Talk:Booterstown

I grew up in Booterstown. I remember that it was also a Roman Catholic (RC) parish (possibly also a Church of Ireland parish). It also always seemed, geographically at least, to have an identity crisis in relation to Blackrock it's southern neighbour. I think it was twinned, as one of the richest RC parishes in Dublin, with Kilinarden parish, one of the poorest RC parishes, also in Dublin. I recall, probably poorly, that this was to do with a left-leaning priest named Denis Carroll.--Ekilfeather 00:49, 28 June 2006 (UTC)

Booterstown/Blackrock

Another Dollymount/Clontarf issue. Booterstown is commonly referred to both ways; often by the same people depending on the context. Booterstown is in the Blackrock postal district; places taken locally to be in Booterstown like Cross Avenue have the address "Blackrock - even the heart of Booterstown is addressed as Booterstown Avenue, Blackrock, County Dublin. In other cases like this where an area appears to be part of a larger suburb yet still has a clear and long-standing identity I have categorised them as separate suburbs AND as areas in the "main" suburb. We shouldn't try to fix one solution in Wiki when the real world happily copes with ambiguity! (Also, historically, Blackrock RC parish was carved out of Booterstown Parish in about 1840 and Booterstown seems to have existed before Blackrock). (Sarah777 00:25, 13 June 2007 (UTC))

I was wondering about this and i read your comments in the Blackrock article too, having lived in Booterstown my entire life and i still dont have a definite answer. There are really no identifiable boundary lines, my address can be given as Booterstown Co.Dublin, Blackrock Co.Dublin or Booterstown Blackrock Co.Dublin and with all 3 mail will get delivered just the same. As far as postal boundaries are concerned they cant be relied upon because in fact some postage is routed to me through the Stillorgan office and some through Blackrock with no real explanation. In my opinion the most valid is the original parish church reach, if we are go by this Booterstown extends to include Williamstown and Cross Avenue and up to the now N11 where St Helens house is (now the Radisson Hotel) although i am seeking references for this before i would add it. Anyway im aiming to improve the article by taking pictures of Booterstown Church and maybe St Helens House and expanding on their History as they are the most important landmarks of the area. I was also considering adding a Notable People section and adding links to Eamon De Valera, Lord Fitzwilliam and Michael Collins as they all resided in the area, although the boundary issue must be resolved first. --Pete Gas (talk) 16:26, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

I don't think anyone who knows the area would dispute that all of Booterstown Avenue, it's side streets, Williamstown and Cross Avenue (bar maybe the extreme Mount Merrion Ave end) are part of Booterstown). Where is the parish (RC) boundary between Blackrock and Booterstown on Cross Anvenue? Sarah777 (talk) 21:52, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Booterstown is, ad always has been, quite distinct from Blackrock, which it pre-existed. Remember that Blackrock was a small fishing village until about 60 years ago. The address thing is nothing - much more remote areas also have Blackrock in the address, due to old postal methods, and the resistance to numbering the south city areas.

The real question is whether Williamstown, another old area, still has any separate identity from Blackrock... 194.186.220.55 (talk) 12:47, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

Does it have a separate identity from Booterstown, even? Blackrock had long ceased to be a fishing village (if it ever was one, which I doubt) by the time the railway passed through in 1838; so 60 years is a bit wide of the mark! When there was a township of Blackrock, Booterstown (and Williamstown) were part of it; that may be the root of current address. This article (and the Blackrock one) could do with a good history sections about how the places evolved. Sarah777 (talk) 09:02, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

It was indeed, though 160 years would be more accurate, maybe. As at 1837:

BLACKROCK: a village, in the parish of MONKSTOWN, half-barony of RATHDOWN, county of DUBLIN, and province of LEINSTER...This place, which is situated on the southern shore of Dublin bay, consists of one principal street extending along the road from Dublin to the head of the village, and continued along the two roads which meet there from Kingstown, also of several minor streets and avenues, containing altogether 308 houses irregularly built, of which some are in pleasant and retired situations. The village itself possesses few pleasing features, but the country around it is beautifully diversified, and the immediate vicinity is embellished with numerous detached villas surrounded with pleasure grounds disposed with much taste.

And Booterstown, which was then rather bigger than Blackrock:

BOOTERSTOWN, a parish in the half-barony of RATHDOWN, county of DUBLIN...This place is situated on the road from Dublin to Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) and Bray (Co. Wicklow), and on the southern coast of Dublin Bay, the shores of which here assume a most interesting and beautifully picturesque appearance. ... the land swells into the romantic hill of Mount Anville, with slopes richly wooded and embellished with numerous handsome seats, and to the east are the projecting high grounds of the Blackrock covered to the waters edge with trees. The parish comprises 450 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £1589 per annum; the substratum is chiefly limestone and limestone gravel.

The village, with those of Williamstown and Blackrock, nearly forms a continuous extent of town ; and within the parish are the avenues of Merrion, Cross, Sydney and Williamstown, in each of which are rows of neat houses, with numerous detached villas. This place is much frequented during the summer season on account of its facilities for sea-bathing and its fine strand of smooth sand; numerous lodging-houses have been prepared for the accommodation of visitors ; and a cross embankment communicating with the railway, which is carried on an embankment through the sea in front of the town, at a short distance from high water mark, has been constructed for their convenience. The twopenny post has three deliveries daily from the metropolis, and a constant and rapid communication with the city is maintained by the railway and by cars, which ply in both directions.

The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Dublin, erected out of the parish of Donnybrook by act of council in 1821... The church is a handsome structure, in the later English style, with a square embattled tower with crocketed pinnacles at the angles, and surmounted by a lofty spire; the walls are strengthened with buttresses terminating in pinnacles, and crowned with an embattled parapet. It was erected in 1824, on a piece of ground given by the late Earl of Pembroke in Cross Avenue, at an expense of £5000, of which sum, £2700 was a gift from the late Board of First Fruits; and contains neat monuments to James Digges Latouche and Richard Vererhoyle, Esqrs.

In the R. C. divisions this parish forms the head of a union or district including also parts of the parishes of Donnybrook, Kill, Monkstown, Rathfarnham, Stillorgan, and Taney. The chapel is a spacious and handsome edifice, erected at the sole expense of the late Earl Fitzwilliam; there are also chapels at Blackrock and Dundrum.

A neat parochial school-house, with apartments for a master and mistress, was built in 1826, near the church, at an expense of £600, defrayed by subscription; and an infants school was built adjoining the former in 1833, in which is kept a parochial lending library ; these schools are supported by subscription and collections at charity sermons.

In connection with the R. C. chapel is a girls' s school, to which Mrs. Verschoyle contributes £20 per annum. Here is a dispensary; and a Dorcas Society is supported by subscription and collections at charity sermons.

Cheers, 194.154.66.226 (talk) 21:43, 31 May 2009 (UTC)