Overview
Tallaght [Tamhlacht (Irish) / Taimhleacht Muintire Parthaloin (Old Irish) / Tamlactense Monasterium (Latin)] is the largest town and, since 1994, is also the county seat of South Dublin County in the province of Leinster, Ireland.
During the reign of King Donnchadh of Leinster (AD 766-792), a monastery called Tamlactense Monasterium was founded on the site that is now Saint Maelruain’s Church. Saint Maelruain (c. AD 770) was to become its most famous Abbot. This monastery became an important centre of spiritual life and is where the Ceilí Dé (the servants of God) were established. Saint Aengus (Aengusii Colidæi) compiled his codex, the Hibernorum Martyrologio Tamlactense here. In 1179, Tallaght along with its hinterland, previously within the Diocese of Glendalough, were confirmed as holdings of the Archdiocese of Dublin.
Since the 1960s, Tallaght has been steadily evolving from a rural village and agricultural area of county Dublin. By the late 1970s, Tallaght had become a sprawling suburban sector of Dublin city, later known as Dublin 24. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, an urban town began to form around the nucleus of the Square shopping centre and the new administrative buildings of South Dublin County Council. Since then, the ongoing development of infrastructure in the town centre and older districts has propelled Tallaght rapidly towards achieving city status.
There is no legal definition of the boundaries of Tallaght, but the electoral divisions ascribed as ‘Tallaght’ in the 2016 census, gives a population of 76,119. However, this figure is misleading because in the 2002 census, many areas traditionally associated with Tallaght were removed as district electoral divisions. Thus, the total figure for the urban and traditional rural hinterland combined should be 101,059 inhabitants. An unusually large civil parish (depicted above) of 46 townlands had existed since the Anglo Norman period. This civil parish has an area of 88.2 km², or 21,803.3 acres, or 34.1 square miles (Townlands.ie, 2017).
Negative treatment of Tallaght’s name in the media in recent years has sadly resulted in some of the southern and eastern townlands to distance themselves from association with the western parts. This has often resulted in the gerrymandering of electoral divisions both in South Dublin County and Dáil constituency areas by irresponsible politicians representing such areas. The results make for confusing census data with respect for the total population.
Irrespective of this negativity, a singular sense of identity has developed in the area throughout the many years of migrations from across Ireland, and in more recent times, from beyond our shores. There have been repeated calls for Tallaght to be declared a city and it is among the official stated aims of South Dublin County Council 'to facilitate the development of Tallaght Town Centre as a vibrant sustainable town centre' (SDCC.ie, 2017). It is an objective of the council “to brand and promote Tallaght as an 'Education and Innovation City' and their 2010 – 2016 Development Plan states 'the synergy of the range of established uses in the Tallaght Town Centre area generates a special status for Tallaght as the primary commercial centre in the County. It is desirable that this status be maintained and enhanced whenever practicable.' The council state that Tallaght has 'emerged as the administrative capital of the county' and that 'development has resulted in an architecturally distinctive town centre and strong urban form that promotes people intensive uses consistent with that of a modern city' (SDCC.ie, 2017).
Tallaght [Tamhlacht (Irish) / Taimhleacht Muintire Parthaloin (Old Irish) / Tamlactense Monasterium (Latin)] is the largest town and, since 1994, is also the county seat of South Dublin County in the province of Leinster, Ireland.
During the reign of King Donnchadh of Leinster (AD 766-792), a monastery called Tamlactense Monasterium was founded on the site that is now Saint Maelruain’s Church. Saint Maelruain (c. AD 770) was to become its most famous Abbot. This monastery became an important centre of spiritual life and is where the Ceilí Dé (the servants of God) were established. Saint Aengus (Aengusii Colidæi) compiled his codex, the Hibernorum Martyrologio Tamlactense here. In 1179, Tallaght along with its hinterland, previously within the Diocese of Glendalough, were confirmed as holdings of the Archdiocese of Dublin.
Since the 1960s, Tallaght has been steadily evolving from a rural village and agricultural area of county Dublin. By the late 1970s, Tallaght had become a sprawling suburban sector of Dublin city, later known as Dublin 24. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, an urban town began to form around the nucleus of the Square shopping centre and the new administrative buildings of South Dublin County Council. Since then, the ongoing development of infrastructure in the town centre and older districts has propelled Tallaght rapidly towards achieving city status.
There is no legal definition of the boundaries of Tallaght, but the electoral divisions ascribed as ‘Tallaght’ in the 2016 census, gives a population of 76,119. However, this figure is misleading because in the 2002 census, many areas traditionally associated with Tallaght were removed as district electoral divisions. Thus, the total figure for the urban and traditional rural hinterland combined should be 101,059 inhabitants. An unusually large civil parish (depicted above) of 46 townlands had existed since the Anglo Norman period. This civil parish has an area of 88.2 km², or 21,803.3 acres, or 34.1 square miles (Townlands.ie, 2017).
Negative treatment of Tallaght’s name in the media in recent years has sadly resulted in some of the southern and eastern townlands to distance themselves from association with the western parts. This has often resulted in the gerrymandering of electoral divisions both in South Dublin County and Dáil constituency areas by irresponsible politicians representing such areas. The results make for confusing census data with respect for the total population.
