Foxrock Carraig an tSionnaigh
Location
Coordinates: 53°16′00″N 6°10′27″W / 53.2667°N 6.1742°W / 53.2667; -6.1742
Irish grid reference O219256
Statistics
Province:	Leinster
County:	Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County
Elevation:	53 m
Population (2006)	11,566

Foxrock (Irish: Carraig an tSionnaigh) is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is located in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County, in the postal district of Dublin 18.

[edit] History

The suburb of Foxrock was developed by William and John Bentley and Edward and Anthony Fox, who, in 1859, leased the lands of the Foxrock Estate from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and Richard Whatley, the C of I Archbishop of Dublin, with the aim of creating an affluent garden suburb.

The development was facilitated by the existence of the Harcourt Street railway line, built in 1854, that put Dublin City within commuting distance. The developers donated a site to the Dublin Wicklow and Wexford Railway Company for Foxrock railway station, which opened in 1861. In 1862, the following advertisement^[1] was placed in the Irish Times:

"Beautiful building sites for mansions and pretty villas - Foxrock estate. The improvements recently made on this property, and still progressing, together with its natural attractions render these sites unrivalled for suburban residences. The scenery (green and mountain) from Brighton Road just finished, leading from the hotel at Foxrock station to Carrickmines, is magnificent. The land, being undulating, affords perfectly sheltered positions on Torquay Road, to the railway station at Stillorgan and Foxrock, as well as others elevated and more bracing. The rents required are exceedingly moderate: leases for 900 years are granted. Bricks, stones, lime and sand from the estate are sold at reduced prices to tenants. Stage coaches and omnibuses ply regularly between Foxrock station and Kingstown. Fare 3 pence and 4 pence. There is cheap and excellent shopping at Foxrock market. The railway subscription only £7 per annum. Apply to W.W. Bentley, Foxrock, or Bentley and Son, 110 College Green."

The racecourse was completed in 1888, while the golf club opened in 1898.

Due to a slower than expected initial take-up of lots, the founder/developers of Foxrock were bankrupted and did not live to see its successful development into a wealthy suburb.

[edit] Geography

The three main roads of the original development of Foxrock remain Brighton, Torquay and Westminster Roads. The boundaries of Foxrock as used by the post office now extend east to take in the lands bounded by Clonkeen Road, Deans Grange Cemetery and Newtown Park Avenue. The widened N11 road running North-South clearly divides new and old Foxrock. The village of Foxrock is unusual for the Republic of Ireland in that it lacks a pub although The Gables Restaurant in the village is a licensed premises. Leopardstown racecourse is located at Foxrock and the track is the only one remaining in the greater metropolitan area. In the racing industry, it ranks in importance as second only to The Curragh in County Kildare.

Foxrock Village. Local landmark, Findlaters Grocery Store opened in 1904 (centre) is now the Gables wine bar & restaurant.

[edit] Education

Foxrock has a number of primary and one secondary school - Loreto Convent, Foxrock for girls.

[edit] Transport

The railway line from Dublin Harcourt Street to Bray passed through Foxrock. Closed at the end of 1958 the route has now been reopened as the Green Line of the Luas light rail system, it currently terminates at Sandyford, some 3 km (1.9 mi) short of Foxrock. An extension of the line is under construction but will by-pass Foxrock, not least, because houses were built on a section of the old track at Foxrock Village in the late 1990s. The original passenger entrance remains at the entrance to Westwood. A temporary platform opened in 1859 followed by the station on 1 August 1861, finally closing on 1 January 1959.^[2]

[edit] People

• Samuel Beckett was born in 1906 in Cooldrinagh, on Kerrymount Ave.
• Singer Joe Dolan had a house in Tresillian estate in Foxrock.
• Fictional character Ross O'Carroll-Kelly supposedly lived in Foxrock.

[edit] See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Foxrock Local History Club
• Foxrock Church
• Foxrock Golf Club