10 fab things about Glasnevin

GLASNEVIN is one of Dublin’s most desirable suburbs – and with good reason. There are loads of local amenities, including a couple of Ireland’s top tourist attractions, so no shortage of great places to go. Here are some of Glasnevin’s best features.

1. Botanic Gardens. The National Botanic Gardens are an oasis of calm and beauty, and best of all, entry is free. A visit to the gardens is a great way to relax and there’s often an exhibition, lecture or tour worth taking in. Keep up to date at www.botanicgardens.ie

2. Glasnevin Cemetery. Glasnevin Cemetery Museum is both the guardian and storyteller for the over 1.5 million people buried there. The history of Ireland can be told through the tales of the souls resting in the plots and the museum does a wonderful job of doing just that. The daily tours are well worth taking and many locals love to drop in to the café for lunch or just a cuppa and a chat.

3. Met Éireann. Glasnevin has been home to Met Éireann since 1979 and it’s said the modern era of the Irish Meteorological Service dates from its occupation of the odd looking building. The move meant all the Met’s Dublin based divisions could be housed under the same roof.

4. Church of our Lady of Dolours. There’s another unusual building just down the hill from the Met Éireann in the shape of the Church of our Lady of Dolours. Designed by architect, Vincent Gallagher, the Pyramid Church was dedicated by Archbishop Dermot Ryan on March 5,1972 and it was one of the first Catholic churches in Ireland to incorporate a community centre in its basement.

5. Na Fianna GAA Club. Right in the heart of the Glasnevin community, CLG Na Fianna was founded in 1955 and is one of few clubs in the country that caters for the full diversity of GAA sporting codes. There are facilities for football, hurling, ladies football, camogie, handball and rounders and there’s a great social aspect to the club too. A major power in Dublin senior football circles, Na Fianna has often put Glasnevin on the national sporting map.

6. Tennis. There’s two great tennis clubs in Glasnevin. Founded in 1894 by a small group of tennis enthusiasts, Charleville Lawn Tennis Club took its name from the original location at the corner of the Charleville and Cabra Roads. The club has been on Whitworth Road since 1904 and has five top class floodlit savannah courts. Founded in 1909, Glasnevin Lawn Tennis Club on Ballymun Road has eight floodlit all weather artificial grass tennis courts.

7. Tolka Rovers. Founded in 1922, Leinster Senior League side Tolka Rovers moved around the Northside over the years before ending up at the club’s current home at Frank Cooke Park in Glasnevin. Since 1979, Tolka Rovers Basketball Club has been serving the local community with distinction winning many national and local league and cup titles.

8. Dublin City University. DCU began life as the National Institute for Higher Education in 1975 but it’s now one of Ireland’s top third level institutions. The university currently has around 6,000 undergraduate students, over 600 research postgraduates, 1,800 taught postgraduate students and over 50,000 alumni.

9. Griffith Avenue. Thought to be the longest tree-lined avenue in Europe, Griffith Avenue is named after Arthur Griffith and is one of the most sought after addresses in Dublin.

10. River Tolka. The River Tolka is often overlooked by the Liffey, but not by locals in Glasnevin. It flows through Glasnevin at Botnaic Gardens and Griffith Park and is home to some wonderful wildlife.