Ballybough’s story
Ballybough: 46% of homes built before 1919
134 buildings on the National Inventory inside Ballybough.
- 1780Clarke’s Bridge
- 1780Communications Worker's Union Headquarters
- 1780Maple House
BallyboughDublin
134 of its buildings are on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. The neighbourhood has 8,188 residents and lies in Dublin.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: BallyboughDublin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
8,188
CSO, Census 2022 · Dublin City Council
Median age
34.6
10% are 65+ · Co. Dublin 14%
Degree level
41%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
70%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
TownGrade
D
#294 of 320
Is Ballybough a good place to live?
Several subjects drag its grade down. Crime runs high: violent crime runs at 11.9 per 1,000 residents a year, burglary and criminal damage at 14.8. The local economy is weaker than most: 68% of working-age residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 12%. Fewer journeys need a car: 70% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train, against 23% in the typical Irish town. Half the homes sold for more than €365,000, a price of 7.7 times what the median household earns. All told, that adds up to a D overall and a rank of #111 of 116 in Co. Dublin. That leaves it better than 8% of Irish towns.
Figures: commuting and work, CSO Census 2022 · crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO.
What makes Ballybough stand out
The 3 things Ballybough does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
70% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
134 buildings on the national inventory
3.4 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Households renting privately
Housing
The median of Irish towns: 22%
CSO, Census 2022
How Ballybough grades
Each subject compares Ballybough with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carA+Open →SafetyCrime runs among the highest comparedD−Open →Jobs & income68% of 15-to-64s in work; 12% unemployedDOpen →Health110 with a disability per 100 predictedC−Open →Hazard risk4% of homes above the radon reference levelCOpen →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesB−Open →
SchoolsNot graded in Ireland: schools’ exam results aren’t published school by school (Education Act 1998, s.53)–
How TownRatings grades Irish towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Croke Park Stadium and 152 more in and around Ballybough
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Ballybough. Best known first.
MuseumMuseumCroke Park Stadiumin town
MuseumGaelic Athletic Association museumin town
Big drawMuseumNational Museum of Ireland1.7 km outside town, to the south · 783K visitors a year
MuseumNational Library of Ireland1.6 km outside town, to the south
CathedralSt Patrick's Cathedral2.4 km outside town, to the southwest
Historic houseLeinster House1.7 km outside town, to the south
MuseumGaelic Athletic Association museumin townBig drawMuseumNational Museum of Ireland1.7 km outside town, to the south · 783K visitors a yearMuseumNational Library of Ireland1.6 km outside town, to the southCathedralSt Patrick's Cathedral2.4 km outside town, to the southwestHistoric houseLeinster House1.7 km outside town, to the southPlaces: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- Gaelic Athletic Association museum: Sheila1988, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- National Museum of Ireland: Photograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net )., CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- National Library of Ireland: YvonneM, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St Patrick's Cathedral: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Leinster House: Jean Housen, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ballybough.
SafetySafety D−
Homes in Ballybough see more burglary and damage than in Co. Dublin’s towns or Irish towns: 14.8 per 1,000 a year
Every kind together came to 91.2 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Co. Dublin’s towns (59.2) and Irish towns (54.3). Among the 201 Irish towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people, Ballybough has more crime per resident than 95% of them.
11.9violent incidents per 1,000 a yearD−Safety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 5% of the 201 Irish towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Theft22
Road traffic18.1
Damage10.9
Public order10.5
Drugs9.1
Assault8.7
Burglary3.9
Dangerous acts2.6
Against justice1.8
Not in the gradeTheft, public order and offences found by Garda checks (drugs, road traffic, dangerous acts) are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence, burglary and damage.
| Per 1,000 a year | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary & damage | 14.8 | 7.5 | 6.4 |
| Violent crime | 11.9 | 5.3 | 5.7 |
| All recorded crime | 91.2 | 59.2 | 54.3 |
| Theft | 22 | 18.5 | 15.3 |
11.9
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
14.8
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
2,337
incidents a year, Fitzgibbon Street Garda area
26.7
against residents per 1,000, as graded
CSO recorded crime by Garda station, 2023–2025, shared to towns by where residents live · Census 2022 populations
Work & commuteJobs & income D
The car carries only 19% of commuters in Ballybough, fewer than in both Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
The jobless rate is 12%. Working mainly from home: just over one in ten workers, below Co. Dublin’s towns (14%) and close to Irish towns (11%). The average trip to work takes 33.2 min.
70%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Walk27%
Bus24%
Car or van19%
Bicycle12%
Train, DART or Luas7%
| Census 2022 | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 12% | 7.3% | 9.2% |
| Median household income | €47,550 | €72,780 | €57,760 |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 16% | 23% | 31% |
| Average trip | 33.2 min | 31.1 min | 27.6 min |
€47,550
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Dublin €71,123
11%
worked mainly from home, 2022
11%
trips of an hour or more
48,940
on the Live Register, County Dublin, September 2026
A+
Walkability: better than 98% of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.
