The village of Newcastle (An Caisleán Nua), in Co. Dublin, Ireland was the location of the Castle of the Barony of Newcastle, more specifically referred to in historical and official documents as Newcastle-Lyons. This ancient name is currently undergoing a welcome revival in use, given the many places called Newcastle located in these Islands. It is located in the south west part of South Dublin County, a newly created administrative division of the old County of Dublin.
Despite the rapid growth in commuting residential accommodation in this well transportation serviced area, and the growth of commercial construction in and around Dublin City in recent years, this area on the Kildare border is still primarily rural in nature.
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Newcastle-Lyons is located at the junction of the R120 the R405 roads. The village lies west of Casement Aerodrome (Baldonnell) the HQ of the Irish Air Corps. It features a fine Irish Pub, and two churches, and lies approximately 3km north of the N7 at Rathcoole, 6km south east of Celbridge, and 9km west of Tallaght. Peamount Hospital, a long term care facility, is 2km north of the town centre on the R120. The 2001 census registered a village population of 1,160, but the surrounding area has been growing rapidly since then, with the village population doubling by 2010....
The area was in the ancient Cantred of Ui Donnchada, which stretched from the Liffey to the Dublin Hills. The home of the Mac Giolla Mocholmog sept, it was also home to settler Dyflyn Vikings, who were allies and trading partners of the Chieftain Dermot Mac Giolla Mocholmog during the century period prior to the Norman invasion of Ireland. Following the initial Hiberno-Norman policy of integration and assimilation, the descendants of this chief became the Fitz Dermots. Through grants and intermarriage, by the time of the shireing of County Dublin, Newcastle Lyons was raised to the status of a barony. It eventually came into the Newcomen family who secured succession into the seventeenth century. The village and castle bawn was fortified with walls and multiple tower houses. It later became a pocket borough until the Parliamentary Union of Dublin with Westminster in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. After the Union, and the famine, the Barony like Dublin City and County went into a long period of economic and population decline.
The gradual relaxation of the Penal Laws throughout the U.K. from 1778 culminated in the Relief Acts passed by the British Parliament Catholic Relief Act 1791 and the Irish Parliament in 1793. The eventual achievement of full Catholic Relief was secured during the administration of the Dublin born hero of the Napoleonic war, the Duke of Wellington. Signed into law by George IV, it proclaimed wide Catholic Emancipation in 1829. This followed a very effective Irish campaign by Daniel O'Connell, the Liberator. In the ensuing general Christian religious revival, it became possible for the reinstated Roman Catholic Church community to build a new church here in the 1830s. The existing pre-reformation Irish Church premises has been appropriated by the established Church of Ireland following the schism caused by the divorce of the newly created King of Ireland, Henry VIII. The subsequent church Reformation in the 1550's under Edward and later Elizabeth's during the Tudor reconquest and plantation of Ireland was not successful. It did not succeed with the Irish or Hiberno-Irish leaders or, as a consequence, with their few priests or their generally illiterate followers. The former residential tower fortification of the castle (see thumbnail right) now forms part of the Church of Ireland church building. It was built originally in the late 14th century. There are remains of another 14th century church in Colmanstown(.[1]).
Newcastle-Lyons is served by the number 311 bus which links it to Tallaght and the Luas Red Line,and the number 68 bus to the city centre.
Newcastle-Lyons is home to St. Finians GAA club which was founded in 1943. In 1949 the club won the Dublin Intermediate Championship. The clubs mens adult team currently plays in division 4 of the Dublin league, with the adult ladies team playing in the Junior league and championship. The club recently developed their playing pitch at Alymer Road which can now be named as one of the finest grounds in the county.
Newcastle-Lyons is also home to Peamount United football club which was founded in 1983. The club is now based in a purpose build facility in Greenogue, Newcastle. In 2011 Peamount United's ladies team became the first Irish club to qualify for the champions league. Peamount United's male adult team plays in the Senior 1 division of the leinster senior league.