Balrothery

327 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Balrothery, from 3 m² to 15,692 m² (1.57 ha, 3.88 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 29 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

• R2RS - Residential (Existing residential)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 279 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• G3GB - Green Belt (Conservation, amenity or buffer space, corridor/belt, landscape)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 16 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• M2TC - Town and District Centre (City/Town/village Centre, central area)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 14 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• S3CI - Community Infrastructure (Community facilities)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 6 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• G4OS - Open Space (Active open space)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 5 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 17 Jun 2026Request additional information

  Planning Permission is requested for a new storey and a half extension

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F26A/0517E

• 9 Jun 2026Invalid application

  Anew storey and a half extension to rear and single storey extension t

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F26A/0487E

• 23 Mar 2026Refuse permission

  a new extension to rear of existing dwellinghouse along with internal

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F26A/0223E

• 22 Jan 2026Invalid application due to site notice

  a new extension to rear of existing dwellinghouse along with internal

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F26A/0040E

• 9 Dec 2025Invalid application

  Planning permission is requested for a new extension to rear of existi

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F25A/1144E

• 10 Sept 2025Grant permission

  Planning Permission for an infill development consisting of 2 no. 2 st

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F25A/0828E

• 20 Aug 2025Invalid application

  an infill development consisting of 2 No. 2 storey detached houses, as

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F25A/0765E

• 15 Aug 2025Grant permission

  Planning permission for first floor extension to existing bedroom to c

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F25A/0747E

• 14 Aug 2025Invalid application

  an infill development consisting of 2 No. 2 storey detached houses, as

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F25A/0740E

• 17 Apr 2025Refuse permission

  infill development consisting of 1 No. 2 storey detached house, 2 No.

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F25A/0332E

• 28 Nov 2024Refuse permission

  New mixed-use development consisting of (a) 2-Storey Block 1 containin

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F24A/1067E

• 17 Oct 2023Grant permission for retention

  Planning permission is requested for retention of

  Retention · Fingal County Council, F23A/0624

• 19 Sept 2023Grant permission

  Planning permission is requested for a new one and a half

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F23A/0566

• 17 Aug 2023Grant permission

  The development will consist of single- story extension to the side ga

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F23B/0091

• 16 Jun 2023Grant permission

  Planning permission is being sought for

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F23B/0062

• 20 Mar 2023Grant permission

  Demolition of existing detached garage to side of existing dwelling

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F22B/0207

• 4 Aug 2022Grant permission

  New single storey extension to side and rear of existing dwellinghouse

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F22B/0122

• 19 May 2022Grant permission

  The decommissioning of an existing wastewater treatment plant (888 sq.

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F22A/0255

• 6 May 2022Grant permission

  A new two storey building consisting of 3 no. retail units at ground l

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F22A/0232

• 11 Mar 2022Refuse permission

  An infill development consisting of 3 No. 2 storey detached houses,

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F22A/0121

• 19 Nov 2021Refuse permission

  An infill development consisting of 3 No. 2 storey detached houses, as

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F21A/0622

• 28 Apr 2021Refuse permission

  An infill development consisting of 4 No. 2 storey terraced houses

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F21A/0245

• 23 Nov 2020Refuse permission

  Permission for a new two-storey building consisting of 2no. Retail Uni

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F20A/0600

• 10 Nov 2020Grant permission

  Attic conversion (non habitable space) and the construction of a dorme

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F20B/0284

• 5 Oct 2020Grant permission

  Planning permission is requested for new single storey extension to si

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F20B/0238

The 25 most recent of 60 applications.

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Balrothery.

Recorded monuments

• DU005-009002 Headstone
  Description

  Located within a graveyard (DU005-057005-), just SW of a church (DU005-057003-). A number of squat, irregularly shaped headstones bear 'folk art'. Commemorative inscriptions dating mainly to the first half of the 18th-century are framed by incised decorative motifs, including ‘lose’ or open spirals, lozenges and hearts. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 30 September 2021

• DU005-009004 Bullaun stone
  Description

  Archaeological monitoring (Excavation licence no. 04E0671) of an extension to the N of the existing graveyard (DU005-057005-) uncovered a bullaun stone in the topsoil of a formerly green area (Stevens 2007, 98-9). A roughly dressed, trapezoidal, limestone block (dims. L 33cm; Wth 26cm; H 13cm) contains a neatly carved, shallow, circular depression (diam. 12.5cm; D 8cm). Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 1 October 2021

