It is located adjacent to other suburban areas such as Windy Arbour, Ranelagh, Rathmines, Dartry, Clonskeagh, and Donnybrook.

[citation needed] In his 1903 work, A History of the County Dublin, the historian Francis Elrington Ball describes Milltown as being the "scene of industrial enterprise" from a "very early period" and that as "early as the fourteenth century the existence of a mill is mentioned".

[3] Ball also states that "mediaeval quarrying operations carried on at Milltown" provided stone for repairs to Dublin's Christ Church Cathedral.

[7][8][9] A newer bridge was later built at Milltown,[9] and by the early 20th century the older structure was used only for pedestrian traffic.

[10] On 30 June 2004, the bridge was re-opened for the Luas light rail system which runs from Broombridge to Bride's Glen.

[11] The area is still associated with Shamrock Rovers football club, who played there at Glenmalure Park on land leased from the Jesuits, from 1926 until 1987 when it was controversially sold to developers.