Ballyfermot

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Ballyfermot (Irish: Baile Formaid ) is a suburb in the city of Dublin, Ireland.

It is located 7 kilometers due west from the city centre, and lies to the south of the Phoenix Park. It is bordered to the north by Chapelizod, to the south by Walkinstown, to the east by Inchicore, and to the west by Palmerstown and Clondalkin.

The River Liffey lies to the north, and the Grand Canal, now a recreational waterway, borders the south.

History

Ballyfermot derives its name from the Old Gaelic translation for Dermot's Town, Baile Formaid. It was named for a local chieftain Dermot Mac Giolla Mocholmog. He lived here around the turn of the first millenium. The Mac Giolla Mocholmog were an ancient sept who ruled the cantred of Ui Dunchada. Ancient Ui Dunchada covered much of the medieval Barony of Newcastle. It extended across south west Dublin from the Liffey to north west Wicklow. The sept held sway in commercial activity in and around the Danish city of Dublin.

The 12th century saw the Cambro Normans expand west from Pembroke in Wales into south east Leinster. In 1155, the Papal Bull Laudabiliter was proclaimed under the authority of Nicholas Breakspear, Pope Adrian IV. He requested the aid of the Angevin King Henry II. Henry ruled the Norman lands of France, England and South Wales, Naples, Cyprus and the Holy Lands from his seat at Anjou France. Henry was granted the title Lord of Ireland (Dominus Hibernia ) under the 'Donation of Adrian'. Adrian was to receive a grant of a penny per hearth of the anticipated tithe, later called Peter's Pence. Adrian planned to extend Norman rule and culture into Ireland and to bring the country into the European sphere. He enlisted influential Irish churchmen, most notably Malachy of Armagh, in his campaign. He also planned to annex the loosely knit Celtic Christian Church firmly to the rigid feudal hierarchy of the Roman Christian Church system. He wanted firm control of it's governance, finance and administration. The King's knights duly arrived at Wexford in 1169 as allies of Dermot Mc Murrough Ri of Leinster. Mc Murrough was at war with Roderick O'Connor of Connacht, the Ard Ri, and O'Rourke of Breffney. The newcomers moved northwards into the pan midlands province of Meath. They also captured the Danish the city of Dublin. Through grants and intermarriage the Norman knights William Fitzwilliam and Henry Fitzmyler came into possession of land in Ballyfermot. Family names associated with the west Dublin area at this time included O'Cathasaidhe, Le Gros (Large), O'Dualainghe, Tyrell, O'Hennessy, O'Morchain, Dillon, O'Kelly, De Barneval (Barnewall), and Newcomyn (Comyn).

Ballyfermot Castle was built in the fourteenth century by Wolfram De Barneval as a stronghold against the formidable O'Byrnes and O'Tooles. They were relatives of the Mac Giolla Mocholmog who by this time had intermarried with the Normans and were called FitzDermot. The Gaelic Irish families had been discommoded from their aboriginal territory around Naas. They were driven south into the wooded hills. Unlike their FitzDermot relatives, they had not integrated with the Norman Irish. They frequently raided, rustled and burned local bawn enclosures from their inaccessible hillside encampments.

Ballyfermot Castle eventually devolved to the Newcomyn Barnewall family, who held it well into the seventeenth century. Samuel Lewis in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland places a Captain Lamplin as living there in 1834, possibly the last resident. The castle is reputed to have been destroyed by fire.

The famous 19th century newspaper publisher and writer Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, proprietor of the Dublin Evening Mail lived in nearby Chapelizod. Ballyfermot and Chapelizod feature in his novel The House by the Churchyard and some of his other works. This house still adjoins St. Laurence's parish churchyard in Chapelizod. The church, rebuilt in the reign of Queen Anne, alongside the original medieval bell tower, is still in use. It serves the now united parish of Ballyfermot, Palmerstown, and Chapelizod in the Church of Ireland. Le Fanu Road is named after him, as is Le Fanu Park, referred to locally as The Lawns. Le Fanu was a mentor of the writer Bram Stoker of Dracula fame, whom he employed at The Dublin Evening Mail.

