Green space 1, Housing 0: City residents welcome planning result

Dublin City Council’s refusal of plans for more than 160 apartments and townhouses on GAA club lands in Dolphin’s Barn has been warmly welcomed locally.

While residents in the area acknowledge the need for more housing in Dublin, they say the few remaining green spaces in the city should be protected.

Meadhbh Hicks (16) has been using the pitches at Dolphin Park since before she could walk. Growing up near the Grand Canal in Dublin 8, this was “the closest bit of green” to her home, she says. As a toddler, she watched from the sidelines as her older brothers played matches.

She would not welcome the addition of 153 apartments, seven townhouses and one detached house into the fields.

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“If those things were built you would be training with big buildings looking over you. It would be awful,” she says.

Templeogue Synge Street GAA Club had requested permission to build the housing to fund the planned upgrade of playing and dressing-room facilities, which would benefit the wider sporting communities of Dublin 6, 8 and 12.

The club said the residential development would occupy 15 per cent of Dolphin Park. But Dublin City Council rejected the proposal after it received more than 160 objections.

Jenny Kearns, a camogie coach with Kevins Hurling and Camogie Club which shares the grounds, is “delighted” with the council’s decision.

“We are happy we are not losing the green space and that there won’t be apartments overlooking the training sessions,” she says.

While she admits the facilities need an upgrade, she believes there are other ways for the GAA club to raise money.

“We’re not against development and upgrade, but there are ways of doing that without losing blades of grass.”

She suggests the two clubs, Kevins and Templeogue Synge Street, could work together to find a solution.

“Every bit of space is allocated to a team so it would completely limit the number of teams that could play here,” she adds.

Ms Kearns, who grew up in the area and has been using the facilities all her life, says the green space is a “relief” in an area that is devoid of nature. “There is no grass around here. Literally, kids come from apartments and flats with no grass, go to school with no grass, they play on concrete in car parks and stuff. This place is great for them.”

Derek O’Reilly (54) is a “regular” at the grounds, coming down every night with his kids and, if he passes them playing in the street, he’ll bring the neighbouring children up as well. He is “delighted” the plans were rejected by the council.

“It’s a good result,” he says, adding: “I’m sure they will find a way around it. Developers always do.”

Living just a few doors down from the GAA pitches on Rutland Avenue, Simion Tita (55) believes the area cannot cope with any more housing developments. “This road is very busy anyway so putting more properties there would make it too crowded,” he says.

While he appreciates there is a “big demand for housing”, he says the area’s limited green space should not be built on.