COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

MOTION NO. 7

MOTION: Councillor Eoin Ó Broin

Cathaoirleach's Business

"That this Area Committee calls on Management to reconsider the naming of the new public housing project on the Old Nangor Road opposite Colaiste Chilliain, Richmond Way. I have previously suggested via Members Reps. ID: 1575468 that the Estate should be named after Raheen House and Lodge that stood on the same site upon till recently. Despite the reservations Management have expressed regarding Raheen given that there are other incidences of Raheen, the name Richmond also occurs in other location e.g. former Richmond Hospital, Richmond Tower in Kilmainham, Richmond Park and South Richmond Street in Dublin. If Raheen is not acceptable, I would suggest a name related to the natural environment e.g. the Camac or heritage e.g. St Chrónáin. Clondalkin Historical Society would have some useful suggestions."

REPORT:

The naming and numbering scheme for the development known as Richmond Way was carried out as follows:

The developer submitted the name "Raheen Park" as the proposed name for the development. However the name "Raheen" is already in popular use for housing developments in the South Dublin County Council area and the name "Raheen Park" is already in use in the Tallaght, as well as Ballyfermot and Bray areas.   In fact there are already 12 roads in the Dublin street index with the name Raheen attached to them, most of which in the South Dublin County Council area.

In an attempt to avoid the further use of this place name, the developer was asked to submit an alternative place name that has relevance to the area in either a historic or geographical manner, as required by the Council's naming and numbering guidelines.

The developer provided the Council with historical site maps showing that the name "Richmond" was in use at the location dating back to the 18th century (and that the name "Raheen" has been in use since the 19th century)

There are no other roads etc. in the South Dublin County Council area with the name "Richmond" attached to them and it was determined that the use of "Richmond" as the most appropriate.

Noting the historical relevance, and in order to avoid further duplication of  "Raheen" in South Dublin County, to avoid confusion for the emergency services etc, the Council agreed to the use of the name "Richmond Way" for this development and the developer was notified in September 2019.

It should be noted that while the names of public/social Housing is generally decided by the Council's Housing Department, when the application for a Naming & Numbering scheme for this development was made to the Council, it was made by a developer in respect of a then private development.    It was only subsequently that it became a social housing development through an Approved Housing Body.

An agreed placename can only be changed by way of a formal statutory process via plebiscite.