placenamesDonnycarney
Domhnach Cearna
Donnycarney’s history links an eighteenth-century house with twentieth-century housing, parish life and community football.
The name
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
- Domhnach Cearna · Irish · main form · validated name
- Donnycarney · English · main form
Place & story
Donnycarney House
Donnycarney House was built in 1781 for Robert Carroll, proprietor of local quarries whose stone paved Dublin streets. Printer and publisher Alexander Thom made it his home in 1853 and died there in 1879. Clontarf Golf Club took over the house in November 1921. Its changing use preserves a link between the district's country-house landscape and the sporting institutions of suburban Dublin. [2]
Housing and a new parish
The occupation of Donnycarney's new housing scheme from 1928 increased demands on existing parish facilities. Residents initially travelled to Fairview for worship, later attending the new Marino church opened in 1932. Donnycarney became a separate parish in 1952, with James Robinson as its first parish priest. The parish's institutional history records this progression alongside the growing population of the surrounding suburbs. [3]
The tin chapel and parish hall
Work began on Donnycarney's chapel of ease in 1947 after wartime delays. Known locally as the tin chapel, it was dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation in March 1948. After parish independence, Robinson organised a hall that became a local social venue. Dances and other fundraising activities contributed towards the cost of a permanent church, involving residents directly in the development of parish amenities. [3]
Football clubs joining forces
Donnycarney developed a network of football clubs, including Saint Martin's Boys, Maypark, Donnycarney United and Ramble Inn Celtic. Saint Martin's and Ramble Inn Celtic merged in 2011 to form Donnycarney FC, providing teams for adults and children. A further amalgamation with Killester United in summer 2018 created Killester Donnycarney Football Club, bringing together the sporting traditions of the neighbouring communities. [4]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Donnycarney. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- ClubHistory:TheClubhouse,updated15October2020 · Clontarf Golf and Bowling Club
- History of Donnycarney Parish · Our Lady of Consolation Parish,Donnycarney
- History of the Club · Killester Donnycarney Football Club
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2011-07-11. How this page was prepared.