Ever wonder where the name Blanchardstown comes from? It’s a story rooted in old French and fair hair. Blanchardstown is more than just a suburb. It’s a place with a history stretching back to the 13th century.
Blanchardstown began as a small village. It has transformed into the largest urban area in Fingal. Imagine this area in the 1800s. It was described as a village with just 57 houses. Only 342 people lived here then.
The Blanchard family arrived between 1250 and 1260. They were granted the estate that would give the town its name. The name Blanchard possibly comes from the French word “blanch”. Blanch means white. It may have referred to someone with white or fair hair.
Blanchardstown sits just outside Dublin’s M50 motorway. It lies slightly north of the River Liffey’s tolled crossing. The River Tolka flows through the area. The Royal Canal and Dublin-Sligo railway line pass along the southern edge.
The late 1960s saw the first housing estates appear. By the 1970s and 1980s, Blanchardstown was part of Dublin’s suburban landscape. The Institute of Technology Blanchardstown opened in 1999. It is now part of Technological University Dublin.
The Blanchardstown Centre is one of Ireland’s largest shopping and leisure complexes. It offers a wide variety of retail and entertainment options.
St Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church stands on Church Avenue. Its foundation stone was laid in 1835. The first mass was celebrated in 1837. The church’s Flemish spire wasn’t completed until 1863.
In the 19th century, Blanchardstown’s Catholic parish included much of Dublin 15. Fr Michael Dungan became parish priest in 1839. He built new churches. These churches now serve as independent parishes. St Brigid’s Church is the mother church to twelve others.
Blanchardstown is part of the Dublin West constituency. This constituency sends four TDs to Dáil Éireann.
The National Sports Campus calls Blanchardstown home. It includes the National Aquatic Centre. This facility hosted the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games.
Blanchardstown has evolved from a rural village to a bustling suburb. Its name tells a tale of French origins. Its amenities offer something for everyone. From shopping to sports, Blanchardstown is a vibrant part of Dublin. Blanchardstown is a place where history and modernity meet.