Finglas

For an Ent from Tolkien's legendarium, see Finglas (Middle-earth).

Finglas Fionnghlas
—  Town  —
Church of the Annunciation
Finglas Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°23′25″N 6°17′59″W
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	County Dublin
Population (2006)
• Urban	31,529
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
• Summer (DST)	IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference	O136398

Finglas (Irish: Fionnghlas, meaning "clear streamlet") is a residential suburb, with a village core. It is on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland, and lies in the postal district Dublin 11. A couple of kilometres from Dublin Airport, it is situated at Junction 5 of the M50 and the N2 national primary road leading to Ashbourne and beyond. Nearby city districts include Glasnevin and Ballymun while the village of St. Margaret's is a little to the north.

Name

The name Finglas (Irish: Fionnghlas), meaning a clear streamlet, is derived from the Finglas River, a stream which flows through the village and joins the Tolka at Finglas Bridge.

History

Early history

Finglas was originally the site of an Early Christian abbey, the origin of which has been associated, from early times, with the name of St. Cainnech, or Canice, the patron of Kilkenny, said to have founded it in 560 A.D. The Nethercross from the first abbey can be seen today in the old graveyard. Several primary schools and churches in the area have been named after Canice. According to an ancient legend, the ground on which Finglas stands had been sanctified by St. Patrick, who is said to have uttered from it a prophecy that a great town would arise at the ford of hurdles in the vale beneath. St. Canice is said to have been born at Glengiven near Derry.

Following the Battle of the Boyne, Finglas was used as a camp for four days by William of Orange en route to Dublin city. He is believed to have camped near the Labour Exchange building on Mellowes Road and to the rear of Glebe House with access from Church Street, during excavation works at the site in the early 1990's they found what is believed to be fortifications dating from this time.

20th century onwards

In 1932, Ireland's first commercial airport was set up at Kildonan in Finglas, and was the site for the first Irish commercial aircraft, a Desoutter Mark II aircraft "EI-AAD", and the first commercial air taxi service, the Iona National Air Taxis and Flying School.

In the 1950s Finglas was developed with extensive housing estates, to re-house many north inner-city Dublin residents. Many of these housing estates particularly in Finglas West were named after prominent Irish republicans from the early 20th century Irish history including Barry, Casement, Plunkett, Mellows, McKee, Clune and Clancy.

Finglas has grown at a rapid pace in recent years and continues to do so. Large private developments have sprung up around the village, as with most areas of Dublin's north west (e.g. Glasnevin) and west (e.g. Castleknock and Blanchardstown). Many previously dilapidated areas of the village have been torn down and much of the local unused land has been leveled for construction. The old dairy plant in southern Finglas which had been left derelict for many years has made way for several modern apartment blocks, the adjacent land also being used for a similar development namely Prospect Hill. In addition, there are many other residential, retail, and industrial development projects underway.

Amenities

In the village centre are a range of shops, including one of the first-established Superquinn stores, banking facilities and pubs and restaurants, including the Shamrock Lodge on Seamus Ennis Road. To the north are several light industrial estates.

Finglas is home to one of Dublin's four Driving Testing Centres.

Sports

The Rugby Union club Unidare RFC and the GAA club Erins Isle are based in the area. Soccer clubs include Tolka Rovers F.C., Valley Park United, WFTA Football Club, Willows FC and Finglas Celtic FC.

Politics

Finglas is part of the Dublin North West constituency for elections to Dáil Éireann. For local elections, it is part of the Ballymun/Finglas local electoral area of Dublin City Council.

Education

There are upwards of 15 primary and national schools in the Finglas area, and approximately 8 secondary schools. Coláiste Íde is in Finglas West and offers third level courses.

Transport

Finglas is served by a number of Dublin Bus routes. These include the 17A, 9, 40/A/D, 83, 104, 140 & 220 (Route 240 which ran for less than a year in 2009 was recently abolished for its under use in the community. Instead Dublin Bus decided to extend some of the 40A journeys to Toberburr where the 240 began its journey). It is also served by many Nitelink services (40N & 88N). Two Bus Éireann routes also pass through Finglas along the main Finglas Road, the 103 from Duleek to UCD and the 107 from Navan to Busáras.

People

Finglas has been the home of many public figures such as:

• Dick McKee, Irish Republican Army volunteer
• Martin Doherty, Irish Republican Army volunteer
• Dessie Ellis, Community activist and local Sinn Féin TD
• Irish international footballers: Ronnie Whelan, Frank Stapleton, David O'Leary, Mark Kinsella, Stephen Kelly and Alan Moore.
• All Ireland winning Dublin GAA players: Barney Rock and Charlie Redmond
• Séamus Ennis, Uilleann piper
• Christy Dignam, Joe Jewell and Alan Downey. Aslan musicians
• Niamh Kavanagh, Eurovision Song Contest 1993 winner, and Irish representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
• Brendan O'Carroll, Comedian and actor
• Colm Meaney, Actor
• Dermot Bolger, Writer and poet, whose novels "The Woman's Daughter" and "Night Shift" are set in Finglas.
• Spiral, a former Big Brother contestant, who wrote, performed and released a song about Finglas
• Olympic cyclists Alan and Paul McCormack, 1976 and 1988 respectively, Tom Daly An Ras Tailteann, Irish Olympians handbook^{[citation needed]}
• Tony Fenton, Today FM Disc Jockey

Town partnerships

• Canton, Massachusetts

See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland
• List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Dublin)