Mulhuddart
Encyclopedia
Mulhuddart is a suburb situated to the north-west of Dublin city, in the barony of Castleknock, Ireland
. The River Tolka
passes near the village.
now by-passes the village. It is located near Blanchardstown
, now also a suburb of Dublin.
Mulhuddart village essentially comprises a main street, which was the old Navan
Road, on which there are a petrol station, a few shops and cafés and a school. Though the village has been by-passed, an under-pass connects the main street to Blakestown. Mulhuddart includes the suburban localities of Ladyswell, and Manorfield, together with townlands such as Priesttown. Newer estates to the west of the village such as Swallowbrook and Pheasant's Run are within the townland of Mulhuddart.
Located on the outskirts of the village is the Damastown Industrial Estate
, one of Dublin's largest industrial estates which includes a large IBM
campus employing over 4,000 people. To the north is the village of Tyrrelstown
, with a sizable modern housing development.
Mullach Eadartha meaning "the hill of the milking place". In ancient Ireland, cows were driven out onto upland pastures during the summer months and special places were designated for their milking.
Many townland names surrounding the village owe their origins to Norman settlers who colonised the area after the Norman
capture of Dublin in 1170. "Buzzardstown" is so called after the family of William Bossard and "Tyrrellstown" is named after a branch of the Tyrrells, who were created barons of Castleknock
in 1173.
The townland of Goddamendy is perhaps the only townland in Ireland containing a prayer in its name. Tradition has it that when a priest arrived late for the anointing of a dying man, the dead man's relative cursed the priest, who replied "May God amend thee!"
of Ireland Sheet 50 map also shows a graveyard and burial ground at Cloghran.
Muluddart Church, the Church of Mary, stands above the village on a hill which until recently, before housing development began to encroach, afforded fine views of the Wicklow Mountains
(the mountains are still visible, though not as prominently). The church stands on a curved mound, suggesting it was built on the site of an earlier church which was protected by an enclosure. The current ruins post-date the Anglo-Norman
settlement of the area.
County Council area (following the abolition of County Dublin
as an administrative division of the state) and in the 2009 local elections for the Castleknock ward, which covers the Mulhuddart area, the following candidates were elected to the four seats (with percentage share of first preference vote): Joe Higgins (Socialist Party) 28.07%, Eithne Loftus (Fine Gael) 22.45%, Peggy Hamill (Labour) 16.32% and Mags Murray (Fianna Fáil) 12.44%.
Mulhuddart is in the Dublin West Dail constituency.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The River Tolka
River Tolka
The River Tolka is one of Dublin's three main rivers, flowing from County Meath to Fingal, within the old County Dublin, and through the north of Dublin city, Ireland. It is one of Dublin's three main rivers, the others being the Liffey and the Dodder...
passes near the village.
Location and access
The N3 dual carriagewayDual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
now by-passes the village. It is located near Blanchardstown
Blanchardstown
Blanchardstown is a large suburb of Dublin in the district of Fingal, Ireland. It is within the historical barony of Castleknock. It is located 10 km north-west of the city centre. The suburb is in the Dublin 15 postal area, the Dublin West electoral constituency, and Fingal County...
, now also a suburb of Dublin.
Mulhuddart village essentially comprises a main street, which was the old Navan
Navan
-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
Road, on which there are a petrol station, a few shops and cafés and a school. Though the village has been by-passed, an under-pass connects the main street to Blakestown. Mulhuddart includes the suburban localities of Ladyswell, and Manorfield, together with townlands such as Priesttown. Newer estates to the west of the village such as Swallowbrook and Pheasant's Run are within the townland of Mulhuddart.
Located on the outskirts of the village is the Damastown Industrial Estate
Damastown
Damastown is the name of two townlands in Dublin, Ireland.-Fingal:In Fingal Damastown is a townland of the village of Naul previously a small village complete with Catholic Church, Saint Canice's, which is still in use, and national school which was is now a family home, the area is now sparsely...
, one of Dublin's largest industrial estates which includes a large IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
campus employing over 4,000 people. To the north is the village of Tyrrelstown
Tyrrelstown
Tyrrelstown is a rapidly expanding village located 13 km northwest of the city of Dublin in Ireland. The local authority for the area, which forms part of the Dublin 15 postal district, is Fingal County Council.-History:...
, with a sizable modern housing development.
Placenames
The origins and meaning of the name Mulhuddart are unknown. However a number of explanations are offered, the most likely being that the name came from the IrishIrish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
Mullach Eadartha meaning "the hill of the milking place". In ancient Ireland, cows were driven out onto upland pastures during the summer months and special places were designated for their milking.
Many townland names surrounding the village owe their origins to Norman settlers who colonised the area after the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
capture of Dublin in 1170. "Buzzardstown" is so called after the family of William Bossard and "Tyrrellstown" is named after a branch of the Tyrrells, who were created barons of Castleknock
Castleknock
Castleknock is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the west of the modern administrative county of Fingal within the traditional county of Dublin. It is located west of the centre of Dublin....
in 1173.
The townland of Goddamendy is perhaps the only townland in Ireland containing a prayer in its name. Tradition has it that when a priest arrived late for the anointing of a dying man, the dead man's relative cursed the priest, who replied "May God amend thee!"
Features
There are a number of antiquities and old houses in the area. These include the ruins of the Church of Mary, Our Lady's Well, Mulhuddart National School and Parlickstown House. The Ordnance SurveyOrdnance Survey Ireland
Ordnance Survey Ireland is the national mapping agency of the Republic of Ireland and, together with the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland , succeeded, after 1922, the Irish operations of the United Kingdom Ordnance Survey. It is part of the Public service of the Republic of Ireland...
of Ireland Sheet 50 map also shows a graveyard and burial ground at Cloghran.
Muluddart Church, the Church of Mary, stands above the village on a hill which until recently, before housing development began to encroach, afforded fine views of the Wicklow Mountains
Wicklow Mountains
The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous upland area in Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into Counties Carlow, Wexford and Dublin. Where the mountains extend into County Dublin, they are known locally as the Dublin Mountains...
(the mountains are still visible, though not as prominently). The church stands on a curved mound, suggesting it was built on the site of an earlier church which was protected by an enclosure. The current ruins post-date the Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
settlement of the area.
Government and representation
Mulhuddart is located in the FingalFingal
Fingal is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. With its county seat located in Swords, it has a population of 239,992 according to the 2006 census...
County Council area (following the abolition of County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
as an administrative division of the state) and in the 2009 local elections for the Castleknock ward, which covers the Mulhuddart area, the following candidates were elected to the four seats (with percentage share of first preference vote): Joe Higgins (Socialist Party) 28.07%, Eithne Loftus (Fine Gael) 22.45%, Peggy Hamill (Labour) 16.32% and Mags Murray (Fianna Fáil) 12.44%.
Mulhuddart is in the Dublin West Dail constituency.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland