Balbriggan
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Balbriggan (; , ) is a suburban coastal town in
Fingal Fingal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is one of three successor counties to County Dublin, which ...
, in the northern part of
County Dublin County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...
,
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. It is approximately 34 km north of the city of
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
, for which it is a commuter town. The 2022 census population was 24,322 for Balbriggan, making it the 17th-largest urban area in Ireland. The town formerly had an active textile industry, and was the site of a major episode in the
Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and Unite ...
.


Etymology

According to P. W. Joyce, the name arises from ''Baile Breacain'' ic which literally means "Brecan's Town". Brecan is a common medieval first name and there are several other Brackenstowns in Ireland. There is also a possible link to the local Bracken River, in which case the name could derive from ''breicín,'' meaning "little trout". Many locals, however, have traditionally felt that ''Baile Brigín'' means "Town of the Little Hills", due to the relatively low hills that surround the town. Although this is now the official Irish name for the town, it is likely to be a folk etymology, back-formed from the English name. Following linguistic logic, however, both with vowels and syllabic stress, this would presume an English name closer to Ballybrig(g)een. The town's name is more likely derived from the word ''brecan'', as the area was part of a medieval kingdom known as ''Brega'', populated by a tribe or clan known as the ''Bregii'', and the aforementioned River Bracken.


History

There is no consensus about when the foundation of the town occurred, other than there may always have been a small settlement of fishermen, weavers and some sort of agricultural trade post.


Medieval battle

According to Ware, a medieval annalist, a battle took place at Balbriggan on
Whitsun Whitsun (also Whitsunday or Whit Sunday) is the name used in Britain, and other countries among Anglicans and Methodists, for the Christian holy day of Pentecost. It falls on the seventh Sunday after Easter and commemorates the descent of the H ...
-eve, 1329, between the combined forces of John de Bermingham, Earl of Louth (who had been elevated to the 'palatine dignity' of the county) and Richard, Lord of Malahide, and several of their kinsmen, and the forces of local rival families, the Verduns, Gernons and Savages, who were opposed to the elevation of the earl. In this event, the former, with 60 of their English followers, were killed.


18th century

An 18th-century traveller described Balbriggan as "... a small village situated in a small glin lenwhere the sea forms a little harbour – it is reckoned safe and is sheltered by a good pier. The village is resorted to in Summertime by several genteel people for the benefit of bathing". Balbriggan rose from a small fishing village to a place of manufacturing and commercial importance in part due to local landowner and judge George Hamilton, Baron of the Court of Exchequer, who, in 1780, established factories to aid in the manufacturing of cotton. He also improved the harbour by building the
pier A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...
, which was completed in 1763.