Schools
52% of schools around Ballybough get DEIS support, above Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
126 schools lie within 3 km of Ballybough: 78 primary schools, 35 secondary schools and 13 special schools. O'Connell School is the nearest secondary school, 0.2 km away. 6% of the schools teach through Irish, below both Co. Dublin’s towns (7%) and Irish towns (8%).
126schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Christopher's NS DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 598 | Catholic |
| Belvedere College S.J BoysLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | Post-primary · Voluntary secondary | 1,011 | Catholic |
| Scoil Chaitriona GaelcholáisteTeaches through IrishPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | Post-primary · Voluntary secondary | 523 | Catholic |
| St Mary's Secondary School DEISIn the DEIS schemePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | Post-primary · Voluntary secondary | 830 | Catholic |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic96
Multi-denominational19
Church of Ireland7
Inter-denominational2
Other2
| Schools within 3 km | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 52% | 40% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 6% | 7% | 8% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 43% | 40% | 39% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +5% | +4% | +4% |
34,469
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+5%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.2 km
to the nearest primary school
0.2 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Letters and results are missing here for a reason: Ireland publishes neither school by school.
HealthHealth C−
For its ages, Ballybough reports more bad health than Co. Dublin’s towns or Irish towns: 226 per 100 expected
For its ages, Ballybough has 110 people with a disability for every 100 expected, above Co. Dublin’s towns (99) and Irish towns (106) alike. At the census, 3.5% of people here described their health as bad or very bad. Asked at the census, 86% of residents of Ballybough said they were in good or very good health.
86%good or very good healthC−Health Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health226
Disability110
Co. Dublin103
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2022 | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bad or very bad health | 3.5% | 1.9% | 2% |
| Unpaid carers | 3.9% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Good or very good health | 86% | 89% | 88% |
226
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Dublin 103
110
disability per 100 expected · Co. Dublin 99
83.4 · 80.1
life expectancy, women · men, the Dublin region, 2016
27%
hold a medical card, HSE Dublin and North East
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Natural hazardsHazard risk C
The river sets the flood risk in Ballybough: 67% of homes stand low beside it, more than in both Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
Ballybough is protected by the River Tolka ( Dublin) Flood Relief Scheme. The EPA’s radon map puts 3.8% of homes in Ballybough above the reference level. Also worth knowing: its nearest bathing water is Sandymount Strand, 4.7 km away, rated sufficient in 2025.
0%of homes in high-radon areasCHazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water67%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river67%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near a river | 67% | 0% | 0.5% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
2
flood relief schemes, among them River Tolka ( Dublin) Flood Relief Scheme
4.7 km
to Sandymount Strand bathing water (sufficient)
1,870
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Winters are mild in Ballybough: January nights hold at 3.3°C, above Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
Across the year it averages 10.6°C, above Co. Dublin’s towns (10.3°C) and Irish towns (10.3°C) alike. A year brings 748 mm of rain to Ballybough. Expect July highs of around 20.1°C in the town.
20.1°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.1°C
Spring13.2°C
Summer19.5°C
Autumn14.5°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average temperature over the year | 10.6°C | 10.3°C | 10.3°C |
| January low | 3.3°C | 2.9°C | 2.9°C |
| Rain a year | 748 mm | 770 mm | 937 mm |
| July high | 20.1°C | 19.9°C | 19.9°C |
20.1°C
July high
3.3°C
January low
748 mm
Rain a year
83 mm
Wettest month
33
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
Ballybough is on the National Famine Way
Within 1 km, 1.4% of the land is woodland, below Co. Dublin’s towns (2.3%) and Irish towns (2.7%) alike. Ballybough counts 6 parks, adding up to 27 ha of green space. Among the protected sites near Ballybough is South Dublin Bay.
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Ballybough3.3 ha
Co. Dublin7.6 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paths per km² of town | 5.5 km per km² | 5.4 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Sea within 5 km | 9% | 3.7% | 0% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 1.4% | 2.3% | 2.7% |
| Near a park | 100% | 100% | 92% |
100%
Near a park
3.3 ha
Green space
42 km
Footpaths
1%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Weather in Ballybough: 12 degrees and light showers today
What counts as normal for Ballybough in November: highs come to 11°C and lows to 5°C. Rain totals about 1 mm today, the wind freshens to 31 km/h, and the low is 10°C. Over the coming week, Tuesday looks wettest, with about 6 mm of rain.
