Leopardstown
Leopardstown
Baile na Lobhar | |
---|---|
Suburb | |
Coordinates: 53°16′12″N 6°12′18″W / 53.270°N 6.205°W | |
Country | Ireland |
Province | Leinster |
County | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown |
Elevation | 93 m (305 ft) |
Population (2006)[1] | |
• Urban | 2,067 |
Eircode (Routing Key) | D18 |
Irish Grid Reference | O202259 |
Leopardstown Irish: Baile na Lobhar, meaning 'Town of the Lepers' is a village in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, County Dublin, Ireland, located at the foot of the Dublin Mountains. A residential suburb in the east of the greater Dublin area, it is divided by the course of the M50 motorway, and adjoins the neighbouring areas of Sandyford, Stepaside, Ballyogan, Foxrock and Stillorgan.
Etymology and history
Leopardstown comes from Baile na Lobhar which means "Town of the Lepers" and arose because in the middle ages people with leprosy were kept outside the city to avoid infection Leprosy was common in Dublin in medieval times and in the 14th Century a leper hospital was built near St Stephen's Green. It was later moved out to the Dublin mountains - the area where it was sited became known as Leopardstown.
Places of interest
Places of interest in Leopardstown village include Glencairn House (the residence of the British Ambassador to Ireland), Leopardstown Park Hospital, and Burton Hall, childhood home of Hollywood actress Kathleen Ryan.
Sports
The area is home to the famous Leopardstown Racecourse, the second most important racecourse[citation needed] in Ireland after the Curragh, as well as the Kilmacud Crokes' Hurling pitch at Silverpark.
Culture
Leopardstown gets a mention in the movie Spy Kids, in which a road sign for Baile an Liopaird is seen outside Machete's shop.[2] The Bob 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."
Transport
Leopardstown is served by Luas Green Line stops: Central Park, Glencairn, The Gallops, Leopardstown Valley and Ballyogan Wood
Dublin Bus routes 44, 47, 63, 114 and 118 serve Leopardstown
Aircoach route 700 links Leopardstown with Dublin Airport
Template:Luas start |- | rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: middle; text-align:center; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 1px #aaa solid; border-top: 1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;"| Sandyford | style="background:#7FFF00; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" | | rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-left: 1px #aaa solid; border-right: 1px #aaa solid; border-top:solid 1px #aaa; border-bottom:0px none;" | Green Line | style="background:#7FFF00; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" | | rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: middle; text-align:center; border-left: 1px #aaa solid; border-right: 0px none; border-top: 1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;"|Glencairn |}
References
- ^ "Census 2006 – Volume 1 – Population Classified by Area" (PDF). Central Statistics Office Census 2006 Reports. Central Statistics Office Ireland. April 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Spy Kids IMDB. Retrieved on 01-03-08.