Balbriggan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Balbriggan Baile Brigín |
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| Irish Grid Reference O200641 |
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| Province: | Leinster | |
| County: | Fingal | |
| Population (2002) | 6,631 | |
Balbriggan (Baile Brigín in Irish) is a town(Pop. 11,132) in North Dublin, Ireland, now forming part of County Fingal. In recent years the town has been referred to as "the Brig" by some young local residents.
According to P.W. Joyce the name arises from "Baile Bhrecan" which literally means "Bhrecan's Town"). Bhrecan is a common medieval first name and there are several other Brackenstowns in Ireland. There is also a possible link to the of Bracken River. In this case the name could derive from Bhreac-in (Little Trout). Many locals however have traditionally felt that Baile Brigín means "Town of the Little Hills", due to the relatively low hills that surround the town.
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[edit] History
There is no chronological consensus about the "foundation" of the town, other than there may always have been a small settlement of fishermen, weavers and some sort of agricultural trade post.
An eighteenth Century Traveller describes Balbriggan as " ..a small town situated in a small glin where the sea forms a little harbour - it is reckoned safe and is sheltered by a good pier. The town is resorted to in Summer time by several genteel people for the benefit of bathing."
The town has a sad place in history as it was subjected to the brutality of the Black and Tans in September 1920, an event known as the "Sack of Balbriggan" when the town was burned and large numbers of its inhabitants were rendered homeless. It was also the location of the 19th-century Smith's Stocking Mill, which made stockings for Queen Victoria, as well as men's "Long-Johns" called Balbriggans. The latter are referred to in several John Wayne films.
[edit] Economy
The Department of Foreign Affairs has located a passport production facility in Balbriggan. There is also a proposal to relocate the Drogheda International Seaport to the north (Bremore area) of the town.
[edit] Amenities
The River Bracken, which flows through the town, once formed a lake there known locally at "The Canal". This lake was reclaimed through land-fill in the early 1980s to create a public park.
[edit] Transport & communications
Balbriggan is situated 32 km north of Dublin city, on the Belfast–Dublin main line of the Irish rail network. Commuter rail services serve the town, which is also located next to the M1 motorway, the Balbriggan Bypass, which was completed in 1998. Prior to this, the main Dublin-Belfast road went through the centre of the town, with major traffic congestion on a daily basis. Balbriggan is the most northerly town in Fingal (although the village of Balscadden lies further north within the county). The town is very close to Drogheda.
Balbriggan is currently experiencing a building boom as a result of the demand for housing within the wider Dublin region. The population has exploded in recent years, due to new developments on the northwest of the town. Most residents in these new estates have had no previous connection with the town, and there are many from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Unfortunately the infrastructure and services have not been put in place to cope with this new population, and there is strain on schools, public transport and other services.