19th century

Lewis's ''Topographical Directory of Ireland'', from 1837, refers to Balbriggan as follows:
A seaport, market and post village and a chapelry, in the parish and barony of Balrothery, county of Dublin, and province of
Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
, 15 miles (N. by E.) from Dublin; containing 3,016 inhabitants.
The inhabitants are partly employed in the fishery, but principally in the manufacture of cotton; there are two large factories, the machinery of which is worked by steam-engines and water-wheels of the aggregate power of 84 horses, giving motion to 7,500 spindles, and spinning upon the average about . of cotton yarn per week. More than 300 persons are employed in these factories, to which are attached blue dye-works; and in the village and neighbourhood are 942 hand-looms employed in the weaving department. The principal articles made at present are checks, jeans, calicoes and fustians. The village is also celebrated for the manufacture of the finest cotton stockings, which has been carried on successfully since its first establishment about 40 years since; there are 60 frames employed in this trade, and the average production is about 60 dozen per week. There are on the quay a large corn store belonging to Messrs. Frost & Co., of Chester, and some extensive salt-works; and in the village is a tanyard.
The fishery, since the withdrawing of the bounty, has very much diminished: there are at present only 10 wherries or small fishing boats belonging to the port. The village carries on a tolerably brisk coasting trade: in 1833, 134 coal vessels, of the aggregate burden of 11,566 tons, and 29 coasting vessels of 1,795 tons, entered inwards, and 17 coasters of 1,034 tons cleared outwards, from and to ports in Great Britain. The harbour is rendered safe for vessels of 150 tons' burden by an excellent pier, completed in 1763, principally by Baron Hamilton, aided by a parliamentary grant, and is a place of refuge for vessels of that burden at tide. A jetty or pier, long from the N. W. part of the harbour, with a curve of in a western direction, forming an inner harbour in which at high tide is of water, and affording complete shelter from all winds, was commenced in 1826 and completed in 1829, at an expense of £2,912–7s–9d, of which the late Fishery Board gave £1,569, the Marquess of Lansdowne £100, and the remainder was subscribed by the late Rev. Geo. Hamilton, proprietor of the village. At the end of the old pier, there is a lighthouse.
The Drogheda or Grand Northern Trunk railway from Dublin, for which an act has been obtained, is intended to pass along the shore close to the village and to the east of the church. The market is on Monday, and is abundantly supplied with corn, of which great quantities are sent to Dublin and to
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
; and there is a market for provisions on Saturday. Fairs are held on the 29th of April and September, chiefly for cattle. A market house was erected in 1811, partly by subscription and partly at the expense of the Hamilton family. The village is the headquarters of the constabulary police force of the county; and near it is a
Martello tower Martello towers 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 up to high (with two floors) and typica ...
with a coast guard station, which is one of the nine stations within the district of
Swords A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
. Petty sessions for the northeast division of the county are held here every alternate Tuesday.
The chapelry of
St. George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
, Balbriggan was founded by the late Rev. G. Hamilton, of Hampton Hall, who in 1813 granted some land and settled an endowment, under the 11th and 12th of Geo. III., for the establishment of a perpetual curacy; and augmentation of £25 per annum has been recently granted by the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners The Ecclesiastical Commissioners were, in England and Wales, a body corporate, whose full title was Ecclesiastical and Church Estates Commissioners for England. The commissioners were authorised to determine the distribution of revenues of the Ch ...
from Primate Boulter's fund. In 1816 a chapel was completed, at an expense of £3,018–2s–2d, of which £1,400 was given by the late Board of First Fruits, £478-15s–2d., was raised by voluntary subscriptions of the inhabitants and £1,139-7s–0d., was given by the founder and his family. This chapel, which was a handsome edifice with a square embattled tower, and contained monuments to the memory of R. Hamilton, Esq., and the Rev. G. Hamilton, was burned by accident in 1835, and the congregation assembled for divine service in a school-room until it shall be restored, for which purpose the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted £480. The living is in the patronage of G. A. Hamilton, Esq.
There is a chapel belonging to the R.C. Union or district of
Balrothery Balrothery () is a village and civil parish located in Fingal, County Dublin, Ireland. The town has historically been called in Irish (Town of Ruairí). The 2022 census population for Balrothery was 2,282. Geography The village is located ab ...
and Balbriggan, also a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists. A
parochial school A parochial school is a private school, private Primary school, primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathem ...
and
dispensary A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital, industrial plant, or other organization that dispenses medications, medical supplies, and in some cases even medical and dental treatment. In a traditional dispensary set-up, a pharmacist dispense ...
are in the village.


Milling

Balbriggan was the location of the 19th century Smith's Stocking Mill, which made stockings as well as men's "Long-Johns" called Balbriggans. These are often mentioned in
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...
films – 'he put his balbriggans on' – and both Queen Victoria and the Czarina of Russia also wore "Balbriggans". Balbriggan's strong textile connections also include the linen & cotton manufacturing of Charles Gallen & Company, which in 1870, purchased the existing weaving mill and associated facilities built by Baron Hamilton. The firm became famous as the finest linen weavers in Ireland and had customers all over the world. They were also suppliers of linens to the Vatican, Embassies of Ireland and the US, and fine hotels worldwide. The business continues today from another location as the old mill in the town centre has been redeveloped.


