Blackrock () is a suburb of

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, northwest of

Dún Laoghaire Dún Laoghaire ( , ) is a suburban coastal town in Dublin in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. The town was built following the 1816 legislation that allowed the building of a major port to serve Dubli ...

Location and access

Blackrock covers a large but not precisely defined area, rising from sea level on the coast to at White's Cross on the N11 national primary road. Blackrock is bordered by Booterstown,

Mount Merrion Mount Merrion () is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is roughly 7 kilometres (5 mi) south of Dublin city centre and is situated on and around the hill of the same name. Location and access Mount Merrion is 3 kilometres (2 mi) south ...

, Stillorgan,

Foxrock Foxrock () is an affluent suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is within the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, in the postal district of Dublin 18 and in the Roman Catholic parish of Foxrock. History The suburb of Foxrock was d ...

, Deansgrange and Monkstown.

Transport

Blackrock has a station on the

Dublin Area Rapid Transit The Dublin Area Rapid Transit system (stylised as DART) is an electrified commuter rail railway network serving the coastline and city of Dublin, Ireland. The service makes up the core of Dublin's Dublin Suburban Rail, suburban railway network, ...

(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 Events January–March * January – The Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad is chartered in Wilmington, North Carolina. * January 1 – Zollverein (Germany): Customs charges are abolished at borders within its member states. * January 3 � ...

for the

Dublin and Kingstown Railway The Dublin and Kingstown Railway (D&KR), which opened in 1834, was Ireland’s first passenger railway. It linked Westland Row in Dublin with Kingstown Harbour (Dún Laoghaire) in County Dublin. The D&KR was also notable for a number of other ...

Blackrock railway station Blackrock railway station ( ga, Stáisiún An Charraig Dhubh) serves Blackrock in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Ireland. It opened publicly on 17 December 1834 and is one of the three original stations on the Dublin and Kingstown Railway (D&KR) ...

, on both the DART and the mainline South Eastern Commuter railway line, opened on 17 December 1834. Bus services operated by Dublin Bus and

Go-Ahead Ireland Go-Ahead Transport Services (Dublin) Limited, known as Go-Ahead Ireland is a bus operator in Dublin that commenced trading in September 2018. It is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group. History With the aim of improving efficiency, in 2015 the ...

also serve the area with multiple bus routes. These are routes 4, 7/A/D, 17/C/D, 46E, 84/A, 114 and 7N. The

Aircoach Aircoach is an Ireland-based subsidiary company of FirstGroup. It provides airport express coach services from Cork, Belfast, Galway, Greystones, Bray, Southside Dublin and Dublin to Dublin Airport. It also operates contracted bus services for ...

services to Dublin Airport from

Dalkey Dalkey ( ; ) is an affluent suburb of Dublin, and a seaside resort southeast of the city, and the town of Dún Laoghaire, in the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown in the historic County Dublin, Ireland. It was founded as a Viking settlement ...

and

Greystones Greystones () is a coastal town and seaside resort in County Wicklow, Ireland. It lies on Ireland's east coast, south of Bray and south of Dublin city centre and has a population of 18,140 (2016). The town is bordered by the Irish Sea to ...

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 harbour at

to the national Primary Route network.

History

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.

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 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, thus 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.MacCóil, Liam (1977). "The Book of Blackrock", The Blackrock Council of Community Services, Carraig BooksCarey, Tim (2009). "Did you know?", ''Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council'' p99, 124, 156 St. Marys's 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.Costello, Peter (1989). "Dublin Churches", Gill and Macmillan, p214

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 Chualann'' constructed by the High King of Ireland several centuries before St. Patrick, and which connected Tara with what is now southern County Dublin and north-east County 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 which was chaired by the 4th

Viscount Ranelagh Viscount Ranelagh was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 25 August 1628 for Sir Roger Jones, son of Thomas Jones, Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. He was made Baron Jones of Navan, in the County of Meath, ...

. 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 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

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 seawater 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.DLR County Council
. Dlrcoco.ie (2006-12-01). Retrieved on 2011-06-29. The Williamstown

Martello Tower Martello towers, sometimes known simply as Martellos, are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts. They stand u ...

in Blackrock Park was built between 1804 and 1806. When the tower was built, it would have been surrounded by seawater 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 seawater 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 the extensive redevelopment of the course of the Priory River, as well as the refurbishment of several of the buildings within the park. As of 2013, no work has been carried out as part of the redevelopment master plan, with no start date published.

