Fr. Collins Park
Encyclopedia
Father Collins Park is a public park located in Dublin near the boundary between the city and the Fingal County Council
division of County Dublin
in the Province of Leinster
, Ireland
.
Its official address is Donaghmede
, and it is located near the new development at Clongriffin
, with Balgriffin
a little to the west.
. The park comprises part of the original and extensive Grange of Baldoyle, farmland supporting the Priory of All Saints (on the site of which Trinity College Dublin now stands, which had a chapel, now called Grange Abbey, the ruins of which still stand.
During the early days of the Reformation in Ireland
, the monastic settlements along the north east coast of Dublin (including Grange Abbey and accompanying farmland) were seized en masse at the behest of Henry VIII of England
, who later gave it to the Corporation of Dublin.
To date, Dublin City Council
continue to own and oversee swathes of the medieval monastic settlements of 'Grange of Baldoyle', including Grange Abbey, Father Collins Park, and the smaller park which retains the link along Hole in the Wall Road. (See also Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
and Civil parishes in Ireland
.)
The park was originally opened in memory of a once popular parish priest, Father Joe Collins. Having been farmland
since at least early medieval times, the park initially comprised natural woodland
s, ancient hedgerow, open spaces and playing fields for sports.
The redeveloped park was reopened by the Lord Mayor of Dublin
, Eibhlin Byrne
, and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin
, Diarmuid Martin
, on 27 May 2009 .
Father Collins Park continues to be owned and maintained by Dublin City Council
.
The park has since won a number of awards such as The Sustainability Award 2010, Best Public Space 2010, and Best Public Park & Best Environmentally Friendly Initiative for 2010 http://www.ksn.ie/ber_sustainability_collins.html. Most recently, it was short listed by the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture 2011.
With five 50 kW wind turbines, it provides power for the projection of water from the central lake, the public lighting, maintenance depots, and sport club changing rooms.
The approximately 54 acres
(or 26 hectares
) encompasses some natural woodland
; for sports, a 1.5 km peripheral running/cycling track, six playing pitches and six fitness stations; for leisure, a promenade, a concert amphitheatre and picnic areas with outdoor chess/draughts boards; and for activity, two playgrounds and a skate-park.
For further information on the park, see http://www.dublincity.ie/RecreationandCulture/DublinCityParks/VisitaPark/Pages/FrCollinsPark.aspx and http://www.ksn.ie/ber sustainability collins.html
http://www.npws.ie/http://www.npws.ie/protectedsites/specialprotectionareasspa/baldoylebayspa/.
Declared a Statutory
Nature Reserve
in 1988 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1988/en/si/0233.html, the inner estuarine part of the estuary
and wetlands of Baldoyle Bay are of high significance protected as a Special Area of Conservation
(SAC). They support several habitats that are listed on the EU Habitats Directive http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/legislation/habitatsdirective/index_en.htm. Under the Ramsar Convention
, it is designated as a wetland of international importance.
Consequently, during the seasons of migration, the open lands of Father Collins Park continue to host migrating birds
.
Undisturbed lands remain an important refuge and hub for Artic and European migratory birds. Of particular interest is the internationally important population of Brent Geese who inhabit the estuary. (See Brant Goose.)
Fingal County Council
Fingal County council is the local authority for the county of Fingal in Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolition and one of four councils in the Dublin Region. The county seat is in Swords, with another major office...
division of County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
in the Province of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
, 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,...
.
Its official address is Donaghmede
Donaghmede
Donaghmede is a residential suburb of Dublin, in the province of Leinster, Ireland.-Location:Donaghmede is situated approximately to the north east of the Dublin city centre, and is in the constituency of Dublin North East...
, and it is located near the new development at Clongriffin
Clongriffin
Clongriffin is a new locality in northern Donaghmede, Dublin, Ireland.-Name:The name Clongriffin is a modern invention, a concatenation of 'clon', the anglicisation of cluain and griffin...
, with Balgriffin
Balgriffin
Balgriffin is a former rural, now largely residential, part of County Dublin, Ireland.-Location:Balgriffin is situated approximately from Dublin city centre...
a little to the west.
History
Father Collins Park is situated on part of an historic site that is significant from the medieval era, or more specifically, the Norman periodNorman Ireland
The History of Ireland 1169–1536 covers the period from the arrival of the Cambro-Normans to the reign of Henry VIII of England, who made himself King of Ireland. After the Norman invasion of 1171, Ireland was under an alternating level of control from Norman lords and the King of England...
. The park comprises part of the original and extensive Grange of Baldoyle, farmland supporting the Priory of All Saints (on the site of which Trinity College Dublin now stands, which had a chapel, now called Grange Abbey, the ruins of which still stand.
