The settlement was based on a master plan vision from major developer Gannon Homes, with significant investment in transport infrastructure and also community and recreational amenities.
Development slowed during the downturn in the economy, although activity renewed in recent years, with planning permission secured for a hotel and a range of additional homes including a 16-storey apartment block with residential lounges and roof gardens.
The name Clongriffin is a modern invention, a concatenation of "clon", the anglicisation of cluain (the Irish language word for meadow), and griffin.
A griffin, griffon, or gryphon (the Irish of which is ghrífín) is a mythical beast and may be an element in the name of the adjacent district, Balgriffin.
In 1166, the lands were assigned to All Saints Priory, on whose site Trinity College Dublin was later built, by Diarmait Mac Murchada, King of Leinster.
[5] In the late 1530s, at the beginning of the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the entire settlement was invaded and seized at the behest of King Henry VIII of England, who in 1538 bestowed it on the Corporation of Dublin.
Clongriffin's early component developments comprised Grange Lodge, Beau Park, Station Point and Marrsfield.
However, the local community have been told that Irish Rail requested that Dublin City Council take Main Street in charge before the opening of the railway station.
[8] In early 2008, it was alleged that the mineral pyrite was found in the stone hardcore used in the construction of some homes in various housing estates in north Dublin, including Beaupark in Clongriffin.
[9] Pyrite remediation of affected ground level dwellings is underway[10] after a settlement was reached in March 2011 in a Commercial Court case.
From here, there is a passage to Father Collins Park and beyond the civic steps[clarification needed] to Dublin coastal walkways and Baldoyle Bay, the estuary of two rivers and a noted wetland, which was declared a nature reserve in 1988.
Five 50 kilowatt wind turbines provide power for the projection of water from its central lake, public lighting, maintenance depots, and sports club changing rooms.
There are also a promenade, concert amphitheatre, and picnic areas with outdoor chess or draughts boards, two playgrounds and a skate park.
The latest report from Gannon Homes says that the construction of the mosque will not go ahead due to lack of funding and the land will be used for residential development as originally planned.
[26] Declared a Statutory Nature Reserve in 1988,[27] the inner estuarine part of the estuary and wetlands of Baldoyle Bay are protected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).