Blackrock Baths

The Blackrock baths were provided for by the railway company in 1839 and were built beside the Blackrock train station. A special train ticket also permitted 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 James Edward Heron (28November 191023April 1985) was an Irish high diving and springboard diving champion. He won the British Diving Championship in 1932 and represented Ireland at the 1948 Olympic Games. Early life Eddie Heron was born in the ...

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 on the railway bridge that crosses over to the baths. On 11 September 1891, Thomas 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 the use of the baths started in the 1960s when indoor heated swimming pools started to appear. Dún Laoghaire Corporation closed the Blackrock Baths in the late 1980s and by 1992, due to lack of maintenance, parts of the baths were dismantled. They have since been sold to developers Treasury Holdings. In 2013, the baths were demolished due to safety concerns following a routine inspection by Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council. It was found that the diving platform had been significantly corroded and detached from the pool base.

Historic houses

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 Frescati House (sometimes misspelled 'Frascati') was a Georgian house and estate situated in Blackrock, Dublin. It was built in 1739 for the family of John Hely Hutchinson, the Provost of Trinity College. During the eighteenth century, Blackr ...

, 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 Baron Cloncurry Nicolas Lawless, 1st Baron Cloncurry (30 October 1735 – 28 August 1799), known as Sir Nicholas Lawless, Bt, between 1776 and 1789, was an Irish peer, wool merchant, banker and politician. Lawless was the son of Robert Lawless and Mary Hadsor, da ...

, who had his main house at

Lyons Hill Lyons Hill or Lyons () is a townland and restored village in County Kildare. At a time when canal passenger boats travelled at Lyons was the nearest overnight stop to Dublin on the Grand Canal. On the hilltop is a trigonometrical point used ...

, County Kildare. His son

Valentine Lawless, 2nd Baron Cloncurry Valentine Brown Lawless, 2nd Baron Cloncurry (19 August 1773 – 28 October 1853), was an Irish peer, politician and landowner. In the 1790s he was an emissary in radical and reform circles in London for the Society of United Irishmen, and was ...

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

, 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.Pearson, P (2001). "Between the Mountains and the Sea" ''Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County'', The O'Brien Press Blackrock House, built-in 1774 by Sir 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. In the nineteenth century, it was owned by the Vance family. 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. Neptune House, built in 1767, is a Georgian building with a colourful history. It was the country residence of John Scott, the first Earl of Clonmel, who was chief justice of the King's Bench in 1784. He was also known as 'Copper-faced Jack' for his aggressiveness in argument and skin tone. In 1916, British troops who landed in Dún Laoghaire during the Easter Rising stayed in Neptune House.

Religion in history

The

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the secon ...

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 wa
All Saints Church
on Carysfort Avenue in 1868. The Catholic Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul founded St. Catherine's Seminary in 1939 with the purchase of the house Dunardagh, Temple Hill. The Catholic

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of ...

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 is one of the oldest girls' secondary schools in Ireland, founded in 1836 in Blackrock, County Dublin. Its approach to education is based on the Dominican ideal of developing the whole person. "Dominican College Sion ...

, and

Froebel College of Education Froebel College of Education was one of five colleges in Ireland which was recognised by the Department of Education (Ireland), Department of Education for the training and education of national school teachers. It was located at Sion Hill, Cr ...

. They also run an Adult Education Centre and they ran St. Catherine's College of Education for Home Economics between 1929 and 2007. The Catholic Holy Ghost Fathers came to Blackrock from Paris and established

Blackrock College Blackrock College ( ga, Coláiste na Carraige Duibhe) is a voluntary day and boarding Catholic secondary school for boys aged 13–18, in Williamstown, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. It was founded by French missionary Jules Leman in 186 ...

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 (1769–1855), who broke away from the Church of Ireland. He built a church called Christchurch on Carysfort Avenue. 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 Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

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 Dún Laoghaire around the middle of the 20th century. Since then the Blackrock building is used as a community meeting place called Urban Junction. The Catholic Order of St. Camillus have a community residing at South Hill Avenue while Opus Dei established Rosemont secondary school off Temple Hill around 1970. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland established their Blackrock Congregation in 1895. It met in the Blackrock Town Hall until they built St. Andrew's Church on Mount Merrion Avenue in 1899. The Catholic

Religious Sisters of Charity The Religious Sisters of Charity or Irish Sisters of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious institute founded by Mary Aikenhead in Ireland on 15 January 1815. Its motto is ('The love Christ urges us on'; ). The institute has its headquarters in Dub ...

