Ranelagh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ranelagh
Irish: Raghnallach
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Inner suburb
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Clockwise from top: Ranelagh Main Street; businesses in Ranelagh; Ranelagh Gardens
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 Ranelagh
Location in Ireland
Ranelagh
Location in Dublin
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| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Dublin |
| Local authority | Dublin City Council |
| Dáil constituency | Dublin Bay South |
| European Parliament | Dublin |
| Elevation | 36 m (118 ft) |
Ranelagh (/ˈrænələ/ ran-Ə-lə, locally /ˈrɛn-/ REN--; Irish: Raghnallach, IPA: [ˈɾˠəinˠəl̪ˠəx]) is a lively and popular area located on the south side of Dublin, Ireland. It's known for its friendly community, interesting history, and many shops and restaurants. Even though it's now part of the big city of Dublin, it still feels like a charming village.
Ranelagh was originally a small village called Cullenswood. It has a long history, including a famous hot air balloon flight in 1785. In the 19th century, Ranelagh became part of Dublin and grew a lot. Today, it's a great place to live with many schools and a good public transport system, including the Luas Green Line tram. It also has the Ranelagh Arts Centre and sports clubs like Ranelagh Gaels.
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Exploring Ranelagh's Past
Ranelagh started as a village just outside Dublin. It was surrounded by large estates.
Key Historical Moments
In the 1600s, the area saw some battles. One important event was the Battle of Rathmines in August 1649. This was part of the Irish Confederate Wars. An army tried to take Dublin but was defeated. The place where many soldiers fell was known as the Bloody Fields.
In 1785, just two years after the first manned flight, Richard Crosbie made history. He successfully flew a hot air balloon from Ranelagh Gardens all the way to Clontarf. This amazing flight was remembered with another balloon event from the same gardens in 2010.
Ranelagh became part of the growing city of Dublin in the 1800s. After this, many new buildings and homes were built. In 2013, parts of Ranelagh were used to film scenes for the movie "Frank."
Interestingly, a park in London called Ranelagh Gardens is named after Ranelagh House. This house belonged to the Cole family, who got their title (Earls of Ranelagh) from this very district in County Dublin.
Where is Ranelagh?
The name Ranelagh refers to several places. The road connecting Sandford Road to Ranelagh Road is often called Ranelagh Village. The wider area also known as Ranelagh stretches from Charlemont Bridge at the Grand Canal to the junction with Milltown Road. It also goes from Leeson Street towards Rathmines.
At the heart of Ranelagh is the "Ranelagh Triangle," also known as "the Angle." This is where Ranelagh Village and Charleston Road meet. North of the Triangle is the "Hill Area" of Ranelagh. This area was the setting for Lee Dunne's novel, "Goodbye to the Hill." Ranelagh has many beautiful Victorian streets, like those around Mount Pleasant Square.
The areas known as Ranelagh North and Ranelagh South are part of the civil parish of St. Peter's. They are bordered by several roads and avenues, including Harcourt Road, Adelaide Road, and Chelmsford Road. The popular area of Ranelagh today also includes parts of Cullenswood, Sallymount, and Milltown.
Ranelagh's Local Government
Since 2019, Ranelagh has been part of the Pembroke local electoral area. This means it's part of a specific region for local elections. Before that, it was in different areas. Ranelagh is also in the Dáil constituency of Dublin Bay South. This is the area it belongs to for national elections.
Learning in Ranelagh
Ranelagh is home to many primary and secondary schools.
Primary Schools
- Scoil Bhríde: Founded in 1917, this was the very first gaelscoil (Irish-language school) in Ireland.
- Lios na nÓg: Another gaelscoil, it's located in Cullenswood House. This building has a special history. Patrick Pearse started St. Enda's School (Scoil Éanna) here in 1908. This was the first school in Ireland where students learned in both Irish and English.
- Ranelagh Multi-Denominational School: This primary school opened in 1988. It's on the main Ranelagh Road, near the Luas stop. The school building, built in the late 1990s, has won awards for its design.
- Sandford National School: This school is located near Gonzaga College.
Secondary Schools
- Gonzaga College is a secondary school for boys.
- Sandford Park School is another secondary school in the area.
Arts and Culture
Ranelagh has a strong connection to arts and culture.
The novel Goodbye to the Hill by Lee Dunne is set in Ranelagh. In March 2013, the Irish film director Lenny Abrahamson filmed parts of his movie Frank in Ranelagh. The 1965 movie Young Cassidy, starring Maggie Smith, was also filmed in parts of Ranelagh.
