Saggart
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Saggart (Template:Irish place name) is a village in County Dublin, Ireland, south-west of Dublin city, in the local government area of South Dublin. It lies between the N7 (Naas Road), Rathcoole, Citywest and Tallaght. It is one of the fastest-growing settlements in Ireland, with its population doubling between 2011 and 2022.<ref name="cso2022"/> The village is in a townland and civil parish of the same name, in the barony of Newcastle.<ref name=logainm>Template:Cite web</ref>
Name
A monk called Mosacra founded a settlement close to the site of the village in the 7th century.<ref name="southdublinhistory"/> The name Saggart derives from Template:Lang, meaning "house of Sacra" in Irish, and the area was known as "Tassagart" for a period.<ref name="southdublinhistory">Template:Cite web</ref>
History
Template:Historical populations Archaeological evidence of ancient settlement in the Saggart area, includes a pair of megalithic standing stones in Boherboy, that are known locally as Adam and Eve.<ref name="southdublinhistory"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also nearby is the Raheen Standing Stone, a megalithic standing stone in a field on the Blessington Road, near Crooksling.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
A monastery was founded in the area in the 7th century.<ref name="southdublinhistory"/> The remains of this monastery are found on the grounds of an equestrian centre approximately 1.5 km from today's Saggart Village. After its founder, St Mosacra died, it became a nunnery with over 80 nuns living there until the Viking attacks of the 9th century.Template:Cn
By 1207, Saggart, or Tasagart, as it was then called by the Normans, had been made a prebend of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. In 1615, the church was reported as being in good repair but fifteen years later the church is stated to have fallen down, and the Protestant parishioners attended Rathcoole church. The current church at Saggart, the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built between 1847 and 1849.<ref name="southdublinhistory"/>
From 1888 to 1932, the Dublin and Blessington Steam Tramway stopped at Saggart.Template:Cn
Nature
Saggart lies at the northern end of a mountain valley, the Slade of Saggart, with Brittas at the other side. The River Camac flows through this valley, passing around the village on the way to meet the River Liffey by Heuston Station.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The great spotted woodpecker has been seen here.Template:Fact
Religion
The boundaries of the Catholic parish of Saggart include the areas of Rathcoole and Brittas, and the parish works in conjunction with the neighbouring parish of St. Finian's, Newcastle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Saggart's parish church was built in 1847 and dedicated, to the "Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary", in August 1849.<ref name="southdublinhistory"/> It is within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Amenities
Saggart is a heritage village. It is home to the Citywest Hotel, which has been used to host a number of annual events including the Irish Masters (snooker), several award ceremonies, and political ard fheiseanna.Template:Fact Citywest Business Campus is located just to the north of Saggart village. The Citywest Shopping Centre, anchored by Dunnes Stores, is the only major shopping centre in the area and has a pharmacy, cafés and several other shops. There is also a service/petrol station, restaurants and a 4,000-seat convention centre at Citywest. The Citywest Business Campus also includes a Dublin City University facility. Jacob's Bar was established as a public house in the village by members of the Jacob family in 1901.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
As of 2021, a section of walking trail, incorporating the Slade Valley and adjacent to Saggart Reservoir, was under construction in the area.<ref name="Dubpeople">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Update-inline The development of the Slade Valley trail was marked as one of the "key actions" under the South Dublin County Council Tourism Strategy 2015-2020, in which it was proposed to take in Rathcoole, Saggart and Brittas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Needs update
Transport
Saggart Luas stop is one of two western termini for the Luas Red Line, the other being Tallaght. The line provides a direct link to Dublin city with a journey duration of 45 minutes.Template:Fact
Saggart is served by Dublin Bus route 69 and GoAhead Ireland route W6.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Sport
The local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club, St Mary's GAA, was founded in 1906.<ref name="southdublinhistory"/>
Coolmine Equestrian Centre was established here in 1989. The equestrian centre is home to the remains of the 7th-century monastery of St Mo Sacra.Template:Fact The centre and CEAD-Ireland host equestrian activities and competitions and CEAD-Fest during the summer months.Template:Fact
Politics
For elections to South Dublin County Council, Saggart is part of the local electoral area of Clondalkin, along with Citywest, Rathcoole and Newcastle.Template:Fact Saggart is an electoral division within the Dáil constituency of Dublin Mid-West.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>