Cabinteely borders Ballybrack, Carrickmines, Cherrywood, Cornelscourt, Deansgrange, Foxrock, Johnstown, Killiney and Loughlinstown.

[3][4] Excavations between 1957 and 1999 some 700m southeast of Cabinteely suggest that the area was of "considerable status and importance" from the 6th-7th centuries, with possible evidence of a church, ancillary buildings, possible workshops and a cemetery.

[5] Anecdotal evidence suggests that Cabinteely grew up around a tavern (Irish: Cabán tSíle, meaning 'Sheila's Cabin') located at a crossroads on the main road linking Dublin with the South.

[citation needed] Cabinteely sits at the meeting point of the three medieval civil parishes of Tully, Kill and Killiney, in the half-barony of Rathdown.

The ruined 9th century Tully Church and graveyard[6] lies within the modern parish of Cabinteely at Laughanstown.

Two high crosses from the 12th century stand in nearby fields,[7] and a wedge tomb, all protected as National Monuments (#216).

[9][10] William Richard O'Byrne (1823–1896), MP and author of the Naval Biographical Dictionary, owned and lived in Cabinteely House.

[12] Cabinteely was described in the 1837 book, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, as having "several handsome seats [houses]...adorned with thriving plantations and presents many natural beauties".

[citation needed] The four electoral divisions of Cabinteely-Granitefield, Cabinteely-Kilbogget, Cabinteely-Loughlinstown and Cabinteely-Pottery are in the Dáil constituency of Dún Laoghaire.

Finnegan's operate a bus service from Bray DART station to the Luas stop in Sandyford, via Cabinteely.

[22] Cabinteely has several shops, including a boutique and estate agency, and several restaurants and cafés, as well as hairdressers, barbers and dental surgery.

Cabinteely's Carnegie library[23] was opened in 1912, and features a tiled roof, copper cupola and leaded windows.