Balally

Balally (irish place name|Baile Amhlaoibh|Olafs' Town), Dublin, Ireland, is a residential area at the southern end of Dundrum, Dublin between Dundrum village and the Sandyford Industrial Estate in Sandyford.

Balally Parish itself reaches from Ardglas to the M50 motorway. It has 2,500 homes 10,000 people, 2 primary schools (St. Olaf's and Queen of Angels) and 2 secondary schools (St. Tiernan's and Wesley College). Balally is part of the conurbation of Greater Dublin, in the county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. The area contains a Luas tram station, located near the northern entrance to the new Dundrum Shopping Centre.

It was originally farmland and is located at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. It consists of the Moreen Estate, Balally Drive, Balally Hill, Balally Close, Balally Road and Balally Avenue. It used to be connected to Sandyford Road at the Hill but access was closed off due to cars cutting through the estate to beat the traffic congestion. This posed increasing danger to residents.

Name

The area is named after Olaf ("Amhlaoibh"), the first King of Viking Dublin, who is reputed to have built a fort in the locality. The place name "Baile Mhic Amhlaoibh", meaning "the town of the son of Olaf" was anglisised as "Balally".

Education

The local primary school, St. Olaf's National School, caters for over 350 students. The local church, The Church of the Ascension of the Lord, is Roman Catholic and was built in 1982.

Transport

It is serviced by the buses: 44, 44B, 44C from Townsend Street, Dublin City Centre, and 114 from Blackrock Dart Station but there is no Sunday service on 114. The 116 also serves the area, going from DCU and Dublin City Centre.

port

*Naomh Olaf is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club.

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