The once great Tolka valley

Dirk Gently

Is there any plan for the area the tolka runs through between Ashtown Bridge and the silver spoon bridge adjacent to the river road?

I stopped off today at ashtown bridge. It's been a while since I was there. I use to get up to all sorts of mischief down those fields as a kid but I was shocked today when I seen the area. I decided to throw my bike over the wall and take a walk down memory lane so to speak.

The whole area between ashtown and the end of the river road at the Finglas end is completely destroyed. I always thought the place would make a great nature reserve or public park but I think there should be health warnings on the place as it is now. From my memory, rolling hills, fields as far as the eye could see, meandering river, hedging and plenty of wildlife, foxes, rabbits, river birds and so on. It was like a piece of the country side right on your doorstep. It's all gone now though. The river is a floating dump, sewers seem to run from the new apartments at ashtown into the river. The fields themselves look as if a nuclear bomb hit them. There are electricity pylons going up, high railings litter the area and the earth itself looks as though it's taken quiet some abuse from construction vehicles ( I presume from working on the apartments on the other side). Lots of illegal dumping scattered throughout the place, it really felt like I was walking through an actual dump. When I came out at the other end I didn't know if I was more sad or angry at the destruction of the area. It's not even neglect I was angry about, neglect is good as that was it's appeal, untouched by development, but this destruction was the direct result of human interferance.

A few feet on the other side of the road the canal looks great, new green spaces and the bridge area at the railway station in the heart of the new developments looks really nice but a much better area (IMO), which had so much potential as a public leisure space has been destroyed in the process.

Is the valley just condemned now as a waste land? Are there any plans for the stretch the river runs through?




map of area................




The view from Ashtown bridge (I use to fish here as a kid) ..........

John Mason

There is plans to turn it in to a recreational area and nature reserve.

I seen some plans on the wall in Gym in Finglas last. Apparently that site is also of archeological interest.

I dont know when this is going to happen, but the plans looked great

Degsy

irishbird wrote: »

There is plans to turn it in to a recreational area and nature reserve.

I seen some plans on the wall in Gym in Finglas last. Apparently that site is also of archeological interest.

I dont know when this is going to happen, but the plans looked great

It seems the entire of Finglas is of great archeological interest.See here for details of digs and excavations:www.excavations.ie

gurramok

They(DCC as it's on their end) are suppose to widen the River Road in that area i believe. Some info here http://www.rathborne.net/residents/

Gaspode

clown bag wrote: »

The whole area between ashtown and the end of the river road at the Finglas end is completely destroyed. I always thought the place would make a great nature reserve or public park but I think there should be health warnings on the place as it is now. From my memory, rolling hills, fields as far as the eye could see, meandering river, hedging and plenty of wildlife, foxes, rabbits, river birds and so on. It was like a piece of the country side right on your doorstep. It's all gone now though. The river is a floating dump, sewers seem to run from the new apartments at ashtown into the river. The fields themselves look as if a nuclear bomb hit them. There are electricity pylons going up, high railings litter the area and the earth itself looks as though it's taken quiet some abuse from construction vehicles ( I presume from working on the apartments on the other side). Lots of illegal dumping scattered throughout the place, it really felt like I was walking through an actual dump. When I came out at the other end I didn't know if I was more sad or angry at the destruction of the area. It's not even neglect I was angry about, neglect is good as that was it's appeal, untouched by development, but this destruction was the direct result of human interferance.

A few feet on the other side of the road the canal looks great, new green spaces and the bridge area at the railway station in the heart of the new developments looks really nice but a much better area (IMO), which had so much potential as a public leisure space has been destroyed in the process.

Is the valley just condemned now as a waste land? Are there any plans for the stretch the river runs through?

I hear your pain clown! I live just up from the bridge where you took the pic and the place has gone to ruin OK. The development of Rathborne and royal Canal Park have eaten up a huge amount of green space. THe remaining green area inside the red line you drew is now not enough to support much wildlife so there's very little left.

The fields are torn apart not by construction vehicles but by quads and motortbikes that hare around there all weekend and every day the kids are out of school.

Scribblestown House ran a pitch 'n putt for a long time, but gave up it when Elmgreen opend, so their land looks pretty wretched now.

I know there are some plans for this area, but basically they're too little too late to preserve any of the beauty that was there when I first moved here.

By the way, the river doesnt always look like that - a branch from the willow tree has drooped down into the water and is trapping everything that gets washed down the river. The next time we get some heavy rain it'll move on.

sadly the fcekers who fly tip all over this area wont be moved on so easy!