Sack of Balbriggan

During the
Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and Unite ...
, members of the
Black and Tans The Black and Tans () were constables recruited into the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) as reinforcements during the Irish War of Independence. Recruitment began in Great Britain in January 1920, and about 10,000 men enlisted during the conflic ...
(former British soldiers recruited into the
Royal Irish Constabulary The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC, ; simply called the Irish Constabulary 1836–67) was the police force in Ireland from 1822 until 1922, when all of the island was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom. A sep ...
(RIC) as special constables) stationed at the nearby Gormanston Camp attacked Balbriggan in reprisal for the murder of an RIC policeman on 20 September 1920. The event, known as the sack of Balbriggan, resulted in the destruction of 54 houses and a
hosiery Hosiery, (, ) also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the foot, feet and human leg, legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also ...
factory along with the looting of four
pub A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private ho ...
s by the Black and Tans. Two residents of Balbriggan, dairyman Séamus Lawless and barber Sean Gibbons, were bayoneted to death by the Black and Tans during the attack. After it occurred, the attack received international attention due to Balbriggan's close proximity to foreign news correspondents based in Dublin. A delegation from the United States pledged to rebuild thirty homes in the village and a local factory.


Location and access

Balbriggan is 32 km north of
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
city, in the northern part of the traditional
County Dublin County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...
. It lies on the
Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
–Dublin main line of the Irish rail network.
Commuter rail Commuter rail or suburban rail is a Passenger train, passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Central business district, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter town ...
services serve Balbriggan railway station, which opened on 25 May 1844 and closed for goods traffic on 2 December 1974. It is estimated that about 2,200 commuters use the station every working day. The town is also located next to the
M1 motorway The M1 motorway connects London to Leeds, where it joins the A1(M) motorway, A1(M) near Aberford, to connect to Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle. It was the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the UK; the first motorway in the count ...
(the section known as the Balbriggan Bypass), which was completed in 1998. Prior to this, the main Dublin-Belfast road went through the centre of the town, with major traffic congestion on a daily basis. There are three exits from the motorway, allowing you to enter from the North, South or West of the town. Bus service is provided by
Dublin Bus Dublin Bus () is an Irish State-owned enterprise, state-owned bus operator providing services in Dublin. By far the largest bus operator in the city, it carried 145 million passengers in 2023. It is a subsidiary of CIÉ, Córas Iompair Éireann ...
routes 33, 33A (taken over by
Go-Ahead Ireland Go-Ahead Transport Services (Dublin) Limited, trading 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 t ...
on 2 December 2018) and 33X as well as
Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with the exception of Dublin, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subsidiary of C ...
routes 101 (Dublin-Drogheda) and B1 (Balbriggan Town service). It is the most northerly town in
Fingal Fingal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is one of three successor counties to County Dublin, which ...
(although the village of Balscadden lies further north within the county), and is situated close to Bettystown, Laytown (
County Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...
) and
Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
(
County Louth County Louth ( ; ) is a coastal Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of County Meath, Meath to the ...
). Balbriggan experienced a population boom in the early part of the 2000s as a result of the large demand for housing within the wider Dublin region. The population has increased as a result, with hundreds of new homes being built.


Geography

The River Bracken, also known as the Matt River, which flows through the town, once formed a lake known locally as "the Canal" or "Head"(of water). The water was sluiced through a canal and tunnels down to the Lower Mill where it turned a waterwheel to drive the cotton manufacturing machinery. The retaining wall of the reservoir collapsed in the 1960s and the area was reclaimed with land-fill in the early 1980s to create a public park. On the northern edge of the town, the small Bremore River comes to the sea just beyond the
Martello Tower Martello towers 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 up to high (with two floors) and typica ...
.


Population

According to the 2016 census, the town was 63% White Irish and 0.8%
Irish Traveller Irish Travellers (, meaning ''the walking people''), also known as Mincéirs (Shelta: ''Mincéirí'') or Pavees, are a traditionally List of nomadic peoples#Peripatetic, peripatetic Indigenous peoples, indigenous Ethnic group, ethno-cultural g ...
, 16.7% White of any other background, 11.0% Black, 2.8% Asian and 5.7% other racial background or not stated. Approximately 73% of the town's population was born in the Republic of Ireland, and 27% were born abroad. The Polish were by far the largest foreign-born group in 2016, accounting for 5.8% of the town's population (1,270 people). In 2022, there were 24,322 people residing in Balbriggan, representing an 12.52% increase from the 2016 census. In 2022, according to the CSO, the town is 56.6% White Irish and 0.6%
Irish Traveller Irish Travellers (, meaning ''the walking people''), also known as Mincéirs (Shelta: ''Mincéirí'') or Pavees, are a traditionally List of nomadic peoples#Peripatetic, peripatetic Indigenous peoples, indigenous Ethnic group, ethno-cultural g ...
, 19.2% White of any other background, 9.6% Black, 4.9% Asian, 3.6% any other racial background, and 5.2% not stated. Balbriggan was also Ireland's "youngest town" in 2016, with an average age of 30.8 years. It held this title in 2022, with the average age raising to 33.6 years.