At the south end of Le Fanu Park is a mound which covers a local historical site. This is the ruin and churchyard of the rectory church of St. Laurence. It is believed to have originated as a Ceile Dé monastic establishment of the Celtic Christian church, although not on the scale of Tallaght Maelruain or Kilnamanagh. The ruins had interesting beehive shape cells, and the church was reputed to display a Sheela Na Gig (Sile Na Gighe ) over its main portal. It served Ballyfermot and the surrounding townlands into the late seventeenth century. Among the local people buried here are members of the Newcomyn and Barnewall families. Sir Jacob Newcomyn, Baron of Newcastle is buried here. He was a casualty of the civil wars then raging in Britain and Ireland. His wife, Elizabeth (Barnewall of Drimnagh Castle) died later in 1643. She is buried alongside him. The Newcomyns were influential in Irish governance and legal circles. They resided at Ballyfermot Castle which stood in the great park nearby, now Le Fanu Park. The great park was complete with moat, deer herd, and an aquacultural fish pond. This influential noble family intermarried with the Barnwalls of Drimnagh, the Plunketts of Malahide and the St.Lawrences of Howth. They also married into the Fitzgeralds of Maynooth, and the Nugents, Husseys, Geoghegans and Nagles of Meath and Westmeath. They lost much of their authority, holdings and titles after the Williamite civil wars, during which they supported the defeated Jacobites. The City Council covered the churchyard ruin with topsoil, keeping its contents intact for future historical research. Close to the churchyard was the desmene home farm, last occupied by the Corrigan family. It was orignally surrounded by the walled orchard and gardens. It was subsequently developed for housing.

Local manor houses of note include Johnstown House (St. John's College), Colepark House, Sevenoaks, Floraville, Auburn Villa and Gallanstown House.

Townlands in the Barony of Newcastle, in the County of Dublin, the dairy and stud farms at Ballyfermot Lower (east) and Upper (west) were acquired by the authorities in the 1930s. They were subsequently developed into suburban housing estates to alleviate the post war housing shortage. This development, along with estates at Drimnagh, Crumlin, Walkinstown in the south city, and Cabra West, Finglas and Donneycarney in the north city also provided modern accommodation to facilitate slum clearances by Dublin City Council. The estate built in Ballyfermot Lower was originally called Sarsfield Estate. The street names reflect this theme. Construction began in the late 1940s. The adjacent townlands of Johnstown to the north, then a townland of Palmerstown, Blackditch and Cherry Orchard to the south west, and Raheen and Gallanstown to the south, were subequently developed, and incorporated into the greater area now called Ballyfermot, Dublin 10.

Today

The area is a centre of national commercial distribution, with easy access to the national trunk roads. Ballyfermot is bordered to the north by the N4, to the south by the N7 and to the west by the M50. There is also relative ease of access to the city centre. Some of the major Irish motor distributors are based in Ballyfermot. They include Toyota, Nissan, General Motors, J. C. Bamford (JCB), Harris Assembly and Hilux. They are centred around Kylemore Road, home to many large companies including Thornton's Recycling, C&C, FBD, and Royal Liver Insurance. The industrial estates include Park West and JFK.

There are several hotels and a wide range of pubs and restaurants in the area.

A community based CCTV monitoring scheme for Ballyfermot was launched in early 2003. This is part of the Department of Justice Town Centre CCTV monitoring initiative.

Famous people

Claddagh Road is a folk song about the area written by The Fureys. This local family folk band achieved major international success. Celebrated indentities with residential or educational connections to the Ballyfermot area include TV presenters Joe Duffy and Lorraine Keane. Her father Eamonn Keane along with the late Shay O'Reilly formed The Indians showband. Singer Declan O'Rourke, fiddle player Steve Wickham of The Waterboys, rock musician and agent Joe Geoghegan of the Dreams, guitarist Aaron Mooney of Fifteen Minutes, drummer Maurice Walsh of the Drifters, and showband and cabaret stars Mick Roach, Pat Morris, and Michael O'Doherty began their careers here. In Irish theatre circles, notable former residents are playwright and Aosdána member Jimmy Murphy and Fair City actor Pat Nolan.

Research scientist Seosamh Ó Ruanaidh, and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin also have connections with Ballyfermot.

Ballyfermot is home to The College of Further Education. This unique music, radio, and television arts school is known as the Rock School. Notable graduates from the Rock School include Damien Dempsey, Eurovision star Mickey Joe Harte and Mundy. Many of the newer faces in Irish print radio & television media have studied there.

The renowned De La Salle Boys Band nurtured young musicians here in the 1950s and 60s. Many band members went on to notable success both here and abroad.