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 & Care Services is a hospice and health care provider with two locations: one at Harold's Cross, Dublin and a satellite facility at Blackrock, County Dublin in Ireland. It provides specialist care for people with a range of n ...

to Blackrock with the opening of The Venerable Louis and Zelie Martin Hospice. The

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

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, at Temple Hill. Their meeting house is on Carrickbrennan Road, Monkstown.

Local government

The districts of Blackrock, Monkstown and Booterstown were joined to form a single township under the Blackrock Township Act 1863. Under the

Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 (61 & 62 Vict. c. 37) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that established a system of local government in Ireland similar to that already created for England, ...

, this became an urban district in 1899. The urban district of Blackrock was abolished in 1930, with its area becoming part of the

borough of Dún Laoghaire The Borough of Dún Laoghaire was a borough on the southern coast of County Dublin, Ireland from 1930 to 1994. Its local authority was the Corporation of Dún Laoghaire. Whereas most Irish boroughs had the limited autonomy of an urban district ...

. The borough was abolished in 1994, on the establishment of the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown.; Blackrock is a

local electoral area A local electoral area (LEA; ga, Toghlimistéir Áitiúil) is an electoral area for elections to local authorities in Ireland. All elections use the single transferable vote. The Republic of Ireland is divided into 166 LEAs, with an average p ...

that elects six councillors to Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council.

Blackrock today

Features

Blackrock Clinic, a private clinic in Williamstown, 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 a large commercial centre with cafes, restaurants, an award-winning independent fine wine and craft beer store
Blackrock Cellar
, boutiques, hairdressers and barbers, a tattoo and piercing studio, pharmacies, supermarkets, art galleries, antiques and home improvements outlets as well as bars such as The Breffni, Jack O'Rourkes
Flash Harry's
Conways, The Wicked Wolf
Kelly & Coopers
and the Three Tun Tavern. The Blackrock Shopping Centre was built in 1984 by Superquinn who managed the development and is the anchor store. Superquinn has now become Supervalu. There are many high street finance branches for AIB, Bank of Ireland,

EBS EBS may refer to: Broadcasting * EBS TV (Ethiopia) * Educational Broadband Service, US TV service * Educational Broadcasting System, South Korea ** EBS 1, a South Korean television channel * Emergency Broadcast System, former US Warning system ...

National Irish Bank Danske Bank, formerly known as the National Irish Bank, is a bank operating in the Republic of Ireland. The bank is a subsidiary of the Danske Bank Group which is headquartered in Copenhagen. Danske Bank is organised in three business units ...

Ulster Bank Ulster Bank ( ga, Banc Uladh) is a large retail bank, and one of the traditional Big Four (banking)#Ireland, Big Four Irish clearing banks. The Ulster Bank Group is subdivided into two separate legal entities: NatWest, National Westminster Ban ...

and th
Blackrock Credit Union

Permanent TSB Permanent TSB Group Holdings plc, formerly Irish Life and Permanent plc is a provider of personal financial services in Ireland. Irish Life Assurance plc and the Irish Permanent Building Society merged to form the Irish Life and Permanent Group ...

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

Zurich Financial Services Zurich Insurance Group Ltd is a Swiss insurance company, headquartered in Zürich, and the country's largest insurer. As of 2021, the group is the world's 112th largest public company according to ''Forbes'' Global 2000s list, and in 2011 it ran ...

and

AIG American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is an American multinational finance and insurance corporation with operations in more than 80 countries and jurisdictions. , AIG companies employed 49,600 people.https://www.aig.com/content/dam/aig/amer ...

, and car dealers such as Carroll & Kinsella Motors, Maxwell Motors (generally BMW) and Eco Aer (eco electric vehicles). The Blackrock Market was established in 1986 through 19A Main Street and houses over 30 independent stallholders. All sorts of items are sold like bean bags, candles, stamps and coins, second-hand books and antiques. In addition, there are a number of foods stalls selling worldwide cuisines, cakes and ethnic food, there are a number of restaurants includin
3 Leaves
(recommended by Michelin since 2019 for its classic and contemporary Indian food, Blossom (vegetarian Lebanese
El Cellar
Tapas and Wine Bar, Ciamei Cafe (Italian), The Cake Room and Slow Food Experience (fusion). Finally, there is the recently awarded two Michelin sta
Liath Restaurant
Liath has become one of the best-known restaurants in Ireland for its fun fine dining experience and experimentation with food. The market is open Saturday, Sunday, and Bank Holidays from 11am-5:30pm, and many stalls and restaurants open during the week also. Blackrock Market

Enterprise & community

The area has a range of industries, notably in the IT and service areas. In April 2010, a new business organisation for the area was formed. It is known as th
Blackrock Business Network
(BBN). In Spring 2011, a new website
I Love Blackrock
was launched. and promotes over 400 businesses in the area. In 2016 they launched their first Leprechaun Chase, a hugely popular fun run event for the local community on Saint Patrick's day followed by village entertainment - a Ceilí at the Cross and street performers.