Amenities

The town is coastal and has a sandy beach. It was, at one time, a holiday destination for people from Dublin city. Balbriggan is also the location of a Sunshine Home which aims to provide a holiday to underprivileged children from the Greater Dublin Area. The home is operated by the Sunshine Fund, a unique branch of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul which provides week-long summer breaks for children aged 7 to 11 from disadvantaged parts of Dublin, Meath, Wicklow and Kildare. The purpose-built home has hosted these holidays since 1935, with over 100,000 young people having passed through their doors.


Economy

The Department of Foreign Affairs has located a passport production facility in Balbriggan. There is also a proposal to relocate the Drogheda International Seaport to the Bremore Port area to the north of the town. Local development bodies expect that the proposed Bremore Port and orbital motorway projects, as well as the existing M1 motorway and Belfast – Dublin railway, are major draws to prospective companies with large logistical sectors hoping to expand or set up in the Fingal area. Wavin has been manufacturing plastic pipes in their purpose-built facility in Balbriggan since 1962.


Hosiery fabric

Balbriggan was a well-known hosiery cloth manufacturer. A fine cotton fabric suitable for men's underwear was named after the city. The city prospered as a result of the manufacture of the fabric.


Local government

Balbriggan is a
local electoral area A local electoral area (LEA; ) is an electoral area for elections to Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authorities in Ireland. All elections in the Republic of Ireland, elections use the single transferable vote. Republic of Ir ...
of
Fingal Fingal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is one of three successor counties to County Dublin, which ...
, electing five councillors to Fingal County Council. It contains the electoral divisions of Balbriggan Rural, Balbriggan Urban, Holmpatrick and Skerries. Balbriggan had
town commissioners Town commissioners were elected local government bodies that existed in urban areas in Ireland from the 19th century until 2002. Larger towns with commissioners were converted to urban districts by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, wit ...
under the Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act 1854. This became a town council in 2002. The jurisdictional area of the town was increased in 2009. In common with all town councils, it was abolished in 2014. It was within the
rural district A rural district was a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. I ...
of
Balrothery Balrothery () is a village and civil parish located in Fingal, County Dublin, Ireland. The town has historically been called in Irish (Town of Ruairí). The 2022 census population for Balrothery was 2,282. Geography The village is located ab ...
, which was abolished in 1930. The old Balbriggan Town Hall, which was opened in St. George's Square in 1936, was demolished and replaced by a new structure in 2005. It served as home to Balbriggan Town Council until the council's dissolution in 2014.


Buildings of note

* Balbriggan Market House is a 5-bay two-storey building dating from 1811. * Balbriggan Carnegie Free Library, built . *
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, Danske Bank Group which is headquartered in Copenhagen. Danske Bank is organised in three bu ...
building, Drogheda Street, built . * Balbriggan Court House, built . * Balbriggan Railway Viaduct, built . * Loreto Convent, built * St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, built in 1842 (
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
style), Catholic Church. * St. Georges Church (Balrothery), built in 1813 (
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
style), Church of Ireland. * Lighthouse, built in 1761 and listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) with reg. nr.11305017. * Bremore Castle, built in 14th century and later deteriorated, it has been restored by the Parks Department of Fingal County Council and the Balbriggan and District Historical Society. * Balbriggan also has a
Martello Tower Martello towers 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 up to high (with two floors) and typica ...
which was built by the British during the Napoleonic Wars. It is one of 29 Martello towers in the Greater Dublin Area.


Education


Primary

Balbriggan has a number of primary schools, including several Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland national schools, an Irish-language medium
gaelscoil A Gaelscoil (; plural: ''Gaelscoileanna'') is an Irish language- medium school in Ireland: the term refers especially to Irish-medium schools outside the Irish-speaking regions or Gaeltacht. Over 50,000 students attend Gaelscoileanna at primary a ...
, and several
Educate Together Educate Together () is an educational charity in Republic of Ireland, Ireland which is the patron body to "equality-based, co-educational, child centred, and democratically run" schools. It was founded in 1984 to act as the patron body for the ...
schools. Additional primary schools are located in nearby Balscadden and Balrothery.


