Pembroke Township facts for kids

Pembroke Town Hall, a key building for the township.

Pembroke Township was an area next to the city of Dublin, Ireland. It was set up in 1863 for local government, which means it had its own rules and services. The area was named after the Earl of Pembroke, because most of the land belonged to his family.

At first, the township was run by a group called town commissioners. Later, in 1899, it became an Urban District, which meant it had a different type of local council. In 1930, Pembroke joined the larger city of Dublin and was no longer a separate township.

What Made Up Pembroke Township?

A plaque from the time of the Pembroke Commissioners.

Pembroke Township included several different neighborhoods. These were Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Sandymount, Irishtown, and Ringsend. Each area had its own unique feel.

For example, Ringsend used to be an old fishing village. Irishtown was a place where many working-class families lived and where industries were located. The other areas, like Ballsbridge and Sandymount, were more affluent, meaning wealthier people lived there.

Most of the land in the township (about seven-ninths of it) belonged to the Pembroke Estate. The person who managed the estate was automatically one of the commissioners. The other 14 commissioners were chosen by people who owned property in the area. The Pembroke Estate had a lot of power over what the commissioners did. They even gave land to the township for public use. This strong influence changed in 1899 when a more democratic council took over.

Pembroke Town Hall

The main building for Pembroke Township was the Pembroke Town Hall. It was built on Merrion Road in Ballsbridge and opened in 1880. Before this, the township's offices were in a nearby building called Ballsbridge Terrace. After Pembroke joined Dublin, the town hall became the administrative center for the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee.

When Pembroke Township Ended

For many years, people talked about combining Dublin's local authorities. Finally, in 1930, a law called the Local Government (Dublin) Act was passed. This law officially ended Pembroke Urban District and made it part of the City of Dublin.