Booterstown Baile an Bhóthair | |
|---|---|
Suburb | |
 The Punch Bowl in Booterstown | |
  Booterstown Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:53°18′31″N6°11′47″W / 53.3087°N 6.1964°W /53.3087; -6.1964 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown |
| Government | |
| • Dáil Éireann | Dún Laoghaire |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Urban | 2,975 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Eircode (Routing Key) | A94 |
| Area code | 01 (+3531) |
| Irish Grid Reference | O201304 |
Booterstown (Irish:Baile an Bhóthair, meaning 'town of the road') is a coastal suburb of the city ofDublin inIreland. It is also atownland andcivil parish in the modern county ofDún Laoghaire–Rathdown. It is situated about 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Dublin city centre.
There is some debate on the origin of the town name Booterstown. Historically known in English as "Ballyboother"[1][2] the name "Booterstown" is ananglicised form of the original Irish nameBaile an Bhóthair, meaning "The Town of the Road". In its original Irish form it shares the same name asBatterstown inCounty Meath, as well as Ballinvoher in Kilkenny, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Longford and Mayo.[3]
Booterstown lies along an ancient route once known asSlíghe Chualann, which connected the residence of theHigh King of Ireland at Tara with his outlying lands inCualann. Cualann is the ancient name for the area of land stretching towards Bray (Irish:Brí Chualann).[4]
However, there are also several references to the names "Butterstonne" and "Butterstown" from various historic maps eg Rocques etc.[5]
"Butterstown" is also mentioned in "10 facts about Merrion and Booterstown", as follows: "Booterstown was once entirely agricultural, renowned for its rich farming land. Its original name was derived from the produce created, Butterstown, and this name lasted until the end of the 18th century. In those days, virtually the only building in the district was Booterstown Castle, which was incorporated into St Mary’s house, built in the 18th century and still there."[6]
"The Queen’s After-Dinner Speech, as overhead and cut into Lengths of Poetry by Jamesy Murphy, Deputy-Assistant-Waiter at the Viceregal Lodge" states: " "An’ by Merrion roun’,” sez she, “To Buttherstown,” sez she,“Till I came to the ridge,” sez she "[1] This poem has been admirably recited by Ronnie Drew (of the Dubliners), "Sez She"
The Congregation of theIrish Christian Brothers had their headquarters atSt. Helen's, Booterstown from 1925 to 1988. St. Helen's was built in 1760 for Thomas Cooley, MP and was known originally asSeamount. It was extensively refurbished a century later while in the ownership ofViscount Gough, Field Marshal of the British Army, whose wife Marie Frances opened the gardens to the public. The house is now a hotel ofThe Radisson Group.[citation needed]
Booterstown retains its link with the name Tara, as the Tara Towers hotel was built there in the 1970s on Merrion Road, next to the historicalBellevue Merrion Cemetery. The Tara Towers hotel was demolished in 2019.[7]
In medieval times Booterstown formed withMount Merrion the manor of Thorncastle.
Booterstown bordersSandymount to the north,Merrion andMount Merrion to the west, andBlackrock to the south, while along the coast to the southeast is the small district of Williamstown.
Booterstown is served by theDART, with arailway station between the stops ofBlackrock andSydney Parade. Booterstown railway station opened in January 1835 as part of theDublin and Kingstown Railway.[8]
Booterstown was served by theDublin tramways routes 6, 7 and 8 until the tram lines ceased operations on 9 July 1949. Today the nearest tram is theLuasgreen line with stops atSandyford andStillorgan.
Booterstown is also served by twoQuality Bus Corridors,Stillorgan andBlackrock, Dublin.[9] A frequentAircoach service links the area with Dublin Airport.
The area is home toBooterstown marsh, a bird sanctuary which has been leased for many years byAn Taisce, who have worked to protect it.[10] Species seen regularly includemallard,Eurasian teal,common moorhen,water rail,grey heron,little egret,common redshank,greenshank,Eurasian curlew,common snipe,Eurasian oystercatcher,bar-tailed godwit,common kingfisher,sedge warbler anddunlin.
The CatholicChurch of the Assumption is a focal point of the area along Booterstown Avenue.
Booterstown has a dedicated Circus Field located along the Rock Road, where bothTom Duffy's Circus (June/July) and Fossett's Circus (October) are set up once a year.[11]
The Old Punch Bowl pub, which stands at the bottom of Booterstown Avenue, was established in 1779.
Merrion Cemetery is an old cemetery that was used from the 13th century to 1866 and is located at Bellevue between Booterstown and Merrion off the Rock Road.
Booterstown was recorded in1488 as one of the locations for the boundary ofThe Pale.[12]
Primary schools in Booterstown include Booterstown National School (Cross Avenue), Our Lady of Mercy Girls School,St. Andrew's College, St. Mary's Boys National School, and Willow Park School.
Secondary schools serving the area include twoGaelscoileanna:Coláiste Eoin andColáiste Íosagáin. It is also home to St. Andrew's College, which moved here from Clyde Road in 1973. Blackrock Educate Together Secondary School was established in 2021 to cater to the areas of Booterstown, Blackrock, and Dún Laoghaire. Other nearby post-primary schools includeBlackrock College,Colaiste Eoin,Colaiste Iosagain,Dominican College.
Christian churches in the area include:
