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Artane Ard Aidhin
Location
Coordinates: 53°22′58″N 6°11′42″W / 53.38274°N 6.195002°W / 53.38274; -6.195002Coordinates: 53°22′58″N 6°11′42″W / 53.38274°N 6.195002°W / 53.38274; -6.195002
Irish grid reference O176375
Statistics
Province:	Leinster
County:	Dublin
Dáil Éireann:	Dublin North Central
European Parliament:	Dublin
Dialling code:	01, +353 1
Postal district(s):	Dublin 5
Area:	3.86 km² (953 acres)
Elevation:	Min 29 m Max 43 m
Population (2006)	36,564(Local election areas)

Artane, sometimes spelled Artaine (Ard Aidhin in Irish)^[1], historically Tartaine^[2] is a Northside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. Neighbouring districts include Coolock, Beaumont, Killester, Raheny and Clontarf; to the south is a small locality, Harmonstown, straddling the Raheny-Artane border.

[edit] History

North eastern Dublin city, including Artaine, 1901

Artaine, now usually Artane, has a recorded history spanning over 900 years, but for much of that time was a quiet rural area.

Artane [1], as described from Thom's Almanac and Official Directory: County Dublin Directory, in 1862:^[2] A village and parish in Coolock barony, Dublin county, three miles (5 km) N. from the General Post Office, Dublin, comprising an area of 954 acres (3.86 km²). Population, 457. The village is on the road to Malahide. The parish, anciently called "Tartaine," for centuries formed part of the estate of the Hollywood family, and the castle of Artane likewise belonged to that of the Donnellans. The ruins were taken down in 1825, and on its site Artane House was erected.

The civil parish of Artaine, linked with Finglas before the Reformation, comprises the townlands of Artaine North, Artaine South, Artaine West, Artaine East (originally Skillinglass), Puckstown (where Bram Stoker once resided with his family) and two-thirds of the tonwland of Oldtown (the remainder being in the civil parish of Coolock).

Artane Cottages Lower and Upper, built circa 1900, on the Malahide Road, are in the townland of Killester North.

[edit] Silken Thomas and Artane Castle

In 1532, when Silken Thomas appeared in Dublin, the citizens, feeling themselves unable to defend the city, allowed his troops to enter and lay siege to Dublin Castle. Among those who had taken refuge in the Castle was John Alen, Archbishop of Dublin. He had incurred the enmity of the FitzGeralds (also known as the Geraldines) by zeal in promoting Wolsey's plans, and now dreaded their vengeance. He tried to escape by sea, but his ship was driven ashore at Clontarf and he was captured. When brought before Silken Thomas he implored the Earl to spare his life, but the young lord turned away with contempt, saying "Beir uaim an bodach" ("take the fellow away").^{[cite this quote]} These words were interpreted as an order to put him to death and he was murdered in cold blood. For this crime Silken Thomas was excommunicated by the Pope and thus lost many of his adherents. A slab bearing his^{[citation needed]} name is still to be seen in the Archbishop's cemetery. In this old cemetery we also have the 18th century tomb of Richard Hollywood of Elm Park and the ruins of the 13th century parish church.

[edit] Artane Industrial School

The Artane Industrial school was set up in 1871 in Artane House by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. Industrial Schools were established to take in orphaned or abandoned boys or those who were involved in petty crime, and even such a minor offense as skipping school could be enough for a boy to be sent there.^{[verification needed]} It has been said that about 5% of the children in Artane, indeed in all Industrial Schools, were actually orphans. Most of the incarcerated children were from families that had broken down and as separation was not allowed either, the children of these broken marriages were incarcerated and the religious institution in whose charge the children were put were paid one-third of a labourer's wage to feed, educate and clothe each child. In today's money this would be equal to about €120 per child per week.

The school housed around 900 boys at any one time and they stayed there until they were 16 years of age.^[3] More than 15,000 youngsters passed through the gates of the school from 1871 to its closure in 1966.^[4] Subsequently, many allegations of abuse of boys at the school emerged.^[5]

[edit] After the industrial school

St. David's Primary School, CBS, began operations on the lower floors of the old industrial school in 1969. St. David's Secondary School moved into the upper floors of the industrial school building in 1974 from the pre-fabricated buildings on Kilmore Road it had occupied since 1966. The school building remains today, with playing fields surrounded by a double fence.