12°C / 10°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November11°C
December9°C
January9°C
February9°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 3°C | 182 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 6°C | 157 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 12°C | 189 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 8°C | 220 mm |
12°C / 10°C
Today
1.3 mm
Rain, next 24 hours
22 km/h
Wind
75%
Humidity
9 h 18 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
A town of newcomers: 40% of residents in Ballybough were born abroad, above Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
People 65 and over make up 9.7% of the town, lower than both Co. Dublin’s towns (14%) and Irish towns (14%). The under-15s are 11% of the population here.
34.6median age
BallyboughCo. DublinIreland
Ages · share of residents
13%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none14%
Lower secondary12%
Leaving Cert28%
Diploma or cert5%
Degree or higher41%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 48.9% of Ballybough
4,006 women and 4,182 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 17% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 45% | 30% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 22% | 24% | 24% |
| 65+ | 9.7% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 14% | 8.4% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 12% | 11% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 28% | 30% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 4.8% | 5.2% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 41% | 44% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Dublin and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Fewer vote in Ballybough: 34% turned out at the last local elections, below Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
With 11 of 63 seats, Fine Gael are the largest group on Dublin City Council, short of the 32 a majority needs. 52% voted at the general election. Dublin City Council runs Ballybough: Ireland has one tier of local government, with no town council below it.
11/63seats held by Fine Gael
Seats on Dublin City · June 2024
Fine Gael11
Social Democrats10
Independent9
Sinn Féin9
Fianna Fáil8
Green Party8
Labour Party4
People Before Profit–Solidarity2
| Turnout | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 34% | 42% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 52% | 57% | 59% |
7
Councillors
11/63
Fine Gael seats on Dublin City, the largest party
34%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Dublin Central
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Ballybough keeps more of its old housing than Co. Dublin’s towns or Irish towns: 45.8% built before 1919
For its size, Ballybough has 164 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents, above both Co. Dublin’s towns (9) and Irish towns (48). Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 134 buildings in Ballybough, each of regional importance.
134inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional134
Among them
- Clarke’s Bridge 1780
- Communications Worker's Union Headquarters 1780
- Maple House 1780
- Binns Bridge 1785
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1780
earliest dated inventory building
46%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
7
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 164 | 9 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 45.8% | 1.2% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 7 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
HousingCost of living B−
Ballybough is a renters’ town: 48% of households rent privately, more than in both Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
Owners make up just over a quarter of households, lower than both Co. Dublin’s towns (66%) and Irish towns (61%). Social renters account for a quarter of households.
€365Kmedian sale priceB−Cost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Ballybough€365K
Co. Dublin€454K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €365,000 | 43 |
| Housing | Ballybough | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 26% | 66% | 61% |
| Households renting privately | 48% | 19% | 22% |
| Households in social housing | 25% | 10% | 13% |
| Median sale price | €365K | €454K | €350K |
26%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
48%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,888
a month on new tenancies, its Dublin postal district
5.1
times median household income, County Dublin
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ballybough
15pages on Ballybough
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 134 buildings in Ballybough, each of regional importance.
Famous people from around Ballybough
One notable person was born in Ballybough; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
P
Paddy MooreIrish footballer (1909-1951)
P
Paschal DonohoeIrish politician · born in Phibsborough · born 1974
F
Frank MurphyIrish middle-distance runner · born in Drumcondra · 1947–2017Photo credits
Bertie Ahern: ProhibitOnions at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5 · Liam Cunningham: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Harry Boland: Topical Press Agency / Stringer (Life time: Unknown), Public domain
Ballybough’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
SummerhillParnell SquareDrumcondraEast WallPhibsboroughO'Connell StreetBallybough
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballybough | 8,188 | — | D | B− | D− | C− |
| Summerhill | 11,911 | 0.7 | C− | B | D− | B− |
| Parnell Square | 10,117 | 1.1 | C− | C+ | D− | B− |
| Drumcondra | 11,149 | 1.1 | B− | D | C− | B+ |
| East Wall | 15,907 | 1.3 | C | C | D− | C+ |
| Phibsborough | 11,657 | 1.4 | D | C− | D− | B− |
| O'Connell Street | 6,749 | 1.6 | C | C+ | D− | B |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Ballybough
Is Ballybough growing?
Ballybough had 8,188 people at the 2022 census, up from 7,416 in 2016: 10.4% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Ballybough a young town or an old one?
The median age in Ballybough is 34.6, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns. 11% of residents are under 15 and 10% are 65 or over.
About Ballybough
Neighbourhood in Dublin
8,188 people live in Ballybough, in the area of Dublin City Council. TownRatings splits Dublin into neighbourhoods made from the CSO’s Electoral Divisions, named from Tailte Éireann’s gazetteer, so each has figures of its own.
Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)
- Population
- 8,188 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Dublin
- Council
- Dublin City Council
- Local electoral area
- North Inner City
- Dáil constituency
- Dublin Central
- Name in Irish
- An Baile Bocht
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- CSO code
- ED:DC:BALLYBOUGH
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0) · TownRatings grades, run #544 (Irish towns only). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).