Saggart Teach Sagard (Irish) | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Saggart's main street | |
  Saggart Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:53°16′48″N6°26′38″W / 53.280°N 6.444°W /53.280; -6.444 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Dublin |
| Local government area | South Dublin |
| Elevation | 125 m (410 ft) |
| Population | 4,573 |
| Eircode routing key | D24 |
| Irish Grid Reference | O034266 |
Saggart (Irish:Teach Sagard) is a village inCounty Dublin, Ireland, south-west ofDublin city, in thelocal government area ofSouth Dublin. It lies between theN7 (Naas Road),Rathcoole,Citywest andTallaght. It is one of the fastest-growing settlements in Ireland, with its population doubling between 2011 and 2022.[1] The village is in atownland andcivil parish of the same name, in thebarony of Newcastle.[2]
A monk called Mosacra founded a settlement close to the site of the village in the 7th century.[3] The name Saggart derives fromTeach Sacra, meaning "house of Sacra" inIrish, and the area was known as "Tassagart" for a period.[3]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 603 | — |
| 1996 | 550 | −8.8% |
| 2002 | 588 | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 868 | +47.6% |
| 2011 | 2,144 | +147.0% |
| 2016 | 3,133 | +46.1% |
| 2022 | 4,573 | +46.0% |
| Source:[4] | ||
Archaeological evidence of ancient settlement in the Saggart area, includes a pair ofmegalithicstanding stones in Boherboy, that are known locally as Adam and Eve.[3][5] Also nearby is the Raheen Standing Stone, a megalithicstanding stone in a field on the Blessington Road, near Crooksling.[6]
A monastery was founded in the area in the 7th century.[3] The remains of this monastery are found on the grounds of an equestrian centre approximately 1.5 km from today's Saggart Village. After its founder, St Mosacra died, it became a nunnery with over 80 nuns living there until the Viking attacks of the 9th century.[citation needed]
By 1207, Saggart, or Tasagart, as it was then called by theNormans, had been made aprebend ofSt Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. In 1615, the church was reported as being in good repair but fifteen years later the church is stated to have fallen down, and theProtestant parishioners attendedRathcoole church. The current church at Saggart, the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built between 1847 and 1849.[3]
From 1888 to 1932, theDublin and Blessington Steam Tramway stopped at Saggart.[citation needed]
Saggart lies at the northern end of a mountain valley, the Slade of Saggart, withBrittas at the other side. TheRiver Camac flows through this valley, passing around the village on the way to meet theRiver Liffey byHeuston Station.[7] Thegreat spotted woodpecker has been seen here.[citation needed]
The boundaries of theCatholic parish of Saggart include the areas of Rathcoole and Brittas, and the parish works in conjunction with the neighbouring parish of St. Finian's, Newcastle.[8] Saggart'sparish church was built in 1847 and dedicated, to the "Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary", in August 1849.[3] It is within theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin.[9]
Saggart is a heritage village. It is home to the Citywest Hotel, which has been used to host a number of annual events including theIrish Masters (snooker), several award ceremonies, and politicalard fheiseanna.[citation needed]Citywest Business Campus is located just to the north of Saggart village. The Citywest Shopping Centre, anchored byDunnes Stores, is the only major shopping centre in the area and has a pharmacy, cafés and several other shops. There is also a service/petrol station, restaurants and a 4,000-seat convention centre at Citywest. The Citywest Business Campus also includes aDublin City University facility. Jacob's Bar was established as a public house in the village by members of the Jacob family in 1901.[10]
As of 2021, a section ofwalking trail, incorporating the Slade Valley and adjacent to Saggart Reservoir, was under construction in the area.[11][needs update] The development of the Slade Valley trail was marked as one of the "key actions" under theSouth Dublin County Council Tourism Strategy 2015-2020, in which it was proposed to take inRathcoole, Saggart andBrittas.[12][needs update]
Saggart Luas stop is one of two western termini for theLuasRed Line, the other beingTallaght. The line provides a direct link toDublin city with a journey duration of 45 minutes.[citation needed]
Saggart is served byDublin Bus route 69 and GoAhead Ireland route W6.[13][14]
The localGaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club,St Mary's GAA, was founded in 1906.[3]
Coolmine Equestrian Centre was established here in 1989. The equestrian centre is home to the remains of the 7th-century monastery of St Mo Sacra.[citation needed] The centre and CEAD-Ireland host equestrian activities and competitions and CEAD-Fest during the summer months.[citation needed]
For elections toSouth Dublin County Council, Saggart is part of thelocal electoral area of Clondalkin, along withCitywest,Rathcoole andNewcastle.[citation needed] Saggart is anelectoral division within theDáil constituency ofDublin Mid-West.[15]