Transport

Bus routes from Dublin Bus (78, 78A, 79, 79A, 76, 76A, 76B, 26, 210 at October 2007) and Dualway (123 at October 2007) serve the area. An hourly commuter train service is offered by Irish Rail, to Heuston station at Kingsbridge. The local station is currently at Cherry Orchard. It may be relocated to accommodate the Kildare Route Project. The new station may be located at Killeen Road to facilitate park and ride.

A proposed Dublin Metro route passes to the south. The Luas light rail system also serves Ballyfermot. The stop on the south side is near the Kylemore and Naas Road intersection.

Roads

Landen was the first road in Dublin to acquire speed ramps. They were designed by local engineer Jason Dunne who lives there. The road names in Ballyfermot Upper reflect picturesque places in the West of Ireland. Among these are Claddagh, Clifden, Spiddal, Rossmore, Loch Conn, Drumfin and Inagh Roads. Blackditch Road was a townland boundary ditch built as a result of an ancient family land feud.

Amenities

Cherry Orchard Hospital houses the National Infections Monitoring Centre. The centre played a pivotal role in diagnostics and control during the Foot and Mouth Crisis. It also monitors the Bird Flu epidemic. The hospital also plays a major role in the analysis and diagnoses of MRSA. MRSA is a major health hazard for Irish hospitals.

Cloverhill Courthouse and Remand Centre comprises the district justice complex. It is located between Clondalkin, Palmerstown, and Ballyfermot in Dublin 10. The Wheatfield prison is nearby.

Sport and leisure

Ballyfermot is known for its success in football and other sports.

The Cherry Orchard Football Club takes part in the FAI Carlsberg Senior Cup soccer competition. Many players who started with this team have gone on to play professional football in the English Premiership and associated Divisions. Footballers Andy Reid of Charlton Athletic, , Willo Flood of Cardiff City, Alan Quinn of Sheffield United and Glenn Whelan of Sheffield Wednesday all played for Cherry Orchard. Irish international footballer Seán O'Connor plays for Saint Patrick's Athletic in Ireland's Premier League. John Wilkes, the recently retired manager, has been credited with nurturing some of Cherry orchard FC's numerous successes. Ballyfermot United FC shares some of the origins of Cherry Orchard FC with Joe Kelly. The Ballyfermot United FC social club is located close to Le Fanu Park. Other local soccer clubs include Black Diamonds F.C., C.I.E. Ranch and OLV Football Club.

There are two senior Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) clubs. Ballyfermot De La Salle, formed in 1953 as Ballyfermot Gaels, and Liffey Gaels. De La Salle play their home games in Glenaulin Sports Park, located on the west side of California Hills Park. The Liffey Gaels play their home games at East Timor Park on Sarsfield Road.

The Pigeon Club near Sarsfield Park reflects a local tradition.

Badminton, martial arts, snooker, pool, bowling, squash, handball, raquetball, indoor go-karting, tennis, pitch and putt, fishing, boules, rock-climbing, River Liffey rowing, and table tennis are represented by local clubs.

Local gyms and fitness centres include the Ballyfermot Sports Complex, Sheldon Park Fitness Centre on Kylemore Road, Liffey Valley Fitness on Coldcut Road, Jackie Skelly Fitness in Park West, and the Clarion Hotel Fitness Centre. The new Ballyfermot Sports Centre is under construction.

Pubs and restaurants in the area include Downeys, Fitzgerald's, Chasers, Tim Youngs, Decies County, and Fowlers County Bar.

The Gala is the largest bingo venue in the area. It also houses a large snooker hall. The Gala has seen may recreational uses since its heyday as the major local cinema and concert venue. It opened in 1953. People who grew up here have fond and nostalgic memories of childhood Saturday matinees, complete with weekly episodes of Batman and Super Man. This serial movie was called ' The Follier Upper '. The De La Salle Boys Band under the baton of bandmaster Brother Cyprian played it's annual Christmas ' Rocking Spotlight Concert ' at the Gala.

The junction of Le Fanu Road and Ballyfermot Road was known as Grange Cross. This was the location of champion boxer Eddie Downey's Ritz Ballroom. A popular west Dublin venue in the early rock and roll era, it featured the capital's top rated rock and showbands. Major attractions included John Hardy's Blue Clavons featuring Dickie Rock. The Young Shadows, a local showband that went on to national fame began here in the early sixties. It made it's national debut on RTE's Showband Show in August 1963 live in black and white. Pat Long sang with Liam Campelli and Eamon Pollard on guitars, Paddy O' Keefe on bass, Paddy Holgate on drums, Jimmy O' Neill on trumpet and Joe Geoghegan on sax and clarinet. The ballroom site now houses a complex of modern retail shopping outlets.