The Ranelagh Arts Centre is on Ranelagh Main Street. It shows art by local artists and others. During the Ranelagh Arts Festival in 2021, short films were shown at the Stella Movie Theatre in The Devlin Hotel.
Sports in Ranelagh
Gaelic Football
The local Gaelic football club is called Ranelagh Gaels. It was started in 2003. They play their home games in Bushy Park and train at UCD. The club also has a ladies' team, which won their first championship in 2010.
Getting Around Ranelagh
Ranelagh is well-connected by public transport.
Luas Tram
The Luas Green Line tram has two stops in the Ranelagh area:
- Ranelagh (on Ranelagh Road)
- Beechwood (on Dunville Avenue)
These stops are built on the site of an old railway station that closed in 1959.
Dublin Bus
Several Dublin Bus routes pass through Ranelagh, including the 11, 44, 44d, and S2 routes.
Future Transport Plans
There are plans for a new Metro system in Dublin called Metrolink. The Metro might stop at Beechwood and Charlemont Luas stop, which are close to Ranelagh. This would make Beechwood the last Luas stop, with the Metro taking over further south.
Images for kids
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Lower Cherryfield Avenue, Ranelagh
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Restaurants on Ranelagh Main Street
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A Luas tram at Ranelagh station
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Main Street, Ranelagh in winter
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Ranelagh triangle in 2017 with monument to activist Deirdre Kelly
Famous People from Ranelagh
Many notable people have lived in or are connected to Ranelagh:
- Wilfrid Brambell (1912–85), an actor known for "Steptoe and Son," grew up here.
- Maeve Brennan (1917–93), a short story writer and journalist for The New Yorker, was born and raised in Ranelagh.
- Robert Briscoe (1894–1969), a former Lord Mayor of Dublin, was born in Ranelagh.
- Gerard Byrne (1958-), an Irish artist, lives and shows his work in Ranelagh.
- George Campbell (1917–79), an Irish painter, lived here in the 1960s.
- Hazel Chu (1980- ), a Dublin City Councillor and former Lord Mayor of Dublin, lives in Ranelagh.
- Helen Dillon (1940- ), a famous Irish gardener, lived on Sandford Road for many years.
- Ken Doherty (1969- ), a former world snooker champion, is from the area.
- Garret FitzGerald (1926–2011), who was Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, lived his later years in Ranelagh.
- Eamon Dunphy (1945- ), an Irish media personality and former footballer, lives in Ranelagh.
- Eleanor Knott (1886–1975), an Irish language scholar, lived much of her life in Ranelagh.
- Seosamh Laoide (1865–1939), another Irish language scholar, was born in Ranelagh.
- Nell McCafferty (1944- ), a civil rights campaigner and journalist, has lived in Ranelagh for many years.
- Seán MacEntee (1889–1984), an IRA leader and government minister, lived in Marlborough Road.
- Máire Mhac an tSaoi (1922–2021), a noted Irish language poet, lived in Marlborough Road.
- Ciaran McCoy, aka PIGSY, (1972-), an expressionist artist, lives in Ranelagh.
- Michael McDowell (1951- ), a Senator and former government minister, lives in Ranelagh.
- Eamon Morrissey (1943- ), an actor, grew up in Ranelagh in the same house as Maeve Brennan.
- Michael Mulcahy (1960- ), a former politician, lives in the Beechwood area.
- John Mulholland (1962- ), editor of "The Observer" newspaper, grew up in Ranelagh.
- Deirdre O'Connor (1951–1999), an architect, was born in Ranelagh.
- Peadar O'Donnell (1893–1986), an Irish republican, lived in Marlborough Road for many years.
- Maureen O'Hara (1920–2015), a famous Hollywood actress, grew up in Ranelagh.
- Brendan O'Reilly (1929–2001), an Olympian and RTÉ commentator, lived in Ranelagh for many years.
- Pádraig Pearse (1879–1916), a key figure in Irish history, lived in Ranelagh.
- Mary Robinson (1944- ), a former President of Ireland, was a resident of Sandford Road.
- Simone Rocha (1986-) – the Irish fashion designer's family home is in Ranelagh.
- Eamon Ryan (1963- ), Leader of the Green Party, lived in the Ashfield Road area.
- Bernie Tormé (1952–2019), a rock guitarist.
- Jack B. Yeats (1871–1957), a noted Irish artist, lived in Marlborough Road.
