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Tallaght (Tamhlacht in Irish) is a large town and suburban area at the foot of the Dublin - Wicklow mountains. It is the capital of the administrative county of South Dublin and is situated 13 Kilometeres south west of Dublin city.
Tallaght has a large urban area. It stretches from the Spawell and Tymon Park (which separate it from Templeogue) in the east out to Saggart and Citywest in the West and from Ballycullen and Knocklyon in the south to Clondalkin and Walkinstown in the North. Bohernabreena is its highest centre of population, being located in the Dublin - Wicklow mountains. Because of the large amount of space Tallaght takes up, many believe it should be designated as a city. It has the third largest population of any urban area in the Republic of Ireland, after Dublin City and Cork City. It is, however, considered as part of the Greater Dublin Area.
Since the early 1970s, Tallaght has developed from a small village into a huge suburban area, which now has all the characteristics (size, infrastructure, residential and business areas) of a self-generating new town with a population of over 100,000 (bigger than Galway city - 65,832 and Limerick city - 54,023). Tallaght is connected to Dublin city centre by extensive Dublin Bus services and the Red Line of the Luas light rail system, opened in September 2004.
Although part of the larger urban area of Dublin, it has a distinctive identity, arising largely from its rapid growth during the 1970s and is characterised by many of the same problems associated with unplanned fringe areas of many European cities. Although during the 1970s and 80s it had become synonymous with suburban mismanagement, Tallaght now has a thriving local arts, cultural and economic outlook matched by a distinctive sense of place. Along with libraries and local arts groups it can boast two theatre buildings and a home-grown youth theatre company. It is also the home of the National Basketball Arena and several notable martial arts schools and GAA clubs.
History
Tallaght is Middle Irish for "plague grave", and is mentioned in Lebor Gabála Érenn (or Book Of Invasions) as being the burial place of thousands of Partholonians who died from the Black Death. Saint Maelruain established a monastic settlement in Tallaght in 796. By this time Tallaght and Finglas were considered centres of learning and were also known as the "Eyes of Ireland". The monastery was later burned down by the Vikings in AD 811 but continued into the Norman era .
Throughout the greater part of the 13th century a state of comparative peace existed at Tallaght, but subsequently the O’Byrnes and O’Tooles took offensive action and were joined by many of the Archbishop’s tenants. As a result of this the land was not tilled, the pastures were not stocked and the holdings were deserted. In 1310 the bailiffs of Tallaght got a royal grant to enclose the town. No trace of these defensive walls survive and we don’t have any evidence of their exact location, except for the name of the Watergate Bridge which spans the stream on the Oldbawn Road. Such raids also prompted the construction, in 1324, of Tallaght castle. Tallaght was an important defensive site on the edge of the Pale.
Tallaght was also a centre for Fenian activity. On the 5th of March 1867 the police station at Tallaght became the scene of the 'Battle of Tallaght' which took place between the police and the Dublin Fenians. The rebellion ultimately failed for a number of reasons, but primarily because the rebels plans were betrayed to the authorities who were prepared for the event. In addition, several Fenian leaders had been arrested prior to the insurrection.
Many mills were built along the Dodder during the 17th and 18th centuries and this brought new prosperity which saw the building of many houses in the area. The LUAS was not the first rail system to service Tallaght. In 1888 the Dublin to Blessington Steam Tramway opened and it passed through Tallaght Village. This provided a new means of transporting goods and also brought day-trippers from the city.
On 2 September 1987 Alan Dukes, the leader of the opposition Fine Gael party, delivered a speech to the Tallaght Chamber of Commerce in which the policy which became known as the Tallaght Strategy was outlined.
Chronology
769 St. Maelruain’s Monastery founded
792 Death of St. Maelruain
811 St. Maelruain’s Monastery devastated by the Vikings
1179 Tallaght and its appurtenances confirmed to the See of Dublin
1310 Bailiffs of Tallaght given royal grant to enclose the town
1324 Building commenced on Tallaght Castle
1331/2 Tallaght Castle plundered by O’Toole of Imaile
1378 Mathew son of Redmond de Bermingham took up station at Tallaght castle to resist the O’ Byrnes
1540 O’ Toole’s invaded and devastated Tallaght Castle & surrounding manors
1635 Old Bawn House built
1729 Tallaght Castle Demolished
1729 Archbishop’s Palace built by Archbishop Hoadley
1822 Archbishop’s Palace demolished by Major Palmer, who then built Tallaght House
1829 Parish Church of Ireland built
1856 Tallaght House sold to Dominicans
1864 St. Mary’s Priory built
1867 Battle of Tallaght
1883 New Priory Church built
1888 Dublin to Blessington Steam tramway starts running, passes through Tallaght Village
1955 New retreat house built at Priory, enclosing Tallaght House
1987 | Alan Dukes outlines the Tallaght Strategy to the Tallaght Chamber of Commerce
1992 Institute of Technology, Tallaght opened.
1994 South Dublin County Council comes into existence. Its headquarters are at Tallaght. Tallaght Youth Theatre is founded.