Secondary

There are five secondary schools in the town, including Ardgillan Community College (opened 2009), Bremore Educate Together, Loreto Secondary, Balbriggan Community College and Coláiste Ghlór na Mara (an Irish-language secondary school). Ardgillan Community College was closed abruptly in October 2018 after adverse fire safety findings. Problems were identified, and are being found, are other schools built by the same Dungannon-based company, Western Building Systems.


Adult education

Fingal Adult Education Service offers adult education courses both full and part-time.


Sport


Athletics

Balbriggan and District AC is the local athletic club, with members starting at 6 years old in ''Little Athletes'', and competing from 8 years old up to senior and masters level. The club is all-inclusive and has runners at every level.


Gaelic games

O'Dwyers GAA is the local
Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional Irish sports o ...
club which was founded in 1918. The club operates "skills camp"s for underage players (indoors) during winter. The club plays
Gaelic football Gaelic football (; short name '')'', commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA, or football, is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score ...
and
hurling Hurling (, ') is an outdoor Team sport, team game of ancient Gaelic culture, Gaelic Irish origin, played by men and women. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goa ...
at several underage levels (girls, boys and mixed). There is also a juvenile
camogie Camogie ( ; ) is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and worldwide, largely among Irish communities. A variant of the game "hurling" (which is played by men only), it is organised ...
team. At the adult level, the club has one football team competing in AFL4, the Dublin Intermediate Football Championship and one Junior hurling team (AHL9). There are two adult male football teams that play in AFL4, AFL10N, a Junior Hurling team (AHL9) and a Div 1 Ladies Senior Team.


Soccer

Balbriggan has a number of
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
clubs. These include Balbriggan FC (formerly known as Clonard Celtic and founded in 1982). This club amalgamated with another club in the area, Balscadden Blues, in the 1990s. Balbriggan FC now fields underage teams and three senior teams. The latter play in the Leinster Senior League and work has been completed on a new clubhouse located in Bremore, Balbriggan. Glebe North FC was established in 1945. Several past players with this club have received international honours. The club has two senior teams playing in the Leinster Senior League and 16 schoolboy/girl teams playing in the NDSL Leagues. The club's facilities are located at Market Green, and include a floodlit main pitch and an all-weather pitch. Hyde Park FC and Ringcommon Wanderers FC also represent the area. The latter was established in late 1999 and consists of a women's and a men's senior team which play at the Ring Commons Sports Centre. Balrothery FC is the newest club in Balbriggan. This (small) club also uses the Ring Commons sports facilities, which include two soccer pitches, floodlit soccer training areas, an 18-hole pitch and putt course, and a rugby pitch. The clubhouse includes a meeting hall, as well as offices, a kitchen, changing rooms, toilets, showers and a bar.


Rugby

Balbriggan Rugby Football Club was founded in 1925. They field men's and women's teams. The men's team play in the Leinster League, Div.2A and Leinster North East Area League (McGee Cup). The women's team play in Division 2. They also field several underage teams from U7s through to U18s as well as fielding girls' youth rugby teams and special needs rugby teams. The club started the 2007–08 season playing at the new club grounds outside of
Balrothery Balrothery () is a village and civil parish located in Fingal, County Dublin, Ireland. The town has historically been called in Irish (Town of Ruairí). The 2022 census population for Balrothery was 2,282. Geography The village is located ab ...
, County Dublin next door to North County Cricket Club. The club plans further major development including new pitches and training areas. On Friday 14 November 2008 the 500 Lux Flood Lighting system was turned on for the first time on the main pitch, soon to be followed by the second pitch. The third full-size sand-based all-weather pitch was opened during the 2009–10 season. In 2020, the club opened the highly-anticipated clubhouse: the club's first permanent clubhouse since its establishment.


Other sports

Balrothery Balbriggan Tennis Club is a Tennis Ireland member club serving Balrothery, Balbriggan and surrounding areas. Balbriggan Cricket Club's home ground is in the 'Town Park', beside the Catholic Church. Balbriggan Golf Club is an 18-hole parkland golf course, about 30 km north of Dublin city, established in 1945, and redeveloped in 2007–09. Ringcommons Pitch & Putt club was established in 1998 and has an 18-hole pitch and putt course.


