Goatstown

Summary

Goatstown (Irish: Baile na nGabhar) is a small Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. To the west is Balally and Dundrum, to the east is Stillorgan, Kilmacud and Blackrock, to the south is Sandyford, and to the north is Belfield and Mount Merrion. It is mainly a residential area, with a primary school called Our Lady's Grove, and two all-girls secondary schools, Mount Anville Secondary School and Our Lady's Grove Secondary School (Previously called Jesus and Mary). There are amenities such as restaurants, a pub, a post office and various shops.

Goatstown
Baile na nGabhar
Suburb
The Goat Grill
The Goat Grill
Goatstown is located in Dublin
Goatstown
Goatstown
Location in Dublin
Goatstown is located in Ireland
Goatstown
Goatstown
Goatstown (Ireland)
Coordinates: 53°17′35″N 6°13′48″W / 53.293°N 6.230°W / 53.293; -6.230
CountryIreland
ProvinceLeinster
CountyDún Laoghaire–Rathdown
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Eircode routing key
D14
Telephone area code+353(0)1

Nature edit

Goatstown is primarily a residential area, with extensive housing developments from the middle decades of the 20th century onwards, with little local industry. It is roughly centred on a pub named the Goat Grill, at the intersection of Goatstown Road and Taney Road, where there has been a pub since the early 18th century.

Etymology edit

Goatstown got its name from the fact that formerly goats were bred there; in the 19th century it was popular to travel to Dundrum and nearby Goatstown as goat's milk was considered to be excellent for those suffering from tuberculosis.[1][2]

Transport edit

A number of roads pass through Goatstown. At the crossroads the R112 passes from west (Taney Road) to east (Mount Anville Road), to the south is the R825 (Goatstown Road) and to the north is the R133 (Lower Kilmacud Road). A short distance from the crossroads is a T-junction where the R826 terminates at the R112 on Taney Road.

The Luas green line runs through the southwest corner of Goatstown and the Dundrum stop is nearby, with the vehicular entrance off Taney Road, as is Balally at Drummartin Road.

The bus routes Dublin Bus 11, 11a and L25 and Go-Ahead Ireland S8 run through Goatstown as well, linking Goatstown to the city centre, Dún Laoghaire and Tallaght. The 75 used to run through Goatstown until 26 November 2023 when it was replaced with the L25.

Development edit

To the east of the Goatstown Road lies former allotment land, much of which was compulsorily purchased during the 1960s for the proposed Eastern Bypass / Saint Helen's link road. A portion of this land is currently being built on by Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council, to provide social and affordable housing.[citation needed]

A Georgian house and remaining surrounding land, known as Trimbleston, was sold in the early 1990s to builders Sorohan Brothers. The house was subsequently damaged in two fires and the remaining ruins were demolished and replaced by a housing and apartment development, also called Trimbleston. Phase two of Trimbleston has recently commenced with the demolition of five two-storey houses on Goatstown Road and the construction of 202 dwelling units in their place and on land to the east owned by the Sorohans.

Notable people edit

Notable events edit

Charlie Chawke, who took over the local pub in 1982 and changed the name from Traynor's to the Goat Grill, was shot in the leg in October 2003 in a robbery and had his right leg amputated five days later.[4]

In another widely publicised case, on 5 March 2008, a jury found Brian Kearney guilty of the murder of his wife, Siobhán Kearney, at their home in Cnoc na Sí, Goatstown in February 2006.[5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Se n S illeabh in (1967), Irish folk custom and belief, Published for the Cultural Relations Committee of Ireland at the Three Candles, p. 24
  2. ^ Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society of London (1902), The Climates and baths of Great Britain, Volume 2, Macmillan, p. 415
  3. ^ William Dargan, Famous People of Ireland
  4. ^ "Chawke gives evidence in robbery trial". RTÉ News. 20 June 2006. Retrieved 23 March 2008.
  5. ^ "Brian Kearney given life sentence for murder of Siobhán". Irish Independent. 5 March 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2009.

External edit

County Council Map for proposed Goatstown Local Area Plan