Kinsealy

Kinsealy (officially Kinsaley; Irish: Cionn Sáile) is an outer suburb of Dublin in Fingal, County Dublin, Ireland. Kinsaley is also the name of the surrounding electoral division and civil parish. Kinsealy is on the Northside of the city, about 7 km from the centre city, on the Malahide Road, in the former green belt between the suburbs of Balgriffin, Portmarnock and Malahide.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, the Central Statistics Office notes the census town of Kinsaley, in the electoral divisions of Kinsaley and Balgriffin, with a population of 214 people. This should not be confused with the census town of Kinsealy–Drinan, with a population of 5,814, which is a suburb of the nearby town of Swords, and is located along the M1 motorway.

The entire electoral division of Kinsaley also includes parts of the non-municipal towns of Portmarnock, Malahide, and Swords, and had a 2011 population of 8,475 people, up from 5,526 in 2006.

History

Samuel Lewis' 1837 Topographical Dictionary describes the parish of Kinsealy as "well cultivated", with a limestone quarry and a holy well.

Controversial politician Charles Haughey lived at Abbeville, a Georgian "big house", for many years, including his time as Taoiseach. Haughey's lavish lifestyle earned him the nickname, "the Squire of Kinsealy".

In recent years, development has begun, with a housing estate called Drynam Hall, and major developments to come.

Amenities

Kinsealy is served by Dublin Bus routes 42, 42n, and 43. It has a Roman Catholic church, by a secondary road to Portmarnock. In addition to the few businesses in Balgriffin, Kinsealy has a pet shop, garden centre and greengrocer, and a research station of Teagasc. In the Drynam housing estate are a beauty salon, Chinese take-away and pharmacist.