What whispers echo from Balgriffin Parish’s past? Balgriffin stands as a suburb of Dublin. It rests on the border between Dublin City and Fingal. This area has a rich story to tell. Balgriffin means Griffin’s town in Irish. It is also a civil parish within the barony of Coolock.
Balgriffin lies about 8 kilometers from Dublin city center. It occupies 540 acres within Coolock. This puts it in the Dublin Fingal Dáil constituency for elections. Balgriffin is in the Dublin 13 postal district. The local government is split between Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council.
The Mayne River’s two branches flow through Balgriffin. These are the Turnapin Stream and the Cuckoo Stream. The Turnapin flows in the south near the old Belcamp Estate. The Cuckoo marks the northern edge of the Fingal Burial Ground. These streams merge in eastern Balgriffin. The Mayne then flows to Baldoyle Bay.
Balgriffin Road becomes Moyne Road near the coast. Balgriffin is accessible via Balgriffin Road. This road connects it to Portmarnock in the east. The R139 links it to Dublin Airport and Donaghmede to the south. Malahide Road connects it to Kinsealy and Malahide in the north. It also connects it to Dublin city center, Fairview, and Coolock in the south.
Dublin Bus serves Balgriffin with the 15, 42, and 43 routes. The 42 and 43 routes serve the cemeteries. Balgriffin appears on old maps in Dublin City Archive and Dublin County Archive. In 1388, Robert Burnell was lord of Balgriffin manor. His descendants held Balgriffin and Castleknock manors into the 17th century. Balgriffin remained a lightly settled area. A hamlet stood at a crossroads. An 18th-century pub, cottages, a village green, a hall and two cemeteries mark this crossroads.
Henry VIII granted Conn Bacach O’Neill an estate in Balgriffin in 1542. This was part of the surrender and regrant settlement. This gave the King of Tir Eoghan the title Earl of Tyrone. St Doulagh’s Church is a well-known landmark here. Magnate de Burgo may have had a base nearby.
Balgriffin was once a small rural settlement. Recent developments include St Samson’s, Castlemoyne, and Belmayne. Belmayne faced fire safety issues in 2011. This required urgent works.
A historic pub stands in southern Balgriffin. Shops and eateries have joined it in recent years. About 1 kilometer north of Balgriffin lies St Doulagh’s Church. Originally a 5th-century monastery, it is now a revered Church of Ireland church. It was renovated in the 12th century. Saint Samson is said to have founded the monastery that is now St Doulagh’s Church. Balgriffin was once called Ballygriffin and Griffinstown. This suggests a Welsh settler founded it.
St Doulagh’s Church has served Anglican parishioners since the Reformation. Donaghmede Parish served Roman Catholic parishioners from 1974. The Holy Trinity Church was then built. Today, Holy Trinity Parish serves Donaghmede, Clongriffin, and Balgriffin.
Balgriffin Mass Centre once operated from Belmayne Avenue. It no longer functions. Balgriffin offers a glimpse into centuries of Irish history. From Norman lords to Gaelic chieftains, this area has seen it all. The historic pub still stands, as does St Doulagh’s Church. It is the oldest stone-roofed church still in use in Ireland. Balgriffin continues to evolve while retaining its unique story.