• DU005-057 Settlement cluster
  Description

  Listed as 'Village' in the Dublin Record of Monuments and Places issued in 1998 when it was assigned the RMP No. DU005-057----. This classification has been changed to Settlement Cluster as it relates to the settlement or village of Balrothery which was clustered around Balrothery Church (DU005-057003-), graveyard (DU005-057005-), Balrothery Castle (DU005-057006-) and the triangular shaped Fair Green located to the NE of the graveyard.  The terrier of the 1657 Down Survey map of the parish of Balrothery recorded that Patrick Barnewell was the owner of ‘Severall Tenements undistinguished’ in the townland of 'Balrudery'.   According to Lewis (1837, 170-1) the church of Balrothery was ‘anciently annexed to that part of the church of Lusk which in the earlier ages belonged to the archdeaconry of Dublin, and was separated from it about the year 1220 by Archbishop Henry. The village is situated on the road from Dublin to Balbriggan, from which latter it is distant about a mile, and in 1831 contained 84 houses’ (ibid.).  He also recorded the local tradition that ‘Jas. II. is said to have slept at the White Hart Inn here, before the battle of the Boyne: and the same distinction is claimed by another ancient house in the village, which was formerly an extensive inn’ (ibid.). Two fairs were held at Balrothery on the 6th of May and the 12th of August for the sale of ‘Cattle and Pedlar’s goods’ (Carlisle 1810).   Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

• DU005-057001 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  Annotated 'Holy Well' on the 1837 ed. OSi 6-inch map, accessed from lane off the old road that runs through Balrothery Village. The following folklore was collected from Balrothery School abut this well known locally as 'Biddy Boughy's Well; 'It appears that long ago there was a holy well in the Chapel Lane close to the school and a woman named Biddy Boughy who lived in the lane washed clothes in it one day. This polluted the well and it dried up immediately. The old people say that it sprang up it another places in the village down a little lane close to Mary Mc Gann's house, and it is still called Biddy Boughy's well' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0784, Page 79; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4498253/4383794/4507067). Biddy Boughy's Well was described by Ó Danachair in 1958 as; 'a good well of clear water, lined with stone to ground level. Used for domestic supply. No tradition of an y devotion or other practices' (Ó Danachair 1958, 74). This holy well was described in 1973 as; 'Approached by path from old main road. Still has water in it, c. 2' deep, in round basin, 2'3" diameter, top of which is of concrete, though lower part (under water) seems to be of stone' (H.A. Wheeler 22/03/1973, SMR File). Described in 1992 as a round stone basin (diam. 0.68m) which formed the base of the well (D 0.6m). The well was stone lined and covered with board, soil and dump. There is no local memory of veneration but there is a local tradition that there was a holy well in Chapel Lane (Ó Danachair 1958, 74). Known locally as Biddy Boughy's well (Skyvova 2005, 46). Uncovered by holy well enthusiasts in March 2014. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 11 April 2023

• DU005-057002 Standing stone
  Description

  Located on the landscaped open space of Cloich Choirneal housing estate in Balrothery Village. It is four-sided with a distinct E-W axis (H 1.5m; 2, L 1.25m; Wth 0.95m). There are a series of plough marks on the lower portion of its W face (Healy 1975, 17). Archaeological test excavation (01E0255) and monitoring (01E0371) were undertaken in advance of the housing estate development. In 2010 a flower bed was placed around the standing stone obscuring its base. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 15 November 2014

