Tobertown

44 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Tobertown, from 102 m² to 332,246 m² (33.22 ha, 82.1 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 43 neighbouring parcels touch it.

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

• G3GB - Green Belt (Conservation, amenity or buffer space, corridor/belt, landscape)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 44 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• P1RU - Rural (Agriculture)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 35 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• G4OS - Open Space (Active open space)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 1 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• M2RV - Rural Village (City/Town/village Centre, central area)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 0 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

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

• 7 Sept 2022Refuse permission

  Erect a 24m monopole telecommunications structure together with

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F22A/0473

• 27 Aug 2019Grant permission

  A dormer dwelling to rear of existing family home site with new vehicu

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F19A/0244

• 5 Dec 2017Grant permission

  Permission to demolish an existing single storey extension (rear),

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F17A/0536

• 3 Apr 2014Grant permission

  Extensions and alterations to existing dwelling.

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F14B/0071

• 3 Feb 2011Grant permission

  The development will consist of the construction of a sunroom and a fi

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F10B/0257

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 Tobertown.

Recorded monuments

• DU001-003001 Church
  Description

  Situated in an elevated position at roadside W of village. Grass-covered foundations of church survives with nave (int. dims. L 20m, Wth 8m, wall T 0.8m) and chancel (int. dims. L 9m, Wth 6m, wall T 0.8m), orientated NNE-WSW. Fragments of NE and NW corners of nave survive (H 3m). Built of coursed limestone masonry. This parish church of Balscadden was in 'good repair' in 1630 but in ruins by 1887 (Walsh 1888, 251). A holy well lies SSW of church (DU001-003003-). Graveyard attached (DU001-003002-). On inspection in 2010 it was found that while some grass-covered mounding was still visible, the nave and chancel as described in the 1992 inspection are no longer dicernible. The north-west corner fo the church is extant and has been stabilised and repaired (6.5m EW x 2mNS x 3m h.). Both the north-east (3m Ew x 2m NS x 0.75m h.) and south-east (2m EW x 1.5m NS x 0.6m h.) corners are also extant but have been added to with stone and cement to form the limits of the Dunne family plot. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 7 October 2014

• DU001-003002 Graveyard
  Description

  Situated in an elevated position at roadside west of village. Graveyard is square in plan except in SWE where the enclosed earth bank takes a curve (dims. W 2.4m H. 0.7m) indicating the existence of an early ecclesiastical enclosure. Graveyard is sub-square in plan, curved to the south-west and south-east where the entrance is. It slopes down from north to south. Bounded internally by a low bank with a steep drop to the road/house along southern boundary; Farmland to the north and west; access laneway to the east. Contains occassional 18th century gravestones but the majority date from 19th century to modern. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of Upload: 7 October 2014

• DU001-003003 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  St Mary's holy well lies in S quadrant of Balscaddan graveyard (DU001-003002-), 20m SSW of medieval church ruins (DU001-003001-). Folklore collected in 1934 from Balscadden National School recorded the following beliefs about St Mary's Well; 'Situated in centre of very ancient graveyard beside this school. Well in hollow beside ruins of ancient Church, which was blown up by Cromwell when he visited this district on his was to Drogheda. Partly covered by briars but had a whitethorn growing on it in olden times. Has a never failing outlet into river on opposite side of road. Depth of well never varies, whether season be v[ery]. dry or v[ery]. wet. Patron Day 15th August. People suffering from sore eyes come wash them in well. V[ery]. many cures locally and even a non-Catholic is reputed have been cured here. Any prayers to our lady sufficient. Water is rubbed over eyes. Not drunk. Often carried away. In olden times pieces of cloth were suspended on white-thorn. This is not done now. It is unknown that any person attempted to prepare water from well. No fish ever seen. From all times there was, and is still, a pilgrimage on 15th Aug. to Balscadden to dress graves in this graveyard and around the well.' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0783, Pages 127-8; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428167/4383165). A second story collected by the same school recorded the following details about the curative powers of the well; 'Our Local well (St Mary's) is still visited by people for washing their sore eyes in the waters. Those who believe in this cure seldom fail to get relief. A rather gruesome cure for the tooth-ache is handed down from olden time. If a person had the nerve to pull a tooth out of a skull found in a grave-yard, and carried this tooth around always that person would never suffer from teeth trouble. The ordeal was to pull the tooth out of the skull with your own teeth' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0783, Pages 163-4;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428167/4383205/4506927?ChapterID=4428167). Folklore collected from Balrothery School recorded the following tradition; 'There is a holy well near the ruins of the monastery on Hoars land in White Hart, It is called St Mary's well, and people with tooth-ache go to it and dip a rag in it and wash their jaw with it in the name of the father, Son, and Holy Ghost, ad then they tie the rag to a branch of a tree which grows over it, and leaves it there' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0784, Page 89; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4498253/4383805). Holy well described in 1958 as follows; 'enclosed by a masonry wall. Stone steps lead down to well. Still venerated. Patterns held here annually on the 15th of August' (Ó Danachair 1958, 72). Described by Paddy Healy (1975b) as a small well enclosed by masonry in the middle of the burial ground, the water from St Mary's well was not drunk but used to bathe sore eyes. A white bush from which rags overhung the well was gone. Located downslope from the church remains to the south of the graveyard. Currently the well has been 'improved' and is surrounded by a stone wall 'funnel' set in concrete with 5-6 granite steps downwards. The wall measures 2m from the top to the base. A metal grill has been inserted. The well is dry and the base filled with stone and detritus. See attached photos (03/04/05) taken by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F024.06.00136 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16654; F024.06.00137 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/30783; F024.06.00138 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/30784. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Update by: Christine Baker Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 11 April 2023

