Clonsilla (civil parish)

During the sixth century Saint Mochta, a bishop and the "last survivor of St. Patrick's disciples", founded a monastery at Clonsilla. Mochta's mother, 'Cainer of Cluain-da-Saileach', was also mother to a number of other male saints.{{Cite web |author=Marcella |title=Saint Mochua of Clondalkin, August 6 |url=http://www.omniumsanctorumhiberniae.com/2013/08/saint-mochua-of-clondalkin-august-6.html |access-date=2023-03-15 |language=en-GB}}

In 1831, there were 943 inhabitants in the parish of whom 770 were Catholics.[https://books.google.com/books?id=-6oNAAAAIAAJ&q=Clonsillagh] The History of the County of Dublin, John D'Alton, 1838, pg547,574 By 1837, according to Lewis' "Topography of Ireland", the parish contained 954 inhabitants. Lewis recorded that Luttrelestown demesne was the most notable seat in the parish. It was the residence of Col. Thomas White who was the second son of Luke White. Lewis observed that, "The demesne includes above 648 statute acres, exceedingly picturesque; the mansion is a noble building, in the castellated style.".[https://books.google.com/books?id=3MQ_AAAAcAAJ&q=Clonsilla] Samuel Lewis, "A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland", Volume 1, pg 375.

The parish formerly belonged to the priory of Malvern, in Worcestershire. In 1773, an Act of the Privy Council united the parish with the curacies of Castleknock and Mulhuddart. In 1837, the tithes amounted to £240.[https://books.google.com/books?id=3MQ_AAAAcAAJ&q=Clonsilla] Samuel Lewis, "A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland", Volume 1, pg 376.

Like all civil parishes, this civil parish is derived from, and co-extensive with a pre-existing ecclesiastical parish of the same name, as used in the Church of Ireland.John Caillard Erck, [https://books.google.com/books?id=mXcrAQAAIAAJ The ecclesiastical register: containing the names of the dignitaries and parochial clergy of Ireland: as also of the parishes and their respective patrons and an account of monies granted for building churches and glebe-houses with ecclesiastical annals annexed to each diocese and appendixes: containing among other things several cases of quare impedit], (1927), page 113 In the Archdiocese of Dublin, the parish is today united with Castleknock and Mulhuddart in the "Grouped Parishes of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla".[https://castleknock.dublin.anglican.org/about-us/ Church of Ireland] - Grouped Parishes of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla There are three extant church buildings that are still in use by the grouped parish:

• St. Brigid's, Castleknock, situated in the centre of Castleknock. The building - a listed national monument - was constructed in 1870.[https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/11362003/saint-brigids-church-of-ireland-church-castleknock-road-castleknock-without-phoenix-park-castleknock-co-fingal Saint Brigid's Church of Ireland Church, Castleknock Road, CASTLEKNOCK (WITHOUT PHOENIX PARK), Castleknock, Fingal] - Register number 11362003 It features a three-stage tower to the west gable with a Gothic tympanum at the entrance and a stained glass window by Harry Clarke that is dedicated to Saint Hubert.
• St. Thomas', Mulhuddart, situated on the Kilbride Road near Hollystown Golf Club. The building - a listed national monument - was constructed in 1870.[https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/11346001/saint-thomass-church-of-ireland-church-ratoath-road-hollystown-fingal Saint Thomas's Church of Ireland Church, Ratoath Road, HOLLYSTOWN, Fingal] - Register number 11346001 It features a polygonal bell tower in the south corner.
• St. Mary's, Clonsilla, situated at the western end of the Clonsilla Road near Clonsilla railway station. The building - a listed national monument - was constructed in 1846.[https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/11353005/saint-marys-church-of-ireland-church-clonsilla-clonsilla-co-fingal Saint Mary's Church of Ireland Church, CLONSILLA, Clonsilla, Fingal] - Register number 11353005 It features stained glass windows by Evie Hone.

In the Catholic Church, the territory of the civil parish is part of the Archdiocese of Dublin. It is currently divided between the following ecclesiastical parishes :

• "St. Mochta's", Porterstown.[https://www.dublindiocese.ie/parish/porterstown-clonsilla/ Parish of ] St. Mochta, Porterstown-Clonsilla[http://www.stmochtasparish.ie/ Catholic Church ] - St Mochta's parish
• "Mountview / Blakestown". The sole church building of the combined parishes is "St Philip, the Apostle", Mountview.[https://mountviewblakestownparish.ie/ Catholic Church ] - St Philip, the Apostle parish The church of "Mary of the Servants", Blakestown[http://www.blakestownparish.com/servite-beginnings-and-current-parish-structure/parish-church-history-and-current-organization.html Catholic Church ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029234009/http://www.blakestownparish.com/servite-beginnings-and-current-parish-structure/parish-church-history-and-current-organization.html |date=29 October 2013 }} - Mary of the Servants parish was closed indefinitely on 7 January 2018.[https://www.dublindiocese.ie/parish/blakestown/ Parish of ] Blakestown
• "St. Ciarán's", Hartstown.[https://www.dublindiocese.ie/parish/Hartstown/ Parish of ] Hartstown[http://www.st-ciarans-parish.ie/ Catholic Church ] - St Ciarán's parish