During the early days of the Reformation in Ireland
Reformation in Ireland
The Reformation in Ireland was a movement for the reform of religious life and institutions that was introduced into Ireland by the English administration at the behest of King Henry VIII of England. His desire for an annulment of his marriage was known as the King's Great Matter...
, the monastic settlements along the north east coast of Dublin (including Grange Abbey and accompanying farmland) were seized en masse at the behest of Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, who later gave it to the Corporation of Dublin.
To date, Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
continue to own and oversee swathes of the medieval monastic settlements of 'Grange of Baldoyle', including Grange Abbey, Father Collins Park, and the smaller park which retains the link along Hole in the Wall Road. (See also Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dublin, , is a Roman Catholic archdiocese in eastern Ireland centred around the republic's capital city – Dublin. The see of Dublin was raised to the status of a Metropolitan Province by the Synod of Kells in 1152. Its jurisdiction includes much of the Province of...
and Civil parishes in Ireland
Civil parishes in Ireland
The parish was once an ecclesiastical unit of territory based on early Christian and monastic settlements. It came into existence in Ireland in the 12th and 13th centuries and was continued by the Church of Ireland, the Established church, from the time of the Tudor conquest...
.)
The park was originally opened in memory of a once popular parish priest, Father Joe Collins. Having been farmland
Farmland
Farmland generally refers to agricultural land, or land currently used for the purposes of farming. It may also refer to:*Arable land, land capable of cultivating crops*Farmland, Indiana, a town in the United States...
since at least early medieval times, the park initially comprised natural woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s, ancient hedgerow, open spaces and playing fields for sports.
The redeveloped park was reopened by the Lord Mayor of Dublin
Lord Mayor of Dublin
The Lord Mayor of Dublin is the honorific title of the Chairman of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The incumbent is Labour Party Councillor Andrew Montague. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the...
, Eibhlin Byrne
Eibhlin Byrne
Eibhlin Byrne is a former Fianna Fáil politician, and served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 2008–09.Byrne has held a number of senior positions including Acting Director of the Daughters of Charity Child and Family Service, Head of Communication and Advocacy at Depaul Trust , and Chair of the...
, and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin
The Archbishop of Dublin may refer to:* Archbishop of Dublin – an article which lists of pre- and post-Reformation archbishops.* Archbishop of Dublin – the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin....
, Diarmuid Martin
Diarmuid Martin
Diarmuid Martin is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. He was born in Dublin.-Early life and education:...
, on 27 May 2009 .
Father Collins Park continues to be owned and maintained by Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
.
Details
Redevelopment work on what is now Ireland's first wind powered and 'self-sustainable' public park began in September 2007 to a design by Argentinian architectural practice, Abelleyro and Romero. The work, with a budget of €20 million, was completed in early 2009.The park has since won a number of awards such as The Sustainability Award 2010, Best Public Space 2010, and Best Public Park & Best Environmentally Friendly Initiative for 2010 http://www.ksn.ie/ber_sustainability_collins.html. Most recently, it was short listed by the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture 2011.
With five 50 kW wind turbines, it provides power for the projection of water from the central lake, the public lighting, maintenance depots, and sport club changing rooms.
The approximately 54 acres
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
(or 26 hectares
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
) encompasses some natural woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
; for sports, a 1.5 km peripheral running/cycling track, six playing pitches and six fitness stations; for leisure, a promenade, a concert amphitheatre and picnic areas with outdoor chess/draughts boards; and for activity, two playgrounds and a skate-park.
For further information on the park, see http://www.dublincity.ie/RecreationandCulture/DublinCityParks/VisitaPark/Pages/FrCollinsPark.aspx and http://www.ksn.ie/ber sustainability collins.html
Nature
Father Collins Park is approximately 3 km inland from Baldoyle Bay, with its estuaries and wetlands, which are protected by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland)National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service manages the Irish State's nature conservation responsibilities. It is part of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government....
http://www.npws.ie/http://www.npws.ie/protectedsites/specialprotectionareasspa/baldoylebayspa/.
Declared a Statutory
Law of the Republic of Ireland
The law of the Republic of Ireland consists of constitutional, statute and common law. The highest law in the Republic is the Constitution of Ireland, from which all other law derives its authority...
Nature Reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in 1988 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1988/en/si/0233.html, the inner estuarine part of the estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
and wetlands of Baldoyle Bay are of high significance protected as a Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
(SAC). They support several habitats that are listed on the EU Habitats Directive http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/legislation/habitatsdirective/index_en.htm. Under the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
, it is designated as a wetland of international importance.
Consequently, during the seasons of migration, the open lands of Father Collins Park continue to host migrating birds
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
.
Undisturbed lands remain an important refuge and hub for Artic and European migratory birds. Of particular interest is the internationally important population of Brent Geese who inhabit the estuary. (See Brant Goose.)