Situated approximately 6 kilometres south-west of the city centre, on the Camac, a Liffey tributary, the suburb borders the Grand Canal and Ballyfermot to the west, Walkinstown & Drimnagh to the east, Inchicore to the north, and Clondalkin to the south.

There is an early reference concerning Bluebell cemetery and church ruins, dated 1254, when the people who lived here were most likely part of the Barnewall's Drimnagh Castle estate and home farm.

Over the years, the area received heavily industrialised development with the coming of paper mills, making use of the Camac River for their water supply.

Gradually more industry moved into the area, with companies including Lambs, Roadstone, Nugget, McInerneys, Fiat and Volkswagen.

Small traders include newsagents, hairdressers and fast food outlets, concentrated on the Old Naas Road near the church.

The main attraction being the name stone green facing the luas stop which has been transformed into an urban woodland habitat for bluebells.

[2] In administrative terms, Bluebell is in Dublin City Council and in local government elections is part of the Ballyfermot-Drimnagh Ward.