placenames.ie
Population centre

Blanchardstown

Baile Bhlainséir

Saint Brigid’s Church and the work of teacher Tom Russell preserve stories from Blanchardstown’s growth from village to suburb.

Watercolour and fine ink illustration of St Brigid's Church, Blanchardstown, County Dublin.
Illustration, St Brigid's Church, Blanchardstown, County Dublin
Recorded locationBlanchardstown53.39012° N · 6.37646° WInteractive map supplied by OpenStreetMap.
Approximate recorded location · Logainm.ie

The name

bailetownland, town, homestead

These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.

An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.

Recorded forms

  • Baile Bhlainséir · Irish · main form · validated name
  • Blanchardstown · English · main form

Place & story

A church built in stages

Saint Brigid's Church grew through decades of parish fundraising. Its foundation stone was laid in 1835, and the first Mass followed in 1837 while the interior still lacked seats and a ceiling. Weekly penny and halfpenny collections helped continue the work. The parish dates the completion of the church, tower and distinctive spire to 1863, making the building a record of sustained local contributions rather than a single construction campaign. [2]

Glass for an expanding parish

The housing growth of the 1970s brought an extension to Saint Brigid's. Its first Mass was celebrated at midnight on Christmas Eve 1977. Phyllis Burke's stained glass was installed the following year. The central panel illustrates the legend of Brigid's expanding cloak. This is an artistic representation of a saint's story; the parish account does not present it as an event that happened in Blanchardstown. [2]

People & connections

Tom Russell’s local work

Teacher Tom Russell moved to Blanchardstown's national school in 1934 and became principal the following year. His son Frank recalls work extending beyond the classroom: Russell served St Brigid's GAA, directed the church choir and formed choral and dramatic societies. Their performances used Porterstown's Scouts Hall. The club's new Navan Road grounds, opened by President Patrick Hillery in 1979, were named Tom Russell Park in his memory. [3]

Geographic information

Place type
Population centre
County
Dublin
Civil parish
Castleknock
Coordinates
53.39012, -6.37646 (approximate)
Logainm ID
17225 ↗

Sources & further reading

  1. Logainm.ie — Blanchardstown. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  2. History of St Brigid’s Parish · St Brigid’s Parish, Blanchardstown
  3. Tom Russell NT, a life of service (1904–1963) · Frank Russell, St Brigid’s GAA
  4. St Brigid's Church, Blanchardstown, County Dublin illustration: based on a County Dublin - St Brigid's Church (Blanchardstown) - 20210919165640 by Cathalpeelo. AI-assisted watercolour and ink adaptation; cream paper margins added, incidental clutter omitted and fine details simplified. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.

Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2019-09-27. How this page was prepared.