Dolphin's Barn () is an inner city suburb of

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, situated on the Southside of the city in the Dublin 8, and partially in the Dublin 12, postal district.

Etymology

The district's English name may derive from an Anglo-Norman family named Dolphyn who owned a storehouse there in medieval times. However it could also derive from its more ancient name of ''Carnán Cluana Úi Dhunchada'' (the little cairn of the meadow of the Úi Dhunchada) or its shortened version of ''Carn Úi Dhunchada'' (the cairn of the Úi Dhunchada), anglicised as "Dunphy's Cairn" and ending as "Dolphin's Barn". The Úi Dhunchada were one of the three branches of the Úi Dúnlainge dynasty from which came most of the Kings of Leinster from the 5th to the 11th century AD.

Location and access

Surrounding areas include The Liberties,

Inchicore Inchicore () is a suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Located approximately west of the city centre, Inchicore was originally a small village separate from Dublin. The village developed around Richmond Barracks (built 1810) and Inchi ...

, Islandbridge,

Kilmainham Kilmainham (, meaning " St Maighneann's church") is a south inner suburb of Dublin, Ireland, south of the River Liffey and west of the city centre. It is in the city's Dublin 8 postal district. History Origins Kilmainham's foundation dates ...

and Crumlin.

Features

The Grand Canal passes through the centre of the locality under Dolphin's Barn Bridge. The City Watercourse historically passed through the area to get to the City Basin.

Sport

Dolphin's Barn is the home of

Templeogue Synge Street GAA Templeogue Synge Street ( Irish: ''Teach Mealóg Sráid Singe'') is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dublin, Ireland. Synge Street Past Pupils G.F.C was founded in 1945 and Templeogue G.F.C formed in 1978. The two clubs were merged ...

who own Dolphin Park and who allow a small local hurling club called Kevin's Hurling Club use the ground. Former

League of Ireland The League of Ireland is a national association football Sports league, league consisting of professional clubs in the Republic of Ireland and Derry, Derry City in Northern Ireland. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland. It was ...

club Dolphin FC also previously used the grounds. The Dublin marathon passes down South Circular Road in Dolphin's Barn.

Amenities

Dolphin's Barn is home to one of the city's fire stations which is situated on the corner of Parnell Road and Rutland Avenue.

Jewish cemetery

The official Jewish cemetery of Dublin is on Aughavannagh Road near Dolphin's Barn. It was established in 1898 by Robert Bradlaw and the Dolphin's Barn Jewish Burial Society to replace the Ballybough Cemetery which was nearing capacity. Bradlaw was one of the founders of the St. Kevin's Parade Synagogue. The cemetery was dedicated to Sir Moses Montefiore.

Hospital

The Coombe Lying-In Hospital moved from the Liberties to modern buildings in Dolphin's Barn in 1967. It was renamed the Coombe Women's Hospital in 1993 and again renamed as the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital in January 2008.

Dolphin House flats

A group of brutalist flats called Dolphin House are located in Dolphin's Barn. They were constructed in 1957 and comprise 392 flats. It is Dublin’s largest remaining public housing flat complex and, as of 2023, was going through a regeneration project by

Dublin City Council Dublin City Council () is the Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authority of the city of Dublin in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. Until 2001, the authority was k ...

References

{{Dublin residential areas Towns and villages in Dublin (city) Places in Dublin (city) Jewish Irish history Jews and Judaism in Dublin (city) Uppercross