Could a place named Quarryvale be anything other than ordinary? We are standing at the edge of a story. A story of ambition, corruption, and the lasting impact of decisions made decades ago. Quarryvale, now known to most as Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, wasn’t always a retail giant. In the late 1980s, it was a developer’s dream, strategically positioned where the M50 met the N4. Tom Gilmartin, the developer, envisioned an Irish version of the Metro Centre in England, a shopping mecca attracting shoppers from all over. However, Quarryvale was zoned as residential and industrial, a far cry from a retail paradise. Enter Owen O’Callaghan, a property developer, and Frank Dunlop, a lobbyist. Together, they orchestrated a campaign that saw Dublin County Council rezone Quarryvale in 1991, paving the way for the Liffey Valley we see today. But this decision was shrouded in controversy. It contradicted years of planning that favored a town centre in Balgaddy, a decision that would have benefited a more disadvantaged community. The rezoning of Quarryvale had a ripple effect, leaving Balgaddy without a central hub and raising questions about the influence of money in local politics. It’s a stark reminder that what we see today is often the result of complex, and sometimes questionable, dealings of the past. Quarryvale stands as a monument to ambition, but also as a reminder of the price of progress.
Saint John the Evangelist
Whispers of history echo from these stones. This is the site of Saint John the Evangelist. Once a vibrant church