About Raheny
Raheny village is a modern, vibrant coastal suburb on the north side of Dublin city. Residents of Raheny enjoy great amenities including Saint Anne's Park and North Bull Island.
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Raheny was formerly a rural village, surrounded by private estates, small farms and labourers’ cottages. It remained largely unchanged until the spread of Dublin city began in the 1950s when new housing estates, schools, churches and shops were built to cater for the growing population. However, with its remaining eighteenth and nineteenth century houses, churches and railway station, Raheny retains its historical village atmosphere.
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The train station in Raheny was built as part of the Dublin to Drogheda Railway. It was opened on the 24th May 1844 at a cost of £320. On the 23rd of May 1844, the day before the official opening, two special trains with 600 guests including Daniel O’Connell travelled from Dublin to Drogheda, stopping for a banquet in Raheny on the return journey.
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The Crescent Cottages are eight cottages in a crescent formation on Station road in the village centre. Samuel Dick, a linen merchant and governor of the Bank of Ireland, built the cottages in and around 1790 as accommodation for his workers on his nearby estate in Violet Hill. In 1879, Lord Ardilaun renovated them at a cost of £375. The Cottages remain almost unchanged since they were built and are among the oldest houses in Raheny.
For more about the history of Raheny, visit the Raheny Heritage Society or take a walk along the Raheny Way.
Saint Anne's Park
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Raheny residents are very lucky to have Saint Anne’s Park on their doorstep. The area of the park is approximately 270 acres and it is the 2nd largest park in Dublin. It forms part of the former estate of the Guinness Family who first began developing the park in 1835.
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The park has several striking follies, which are currently undergoing conservation.
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Saint Anne's has an award winning rose garden, walled gardens and a variety of beautiful tree species. The tree species present in the park include Holm Oak, Pine, Ash, Beech, Oak, Elm, Lime and Chestnut. There’s a great walk through the arboretum in St Anne’s Park, ending in the walled garden with views of the ivy covered clock tower and the almost secret Chinese garden. The arboretum in the park is planted with over 1,000 types of trees.
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The leisure facilities in the park include tennis courts and a par 3 golf course. It hosts a farmer's market and a Park Run on Saturdays.
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St. Anne's City Farm is a community led City Farm in St. Anne's Park and is run by volunteers.
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North Bull Island
North Bull Island Nature Reserve is a coastal sand spit that is managed by Dublin City Council. Its location in such close proximity to Dublin City Centre, makes it an important public amenity, and it is used daily by local residents, walkers, bathers, scouts, kite-surfers, bird-watchers, nature enthusiasts and many others. The Island also has several nature conservation designations, and supports a range of species protected under European and Irish legislation, including petalwort (a species of liverwort), marsh fritillary butterfly, harbour and grey seals, at least three species of bat, three species of moss, and one plant (Lesser Centaury). It also supports a range of overwintering wildfowl and wading birds, including three species that regularly occur in internationally important numbers (Light-bellied Brent Goose, Black-tailed Godwit and Bar-tailed Godwit), and fourteen species that regularly occur in nationally important numbers (Shelduck, Teal, Pintail, Shoveler, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Curlew, Redshank, Turnstone and Black-headed Gull). The Island is also an integral part of the Dublin Bay Biosphere.
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Please see a document with useful guidance on how to act on Bull Island to help protect the precious wildlife.
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Doors of Raheny
Leo "George"Â Devitt Photography
Shops and Amenities
Raheny has a large range of shops, businesses and amenities. From restaurants to flower shops and boutiques, the village caters for a wide range of needs. Raheny has a public library, a Garda station, a GAA clubhouse, a football club, a post office, various banks, places of worship, primary and secondary schools, a DART Station, bus routes, a tennis club, golf courses and much, much more!
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The Raheny Business Association is a vibrant association, seeking to make Raheny an even better place to work and live. It was established in 1988. For more information, visit Raheny Business Association.
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Other local links:
Parish of Raheny - Our Lady Mother of Divine Grace
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Shopfronts of Raheny
Leo "George" Devitt Photography