Education

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)
International School of Dublin
Temple Road (non-denominational) * Willow Park, Rock Road (Roman Catholic) * 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 Educate Together Secondary School, Newtownpark Avenue * Dominican College Sion Hill, Cross Avenue (Roman Catholic) * Newpark Comprehensive School, Newtownpark Avenue (Church of Ireland) * Newpark Music School, Newtownpark Avenue * Rosemont Secondary School, Temple Road (Roman Catholic) * St. Andrew's College, Booterstown Avenue (Inter-Denominational)

Third level

Carysfort College Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort (commonly known as Carysfort College) was a ''College of Education'' in Dublin, Ireland from its foundation in 1877 until its closure in 1988. Educating primary school teachers, and located in a parkland cam ...

was a large teacher training college in the area until its closure in 1988 * Froebel College of Education, Cross Avenue is one of the 5 major Teacher Training Colleges in Ireland. (Moved to NUI Maynooth campus in 2013) *

Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business The UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School is the graduate business school of University College Dublin (UCD) and is located in Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland, on the site of the former teacher-training Carysfort College. Undergraduate bu ...

is a business school of UCD that occupies the old buildings of

* Newpark Music Jazz School, Newtownpark Avenue * Progressive College, Carysfort Avenue and UCD Blackrock Campus, specialises in the provision of a range of childcare and healthcare courses. * Blackrock Further Education Institute, located in the centre of Blackrock since 2015, following a re-location of Senior College Dun Laoghaire

Churches

* All Saints, Carysfort Avenue (Church of Ireland) * Blackrock Methodist Church/Ignite, Main St * Church of the Guardian Angels, Newtownpark Avenue (Roman Catholic) * St. Andrew's, Mount Merrion Avenue (Presbyterian) * St. John the Baptist, Blackrock (Roman Catholic) * St. Philip and St. James, Cross Avenue, (Church of Ireland)

People

Lord Edward FitzGerald Lord Edward FitzGerald (15 October 1763 – 4 June 1798) was an Irish aristocrat who abandoned his prospects as a distinguished veteran of British service in the American War of Independence, and as an Irish Parliamentarian, to embrace the caus ...

(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 The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1798; Ulster-Scots: ''The Hurries'') was a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. The main organising force was the Society of United Irishmen, a republican revolutionary group influenced ...

Valentine Lawless 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 ...

(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

and 1803. Patrick Byrne (1783–1864) lived at 3 Waltham Terrace from 1855. He was an 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 The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland ( ga, Institiúid Ríoga Ailtirí na hÉireann) founded in 1839, is the "competent authority for architects and professional body for Architecture in the Republic of Ireland." The RIAI's purpose ...

.Patrick Byrne on the Directory of Irish Architects
. Dia.ie. Retrieved on 2011-06-29. James Stephens (1825–1901) at one time lived at 82 George's Avenue, Blackrock and was a founding member of the

Irish Republican Brotherhood The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB; ) was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland between 1858 and 1924.McGee, p. 15. Its counterpart in the United States ...

.Tom Roche and Ken Finlay (2003). "Blackrock, Dun Laoghaire and Dalkey (Along the coast from Booterstown to Killiney)"

Charles Kickham Charles Joseph Kickham (9 May 1828 – 22 August 1882) was an Irish revolutionary, novelist, poet, journalist and one of the most prominent members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Early life Charles Kickham was born at Mullinahone, County ...

(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

. Lieutenant General Harry Hammon Lyster (1830–1922) was born in Blackrock and was an Anglo-Irish recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, 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 (26 March 1838 – 22 October 1903) was an Irish historian, essayist, and political theorist with Whig proclivities. His major work was an eight-volume ''History of Ireland during the Eighteenth Century''. Earl ...