Religion

Balbriggan is a Roman Catholic
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
in the Fingal North deanery of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin 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 Roman civilization * Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter ...
. The parish church is the Church of Ss. Peter and Paul, with Mass available in English and Polish. This church features two stained glass windows by
Harry Clarke Henry Patrick Clarke (17 March 1889 – 6 January 1931) was an Irish stained-glass artist and book illustrator. Born in Dublin, he was a leading figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement. His work was influenced by both the Art Nouveau ...
. In the
Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland (, ; , ) is a Christian church in Ireland, and an autonomy, autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the Christianity in Ireland, second-largest Christian church on the ...
structure, Balbriggan forms part of a combined parish with Balrothery and Balscadden. The parish church, on Church Street, is dedicated to St. George. There are
Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
and
Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...
congregations which meet on Dublin Street and Hampton Street.


References in literature

The village is mentioned in
James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (born James Augusta 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 influentia ...
's short story " The Dead". Gabriel Conroy, the main character/narrator, mentions his brother is a
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
priest in Balbriggan. The vampire Cassidy, one of the main characters in
Garth Ennis Garth Ennis (born 16 January 1970) is a Northern Irish-American comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series ''Preacher'' with artist Steve Dillon, his nine-year run on Marvel Comics' ''Punisher'' franchise, and '' The Boys'' with artist Dar ...
's comic book series ''
Preacher A preacher is a person who delivers sermons or homilies on religious topics to an assembly of people. Less common are preachers who Open-air preaching, preach on the street, or those whose message is not necessarily religious, but who preach com ...
'', was born in Balbriggan in 1900. Jacek, the lead character in the novel ''Pantha rhei'' by Kamil Brach, discovers that his biography has changed after travelling back from the future. While searching for his "new" past he discovers accidentally that his alter ego from his reality lived with his fiancée in Balbriggan, and his disappearance didn't go unnoticed. While on the train, near the train station, Jacek sees a poster with his face on and he goes into the city. Looking for information he passes Mill Street. Eventually, he is recognised by a waitress in Molly's Café.


Notable people

* Diane Caldwell, footballer for the Republic of Ireland national team * Sinéad de Valera (1878–1975), author and wife of former
Taoiseach The Taoiseach (, ) is the head of government or prime minister of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the President of Ireland upon nomination by Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...
and President
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 an American-born Irish statesman and political leader. He served as the 3rd President of Ire ...
* Jordan Doherty, Irish footballer for
Tampa Bay Rowdies The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tie ...
* George Hamilton (1732–1793), politician, judge and local landowner, owner of Hampton Hall, who did much to improve the town and harbour of Balbriggan * George Alexander Hamilton (1802–1871), MP, civil servant and local landowner, grandson of George Hamilton and like him a noted benefactor of the town *
Harry Reynolds Harry Reynolds may refer to: * Harry Reynolds (''EastEnders''), fictional character * Harry Reynolds (''Home and Away''), fictional character * Butch Reynolds (born 1964), American 400 meters sprinter * Harry Reynolds (cyclist) (1874–1940), I ...
(1874–1940), first Irishman to win the world championship in cycling in 1896. In 2005 Harry Reynolds Road in Balbriggan was named in his honour. * Lesley Roy (born 1986), singer/songwriter who represented Ireland at the
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
and
2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...
* Trevor Sargent (born 1960), former leader of the Green Party and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine * Gertie Shields (1930–2015), founder of "Mothers against Drink Driving" and member of the town council


Twinning

Balbriggan is twinned with the following places: * Belmar, United States * Sankt Wendel, Germany


See also

* List of towns and villages in Ireland * Market Houses in Ireland


References


External links


Balbriggan.info
A local website for residents and visitors, with photos, news, events, shopping, businesses, clubs, leisure, schools, history
Balbriggan.net

Balbriggan Summerfest

Balbriggan Cricket Club
{{Authority control Beaches of Fingal Towers in the Republic of Ireland Balrothery East Townlands of Fingal Populated coastal places in the Republic of Ireland