- Priorswood, Dublin
Priorswood is a district formed in northern
Coolock , on the Northside ofDublin , Ireland. It is part of theDublin 17 postal district and took its name from a large house, Friarswood, situated off Belcamp Lane, near the Malahide Road. The house was itself named for a historic priory, thought to be that of the Knights based at Clontarf and Kilmainham.Location and access
The area is located in what was northern Coolock, on formerly rural land, and borders
Darndale to the east, Clonshaugh to the west and Coolock to the south. The modern-day estates that make up the area are found west of Darndale, north of the Greencastle Road, east of the Clonshaugh Industrial Estate and south of the N32; part lies north of the N32 but has no or few residents [Dublin, Ireland, October 2007: Report of the Constituency Commission, p.61] .Priorswood is accessible by taking the Priorswood Road off the Ayrfield/Darndale Roundabout on the Malahide Road, and via the Clonshaugh Road from the N32, and is within 2.5km of Dublin Airport. It is served by the
Dublin Bus route number 27 on the Malahide Road.Priorswood is currently divided between the constituencies of Dublin North Central and Dublin North East(Dáil Éireann constituency) but following the recommendations of the Constituency Commission [Dublin, Ireland, October 2007: Report of the Constituency Commission] , legislation to place it wholly in the latter is due in late 2007.
Today
Priorswood largely comprises residential property, along with a parish church, and
St. Francis of Assisi Junior and Senior National Schools, and a special junior post-primary school for Traveller children.Clonshaugh Shopping Centre is found next to the church and includes a video store, pub, pharmacy and other outlets.
The housing estates that comprise Priorswood are Moatview, Fairfield and Ferrycarrig. The national schools are found on Clonshaugh Drive, with the estates of Newbury and Swift's Grove found in neighbouring Clonshaugh, located at the bottom of the avenue.
There is a
Gaelic Athletic Association sports ground opposite the main Traveller settlement.The socio-economic profile of the Priorswood area is similar to that of neighbouring Darndale, and the housing stock in the area is almost totally local authority housing, though of a different form to the bulk of Darndale. Although defined distinctly, Darndale and Priorswood are often mentioned together.
Recent developments
The Bewley's Airport Hotel has been built in neighbouring Clonshaugh, just as the N32 branches towards the Baskin, and a Hilton Hotel and a range of retail and service outlets at the nearby "Northern Cross" development, on the lands of the former Belcamp College.
The close-by Clonshaugh Industrial Estate (formerly one of Ireland's high-tech industrial zones) has begun expanding again for the first time since the closure of anchor tenants Gateway and SolectronFact|date=November 2007, the "Dublin Port Tunnel Business Park" being one example.
References and footnotes
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