(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 (5 February 1840 – 23 October 1921) was a Scottish-born inventor and veterinary surgeon who spent most of his career in Ireland. Familiar with making rubber devices, he invented the first practical pneumatic tyres for his c ...

(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 Dunlop Ltd. (formerly Dunlop Rubber) was a British multinational company involved in the manufacture of various natural rubber goods. Its business was founded in 1889 by Harvey du Cros and he involved John Boyd Dunlop who had re-invented and ...

. 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 in 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 ''The Quiet Man'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by John Ford. It stars John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen. The screenplay by Frank S. Nugent was based on a 1933 ''Saturday Ev ...

Éamon de Valera Éamon de Valera (, ; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera; 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was a prominent Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of govern ...

(1882–1975) lived in a few houses in the area including Bellevue on Cross Avenue 1933–1940. He was educated at

and later taught there and at Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort. He retired to Linden Convalescent Home after his presidential term ended in 1973 and died there on 29 August 1975. The writer

James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ...

(1882–1941) lived at 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'' is the first novel of Irish writer James Joyce. A ''Künstlerroman'' written in a modernist style, it traces the religious and intellectual awakening of young Stephen Dedalus, Joyce's fictional al ...

he makes reference to the local parish church St. John the Baptist.

Kevin O'Higgins Kevin Christopher O'Higgins ( ga, Caoimhghín Críostóir Ó hUigín; 7 June 1892 – 10 July 1927) was an Irish politician who served as Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister for Justice from 1922 to 1927, Minister for External ...

(1892–1927) rented Lisaniskea ("Lios na Uisce"), near Blackrock, in 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 assassinated for ordering the execution of many republicans, including

Rory O'Connor (Irish republican) Rory O'Connor ( ga, Ruairí Ó Conchubhair; 28 November 1883 – 8 December 1922) was an Irish republican revolutionary. He was Director of Engineering for the IRA in the Irish War of Independence. O'Connor opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 192 ...

. 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''. George Thomas Stokes (1843–1898) was an Irish ecclesiastical historian and

clergyman. In 1868, he was nominated first vicar of the newly constituted charge of All Saints, Newtown Park, Co. Dublin, which he held till his death. 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 Rowan Fergus Meredith Gillespie (born 1953) is an Irish bronze casting sculptor of international renown. Born in Dublin to Irish parents, Gillespie spent his formative years in Cyprus. From conception to creation, he works alone in his purpose-b ...

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.

Eoin Dillon Eoin Dillon (born 1 June 1987) is an Irish hurler who plays for Cork Intermediate Championship club Milford. He played for the Cork senior hurling team for three years, during which time he usually lined out as a full-back. Dillon began his ...

, Uilleann piper, of Kila, was brought up in the Blackrock area and lived in Hollypark. Living in Blackrock influenced many of his contemporary tunes. Artist Fergus Martin lived for much of his childhood (1962-1970) in Prince Edward Terrace, Carysfort Avenue. Actor

Frank Kelly Francis Kelly (28 December 1938 – 28 February 2016) was an Irish actor, singer and writer, whose career covered television, radio, theatre, music, screenwriting and film. He is best remembered for playing Father Jack Hackett in the Channel 4 ...

, best known for playing Father Jack on the television comedy series '' Father Ted'', was born and lived for most of his life in Blackrock. Travel writer and hospital founder Sarah Maud Heckford (1839-1903), was born in Blackrock.Vivien Allen
"Sarah Maud Heckford"
in ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford University Press 2004). First-class cricketer and British Army officer William Payne-Gallwey was born in Blackrock.

Gallery

File:Blackrock Park view to Howth.JPG, View from Blackrock Park across Dublin Bay to Howth File:Newtown House, Blackrock, Dublin.JPG, Newtown House in Blackrock File:Old Post Office building, Blackrock, Dublin.JPG, The old post office building File:James Joyce pub award at Jack O'Roukes, Blackrock.JPG, James Joyce pub award at Jack O'Roukes pub File:St. John The Baptist, Blackrock.JPG, St. John The Baptist church File:Blackrock Town Hall, Dublin.JPG, The Blackrock Town Hall File:Methodist Church, Georges Avenue, Blackrock, Dublin.JPG, The old Methodist church on Georges Avenue File:Our Lady's Hospice, Blackrock Chapel.JPG, Our Lady's Hospice, Blackrock Chapel File:Blackrock Shopping Centre.JPG, Blackrock Shopping Centre

References

External links

Primary Schools in South County Dublin
{{University College Dublin