Housing mostly semi-detached two-story book designs in self contained estates. Their design has changed with the vogues of construction eras, from the red-brick bungalow with aluminium sashes, to the two-story pebble dashed PVC, and currently to the "celtic tiger" suburban-apartment the designs tell of the increasing pressures to squeeze more "house" into less land. The latter is the ultimate exemplar, removing completely the individual garden and just leaving a communal green area of grass, outlined with brochure friendly shrubs and wood-chippings. The resultant young population of 12,000 is expected to reach 16,000 (Central Statistics Office, 2002 in the coming years, although figures depend on a notional boundary. The "village" is thus beginning to assume the function of a town, although due to the recency of its expansion the town does not have its own council and instead falls under the authority of Cork County Council. Further, the usual trappings of a town are not found, while Carrigaline now has a shopping centre, it lacks a cinema and public swimming pool, although the inclusion of such amenities on a list of town prerequisites is questionable given the nationwide movement towards out-of-town centralised amenities, exemplified by the Mahon Point Shopping Centre. It is likely that every real estate agent, auctioneer in County Cork has at one time been in Carrigaline, here is a list of the housing estates in Carrigaline to illustrate the large number. Abbey View, Arbour, Ard na Rí, Ardcarrig, Ashbourne, Ashford, Ashgrove, Beechcourt, Bridgemount, Carrig na Curra, Carrigcourt, Carrigmore, Castle Court, Castle Hill, Castle Rock, Cedar Wood, Clevedon Lower, Clevedon Upper, Dan Desmonds, Dun Eoin, Elmside, Endsleigh, Ferndale, Fernlea, Forrest Park, Glenwood, Heatherfield, Herons Wood, Highbury Gardens, Highfields, Hillview, Hillcrest, Kilmoney Heights, Kilowen Court, Kingswood, Liosbourne, Liosrua, Maurland, Millwood, Nova Court, Old Waterpark, Orchard Rise, Owenabue, Riverside, Rockboro Heights, Ros na Graine, Saint John's Terrace, Saint Philomenas, Sea View, Shrewsbury, Somerville, Sunset Court, Briary, Monks, Waterpark, Wesley, Weston, Westwood, White Oaks, Willow Bank, Woodview, Woodgrove, Wrenville. This is not an complete list, at the time of writing more are being built!

Infrastructure Infrastructural improvements have focused on removing transiting traffic from the main street. To the east this has been done in stages by constructing a road from the entrance the Bridgemount Roundabout past the Community School along the Guidel Road over the Guidel Bridge (known as the "new bridge") up to the Feney Road. To the west a similar bypass road is planned and is expected to begin construction as part of the new "town" construction project. These infrastructural improvements have been necessitated by the resultant congestion of a high dependency of motorcar transport. Indeed, the town has the highest proportion of workers commuting to work by car in Ireland. The exact figure is 74 percent (Central Statistics Office, 2002) and is understandable given that the train station closed decades ago and the direct bus service to Cork City doesn't cater for the large numbers of workers that commute to nearby Ringaskiddy, and is overcrowded peak times, particularly the 15.20 from Cork to Carrigaline, and 17.45 from Cork to Carrigaline. Overcrowding herein is defined as standing room only, but a further level exists which, that of refusal where drivers will pass stops without stopping, when this occurs at the Cork Bus Station an ad-hoc relief bus was often provided, after a 10 minute delay, but should the problem occur at the Carrigaline end intending passengers are stranded until the next bus which may not be for 45mins. Thus those wishing to travel in the area in a timely manner should thus consider private transportation.

Business Carrigaline pottery (also known as Carrigdhoun Pottery and Carrig Ware) was founded by Hoddie (Hodder) Roberts in 1928. He realised that that local clay, long used to make fire bricks, could also be used to make pottery. He visited Stoke-on-Trent, UK and sought the advice of Louis Keeling. The new company Carrigaline Pottery Company Limited expanded employing some 210 people at its peak. The company was wound up in 1980 and subsequently taken over by a German enterprise and became known as Cork Art Pottery Limited which was wound up later. In 1989 the pottery became known as Carrigaline Pottery Ireland Limited and in 1995 Stephen Pearce (sometimes misspelled Stephen Pierce) became highly involved in the business. However it closed sometime around 2002. The once extensive site was demolished in 2004, except for some units which house independent non-pottery industries. The former main site will house  a large shopping centre and a new Town Square which will begin construction in late 2005. Other businesses of note in Carrigaline are the Carrigaline Court Hotel and Barry Collins Supervalu Supermarket. Carrigaline has branches of AIB, Bank of Ireland, Permanent TSB all on the Main Street, and Carrigaline Credit Union on Old Waterpark (Crosshaven Carrigaline Credit Union Limited).

