Fairview () is an inner coastal suburb of Dublin in Ireland, in the jurisdiction of Dublin City Council and in the city's D03 postal district. Part of the area forms Fairview Park, a recreational amenity laid out on land reclaimed from the sea.

Location

Modern-day Fairview is a popular inner suburb of Dublin that stretches northeast from the River Tolka to Clontarf Road DART Station along Fairview Park to the south, and along the redbrick Victorian part of Philipsburgh Avenue to the north. It is bounded by Marino which was developed in 1924 in the area of Fairview on the former estate lands of Lord Charlemont. The grounds of St. Vincent's Hospital, Fairview and Drumcondra are to the west.

Fairview is 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, 130 and the "H" bus corridor. It will include the segregated cycle path that goes from Amiens Street to Sutton, which began construction in 2022.

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

thumb|left|Fairview Strand street sign using Baile Bocht

Until the end of the 18th century, the area was known as Ballybough, with many street signs still giving the Irish name of the area as Baile Bocht. The parish of Fairview was created in 1879, when it was separated from Clontarf, reputedly named for the local church, Our Lady of Fair View dedicated to Our Lady of Pulchro Aspectu vulgo Fairview in 1819. Administratively, Fairview and Marino were part of the old townland of Clonturk, which also included Drumcondra.

History

Along with large areas of Ballybough, Dorset Street, Clonliffe Road, and Lower Drumcondra, much of Fairview was part of the farmland owned by St Mary's Abbey in the 14th century. During the dissolution of the monasteries, from which the road is thought to take its name. His house was on the site now occupied by St. Vincent's Hospital. Kingston suggests that he named his house for Richmond, London, and that his building of his house in this area led to it becoming more fashionable with the merchant class. Grose's son was the antiquarian, Francis Grose, who is buried at Drumcondra Church. Richmond House was bought by the Daughters of Charity and incorporated into St Vincent's. Fairview Strand was formally known as Owen Roe Terrace and Philipsburgh Strand. The boundary of Fairview and the area now known as Marino, but historically part of Donnycarney, was delineated by the walls of the demesne of Marino House along Fairview Strand. The house and most of its surrounds are now demolished, apart from the Casino at Marino and the original Georgian entrance gates which have been relocated to Griffith Avenue.

Annadale House was located in an estate that now comprises Melrose Avenue, Lomond Avenue, Waverly Avenue, and Inverness Road. Cadogan and Addison Roads were built in the mid-1800s, and were named for Dublin peers. A number of Georgian houses have since be demolished including Mulberry Lodge, Pennyville, From the 1840s, houses were built on Richmond Avenue, which was seen as a fashionable area. The area which is now Merville Avenue was known as the Big Gun after a local tavern. When Fairview Church was opened in 1855 there were 20 houses on Fairview Strand, two on Windsor Avenue, and 41 houses on Philipsburgh Avenue. The horse trams and later the railway trams which crossed over Annesley Bridge and ran up to Clontarf increased the accessibility of Fairview.

From 1832 to 1909, 89 Fairview Strand was a Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks and the now demolished Erlington House was home to Thomas Erlington, and later the opera singer Josephine O'Brien.

Parks

Fairview Park () has playing fields, a children's playground and tree-lined walks. The River Tolka 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.

Originally a tidal mud flat which was used for land fill in the early 1900s. From 1907, refuse was dumped straight into the slob land, with "offensive material" incinerated on Stanley Street before the ash was brought back to Fairview by tramway wagons to be dumped. It was because of this that Fairview Park was occasionally called Ash Park. It was originally thought that it would take 20 years to fill the area as part of the Fairview Improvement Grounds, but due to the high volume of material, it was full in 10 years with waste to a depth of 2.43 metres, with residents dissatisfied with the resulting odour. Rubble from some of the buildings destroyed during the Easter Rising as said to have been brought to the park. The name Aberdeen Park initially suggested for Lord Aberdeen who was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland when the park was first planned. Lord Ardilaun suggested the name of Fairview Park.

Initial tree planting began with 55 trees planted during a ceremony on 31 October 1908 in response to the locals complaining of the smell from the landfill. More trees were donated by Thomas Picton-Bradshaw of Mount Temple in 1909. 64 of these London Plane trees were planned to be felled during the development of a cycle lane through Fairview in the 2020s, but local protest resulted in only 10 trees being removed. with Dublin Corporation's Streets Committee allocated £1000 in 1924 to create "a detailed plan of proposals". The only part of these plans to be implemented as a 20 foot wide path from Annesley Bridge to opposite the Howth Road. Other suggested elements, such as railings, flowers beds, and playing grounds were later added, but not to these original plans. The "By-Laws regulating the use and enjoyment of Fairview Park" were formally adopted by Dublin Corporation in 1934.

On 19 March 1983, prior to the first Dublin Pride parade, a march was held from Liberty Hall to Fairview Park. This was in response to the murder of Declan Flynn in the park, and the resulting trial.

The park was temporarily reduced in size during the 2000s, due to the development of the Dublin Port Tunnel, the entrance to which is approximately a kilometre beyond the park perimeter. The park has now been restored. It contains two small playgrounds and a larger playground which includes a skate park. The bandstand was removed during the construction. After this redevelopment, the planting in the park moved from seasonal displays to more pollinator friendly native species.

A smaller park, Bram Stoker Park, 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.

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File:Fairview 015.JPG|Flowers in Fairview Park

File:Sean Russell bronze statue.jpg|Statue of Seán Russell

File:Fairview Park playground.jpg|Fairview Park playground

Image:Fairview 018.JPG|Eastern side of Fairview Park

</gallery>

Public services

A Garda Síochána station is located in nearby Clontarf and a Dublin Fire Brigade and ambulance station is located just across the Tolka, at Annesley Bridge. A credit union is located on Fairview Strand, and a Post Office on Marino Mart. Dublin City Libraries have a branch on the main road in Fairview.

Education

thumb|Marino college|250x250px

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.

Religion

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. The construction of this church began in 1853, and it was opened on 15 January 1855. Fairview Hall is a Gospel Hall at 13 Annesley Bridge Road, and is part of the Gospel Hall Brethren local assembly.

Notable people

  • Cathal Brugha, revolutionary and politician, born at 13 Richmond Avenue.
  • Éamonn Ceannt, one of the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, lived at 23 Fairview Avenue.
  • Kathleen and Tom Clarke, lived at 31 Richmond Avenue.
  • Ned Daly, Irish revolutionary.
  • Larry Gogan, broadcaster.
  • Cathal Goulding, Irish republican, lived at 15 Cadogan Road.
  • Rosie Hackett, actively involved in the trade union movement, 1913 Lockout and 1916 Rising, lived in Fairview.
  • Frank Henderson, captain in the Irish Volunteers.
  • Charles Lever, writer, lived on Philipsburgh Avenue.
  • Liam Mellows and Barney Mellows, Irish revolutionaries whose childhood home was 10 Annadale Avenue.
  • Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin, broadcaster and former Gaelic footballer and hurler.
  • Fred O'Donovan, theatre and radio producer.
  • Maureen Potter, actress, singer and performer, grew up on St. Joseph's Terrace, off Philipsburgh Avenue.
  • Jack Shouldice, revolutionary, lived on Inverness Road.
  • Maureen Toal, stage and television actress.

References

Sources