Fairview, Dublin


Fairview is a coastal suburb of Dublin in Ireland, in the jurisdiction of Dublin City Council. Part of the area forms Fairview Park, a recreational amenity laid-out on land reclaimed from the sea.

Location

Fairview is reached on a main road artery from Dublin city via North Strand, which continues on as the Malahide, Howth and Clontarf Roads. It is served by the Clontarf Road DART station. The area can also be reached by way of several Dublin Bus routes from the city centre, including 14, 15, 27/ABNX, 29A/N, 31/B, 32/ABX, 42/N, 43, 123, and 130.
Neighbouring districts include Marino to the north, North Strand and Ballybough to the west, East Wall to the southwest, and Clontarf to the east.

Name and history

The Irish name seen on street signs opposite Fairview Park, as well as on Fairview Avenue and Fairview Terrace, is Baile Bocht, rather than the current Fionnradharc, which suggests that this area was originally part of Ballybough, the neighbouring community on the far side of the river Tolka.
Fairview began to grow after the building of Annesley Bridge in 1797 opened up easy access to the land; since 1488 there had been no crossing of the River Tolka below Ballybough Bridge.
Administratively, Fairview and Marino were part of the old townland of Clonturk, which also included Drumcondra.
Fairview Strand was formally known as Owen Roe Terrace and Philipsburgh Strand. Philipsburgh Avenue was called Ellis's Lane and a small area around there was known as Annadale, home to one of Dublin's earliest Jewish communities. Annadale House was located in an estate that now comprises Melrose Avenue, Lomond Avenue, Waverly Avenue, and Inverness Road. On Fairview Strand, near Luke Kelly bridge, is Dublin's oldest Jewish Cemetery, Ballybough Cemetery. The graveyard was built in 1718, with a mortuary chapel added in 1857, and contains more than 200 graves. The last burial there was in 1958.

Amenities

The main commercial areas are Fairview, a busy road alongside Fairview Park, and Fairview Strand, a narrower commercial and residential strip running from Edge's Corner around to Luke Kelly Bridge.
St Vincent's Hospital was founded by the Daughters of Charity in 1857. Located on the Richmond Road, it provides psychiatric services for the northeast quadrant of Dublin city.
The area also includes Dublin's first 50-metre swimming pool, at the West Wood Club, built on a former waste depot adjacent to Fairview Park. Other facilities at West Wood include tennis courts, a climbing wall, gym, childcare, day spa, café, squash, football, an Irish-language Montessori, and the Dracula Museum.
Ireland's largest sporting stadium and home to the Gaelic Athletic Association - the GAA - Croke Park is located near Fairview. Fairview and Marino both contain restaurants, cafes and pubs, which draw trade from events at Croke Park.

Parks

Fairview Park has playing fields, a children's playground and tree-lined walks. Originally a tidal mud flat which was used for land fill in the early 1900s, the park was developed in the late 1920s and bye laws were formally adopted by Dublin Corporation in 1934. The Tolka River runs right past the park, Clontarf Road DART station is located near the park, and across the railway line there is a 400-metre athletics track and a Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann hall.
A memorial statue of Seán Russell was unveiled by Cumann Uaigheann Na Laochra Gael,, in Fairview Park, September 1951. A new statue of him was erected in May 2009.
In March, 1983, prior to the first Dublin Pride parade, a march was held from the city centre of Dublin to Fairview Park. This was in response to the murder of Declan Flynn and the resulting trial.
Fairview Park was built on reclaimed land. It was temporarily reduced in size during the 2000s, due to the development of the Dublin Port Tunnel, the entrance to which is just beyond the old park perimeter. The park has now been restored. It contains two small playgrounds and a larger playground which includes a skate park. The park also contains a band stand.
The park contains several association football pitches. Both Sheriff Y.C. and Belvedere play home games in the park.
A smaller park, Bram Stoker Park, named after the author of Dracula, is located in front of the Georgian terrace of Marino Crescent; both the park and the street are in a pocket of neighbouring Clontarf. Stoker was born in number 15 Marino Crescent.

Public services

A Garda Síochána station is located in nearby Clontarf and a Dublin Fire Brigade/ambulance station is located just across the Tolka, at Annesley Bridge. A credit union is located on Fairview Strand, and a Post Office can be found beside St. Joseph's Secondary School. There is a Bank of Ireland branch on Marino Mart, which following the closure of Permanent TSB is the only bank within the Fairview boundaries. Dublin City Libraries have a branch on the main road in Fairview. There are three pharmacies in Fairview; two on Fairview Strand and one on Marino Mart.

Education

Past pupils of St. Joseph's Secondary C.B.S., Fairview include former Taoiseach, Charles Haughey. The secondary school Marino College is in nearby Marino. St. Marys national school for girls is close to Richmond Road.

Politics

Fairview is in the administrative area of Dublin City Council. It lies in the Dublin North Central Dáil constituency and the Clontarf Local Electoral Area for city council elections.
It is served by the Fairview Residents Association.

Notable people

Fairview is a parish in the Fingal South East deanery of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin. It is served by the Church of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Fairview Hall is a Gospel Hall at 13 Annesley Bridge Road, and is part of the Gospel Hall Brethren local assembly.