History (as described in Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837). CARRIGALINE, a parish, partly in the county of the city of CORK, and partly in the barony of KINNALEA, but chiefly in that of KERRICURRIHY, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 7 miles (S. E.) from Cork city; containing 7375 inhabitants. This place was in early times called ‘Beavor’, or ‘Bebhor’, and derived its name from the abrupt rocky cliff on which are the remains of the ancient castle, built by Milo de Cogan in the reign of King John, and for nearly two centuries occupied by the Earls of Desmond, by whom it was forfeited, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The castle, together with the lands of Carrigaline and Balinrea, was then granted by the queen to Anthony St. Leger, who demised them to Stephen Golding, Esq., from whom they were purchased by Sir Richard Boyle, afterwards Earl of Cork, and from him descended to the present proprietor, the Earl of Shannon. In 1568, the Lord-Deputy Sidney, after relieving the Lady St. Leger in Cork, advanced against this fortress, which he took from James Fitzmaurice after an obstinate resistance, and from this time during the entire reign of Elizabeth it had the reputation of being impregnable. In 1589, Sir Francis Drake, with a squadron of five ships, being chased by a Spanish fleet of superior force, ran into Cork harbour; and sailing up Crosshaven, moored his squadron in a safe basin, sheltered by Corribiny Hill, close under Coolmore. The Spaniards pursued, but, being unacquainted with the harbour, sailed round the shores without discovering the English fleet, and giving up the search, left it here in perfect security. The basin in which Sir Francis lay has since been called Drake's pool. The parish is situated on the road from Cork city to Tracton, and contains 14,254 statue acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £16,606 per annum; the surface is pleasingly undulated, and the soil is fertile; a considerable part is under an improved system of tillage, and the remainder is in demesne, meadow, or pasture land. There is neither waste land nor bog; coal, which is landed at several small quays here, is the chief fuel. A light brown and purplish clay-slate is found; and limestone of very superior quality is raised at Shanbally, in large blocks, and after being hewn into columns, tombstones, &c., is shipped to Cork and other places. The appearance of the country is beautifully varied: the views from the high grounds are extensive and picturesque, commanding the course of the river Awenbwuy, with the capacious estuary, called Crosshaven, and embellished with numerous gentlemen's seats. The principal are Coolmore, the residence of W. H. Worth Newenham, Esq., situated in a beautiful demesne of 545 acres, with a lofty square tower a little to the east of the house, which commands a magnificent prospect of the town and harbour of Cove, and the rich scenery of the river; Mount Rivers, of M. Roberts, Esq.; Waterpark, of Robert Atkins, Esq.; and, on the border of the parish, Ballybricken, of D. Conner, Esq. The village has a very pleasing appearance; it consists of several good houses and a number of decent cottages, extending into the parish of Kilmoney, on the south side of the river, over which is a bridge of three arches. There are three large boulting-mills, the property of Messrs. Michael Roberts and Co., capable of grinding 20,000 sacks of flour annually, of which the greater part is shipped for England from Cork. The trade consists chiefly in the export of corn, flour, and potatoes, and the import of coal and culm. The channel of the river has been lately deepened six feet, principally at the expense of Mr. Roberts, and vessels can now deliver their cargoes at the bridge. A creek runs up to Shanbally, and another forms the channel of Douglas, both of which are navigable for vessels of 40 tons' burden, which being up lime, sand, and manure, and take away limestone and bricks, the latter of which are made near Douglas. The opening of several new lines of road has been of great advantage to the district. The river Awenbwuy, winding through a rich corn country, is well situated for commerce, and salmon and trout are caught in abundance. Fairs are held in Carrigaline on Easter-Monday, Whit-Monday, Aug. 12th, and Nov. 8th, for cattle, sheep, and pigs. There is a penny post to Cork; and a chief constabulary police force has been stationed here. Petty sessions are held in the court-house every Tuesday, and a manorial court once in three weeks. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Cork, and in the patronage of the Earl of Shannon: the tithes amount to £1080. The church is a very handsome edifice of hewn limestone, in the later English style of architecture, with a massive square tower crowned with pinnacles and surmounted by an elegant and lofty octagonal spire pierced with lights: it was erected in 1823, near the site of the former church, and enlarged in 1835, by the addition of a north transept; the windows are very light, chaste, and beautiful, particularly the eastern one, the upper part of which is ornamented with stained glass. near the west front is a lofty arch, beneath which is an altar-tomb of grey marble, with a recumbent leaden figure, now much mutilated, of Lady Suanna Newenham, who died in 1754. A chapel of ease has been built at the village of Douglas, in the northern division of the parish, within the liberties of the city of Cork. There is no glebe-house, but a glebe of 6a. 3r. 9p. In the Roman Catholic divisions the parish partly forms the head of a union or district, comprising the four ploughlands called Carrigaline and the parishes of Templebready and Kilmoney, and is partly in the union of Douglas or Ballygervin, and partly in that of Passage: the chapel is in that part of the village of Carrigaline which is on the south side of the river. The male and female parochial schools are supported by subscription; the school-rooms were built in 1834. At Raheens are schools for boys and girls, the former supported by a donation of £50 per ann. from W. H. W. Newenham, Esq., and the latter by Mrs. Newenham; a school is aided by annual subscriptions, amounting to £4, and there are other hedge schools in the parish, altogether affording instruction to about 450 children, and a Sunday school. Here is also a dispensary. At Ballinrea there is a mineral spring, which is considered to be of the same kind as that of Tunbridge Wells, and has been found efficacious in cases of debility; and near it is a holy well, dedicated to St. Renogue, which is resorted to by the country people on the 24th of June.

Images of Carrigaline

Satellite image of Cork harbour today showing the location of Carrigaline (© 2006 TerraMetrics, edited by Carrigaline.info).


Church of Ireland, Church Road, Carrigaline (© Carrigaline.info 2008)


The Owenabue River on the right runs towards Crosshaven. The water on the left is a lake. (© Carrigaline.info 2008)


Carrigaline Community Complex, Church Road, Carrigaline has a large hall and many meeting rooms which are used by local groups (© Carrigaline.info 2008)


A quiet country road in Kilnagleary between Carrigaline and Crosshaven (© Carrigaline.info 2008)

The Carrigaline-Crosshaven Road:
The walkway on the left, follows the route of the old Carrigaline-Crosshaven railway track. (© Carrigaline.info 2008)

Coolmore House:
A grand house (now derelict) with land. Seen from the Carrigaline-Crosshaven Road, across Drake's Pool (© Carrigaline.info 2008)

Mount Rivers House:
A grand house (still inhabited) without land (© Carrigaline.info 2008)