Finglas

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

Finglas Fionnghlas
Town
Church of the Annunciation
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
City council	Dublin city
Population  (2006)
• Urban	31,529
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
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. Finglas is also a civil parish in the Barony of Castleknock. 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. Finglas is also home to the Leg end Ger McGuinness,Ger works for eircom and sleeps all day.

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. The name may also refer to the civil parish in the Barony of Castleknock.

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. The Finglas or Finglass family, prominent in law and politics in the sixteenth century, took their name from the district.

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. Excavation works at the site in the early 1990s 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. It 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 early 20th century Irish history including Barry, Casement, Plunkett, Mellows, McKee, Clune and Clancy.

Amenities

In the village centre are a range of shops, including one of the first-established Superquinn stores, banking facilities, pubs and restaurants. 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 the 88n Nitelink service. Four Bus Éireann routes also serve Finglas, passing along the main Finglas Road, including the 103 from Duleek to UCD and the 107 from Navan and Kentstown to UCD.

People

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

• Patrick Finglas (died 1537), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland
• 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.
• Football manager Pat Fenlon
• All Ireland winning Dublin GAA players: Barney Rock, Jason Sherlock, James McCarthy, Philip McMahon and Charlie Redmond
• Mairead Farrell, radio and television personality
• Séamus Ennis, Uilleann piper
• Paul "Bono" Hewson. lead singer of U2
• 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
• Tony Fenton, Today FM Disc Jockey
• John Fogarty CSSp, Superior General of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit

Town partnerships

• Canton, Massachusetts

See also

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