1999 Civic Theatre opens.
2004 Luas Red Line opened, running from Tallaght to Connolly Station.
Areas of Tallaght
Tallaght can be considered as being split up into many different areas. Centrally, Tallaght Village is the area from the east side of the Village, Main Road and Main Street to the Abberley Court Hotel at the end of High Street. To the east of the Village lies the Tymon North/Balrothery area. This includes estates such as Bancroft, Balrothery, Glenview, Castle Park, Bolbrook and Avonbeg.
Tymon Park is Ireland's second largest city park which borders Greenhills, Templeogue and Tymon North, it contains extensive sporting grounds, ponds and one of Ireland's largest playgrounds at the Templeogue entrance. Old Bawn is south of the village, bordered by Watergate Park in the north, to Firhouse Road West in the south, and by Old Bawn Road in the east and Kiltipper Way in the west. To the east of Old Bawn, estates include Home Lawns, Avonbeg, Mountain Park, Millbrook Lawns and Seskin View. Kiltipper and Aylesbury lie adjacent to Old Bawn to the South along the Dodder river. Firhouse lies in the south of Tallaght, on the other side of the Dodder.
To the west of The Square, between the by-pass and Belgard Road, there are estates such as such as Springfield and Virginia Heights, named after the last great farmhouse of central Tallaght. The estates of Cushlawn, Killinarden, Knockmore, Donomore, Jobstown, Fettercairn and Kiltalown lie to the far west. This part of Tallaght is seen as a run-down area due to a high crime rate, giving it the somewhat ironic nickname of "The Northside Embassy". However, with the exception of Jobstown, there have been no official statistics to prove this claim. Further west lie newer estates such as Deselby, Mountain View, The Belfry, Ardmore, Westbrook Glen, Saggart Abbey and Carrigmore. These are private estates.
Belgard Green, Belgard Heights and Kingswood Heights are situated at the north end of Tallaght, bordering with Clondalkin, on either side of the Belgard Road. Adjacent to Kingswood Heights is Kilnamanagh, once the largest private housing estates in Europe until the Petrzalka estate in Bratislava took that title. Tallaght Theatre is situated near Kilnamanagh, along the Greenhills Road.
Features
It is also home to The Square, one of Ireland's largest shopping centres. The centre is built over three levels and accessible by the Luas and many bus services. Anchor tenants at the centre include Tesco Ireland, Roches Stores, Easons, and Dunnes Stores. A multiplex cinema operated by United Cinemas International is also present, along with several restaurants (including Eddie Rockets, McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC). A major hotel, the Plaza, is adjacent to the site. Unlike other shopping centres in Ireland, the Square is not only a commercial but a civic centre. The Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the Health Service Executive (Eastern Region) and FÁS all have offices in the complex.
Across from the Square is the site of the planned new Shamrock Rovers soccer ground, the Tallaght Stadium, which is currently marred by financial problems. On the other side of the Square is the head offices of the South Dublin County Council, Tallaght Library and the Tallaght Civic Theatre. The Adelaide and Meath Hospital is also located nearby. The technical college, Institute of Technology, Tallaght, is located in the historic quarter of Tallaght Village, east of the Square.
Tallaght has been known also for holding a St. Patrick's Day parade which, due to excessive cost, did not occur in 2004 or 2005. The parade returned in 2006. Despite bad weather, there was a significant turnout for the parade, which lasted approximately one and a half hours. The parade included performances from the Tallaght Youth Band, Acrobatic performers and demonstrations from St. Mark's Taekwondo School and the Civil Defence. It also welcomed the Tour de France on Sunday, July 12th 1998.
Current Development
Several new apartment buildings have recently been finished west of the Square, including a controversial twelve storey building on the site of the farmhouse known as "Virginia House". This new building will become the largest in Tallaght, indeed one of the largest in Ireland, being only slightly smaller than Liberty Hall in the city centre. Construction was delayed when residents in Virginia Heights objected to the demolition of the old farmhouse from which the name of their estate comes. Objections were also made concerning blocked sunlight and lack of privacy, but these were overturned in court. It was appropriately named 'Virginia Hall'. In South Dublin County Council the plan was voted on with all parties voting in favour with the exception Sinn Féin and the Labour Party. A new arts centre for South Dublin County is planned for a site that may be called 'Millennium Square', near to County Hall. Intensive work will be undertaken in the near future to further integrate Sean Walsh Park with the new Town Centre of Tallaght. Part of this development may require that the Tallaght By-pass to be transformed into a boulevard linking the two areas.
Politics
Tallaght is in the Dublin South West Dáil constituency. Voters tend to favour left of centre candidates. The 2002 General Election election saw Seán Crowe of Sinn Féin get elected at the first count. Pat Rabbitte, leader of the Labour Party, was also elected along with Charlie O'Connor and Conor Lenihan of Fianna Fáil.
Notable People
Famous Tallaght people include the artist Evie Hone (1894-1955); the well known folklorist, Malachi Horan (1847-1945); the writer Katharine Tynan (1861-1931); wood engraver, figure painter and illustrator Elizabeth Rivers (1903-1964); the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, George Otto Simms (1910-1991); the artist and sculptor Oisín Kelly (1915-1981); the journalist, and worlds first war-correspondent, William Howard Russell (1821-1907); and soccer player Robbie Keane (1980-present), who is currently the captain of both the English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Republic of Ireland national football team.
References
Useful Websites
See also
"Tallaght"