GREYSTONES
Na Clocha Liatha, the grey stones
Greystones, County Wexford

Greystones' name was derived from the grey rocks that stretch along the seafront for about one-kilometer. Though, at certain times of the day, the rocks take on a more blue-green hue.

There are two beaches in Greystones, separated by a small harbor. The North Beach stretches between the harbor and Bray Head, and the South Beach stretches south from the harbor for about one-kilometer. The South Beach has been awarded a prestigious Blue Flag in recent years, and continues to attract visitors from all over the country in the summer months.

In 2008, Greystones was named the world's "most livable community" at the LivCom Awards in China.

Greystones history is not as old as many surrounding communities, which is unusual for a harbor town. The town is located on the south side of a ancient castle in the Barony of Rathdown. The hamlet and castle were both known as Rathdown and appear on a 1712 map. The only ruins that remain from this time are those of a small chapel known as St. Crispin's Cell, which is located in an area called The Grove. The first time the name Greystones was given to this village was in 1795 in Topographia Hibernica, which describes the village as a "noted fishing place four miles beyond Bray." Greystones was officially put on the map with the coming of the railway in 1855. This was a difficult task undertaken by the famous engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who was best known for creating the Great Western Railway and a series of famous steamships, including the first with a propeller. His designs revolutionized public transportation and modern day

engineering.

The Bray Train Station was built on the dividing line between properties owned by the La Touche family of Bellvue House (now in ruin) and the Hawkins-Whitshed family of Killincarrig House, which is now Greystones Golf Club.

From the latter half of the 19th century, Greystones underwent development and saw many housing estates going up around Church Road, Victoria Road and Trafalgar Road.

Between 1885 and 1897, the citizens of Greystones campaigned for a harbor, which would aid not only the fishing industry, but also for better managing imports, such as coal. A pier, dock, seawall and boat slip were eventually constructed and remain today, though over time have sustained damage, including coastal erosion, which is still a problem today. In 1968, the foundations of the old Kish Lighthouse was added to the end of the pier.

As vehicles and petrol became more affordable to Ireland's growing economy, the rail system in Greystones began to suffer. By the early 1980s, government cutbacks saw a reduction of rail service into the village to just a few trains per day. But by the late 1990s, the seafront commuter service saw the arrival of an electrified train called the DART, Dublin Area Rapid Transit, which offers a more frequent schedule for workers getting into Dublin City. And along with this rapid rail service has come an increased popularity in Greystones and the need for added housing, as people move farther away from the city to find more affordable homes.

There is currently a €300 million redevelopment scheme for the harbor. This is a major issue with the citizens of Greystones, as the scheme includes a new harbor, 341 apartments, a 230 berth marina, new public plaza and facilities for local sporting clubs. Many of the objections include increased coastal erosion, to which the recommendation by the developers was to annually dump 12,000 tons of gravel in a process called "beach nourishment." Objections continue to be filed, even though construction on the redevelopment has begun.

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~ Parking available
~ accessible, limited access on the beach

 

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