• DU005-057003 Church
  Description

  The present Church of Ireland church at Balrothery (NIAH Reg. No. 11309002) dedicated to St Peter either stands on the footprint of the medieval parish church of St. Peter or was incorporated into the fabric of the present church. The residential W tower of the medieval parish church of Balrothery (Balruddery) (Baile an Ridire/Town of the Knight) now stands connected to the W end of the C. of I. building by a small low porch.  The present church and western tower which is a National Monument (No. 590), stands in the SW quadrant of Balrothery graveyard (DU005-057005-) which contains an inscribed stone (DU005-009002-) and bullaun stone (DU005-009004-).  Balrothery Castle (DU005-057006-) stands on glebe lands, c. 30m to the S of the medieval church. A holy well (DU005-057007-) lies in the field 280m to the E of the church.  Balrothery Church was listed in the Dublin SMR (1988) as DU005-00901-. The church was listed in the Dublin RMP (1998) as DU005-05703- and is listed on the Historic Environment Viewer as DU005-057003-. A medieval stone head or mouth puller (RMP No. DU005-05704-) is visible beneath the window sill in the external face of the E gable of the C. of I. church.  The medieval double aisled nave and chancel church with western tower (NLI, PD 1976 TX 123) in the parish of Balrothery and barony of the same in north Dublin now Fingal, in the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough, was described by Austin Cooper in the late 18th-century, as a formidable building with a nave which contained arched recesses either side and a smaller chancel. A carved head below the E window of the present church is probably the one described 'as a large projecting head' near the E window (Price 1945, 83-84). The W tower is square in plan and rises three storeys with a belfry stage. A round turret in NW corner contains the stairs. Interior is lit by a double-light ogee-headed window with hood moulding in the W wall, the S terminal of which ends in a carved bearded figure. There is a stone vault over the first floor. A string course and offset mark the base of the belfry stage and there is another string course below double-light pointed windows. There are multi-stepped crenellations on the parapet wall with a 19th-century bellcote on the E side (Leask 1960, 23-24).   In 1810 the church was described as ‘in good repair’ with no ‘Glebe House: two Glebes, one of 19 acres, joining the church, and the other, of 10a 3r. 34p., three quarters of a mile from the church’(Carlisle 1810).  Two fairs were held at Balrothery on the 6th of May and the 12th of August for the sale of ‘Cattle and Pedlar’s goods’.  According to Lewis (1837, 170-1) the church of Balrothery was ‘anciently annexed to that part of the church of Lusk which in the earlier ages belonged to the archdeaconry of Dublin, and was separated from it about the year 1220 by Archbishop Henry’ (ibid.).  He also recorded the local tradition that ‘Jas. II. is said to have slept at the White Hart Inn [DU025-054----] here, before the battle of the Boyne: and the same distinction is claimed by another ancient house in the village, which was formerly an extensive inn’ (ibid.).  Samuel Lewis recorded that the ‘church, with the exception of the tower, which is embattled and surmounted at the north-west angle with a circular turret, and at the others with small turrets, was taken down and rebuilt, by aid of a loan of £1000 from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1816’ (ibid.).  Datestone in the S wall of the church which reads ‘Hoc Templum Decoratum, erat diligentis et studio Th. Brereton generosi …. AD 1722’. The medieval church and tower was described by the antiquary Austin Cooper in the 18th-century as; ‘an old church of an extraordinary construction and most undoubtedly appears to be an ancient piece of work much mutilated.  It formerly consisted of a range of arches or rather arched recesses on each side, which was all included in regular walls  that must appear of a great thickness each recess being I imagine about 10 feet [3m] deep.  Those on the N side have been all taken away and the wall patched up, but the opposite side remains entire, each recess being a snug seat in the Church. On ascending a flight of stairs leading to the battlements, I could not help expressing some surprise at the apparent thickness of the wall, but what I most admired was the manner of finishing the battlements and for carrying off the water by gutters.  The chancel is small and in very indifferent repair.  At the W end is a square steeple or belfry with a round tower supporting the NW angle which exactly resembles those supporting the steeple at Lusk, but inferior in size and workmanship.  Of all the places I have seen none can challenge this church for a multiplicity of inscriptions.  The natives have been very frugal in the expence of tomb stones and instead thereof have used the stones in the walls of the church and by that means there is scarce a stone in the wall not inscribed’ (Price 1942, 83-4; Walsh 1888, 250-1).  Church of Ireland church described by Walsh (1888, 251) as; ‘this curious church was taken down and rebuilt A.D. 1816, when the present plain oblong quadrangular edifice succeeded it, 52 feet [15.8m] long by 28 [8.5m] wide.  But this, like its predecessor, is united at the W end to the fine old tower about 20 feet [m] square, which from an eminence commands the high road from Swords to the north.  To the N.W. corner is united a round tower, built at the same time, and pierced irregularly by what seem to have been arrow slits.  On the sides of the tower are several windows, with well-cut stonework.  One window, richly carved on the W side, is in perpendicular Gothic style’.  The W tower (National Monument No. 590) of the church was described by Harold Leask (1960, 23-4) as; ‘a small but sturdy structure with strongly battered walls and has at the SW angle, arising from the ground to above the parapet, a round turret containing the stairs.  The parapets are of the Irish, multi-stepped variety, a string-course and offset mark the base of the belfry stage and there is another string course immediately below the pair of pointed windows. The W window, low down, is of two ogee-headed lights below a square label.  While the two towers (Balrothery and Lusk) are not datable from any record, a date of c. 1500 for both, based on stylistic grounds, is probably not far wide of the mark’.  In 1999, archaeological monitoring by Donal Murphy under licence No. 99E026 associated with the refurbishment of the former C. of I. church uncovered medieval burials immediately to the S of the SW corner of the church. Sherds of medieval pottery recovered from the burials suggest a 13th-14th-century date (Murphy 2000, 52-3).   Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien   Date of Compilation: 01 December 2025

