Tallaght
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Tallaght (Tamhlacht in Irish) is a large suburban area in the administrative county of South Dublin, Ireland situated to the south west of Dublin city. Tallaght is Middle Irish for "plague grave", and is mentioned in Lebor Gabála Érenn (or Book Of Invasions) as being the burial place of thousands of Partholonians who died from a plague. Tallaght was a leading monastic settlement in Celtic times, centred around the monastery founded by Saint Mael Ruain some time before his death in AD 792. The monastery became famous for a number of reasons: The Stowe Missal was written here in about AD 800, and religious scholars came from far afield to study in Tallaght.
At this time Tallaght and Finglas were considered centres of learning and were also known as the ‘Eyes of Ireland’. The monastery was later burned down by the Vikings in AD 811.
Since the early 1970s, Tallaght has developed from a small village into a huge suburban area, which now has all the characteristics (size, infrastructure, residential and business areas) of a self-generating new town with a population of over 100,000 (bigger than Galway - 57,095 and Limerick - 52,042). Tallaght is connected to Dublin city centre by the Red Line of the Luas light rail system, opened in September 2004.
Although part of the larger urban area of Dublin, it has a distinctive identity, arising largely from its rapid growth during the 1970s and is characterised by many of the same problems associated with unplanned fringe areas of many European cities. Although it has become synonymous with suburban mismanagement, Tallaght has a thriving local arts, cultural and economic outlook matched by a distinctive sense of place. Some areas of Tallaght are still characterised by unacceptable levels of deprivation. Tallaght has been known also for holding a St. Patrick's Day parade. It is also home to one of the largest shopping centres in Ireland, The Square. The shopping center is built over three levels and accessible by the Luas and many bus services. Across from the Square is the site of the planned new Shamrock Rovers football ground. On the other site of the square is the head offices of the South Dublin County Council, Tallaght Library and the Tallaght Civic Theatre. The Institute of Technology, Tallaght is a large Regional Technical College located between the Sqaure and Tallaght village.
Several new apartment blocks are being finished in the area, including a controversial thirteen storey building on the site of the former farmhouse known as "Virginia House". This new building will become the largest in Tallaght, and one of the largest in Ireland, being only slightly smaller than Liberty Hall in the city Centre. Construction was delayed when residents in Virginia Heights objected to the demolition of the old farmhouse from which the name of their estate comes from. Other objections were also made concerning the sunlight and lack of privacy, but each of these objections was overturned in Court. In the local assembly, the South Dublin County Council, the plan was voted on and all parties voted in favour of the apartments except Sinn Féín and Labour.
Politically, the area is in the Dublin South West Dáil constituency and generally votes for left of centre candidates and 2002 election saw Seán Crowe of Sinn Féín get elected at the first count. Pat Rabbitte, leader of the Labour Party, was also elected along with Charlie O'Connor and Conor Lenihan of Fianna Fail.
- See also: List of towns in the Republic of Ireland