• DU001-003004 Graveslab
  Description

  The 1992 report recorded a graveslab fragment orientated NW-SE (H 0.8m, W 0.15m, T 0.06m ) at the S end of graveyard (DU001-003001-). It was a focus for veneration and was adorned with wooden crosses on Pattern day, the 15th of August each year. The graveslab was not located on subsequent visits. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 9 October 2014

• DU001-003005 Ecclesiastical enclosure
  Description

  Situated in an elevated position at roadside W of village. At the SE corner of the graveyard (DU001-003002-) the enclosing earthen bank (Wth 2.4m, H 0.7m) takes a curve, indicating the existence of an early ecclesiastical enclosure. The south of the graveyard is enclosed by a bank which is particularly evident to the SE. It has however been punctuated by a house which appears recently extended and the bank in this area has been replaced by a wooden fence. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 9 October 2014

• DU001-020 Enclosure
  Description

  An irregular shaped enclosure visible as a crop mark on an aerial photograph together with other features that could indicate a possible field system (DU001-021----) (SMR file; pers. comm. T. Condit). The sites are within fields at the high point in the surrounding landscape with views south to Knockbrack. Not visible on the ground. Compiled by: David O’Connor Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 19 October 2014

• DU001-021 Field system
  Description

  A rectilinear field system visible as a crop mark on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 together with an irregular shaped enclosure (DU001-020----) (SMR file; pers. comm. T. Condit). May be an extension of field system (DU004-057----) located in the adjoining field to the south. The sites are within fields at the high point in the surrounding landscape with views south to Knockbrack. Not visible on the ground. See attached Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 Compiled by: David O’Connor Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 19 October 2014

• DU001-037 Well
  Description

  Annotated ‘Tobertown’ (Baile an Tobair) on the 1837 ed. OSi six-inch map where it is depicted standing on the E side of the public road running N-S.  Townland named after this well.  Outlined as  circular-shaped well on the last edition of the OSi six-inch map.  Annotated ‘Well’ on the 1863 ed. OSi 25-inch map.  Not visible on the 2013-2018 MapGenie orthoimagery of the area. Roadside well not visible on Google Street map view taken in 2023, green area at base of tree in hedgerow visible on Google street view map maybe the site of the well annotated ‘Tobertown’ on the 1837 ed. OSi six-inch map.   Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Architectural heritage

• Graveyard/cemetery, 1700–1800 · Regional interest
  Description

  Medieval graveyard, with various cut stone grave markers from c.1750 to the present. Church now in ruins to site.

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 Tobertown.

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 Tobertown with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Dublin.

Name

Tobertown · Baile an Tobair

Area

1,545,644 m² (154.56 ha, 381.94 acres)

Civil parish

Balscaddan, and its townlands

Barony

Balrothery East

Electoral division

Balscadden, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Balscadden electoral division: 743 people in 229 households; 90% of households own their home; 28% of homes were built since 2001; 7% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 0% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Balgaddy, Balscaddan, Commons (2nd Division), Doolagh, Fortyacres, Grange, Milestown, Rath, Sevenparks (1st Division), Sevenparks (3rd Division), Tobersool, Tobertaskin

Placenames

Tobertown 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.