Leopardstown Baile na Lobhar | |
|---|---|
Suburb | |
 The stand at Leopardstown Racecourse | |
  Leopardstown Location in Dublin Show map of Dublin Leopardstown Leopardstown (Ireland) Show map of Ireland | |
| Coordinates:53°16′12″N6°12′18″W / 53.270°N 6.205°W /53.270; -6.205 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown |
| Elevation | 93 m (305 ft) |
| Population (2006)[1] | |
• Total | 2,067 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Eircode routing key | D18 |
| Telephone area code | +353(0)1 |
| Irish Grid Reference | O202259 |
Leopardstown (Irish:Baile na Lobhar, meaning 'town of thelepers'), historically calledBallinlore,[2] is a suburb ofDublin,Ireland, at the foot of theWicklow Mountains. With institutional lands and a large racecourse, it is divided by theM50 motorway, and adjoinsSandyford,Stepaside,Ballyogan,Carrickmines,Foxrock andStillorgan.
Leprosy was common inDublin in the medieval period and in the 14th centurySt Stephen's Leper Hospital was built nearSt Stephen's Green. It was later moved out to the foothills of the Dublin Mountains to avoid infection spreading in the city. The area became known asBaile na Lobhar, "town of the lepers". This was anglicized as 'Ballinlore' and translated into English as 'Leperstown',[2] eventually being corrupted to 'Leopardstown'.
Places of interest in Leopardstown includeGlencairn House (the residence of the British Ambassador to Ireland),Leopardstown Park Hospital, and Burton Hall, the childhood home ofHollywood actressKathleen Ryan.
The area is home toLeopardstown Racecourse, one of Ireland's main racecourses[citation needed], along withthe Curragh, as well as theKilmacud Crokes'hurling pitch at Silverpark.
Leopardstown is mentioned in the feature filmSpy Kids, a road sign forBaile an Liopaird being seen outside Machete's shop.[3] TheBob Geldof song "The House At The Top Of The World" includes the lyric "Soon I'd come to the Leopardstown dual carriageway ... I don't remember a town being there and I never saw no leopards."
Leopardstown was formerly served by theHarcourt Street railway line from Dublin toBray, withFoxrock serving as the nearest station. It served the nearby Leopardstown Racecourse until the line was closed in January 1959.[4]
Today Leopardstown is served by fourLuasGreen Line stops:Central Park,Glencairn,The Gallops andLeopardstown Valley.
Dublin Bus routes 44, 47 and 118 andGo-Ahead Ireland routes S8 and 114 serve Leopardstown.Aircoach route 700 links Leopardstown withDublin Airport.