There are a variety of seniors activities, which are organized by the churches, and by local pubs and clubs. Some of the most successful are operated by the seniors themselves.

The Civic Centre shares space with the Ballyfermot Residents Association. A ground breaking Irish movement, B.R.A. was a popular venue for local events since it's inception in the seventies, including a popular weekly disco.

Parks

The California Hills Park is the largest recreational park in the area. The name originated as a colloquialism. There were few designated play facilities in the very early days. The California Hills was the name used by local movie going kids who played Cowboys and Indians there. The name later became official by popular public request. It made a welcome change from the habit of naming parks after political icons. This picturesque sward covers part of the great esker. It overlooks the Liffey Valley from the south. From Le Fanu and Kylemore Roads to the east, it falls away into the splendidly landscaped valley of a Liffey catchment substream. It runsing parallel with the Old Lucan Road. Glenaulin and Drumfin Roads adjoin the park as it stretches in a crescent west to Palmerstown. The Chapelizod Bypass runs North West alongside. Kylemore Road joins the motorway near the West County Hotel. California Hills Park has superb high views north over the Strawberry Beds to the Phoenix Park. The Farmleigh desmene clock tower at Castleknock is prominent. The park is used for football, golf practise, cross country runs and walks and includes a children's play area.

The magnificent Irish War Memorial, Memorial Gardens and Park, designed by Edward Luytens, are accessible from the Sarsfield Road via East Timor Park.

Parks located in the area include Le Fanu Park, Cherry Orchard Park, Glenaulin Sports Park, California Hills Park, Markievitz Park and East Timor Park. Le Fanu Park houses the swimming pool. Markievitz Park is a small park referred to locally as the Matchbox. A small block building on the east side of the park was built to store builder's and painter's supplies and equipment. It has since served the locality in a variety of activities. It was temporary church during the construction of the parish church. An active community centre with weekly hops, it the housed the O.L.V. youth club. It also served as a food centre providing inexpensive hot meals to needy families during the mid century economic depression.

The Grand Canal

The Grand Canal, a vital eighteenth century highway in Ireland's last great economic boom, was a legacy of James FitzGerald, 1st Duke of Leinster. Fitzgerald was a dynamic economic progressive and his Grand Canal company was a state of the art highway for Irish trade, commercial and personal transportation. It was not, however, a great commercial success. The Canal is now a recreational waterway. It passes along the south side of Ballyfermot. Verdant towpath walkways extend continuously to Hazelhatch, Co. Kildare. An historic bridge crosses the canal near the seventh lock at Killeen.

Library and reading clubs

The area is served by Ballyfermot Branch Library. There are several reading clubs in the area. Details of these can be found in the Public Library, The Civic Centre, and the various community centres. The Library also hosts the Nature Club.

Religion

Religious institutions serving the area include the Roman Catholic Church of the Assumption and the Church of St. Matthew in Ballyfermot, St. Laurence's Chapelizod in the Church of Ireland, and a number of Christian Evangelist denominations.

Shopping

The Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, one of Ireland's largest, is located to the west of Ballyfermot at the M50 intersection. Liffey Valley is home to the Vue Cinema complex, and includes flagship stores of Marks & Spencer and Dunne's Stores.

Education

Many excellent educational facilities cater to students among the young population.

Primary schools include:

• De La Salle National School,
• Mary Queen of Angels National Schools
• St. Raphael's National School
• St. Louise's National School
• St. Michael's National School
• Dominican Convent Primary School

Secondary schools include:

• Kylemore College
• St John's De La Salle College
• Dominican Convent Secondary School
• St. Louise's Secondary School

Third level colleges include:

• Ballyfermot College of Further Education

Ballyfermot Community Festival

The Ballyfermot Community Festival takes place annually. It has developed into a major event over the last few years. This year a local band Fifteen Minutes, and Andy Humphreys were successful award winners. Receiving the award he quipped:

" This may be my last performance as a struggling musician. The stars look closer now, closer than the moon".

Ballyfermot under 13s have qualified for the quarter finals of the T.S.B Cup.

' Come on Ballyer............. go get them '

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Last updated on Tuesday March 11, 2008 at 06:14:06 PDT (GMT -0700)
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