Skerries

The town of Skerries gets its name from the Vikings. It means “rocky islands”. Historically the town was referred to on maps as Holmpatrick, which, like Skerries, derives its name from Norse, “Holm” meaning “island” and Patrick in recognition of the fact that our patron Saint spent time on one of the offshore islands. The ruins of the monastery are still visible to this day, on St Patrick’s (or Church) Island. The Vikings and early Christians were not the only ones to leave their mark on the area. The Knights Templar left Baldongan Castle and the British left behind two Martello towers, one on the mainland, at Red Island and another on Shennick Island, off the coast.

The many natural amenities include the attractive harbour, where unusually on the east coast you can watch the sunset over water. The north strand with its stony beach and the south strand with its long sandy beach, provide popular scenic coastal walks and opportunities for boating and kite surfing. There are bathing places where swimmers are known to swim all year round. In the centre of the town is the Skerries Mills Heritage Centre with its two windmills overlooking the town and the park. However as implied in the name, Skerries is probably best known for its spectacular seaward views. There are four offshore islands and the Rockabill lighthouse as well as the Mourne Mountains to the north.

Today the town of Skerries is a vibrant community with stong road and rail links to Dublin city and the Dublin-Belfast corridor. Skerries is a commuter town with a bustling town centre which, thanks to the peninsular nature of the town, has remained largely as it was over a century ago. With attractive shops, restaurants, coffee shops and bars, Skerries is a popular tourist destination. It is not more than a thirty minute drive from Dublin Airport.

With attractive shops, restaurants, coffee shops and bars, Skerries is a popular tourist destination. It is not more than a thirty minute drive from Dublin Airport.

There are numerous clubs and societies in Skerries to cater for a community which has seen a considerable growth in population over the last couple of decades. There are thriving sports clubs including rugby, golf, Gaelic, hockey, swimming, sailing and gymnastics, to name but a few. Skerries has good local schools at senior and junior level as well as the many privately owned schools of dance, music, drama, art etc. Community groups, made up of volunteers, have contributed greatly to the town in the past and many initiatives come from such organisations. There is a very active Community Association and Chamber of Commerce. There is always something going on in the town, be it the arts festival, Soundwaves, a triathalon, plans for a new central park in the main street area or a new memorial for those lost at Sea at Red Island. Not surprisingly Skerries has won many awards in the national Tidy Towns competition and in a recent poll run nationally by the Irish Times, Skerries came second place to Westport, in its large town status, as the best place to live in Ireland.

WHERE DOES HOLMPATRICK COVE FIT IN?

The beauty of the Holmpatrick Cove development is that it can provide the amenities that are so obviously lacking in the town and much more besides. Firstly Skerries has no hotel (Westport has ten). A town that has obvious tourist potential deserves to have an hotel. Residents deserve a venue to celebrate family events. At such a scenic location this hotel would be an asset to the town and Fingal.

The homes at Holmpatrick will offer the community an alternative type of home in a beautiful setting.

Skerries is a town with a strong swimming tradition and many clubs travel to distant swimming pools or in some cases swim in the sea. A swimming pool would be a very important addition to the town and would enhance the quality of life for many people in the area as well as visitors to the town.

Additional training grounds would take the pressure off some of the clubs’ own training grounds. Additional space is needed, particularly as regards the youth sections in the clubs.

There is a demand for quality housing in Skerries. Over the last decade many new homes have been built in Skerries. These homes have served the growing population well but there is a distinct lack of variety and choice. The homes at Holmpatrick will offer the community an alternative type of home in a beautiful setting.

Key to the Holmpatrick development is the opening up of a new vista to all. The Coastal Walkway and Park will become a new great destination in Skerries and another good reason to visit.