Booterstown
Booterstown is a coastal suburban town near Dublin. The Bellfield campus of University College Dublin (UCD), a major research university, is about 2 km west of Booterstown. The area is home to Booterstown marsh, a bird sanctuary.
Understand
Get in
By bus
Bus is generally the easiest way to get to the UCD campus. The Belfield campus is served by over 1,330 scheduled bus services every day, across 52 different routes. A number of high frequency routes connect UCD with the city centre and Dublin Airport, while there are also a range of other regular and peak-only services from various city, regional and national locations.
Core routes from City Centre/Airport
Three core Dublin Bus routes serve the campus, the 39a, 46a and 145. Each of these routes operates every 8-10 minutes throughout the day and every 15-20 minutes at evenings and weekends, and each of them also connects UCD with Dublin City Centre.
- Dublin Bus 39a Ongar - Blanchardstown - City Centre - UCD
- Dublin Bus 46a Phoenix Park - City Centre - UCD - Stillorgan - Dún Laoghaire
- Dublin Bus 145 Heuston Station - City Centre - UCD - Stillorgan - Bray (Ballywaltrim)
Other regular routes
The following routes operate regularly to UCD throughout the day. The timetables for each can be viewed by clicking on the routes below. Some of the timings on these routes can be a little inconsistent, so for more accurate departure times, check the Real Time Information on the Transport for Ireland website.
- Dublin Bus 11 runs from Wadalei Park/Ballymun in the north of the city, through the city centre to Sandyford in the south, every 20-30 minutes. Unlike most buses which operate along the Stillorgan Road on the eastern side of the campus, this bus runs along the Clonskeagh Road on the western side, which is very convenient for the Richview (Architecture) and Newstead (Civil Engineering) areas of the campus.
- Dublin Bus 47 runs every 30-75 minutes from the City Centre and along the coast, to Belarmine in the south, via Ringsend, Sandymount, UCD and Sandyford.
- Dublin Bus 142 runs every hour from Portobello and Rathmines in the west to the UCD Sports Centre stop. At peak times this route is also extended to Portmarnock via the Dublin Port Tunnel.
- Bus Eireann 133 provides a service every 30-60 minutes from Wicklow, via Rathnew, Ashford & Newtownmountkennedy.
- Bus Eireann Expressway 2 & Wexford Bus 740 together provide a service every 30 minutes from Wexford, via Enniscorthy, Gorey and Arklow.
By train
1 Sydney Parade DART Station is served by the frequent DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) service, which operates every 15 minutes along the Dublin Bay coast, from Howth/Malahide through the city centre to Bray/Greystones. The station is also served by direct Commuter trains from Dundalk and Maynooth at peak times, and connections are available via Connolly Station at off-peak times. Use the Irish Rail journey planner to plan your journey.
Most national rail services arrive into Heuston Station, to the west of the city centre. The 145 bus operates every 10 minutes from outside the station to UCD (every 15-20 minutes at evenings/weekends), with a journey time of about 45 minutes.
By taxi
A taxi from Dublin city centre will cost €10-22, depending on traffic and the time of day, and should take around 20 minutes. From Heuston Station it would be €12-28, while from Dublin Airport it would be €26-46. Taxis are plentiful in Dublin and can be found at taxi ranks across the city or hailed on the street.
By car
- The 2 main entrance to UCD is off the R138 Stillorgan Road (formerly the N11), which runs into Dublin City Centre from the south. Other important entrances are the Clonskeagh Road entrance and Fosters Avenue entrance. During the morning and evening peak times, traffic barriers are in operation to prevent people from using the campus as a shortcut. This means that to drive from one part of the campus to another you will need to exit the campus and re-enter through a difference entrance.
From the M50 motorway, the easiest way to reach UCD is to take exit 14, follow the N31 towards Dún Laoghaire until you reach the N11, then turn left and follow the N11/R138 towards the city centre until you reach the slip road for UCD.
