North County Dublin facts for kids

North County Dublin is a name that can mean two different things, both related to the northern part of County Dublin in Ireland. It can refer to a modern county called Fingal, or it can refer to a special area used for elections in the past.

What is Fingal?

Fingal is one of the three counties that were created when the old County Dublin was divided up in 1994. It covers the northern part of what used to be County Dublin. Fingal is a very interesting place because it has a mix of busy towns, quiet countryside, and a beautiful coastline along the Irish Sea.

Where is Fingal?

Fingal is located just north of Dublin City. It stretches from the coast inland and includes many towns and villages. Some well-known places in Fingal include Swords, Malahide, Balbriggan, and Rush. It's a large area with a growing population.

Why was Fingal created?

Before 1994, all of County Dublin was managed as one large area. However, as the population grew and the city expanded, it became too big for one local government to manage effectively. So, the Irish government decided to split County Dublin into three smaller administrative counties: Fingal, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, and South Dublin. This change helped local councils to better serve the people living in each area.

What does Fingal do?

Like other counties in Ireland, Fingal has its own local government, called Fingal County Council. This council is responsible for many important things that affect people's daily lives. They manage local roads, provide housing, look after parks and libraries, collect waste, and plan for future development in the area. They work to make Fingal a good place to live, work, and visit.

Dublin County North (Dáil Éireann constituency)

The name "North County Dublin" can also refer to a specific area used for elections in the past. This area was called the Dublin County North (Dáil Éireann constituency). A "constituency" is like a special zone or district that elects people to represent them in a country's parliament.

What is a Dáil Éireann constituency?

In Ireland, the main part of the parliament is called Dáil Éireann. When people vote in a general election, they don't just vote for a leader; they vote for people called Teachta Dála (TDs) to represent their local area in the Dáil. Each constituency elects a certain number of TDs. The more people living in an area, the more TDs it might elect.

When did this constituency exist?

The Dublin County North constituency was used for elections between 1969 and 1981. During this time, people living in the northern part of County Dublin would vote in this constituency to choose their TDs for Dáil Éireann.

Why do constituencies change?

Constituency boundaries in Ireland, and in many other countries, change over time. This happens for a few reasons:

• Population changes: If an area's population grows or shrinks a lot, the boundaries might be redrawn to make sure each TD represents roughly the same number of people.
• Fair representation: Changes are made to ensure that everyone's vote counts fairly and that all parts of the country are properly represented in parliament.
• New laws: Sometimes, new laws are passed that require changes to how constituencies are drawn.

So, while the Dublin County North constituency no longer exists, the area it covered is now part of different constituencies, including those within the modern county of Fingal.