Knocklyon (Irish: Cnoc Lín, meaning "hill of flax")[1][2] is a suburb of Dublin in Ireland, situated south west of Dublin city, and north of the Dublin Mountains.There is currently a debate among locals whether the correct name is cnoc linn, or cnoc liamhna.
The M50 motorway divides Knocklyon, with most of the suburb on the east side. Housing estates to the east of the road include Delaford, Idrone, Beverly, Templeroan, Dargle Wood, Knockaire, Coolamber, Orlagh, and Woodfield along the Knocklyon Road and Scholarstown Road. To the west of the M50 are estates such as Woodstown, Glenvara Park, Castlefield Manor, and Glenlyon, along the Ballycullen Road. These are linked to the rest of Knocklyon by a footbridge and Junction 12 of the motorway.
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Knocklyon's population, numbering 4,014 according to the Central Statistics Office, decreased 7.3% from 2002 to 2006.[3]
Preliminary figures from the 2011 Census suggest the population of Knocklyon to be above 10,000.
A focal point for the local community is the area comprising the Superquinn supermarket, the local post office and credit union, and the Catholic parish church and community centre, which opened in 1989. The area has a number of open spaces within the residential estates, playing pitches for Ballyboden St. Enda's GAA Club and Knocklyon United Football Club, as well as a scouting group and the South Dublin Model Railway Club, all of which have their own premises. A division of the St. John Ambulance was established in September 2010 which provides first aid training and services in the community. The area is served by two pubs, Delaneys, or The Knocklyon Inn, at the junction of the Knocklyon Road and Firhouse Road, and the Blue Haven in Ballyroan, near Templeogue Bridge.
Knocklyon is in the Dublin South Dáil Éireann constituency, and in the Rathfarnham local electoral area for county council elections.[4]
The Roman Catholic parish of Knocklyon was established in October 1974 and placed under the patronage of St. Colmcille, and is run for the Dublin Archdiocese by the Carmelite order of priests. The parish church, at the entrance to the Idrone Estate, was opened in April 1980. The Iona Pastoral Centre near the church caters for a wide range of activities and was formally opened in 2000.
There are four schools in Knocklyon. St. Colmcille's National School, which opened in September 1976, consists of a separate junior and senior primary school. It is based in the Idrone Estate beside the church and is one of the largest schools in Ireland. St. Colmcille's Community School which caters for 700 secondary students, opened in September 2000 and is based on the Scholarstown Road between the Orlagh and Woodfield Estates. In addition, there is an Irish language school, Gael Scoil Chnoc Liamhna, on the Knocklyon Road between the Delaford Estate and the M50 motorway.
The dedications of both the primary and secondary schools and church come from St. Colmcille's Holy Well on the Ballycullen Road.