Irrespective of this negativity, a singular sense of identity has developed in the area throughout the many years of migrations from across Ireland, and in more recent times, from beyond our shores. There have been repeated calls for Tallaght to be declared a city and it is among the official stated aims of South Dublin County Council 'to facilitate the development of Tallaght Town Centre as a vibrant sustainable town centre' (SDCC.ie, 2017). It is an objective of the council “to brand and promote Tallaght as an 'Education and Innovation City' and their 2010 – 2016 Development Plan states 'the synergy of the range of established uses in the Tallaght Town Centre area generates a special status for Tallaght as the primary commercial centre in the County. It is desirable that this status be maintained and enhanced whenever practicable.' The council state that Tallaght has 'emerged as the administrative capital of the county' and that 'development has resulted in an architecturally distinctive town centre and strong urban form that promotes people intensive uses consistent with that of a modern city' (SDCC.ie, 2017).
Development
One of the cultural expressions of that unique sense of identity in Tallaght is the flag that has been slowly developing over the past decade. A project on local citizenship initiated by Tallaght Youth Theatre in 2007 resulted in the colours of red, green and white being chosen as symbolic of the Tallaght area. The initial rendering of a bend sinister flag only sported a red field with a white bend, though its similarity to the internationally recognised Diver Down flag meant that it had to be changed. Green was added to the field and red was instead placed in the bend and this version was called An Bhratach Fulaingt (The Suffering Flag).
This basic version was augmented after two online surveys showed that blue was also a colour favoured by Tallaght people. The blue was included in the form of two triangular formations comprised of six eight-pointed mullets (stars), which derived from the flag captured during the Battle of Tallaght in 1867. That design was called An Bratach Seasmhacht (The Endurance Flag) and it occasionally featured the arms of South Dublin County in the centre of the bend.
The flag continued to develop and a final version, An Bratach Aontacht Thamlachta (The Unity Flag of Tallaght), was launched by Tallaght Historical Society in May 2017. Tallaght Community Council also adopted the flag and it was flown from the main flag pole at the Priory in the centre of the village and was displayed as a banner bearing the words, 'Tamhlacht le Cheile,' above the main stage of Tallafest on June 24th 2017.
The Unity Flag has been flying from a number of pubs in Tallaght Village and from flagpoles at various local GAA clubs and schools since 2018. It is hoped that many more businesses, schools, colleges, sporting venues and cultural institutions will follow.
One of the cultural expressions of that unique sense of identity in Tallaght is the flag that has been slowly developing over the past decade. A project on local citizenship initiated by Tallaght Youth Theatre in 2007 resulted in the colours of red, green and white being chosen as symbolic of the Tallaght area. The initial rendering of a bend sinister flag only sported a red field with a white bend, though its similarity to the internationally recognised Diver Down flag meant that it had to be changed. Green was added to the field and red was instead placed in the bend and this version was called An Bhratach Fulaingt (The Suffering Flag).
This basic version was augmented after two online surveys showed that blue was also a colour favoured by Tallaght people. The blue was included in the form of two triangular formations comprised of six eight-pointed mullets (stars), which derived from the flag captured during the Battle of Tallaght in 1867. That design was called An Bratach Seasmhacht (The Endurance Flag) and it occasionally featured the arms of South Dublin County in the centre of the bend.
The flag continued to develop and a final version, An Bratach Aontacht Thamlachta (The Unity Flag of Tallaght), was launched by Tallaght Historical Society in May 2017. Tallaght Community Council also adopted the flag and it was flown from the main flag pole at the Priory in the centre of the village and was displayed as a banner bearing the words, 'Tamhlacht le Cheile,' above the main stage of Tallafest on June 24th 2017.
The Unity Flag has been flying from a number of pubs in Tallaght Village and from flagpoles at various local GAA clubs and schools since 2018. It is hoped that many more businesses, schools, colleges, sporting venues and cultural institutions will follow.
Facts About the flag
- The design proces began in 2006 and versions of the flag were made on the cloth between 2007 and 2017
- Echoes a historical flag found in Tallaght and has resonance with local mythology and with future inclusive aspirations
- First revealed during a performance of Tallavision 3K by Tallaght Youth Theatre at the Rua Red South Dublin Arts Centre in Tallaght on April 17th and 18th 2009
- Displayed at an information stand during Tallafest July 6th and 7th 2013
- Flown for the first time from ‘The Cabin’ at the Fettercairn Community Centre from September until November 2013 as part of the Headin’ Out project by Tallaght Community Arts
- The final rendering is called An Bratach Aontacht Thamlachta and was publicly revealed by Tallaght Historical Society in May 2017
- The flag was be displayed as a THS banner by Tallaght Community Council and was flown publicly for the first time from a flag pole at the Priory in Tallaght Village during Tallafest in June 2017
- The flag was first flown from a public building, the Dragon Inn from March 2018 and has since been flown from The Foxes Covert, both , in Tallaght Village