Douglas, Cork
Encyclopedia
Douglas or Duglas is an area of Cork city
, Ireland
. As its borders are ill-defined and it straddles the boundary between Cork City and County Cork
, it is difficult to ascertain the exact population. The CSO gives a figure of 18,192 for the parts of Douglas that lie within Cork County. No figure is provided for the parts within Cork City, although the combined population of the Tramore A, Tramore B and Tramore C electoral divisions, which lie in Douglas, is 5,001.
amongst other clients. Huguenot
weavers and textile workers, such as the Bernard and Pollock brothers from Belfast, came to work in the area, along with skilled workers from Ulster
and Scotland
. Further textile mills opened in the nineteenth century, including Lane’s Corn and Hemp Mills (1845), O’Brien’s Brothers (St Patrick’s Woollen Mills, 1882) and Conroy’s Rope and Twine Mills (1892). Most of the mills ceased to operate in the early twentieth century, although St. Patrick's Woollen Mills and Donnybrook Mills continued to operate until the 1970s.
Some of the houses built for the mill workers are still in existence, including a terrace
of houses near the junction of the Grange Road and Donnybrook Hill.
Douglas developed as a suburban area throughout the later eighteenth century and the nineteenth century and a number of 'big houses' were built nearby. These included Donnybrook House, Castletreasure House, Grange House, Maryborough House (now a hotel), Douglas Hall (one of the few remaining examples of a slate-fronted house in Ireland) and Mount Vernon which had one of the earliest examples of a domestic central-heating system installed in any house in Ireland.
St. Columba’s Roman Catholic church was built in 1814 and St. Luke’s Church of Ireland
church was completed in 1889. In 1898, a tram
way was built from Cork City to Douglas. This operated until 1932 when it was replaced by a bus service.
In the second half of the twentieth century, Douglas underwent major changes as it became a suburb
of Cork. A large amount of new housing was built and the area between Douglas and Cork City became entirely built-up. Schools, shopping centres, cinemas and other amenities developed to serve this new population. Douglas Community School (see below) was built in 1968 and the original Douglas Shopping Centre was completed in 1972. This shopping center recently received a massive facelift, transforming the village. A second shopping centre, Douglas Court Shopping Centre, was built in the late 1980s and a 5-screen multiplex
cinema was also built. Several hotels, including the Rochestown Park Hotel and Maryborough House Hotel were also developed. Douglas has two golf courses, one at Maryborough Hill and one in Frankfield. The Frankfield golf course also contains a driving range.
The expansion of suburban residential development continued throughout the later part of the twentieth century and continues to the present day. Housing developments (mostly private, although there are some areas of social housing) have been built in Grange, Donnybrook, Frankfield, Maryborough, Rochestown, Mount Oval and along the two main roads connecting Douglas to Cork city, the Douglas Road and the South Douglas Road. The city is also the birthplace of actor Cillian Murphy
.
and Nemo Rangers
hurling and football clubs. Local association football (soccer) clubs include Tramore Athletic FC, Grangevale AFC, College Corinthians AFC and Douglas Hall AFC. There are also local golf (and pitch and putt) clubs - notably: Douglas Golf Club, Frankfield Golf Club and Douglas Pitch and Putt Club. Douglas also has representation in rugby (Douglas RFC)founded 1979, tennis (Douglas Tennis Club), basketball (Fr. Mathews Basketball Club) and gymnastics (Douglas Gymnastics Club)
, Ballyphehane
, Turners Cross
and Beaumont.
Secondary:
Third Level:
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. As its borders are ill-defined and it straddles the boundary between Cork City and County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, it is difficult to ascertain the exact population. The CSO gives a figure of 18,192 for the parts of Douglas that lie within Cork County. No figure is provided for the parts within Cork City, although the combined population of the Tramore A, Tramore B and Tramore C electoral divisions, which lie in Douglas, is 5,001.
History
Douglas was first mentioned in documents in 1251. By the mid-seventeenth century, it had a population of 308 people (of whom 33 were English) and consisted of a number of large farms. The area began to develop as an urban settlement in the early eighteenth century with the opening of Donnybrook Mills in 1726. The mills produced sail-cloth and supplied sails to the British Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
amongst other clients. Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
weavers and textile workers, such as the Bernard and Pollock brothers from Belfast, came to work in the area, along with skilled workers from Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Further textile mills opened in the nineteenth century, including Lane’s Corn and Hemp Mills (1845), O’Brien’s Brothers (St Patrick’s Woollen Mills, 1882) and Conroy’s Rope and Twine Mills (1892). Most of the mills ceased to operate in the early twentieth century, although St. Patrick's Woollen Mills and Donnybrook Mills continued to operate until the 1970s.
Some of the houses built for the mill workers are still in existence, including a terrace
Terrace (building)
A terrace is an outdoor, occupiable extension of a building above ground level. Although its physical characteristics may vary to a great degree, a terrace will generally be larger than a balcony and will have an "open-top" facing the sky...
of houses near the junction of the Grange Road and Donnybrook Hill.
Douglas developed as a suburban area throughout the later eighteenth century and the nineteenth century and a number of 'big houses' were built nearby. These included Donnybrook House, Castletreasure House, Grange House, Maryborough House (now a hotel), Douglas Hall (one of the few remaining examples of a slate-fronted house in Ireland) and Mount Vernon which had one of the earliest examples of a domestic central-heating system installed in any house in Ireland.
St. Columba’s Roman Catholic church was built in 1814 and St. Luke’s Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
church was completed in 1889. In 1898, a tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way was built from Cork City to Douglas. This operated until 1932 when it was replaced by a bus service.
