North County Dublin

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North County Dublin is an unofficial geographical description for an area north of Dublin City in Ireland. The title North County Dublin has been in use by Dubliners, typically from the northside of the city, since the early 20th Century. It describes the area starting at Collinstown (Dublin Airport) and finishing north of Balbriggan.

The area has two major towns - Swords in the south and Balbriggan in the north. Most districts within the North County Dublin area are influenced by these two towns.

Typically the townlands found in the west and south of the area, i.e. Rolestown, Kilsallaghan, St. Margarets, Rivermeade, Oldtown and Garristown would rely on Swords to provide second level education, commercial and social outlets - Finglas in the North City would also provide these same services to some of these areas.

The areas of Lusk, Rush, Skerris, The Naul and Balrothery would use the services provided in Balbriggan (as well as their own local services).

Portrane and Donabate, found on the coast, would straddle the two areas.

Sometimes the area is confused with Fingal, which is the area of north Dublin under the administration of Fingal County Council. Historically, the area known as Fingal stretches from the Tolka River at Drumcondra, out as far east as Kilbarrack, as west as Cappagh and north as Richardstown (on the Meath border). The present-day Fingal area takes in areas never considered to be North County Dublin, i.e. Howth, Sutton, Baldoyle, Portmarnock, north Finglas, north Santry, north Ballymun, Blanachardstown, Corduff and Castleknock.

The area is referred to simply among locals as 'The North County'.

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