Much of the surrounding land was later sold. Building began in 1969 with the construction of the Elm Mount estate followed by Thorndale, Whitethorn, Ardmore (in the townland of Kilmore Little, the site of the first school), Montrose and Pinebrook and ending with Beauvale in the 1970s. The construction of Artaine Castle Shopping Centre was the last piece in that phase of development. Skelly's Lane was realigned and made into a road linking Kilmore Road with Beaumont Road. Traces of the estate boundary, also marking part of the townland boundaries of Artaine North and Artaine South with Artaine West, can be seen at the backs of the houses at the end of Skelly's Lane. The Wad River which flows culverted under Donnycarney Bridge also ran along the perimeter. St. David's and St. David's Wood housing developments were built close to the school in the 1990s.

On the 7th of September 2008, a large fire which broke out at the industrial school complex, caused extensive damage to a building which is understood to have been used as a store room by the Artane Boys' Band and to house memorabilia.

[edit] Artane Band

The Artane Boys' Band [2] was founded in 1872 in what was then the Artane industrial school. The first public performance was given in 1874, for the Prince of Wales, on the school lawn. On the 14th of June, 1886, the band gave its first Gaelic Athletic Association performance and since then has become synonymous with big match days in Croke Park. One of the most famous Band Masters of the Artane Band was Professor Alexander Burke, whose death obituary and photograph was in the Irish Press in 1933. He was given a State Funeral. In 1969 the Band was moved to the old refectory, with its previous building becoming a primary school^{[verification needed]}

Many followers of the GAA have abiding memories of the Artane Boys’ Band parading the teams [3] around the ground in their distinctive blue and scarlet uniforms. The band, also known as “the biggest little band in the world”, now permits girls to participate and as a result the band changed its name to the Artane Band [4].

In 1988, former Band members got together to form the Artane Senior Band. For the first 12 years of its existence the band consisted entirely of past members of the Artane Boys' Band.^{[verification needed]}

[edit] The Stardust

The Stardust was a popular nightclub located near the Artane end of the Kilmore Road leading from Artane to Coolock. In the early hours of February 14, 1981, a fire took place during a disco. 48 people lost their lives and 214 were injured. 841 people had attended the disco that night. The site of the disaster is today a pub, opposite Artaine Castle Shopping Centre. On the site was originally the factory of Scotts Foods, making jams and jarred vegetables.

[edit] Artane today

The district today has a dispersed character, lying either side of the Malahide Road, with focal points around the churches, main shopping centre and Artane Roundabout.

There are shopping precincts on Malahide Road and opposite one of the churches (St. John Vianney), a main shopping centre, Artaine Castle (anchored by Tesco Ireland), a small industrial estate (Butterly Business Park, site of the Stardust and also location of the HQ of Astronomy Ireland) and a leisure centre. One of the churches, the Dublin 5 An Post sorting office, and more shops and businesses, are located in Harmonstown.

There are two Roman Catholic churches, one for Artane Parish, one for Kilmore, and an oratory (a chapel-of-ease for Artane Parish), a considerable distance apart.

Artane is also the site of the large Artane-Coolock Credit Union main office (the other, older, office is in Northside Shopping Centre), and the smaller Donnycarney-Beaumont Credit Union, located in Artaine Castle Shopping Centre.

Schools in Artane include St. David's CBS and St. David's Boys National School, mentioned above, and St. John of God National School on Kilmore Road.

[edit] Public transport

[edit] Dublin Bus

Artane is served by a number of Dublin Bus routes, including: 20B, 27, 27B, 27X, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 104, 128,

[edit] DART

While there is no rail service in Artane proper, it is close to two stations: Harmonstown, Killester

[edit] Notable people

• Singer songwriter Danny Ellis spent the years 1955-1963 in the care of the Christian Brothers at Artane and started his musical life as a trombone player in the Artane Boys Band.
• Footballer Ronan Finn who currently plays for and is captain for UCD grew up in Artane, He also played with Artane Beaumont FC.
• Retired two time FAI cup winning footballer Barry Ferguson (Irish footballer) grew up in Artane.
• Birthplace of Thomas Kettle (1880 - 1916), writer, barrister, Nationalist politician and economist.
• Birthplace of Larry Mullen, drummer with the Irish band U2, and perhaps the most famous former member of the Artane Boy's Band.
• Ex-Westlife singer Brian McFadden grew up in Artane.
• Ex-Big Brother star, now TV/radio presenter, Ray Shah grew up and went to school to St. David's N.B.S & C.B.S in Artane
• Ex-Dead Radio bassist Tony Kane currently resides in Artane.
• Ex-Artane-Beaumont striker Keith Brady currently resides in Artane
• Artane-Beaumont,s long serving player and captain Evan Carmody is currently living in Artane
• Ciaran Byrne of Pinebrook died tragically on December 7th 2009 at the age of 37 years, may he forever R.I.P. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends.

[edit] See also

• List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland

[edit] References / Footnotes

[edit] External links

• St.Davids CBS, boys secondary school, Artane