Ongar, Dublin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ongar (Hansfield)
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Suburb (village core)
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Ongar Square
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 Ongar (Hansfield)
Location in Dublin
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| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Dublin |
| Local government area | Fingal |
| Elevation | 62 m (203 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish grid reference | O038395 |
Ongar is a modern suburb located in the west of Dublin, Ireland. It started being built in 2001 on land that used to be open fields.
Ongar includes two main areas: Castaheany in the north and "Hansfield or Phibblestown" in the south. These areas are part of the old Barony of Castleknock in County Dublin. Ongar is close to other well-known places like Castleknock, Blanchardstown, and Clonsilla.
The area has many useful places along its main street. There are also several schools for students of all ages. A nearby train station, Hansfield railway station, connects Ongar to the Luas Green Line tram system. It also links to the N3 national road and the M3 motorway. Many big companies like Intel, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Kepak, and eBay have offices in the business parks close by.
Contents
History of Ongar
The area where Ongar now stands was once a large stud farm. This farm was called Ongar House. It was named after a place called Ongar, Essex in England.
The famous Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth and her husband Prince Aly Khan once lived at Ongar House. Another part of the area was Phibblestown House, a farm built around 1840.
Building the new Ongar suburb began in 2001 on the old stud farm land. Construction continued until about 2009. The original Ongar House was sadly destroyed in a fire in 2002. A new building, which looks like the old one, was built in its place. This new "Ongar House" was sold in 2013 and became an apartment building in 2019.
Ongar was planned to have different types of homes. These include apartments, duplexes, and houses. Most of the shops and services are found on one main street. This design was meant to feel like a traditional Irish village.
Location and How to Get Around
Ongar is mainly located in the area known as "Hansfield or Phibblestown." It is part of the old civil parish of Clonsilla. The village of Clonee is about 2 kilometers north of Ongar. Clonsilla is about 2 kilometers to the east. The Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and Blanchardstown village are 3 to 3.5 kilometers away. Ongar is in the Dublin 15 postal area.
The Royal Canal flows to the south of Ongar. There are also small streams running through the area.
Roads and Buses
To the north of Ongar is the Littlepace interchange. This is where the N3 national road becomes the M3 motorway. You can walk to Castaheany, which is north of Ongar. Here, you can see the tree-lined path, house, and walled garden of Phibblestown House, which have been kept safe. A primary and secondary school are also located in this area.
Dublin Bus routes 39 and 39A serve the Ongar area.
Train Travel
Ongar has its own train station called Hansfield railway station. It opened in June 2013. The station is a 10 to 15-minute walk from Ongar.
Hansfield station is on the train line that goes from Dublin Docklands to Dunboyne railway station and M3 Parkway railway station. About 45 trains stop here every day. A train ride to Docklands or Connolly Station takes about 25 minutes during busy times. From Broombridge station, you can connect to the Luas Green Line tram system. This allows you to travel across the whole Luas network.
What Ongar Offers
When Ongar was first planned, it was designed with a new "main street." This street was meant to be the heart of the community. Most of the shops and businesses are located here. The idea was to create a feeling like a traditional Irish village.
By 2004, this main street had many services. These included a supermarket, a newsagent's, grocery shops, and a place to buy drinks. There was also a betting shop, hairdressers, and several places to eat.
Schools in Ongar
Castaheany Educate Together Primary School moved to its permanent home in Ongar in June 2008. Scoil Benedict opened in 2010. It had been in a temporary spot while its building was being finished. This school has one of the largest artificial grass pitches in Ireland.
Coláiste Pobail Setanta is a secondary school in nearby Phibblestown. It opened in 2008 and shares its campus with Scoil Ghrainne Primary school.
An Educate Together school complex, called West Blanchardstown Primary and Secondary School, is also planned. It has received money from the government to build schools in or near Ongar. These schools will be close to the new Hansfield Station.
Community Life
In 2018, Ongar took part in the Tidy Towns competition. This competition encourages towns to improve their local environment. Ongar scored 236 points out of 450. The community also made a three-year plan to make things even better. This plan included improving:
- "streetscape & public places" (how streets and public areas look)
- "green spaces and landscaping" (parks and gardens)
- "nature and biodiversity" (local plants and animals)
- "tidiness and litter control" (keeping the area clean)
Many paths for cycling and walking have been built in Ongar. Fingal County Council has worked with local schools and the community. Their goal is to make the area better for people who walk or cycle.
Ongar is also home to an Irish language group called Pobal Gaeilge 15. This group is a part of Conradh na Gaeilge, which promotes the Irish language. They serve the Dublin 15 area. They offer Irish language classes, a group for parents and children, social events, and an annual festival.
Sports in Ongar
Ongar has several sports clubs for young people and adults:
- Gaelic Games: Two Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) clubs serve the area. Erin go Bragh GAA moved to nearby Littlepace in 2003. Westmanstown Gaels plays at the Garda Síochána sports grounds near Clonsilla.
- Soccer: Clonee United was formed in 2003 by combining two clubs: Casta Celtic and Little Pacers F.C. They are based in Littlepace. Santos Soccer Club plays next to the Phibblestown Community Centre. Both Erin Go Bragh and Clonee United have "nurseries" for younger players.
- Basketball: The Ongar Chasers basketball club plays at the Phibblestown Community Centre.
- Karate: Ongar Karate Club is located in the Ongar Community Centre, next to Scoil Benedict.
Images for kids
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Ongar Playground
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Main Street
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Ongar Square