In the second half of the twentieth century, Douglas underwent major changes as it became a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Cork. A large amount of new housing was built and the area between Douglas and Cork City became entirely built-up. Schools, shopping centres, cinemas and other amenities developed to serve this new population. Douglas Community School (see below) was built in 1968 and the original Douglas Shopping Centre was completed in 1972. This shopping center recently received a massive facelift, transforming the village. A second shopping centre, Douglas Court Shopping Centre, was built in the late 1980s and a 5-screen multiplex
Multiplex (movie theater)
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
cinema was also built. Several hotels, including the Rochestown Park Hotel and Maryborough House Hotel were also developed. Douglas has two golf courses, one at Maryborough Hill and one in Frankfield. The Frankfield golf course also contains a driving range.
The expansion of suburban residential development continued throughout the later part of the twentieth century and continues to the present day. Housing developments (mostly private, although there are some areas of social housing) have been built in Grange, Donnybrook, Frankfield, Maryborough, Rochestown, Mount Oval and along the two main roads connecting Douglas to Cork city, the Douglas Road and the South Douglas Road. The city is also the birthplace of actor Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
.
Sport
Sports clubs in the area include the Douglas GAADouglas GAA
Douglas GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the Douglas suburb of Cork, Ireland. The club participates at different levels in hurling, Gaelic football, camogie and ladies football. The club is part of the Seandun division of Cork GAA....
and Nemo Rangers
Nemo Rangers GAA
Nemo Rangers Hurling and Football Club is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club on the southside of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1922 and is primarily concerned with the game of Gaelic football, though interest in hurling has escalated in recent years.-History:Nemo Rangers...
hurling and football clubs. Local association football (soccer) clubs include Tramore Athletic FC, Grangevale AFC, College Corinthians AFC and Douglas Hall AFC. There are also local golf (and pitch and putt) clubs - notably: Douglas Golf Club, Frankfield Golf Club and Douglas Pitch and Putt Club. Douglas also has representation in rugby (Douglas RFC)founded 1979, tennis (Douglas Tennis Club), basketball (Fr. Mathews Basketball Club) and gymnastics (Douglas Gymnastics Club)
Bordering suburbs
Bordering suburbs include Grange county Cork BallinloughBallinlough, Cork
Ballinlough is a suburb on the southside of Cork city, in Ireland. It is located between Ballintemple and the larger suburbs of Douglas and Blackrock.There are three primary schools situated in Ballinlough: St...
, Ballyphehane
Ballyphehane
Ballyphehane is a suburb in the south of Cork in Ireland. It is one of the oldest suburbs in Cork and was created as part of a post-World War II initiative to create a model community in Cork. Between 1948 and 1993, a total of 11 housing schemes totaling 1,316 dwellings were built by Cork...
, Turners Cross
Turners Cross, Cork
Turner's Cross is a ward on the south side of Cork City, and home to the Roman Catholic parish of the same name.Largely residential, one of the key features of the area is the iconic church created by architect Barry Byrne and sculptor John Storrs, the Church of Christ The King. It was...
and Beaumont.
Education
Primary Education:- St. Anthony's - Catholic boys school
- Eglantine - Catholic girls school
- Scoil An Athar Tadhg Ó Murchú - Irish languageIrish languageIrish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
mixed-sex school - St. Luke's - Church of IrelandChurch of IrelandThe Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
mixed-sex school - Scoil Nioclais - CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
mixed-sex school - St. Columba's BNS - CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
boys school - St. Columba's GNS - Catholic girls school
Secondary:
- Christ King - girls school
- Douglas Community SchoolDouglas Community SchoolDouglas Community School, also known as Douglas Comm or DCS, is an all-boys community school in Douglas, Cork, Ireland. It was founded as Coláiste Muire by the Presentation Brothers in 1926 as a juniorate . In 1965 it became a full secondary school...
- boys school - Regina Mundi College - girls school
- Rochestown College - Catholic (Capuchin order) boys school
- CCRI-boy's school
Third Level:
- Douglas does not have any third level educational institutions. However, University College Cork and Cork Institute of TechnologyCork Institute of TechnologyCork Institute of Technology , formerly the Regional Technical College, Cork, is an Institute of Technology in Ireland, located in Cork, Ireland opened in 1973. The institute has 17,000 students in art, business, engineering, music and science disciplines...
are easily accessed from Douglas. Cork College of CommerceCork College of CommerceCork College of Commerce is a college that was established by the business and education communities on the banks of the River Lee in Cork, Ireland in 1908...
, St John's College and Colaiste Stiofain Naofa also provide post-secondary education opportunities; all are located in Cork City.
Religious congregations
- Douglas Parish - CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
- Douglas Parish - Church of IrelandChurch of IrelandThe Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
- Wesley Chapel - Methodist
- Douglas Baptist Church - BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Metropolitan CorkMetropolitan CorkMetropolitan Cork is an unofficial term which refers to the city of Cork, Ireland, its suburbs and the satellite towns that surround it. The term was used in the Cork Area Strategic Plan to refer to the area whose labour and property market is shared with the city...
External links
- History of Douglas (at Douglas Community School website)
- 6th/47th Cork Douglas Scout Group (a member of Scouting IrelandScouting IrelandScouting Ireland is the World Organization of the Scout Movement-recognised Scouting association in the Republic of Ireland, although it also has Scout Groups in Northern Ireland. Scouting Ireland is a voluntary, non-formal educational movement for young people...
)