallaght, Tallaght itself being the county seat of South Dublin County, Ireland. The West Tallaght area, which is not officially defined, encompasses Jobstown, Killinarden, Fettercairn, Cushlawn, Rossfield and Brookfield.-History:Jobstown was once a...
- KnocklyonKnocklyonKnocklyon is a suburb of Dublin in Ireland, situated south west of Dublin city, and north of the Dublin Mountains.There is currently a debate among locals whether the correct name is cnoc linn, or cnoc liamhna....
- Lucan
- NewcastleNewcastle, County DublinThe village of Newcastle , in Co. Dublin, Ireland was the location of the Castle of the Barony of Newcastle, more specifically referred to in historical and official documents as Newcastle-Lyons. This ancient name is currently undergoing a welcome revival in use, given the many places called...
- PalmerstownPalmerstownPalmerstown , occasionally referred to as Palmerston, is a suburb of Dublin,Ireland. It is located about 8km west of the city centre, in the administrative county of South Dublin. The area is bordered to the north by the River Liffey, to the west by Lucan, to the south by Ballyfermot and to theeast...
- RathcooleRathcoole, DublinRathcoole is a suburban village, south west of Tallaght, Ireland, in South Dublin County. It lies just off the N7 national primary road. It borders the nearby village of Saggart.- Geography :...
- RathfarnhamRathfarnhamRathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
- RockbrookRockbrookRockbrook is a small area in South Dublin. It situated south of Ballyboden on the R116 regional road, and is the site of the Rockbrook Park School boys secondary school....
- Ronanstown
- SaggartSaggartSaggart is a suburban village in South Dublin County, Ireland, south west of Dublin city. It lies between the N7 , Rathcoole, and Tallaght.-Name:A monk called Mosacra founded a settlement on the site of the village in the 7th century...
- TallaghtTallaghtTallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
- TempleogueTempleogueTempleogue is a suburb of southwest Dublin, Ireland. The original Irish name Teach Mealóg refers to a chapel named after Saint Mel that was built there in about 1273....
See also
- Dublin South (Dáil Éireann constituency)Dublin South (Dáil Éireann constituency)Dublin South is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
- South Dublin (UK Parliament constituency)South Dublin (UK Parliament constituency)South Dublin was a county constituency in Ireland from 1885 to 1922. It elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, using the first past the post voting system....