Did you know that Coolock ED 1901 has roots stretching back thousands of years? Coolock’s story is one of ancient settlements. It is one of small villages evolving into a large suburban area.
Coolock ED 1901, a place now part of Dublin city, was once a small village. The name Coolock comes from the Irish “An Chúlóg”. This means “the little corner”. Coolock has seen centuries pass. Coolock has seen settlements grow. Coolock has seen Dublin’s Northside change.
Around 1500 BC, people lived here. That is over 3500 years ago. An ancient burial site proves it. Coolock began as a small early-Christian church. Later, St. John’s Catholic Church was built.
In 1199, Henry II granted the feudal barony of Coolock to the Archbishop of Dublin. Coolock remained a small village for many centuries. The 1950s brought change to Coolock. Lands around the village were developed. Bonnybrook and Kilmore West became part of Coolock. A new centre formed between them. The old village was once on the Malahide Road. That road was rerouted. It now passes east of the village. Newtown Coolock grew further north. Darndale and Priorswood became new districts in the north of Coolock.
Coolock sits in the valley of the Santry River. The little Naniken River also flows here. The area is mostly flat. It is a bit above sea level. The Santry River Linear Park offers green space.
Coolock is at the heart of working-class Northside suburbs. Kilbarrack, Donaghmede and Edenmore surround it. Coolock includes Ayrfield, Bonnybrook, Darndale and Greencastle. Kilmore West is also part of Coolock. Coolock has no official boundary. Dublin City Council built much of Coolock. This was part of a slum clearance project. It happened between 1952 and 1987.
Cara Park and Dominick Park are in Belcamp. These are Traveller halting sites. They have an adult education centre. They also have pre-school facilities. A smaller Traveller settlement is near Clare Hall Shopping Centre.
The Stardust Memorial Garden is in Bonnybrook. It honors the 48 people who died in the Stardust nightclub fire. Parnells GAA club is in Coolock village. Coolock is a local government hub. Dublin City Council has a major centre here. NEAR FM community radio station is also here. So is a Health Services Executive centre and a recycling centre.
Ayrfield is on the north side of the Tonlegee Road. It is mainly in the Dublin 13 postal code. Ayrfield has St. Pauls Junior and Senior National School. Blunden Drive is home to Ayrfield Credit Union. The Ayrfield Community Centre is also here. O’Tooles GAC clubhouse is here too. Ayrfield United F.C. has pitches beside the credit union. Belcamp includes the site of the former Belcamp Cottage. Bonnybrook has its own Catholic church and primary school. Clonshaugh stretches from the Clonshaugh Industrial Estate to the AUL. It includes Riverside and Newbury. Darndale has Buttercup Park, Marigold Court and other housing estates. Kilmore West includes Cromcastle. Priorswood is between Belcamp and Clonshaugh. St. Brendan’s Estate is across the Malahide Road from Coolock village.
Clare Hall is between Donaghmede and Coolock. It has a small shopping precinct. The Clarehall Shopping Centre is anchored by Tesco Extra. Some roads are named after the 1969 Moon landing. These include Tranquility Grove and Eagle Park.
Coolock has given its name to religious divisions. These include the Parish of Coolock for both Roman Catholics and the Church of Ireland. Several Catholic churches are in the area. Chanel College is a large boys secondary school. The Donahies Community School is a large secondary school.
Cadbury Ireland has made chocolate here since 1957. The Tayto Crisps factory was here until 2005. Northside Shopping Centre was Ireland’s first covered shopping centre.
The Coolock area appeared in the 1991 film “The Commitments”.
Coolock is served by main roads and Dublin Bus routes.
Coolock ED 1901, a place with layers of history. It is a testament to Dublin’s ever-changing story. It shows how a small corner can evolve. It can grow and become a vital part of a city.