• DU005-057005 Graveyard
  Description

  Located on a prominent rise off the green in Balrothery from where the ground slopes steeply down to N, E and W. Oblong in plan (L c. 70m E-W; Wth c. 60m N-S) the graveyard is enclosed by a mortared stone wall with an entrance gate on the E side. The ground levels are higher in the interior than outside and the graveyard is still in use. A fortified medieval residential church tower (DU005-057003-) which is a National Monument (No. 590) in state care stands in the SW sector. Its associated medieval parish church was replaced in 1816 by a Board of First Fruits C of I church which now functions as the Balrothery Heritage Centre. There is a large concentration of 18th century memorials (Mytum 2003) and of particular interest are six squat, irregularly shaped headstones bearing 'folk art' to the SW of the church (DU005-057003-).  During works associated with the refurbishment of St. Peter's church in 1999 human remains were uncovered (99E026). These were located immediately to the S of the SW corner of the present church. Three phases of burial were identified and the total number of individuals was twelve including three adult males, two adult females and seven juveniles. Sherds of medieval pottery recovers from the burials suggest a 13th-14th-century date (Murphy 2000, 52-3). In 2002, archaeological test excavation (Excavation licence no. 02E1316) in advance of a proposed graveyard extension at NE revealed three fragmentary burials which were subsequently preserved in situ. Subsequent archaeological monitoring of the extension (Excavation licence no. 04E0671) uncovered a bullaun stone (DU005-009004-). In 2002 traces of three human burials were uncovered during an archaeological assessment associated with a proposed cemetery extension at St. Peter's church. Fragments of souterrain ware and a flint end scraper were recovered (Murphy 2004, 126-7). Further works in 2004 revealed the presence of a curvilinear ditch with stone along one edge associated with these burials (Stevens 2007, 98-9).  In October 2014, a fallen tree damaged the graveyard wall and resulted in some collapse.   Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Revised by: Gearóid Conroy Date of revised upload: 1 October 2021

• DU005-065 Kiln - corn-drying
  Description

  Pre-development excavations in 2001 uncovered a complex series of Medieval and Post-Medieval phases of activity. These included a series of post-holes, hearths and two lintelled stone drains. There was an industrial level of grain processing on site. Material usually associated with corn-drying kilns was uncovered but no actual corn-drying kiln was identified. (01E0646). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 15 November 2014

• DU005-067 Excavation - miscellaneous
  Description

  Pre-development excavation revealed some possible post-holes or pits which are thought to be contemporary with the Early Christian phases of Rosepark hilltop enclosure (DU005-013002-) (Wiggins, K.2006, 107). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• DU005-222 Chapel
  Description

  Rocque’s 1760 Map of County Dublin shows the Roman Catholic ‘Chapple’ on the E side of Balrothery village (Rocque 1762). On this map the chapel is depicted as a rectangular building orientated N-S on its long axis, standing on the W side of a roadway, with laneway to N running W towards the main street/road running through the village of Balrothery.  This R. C. Chapel is depicted at the same location on the first edition of the OSi 6-inch map.  The laneway to the N is also shown on this map.  On the revised editions of the OSi 6-inch map and on the 25-inch map the church is now annotated as a ‘School’.  The website of the Balrothery national School recorded that ‘In 1842 when the parish church was built in Balbriggan the school occupied the old church which had been built in 1722 in penal times in a very secluded spot’ (https://www.balrotheryns.com/our-school/school-history/). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Architectural heritage

• Saint Peter's Church (Balrothery), church/chapel, 1800–1820 · Regional interest
  Description

  Former detached Church of Ireland church, c.1810. Three-bays to side elevations with a single-bay lean-to entrance porch to north and single-bay linking bay to west. Single-bay three-stage c.1500 tower attached to west, with circular stair tower to north-west corner. Graveyard to site with various cut stone grave markers.ROOF: Double pitched; slate; terracotta ridge tiles; limestone coping to gables; cast-iron & plastic rainwater goods; single pitched slate porch roof. WALLS: Rubble limestone; rough cast rendered; limestone plinth; coarsed rubble limestone to tower. OPENINGS: Gothic arched windows to one side only; limestone hood moulding; canted limestone cills; leaded diamond pattern casements; tracery to rear gable window opening; gothic arched door; limestone surround steps and hood moulding; timber tongue and groove door; bipartite lancet windows to tower; limestone surrounds; partially remaining diamond window panes within.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

About 1 in 20 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Balrothery.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Balrothery with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Dublin.

Name

Balrothery · Baile an Ridire

Area

255,236 m² (25.52 ha, 63.07 acres)

Civil parish

Balrothery, and its townlands

Barony

Balrothery East

Electoral division

Balbriggan Rural, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Balbriggan Rural electoral division: 19,347 people in 6,127 households; 60% of households own their home; 74% of homes were built since 2001; 4% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 0% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Blackhall, Darcystown, Glebe South, Inch, Rosepark

Placenames

Balrothery on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.