File:St Bridgets Castleknock 2012.jpg|St. Bridget's church, Castleknock

File:St Mary's Church Clonsilla - geograph.org.uk - 546391.jpg|St. Mary's church, Clonsilla

File:St. Mochta's Church Porterstown Clonsilla Dublin 15 - geograph.org.uk - 546118.jpg|St. Mochta's parish church

File:St. Ciaran's, Hartstown - geograph.org.uk - 613319.jpg|St. Ciaran's parish church at Hartstown

The whole parish is within the Dublin 15 postal district and the territory of Fingal County Council. The core of the parish is centred on the townland and village of the same name. The townland at the northern extremity is Castaheany on the border with County Meath. The most easterly townland is Coolmine which is the location of Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. The most southerly townlands are Broomfield and Astagob which run down to the River Liffey. The most westerly townland is Barnhill which borders the part of Leixlip that lies in Fingal.

In the seventeenth century, the parish comprised the following townlands: Ballstown, Barberstown, Blackstaheney, Barnageeth, Clonsillagh, Coolmine, Cusanstown, Hartstown, Huntstown, Ininstown, Killiestown, Luttrellstown, Pibblestown, Ringwellstown, and Little Stackheney.A History of the County Dublin by Francis Elrington Ball The table below lists the thirteen townlands currently in the parish.

The River Liffey, flowing from west to east, forms the southern boundary of the parish. To the north, the Royal Canal also bisects the parish from west to east between the 13th and 12th locks. Four bridges cross the canal: Pakenham Bridge near Barberstown level crossing; an Irish Rail bridge carrying the Hansfield branch line; Callaghan Bridge near Clonsilla level crossing; and Kirkpatrick Bridge at Coolmine level crossing. Kennan Bridge near Porterstown level crossing and the new L3036 bridge on Diswellstown Road, although located between the aforementioned bridges, lie outside the bounds of the parish. The church and graveyard of St. Mary in the Church of Ireland, is located near Clonsilla railway station.

Luttrellstown Castle – dating from the early 15th century and once owned by members of the Guinness family, it is now a hotel with associated golf course. The Luttrelstown stream, flowing through the demesne, falls into the Liffey near the gate lodge on the Strawberry Beds road.

St. Joseph's Centre, a care home of the Daughters of Charity, is located near the village.[https://www.respect.ie/projects/st-josephs-centre-clonsilla/] St. Joseph’s Centre, "Respect" in Clonsilla village

The following secondary schools are situated in the parish: Coláiste Pobail Setanta at Casteheany (multi denominational)[https://cpsetanta.ie/ Coláiste Pobail Setanta] secondary school Hartstown Community School (multi denominational), Coolmine Community School (inter denominational), and Hansfield Secondary School (Educate Together patronage).[http://hansfieldsecondary.ie/ Hansfield Secondary School]

County Dublin - Packenham Bridge - 20190227081914.jpg|Packenham Bridge

Callaghan Bridge 13th lock Royal Canal.jpg|Callaghan Bridge

County Dublin - Kirkpatrick Bridge (Sheephill) - 20180916191228.jpg|Kirkpatrick Bridge

Coolmine station level crossing.jpg|Coolmine railway station and level crossing

Push-pull train at Clonsilla.jpg|Clonsila railway station

Luttrellstown Castle by Rose Barton 1898.jpg|Luttrellstown Castle (1898)

Luttrelstown stream 2.jpg|Luttrelstown stream entering the Liffey

Hartstown Community School.png|Hartstown Community School

Coolmine Community School main entrance.jpg|Coolmine Community School

Blanchardstown Shopping Centre - geograph.org.uk - 624414.jpg|Blanchardstown Shopping Centre

From {{cite web |url=http://www.dublindiocese.ie/parishes |title=List of Parishes of the Archdiocese of Dublin |publisher= Archdiocese of Dublin |work=Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin |language=English|accessdate=30 December 2020}}

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From official parish websites

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From {{cite web |url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/ |title=Buildings of Ireland |publisher= National Inventory of Architectural Heritage |work=Search Building & Garden Surveys |language=English|accessdate=30 December 2020}}

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From {{cite web |url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/ |title=Placenames Database of Ireland |publisher= Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht |work=Logainm |language=English|accessdate=30 December 2020}}

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Other sources

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{{Dublin 15}}

{{Commons}}

{{coord missing|County Dublin}}

Category:Civil parishes of the barony of Castleknock