The car parks in UCD are a mixture of Pay & Display and Permit Only car parks. During college term, students and staff can purchase permits for €25 per term, which can be used in the Permit Only car parks, while visitors must use the Pay & Display car parks. Demand is very high during term and it is difficult to get a space after 9AM. Outside of college term, and during evening and weekends, it is much easier to get a space, and the Permit Only car parks are also free to use.
By plane
Dublin Airport has flights from many UK, European, North American and Middle Eastern airports. Aer Lingus and Ryanair and the largest airlines.
From Dublin Airport, the easiest way to get to Booterstown is to take the Aircoach bus. Different Aircoaches run to Booterstown sation or a stop near the UCD campus.
Get around
On foot
Within the UCD campus, walking is the easiest way to get around. There are good paths between buildings, and most of the main academic buildings are clustered together in the centre of the campus. A good map is available here.
By public transport
If you want to travel a little further public transport is the easiest way to get around. Dublin has quite a good bus network, with frequent services along all the main corridors into the city. The network is a bit complicated to understand, with many different route and with route numbers not following any pattern. A good map of the core routes is available here, while the Transport for Ireland journey planner is also a good way to plan your journey.
By car
Public transport in Dublin is quite good along main routes and into the city centre. If you intend to stay within Dublin during your visit, there is probably no need for a car. If you'd like to go further afield, there are a number of car rental companies based in Dublin Airport where you can hire a car from.
If you will be staying in the Booterstown area for a few weeks, and would like the use of a car, consider signing up to GoCar. It costs €49.99 to sign up, and you can then take a car from only €4.99 per hour, with tax, insurance, fuel and city parking all included. GoCar has over 100 vehicles available across the city, including 2 in UCD, based in the car park beside AIB, where there is also an additional parking space for visiting GoCars to use. You must be 21 or over, with a full driving licence for at least two years to use GoCar.
See
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- 1 Booterstown Martello Tower. Coastal defence tower erected in 1804.
Do
- 1 Sandymount Strand. Large beach, with a grass promenade. Look out for the 1 Martello Tower and the 20ft scuplture 2 Awaiting the Mariner (An Cailín Bán), donated by the Mexican president in 2002.
- 2 Booterstown marsh, Rock Rd. 4.3 hectares (11 acres) salt marsh and mud nature reserve, with a viewing area at the northwestern corner. The marsh attracts a wide variety of birds.
- Football: UCD were relegated in 2023 so they now play soccer in the First Division, the Republic's second tier. Their home ground (capacity 3000) is the UCD Bowl. The playing season is March-Nov.
University College Dublin
University College Dublin (UCD, Irish: An Coláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a major research university. With around 33,500 enrolled students, it is the largest university in Ireland, and is mainly located on a single campus at Belfield, 4 km south of Dublin City Centre. The Belfield Campus is the largest urban university campus in Europe, covering 133 hectares (330 acres).
UCD markets itself as "Ireland's Global University" and welcomes over 7,000 international students each year. Throughout the year, the university hosts many large events, including its own UCD Open Day and UCD Festival, while during the summer it hosts thousands of delegates for many international conferences, such as the European Conference on Education Research and the 9th World Research Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care, which were hosted in 2016.
Academic buildings
- 2 Newman Building. M-F 8AM-10PM, Sa 8AM-6PM. The Newman Building is the largest single academic building on campus, housing the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences colleges. It was designed by Andrzej Wejchert, who developed the original campus masterplan, and was the second purpose-built building on the campus, opening in 1970 as the Arts - Commerce - Law building. It has 7 floors, with 10 blocks containing classrooms, labs and offices (numbered A to K), and 7 large circular lecture theatres on the ground floor (numbered L to R). The top floor of block D provides a view across Dublin City and Dublin Bay. The building also houses the National Folklore Collection and the UCD Classics Museum.
- National Folklore Collection, Ground Floor, Block F, ☏ +353 1 716 8216, bealoideas@ucd.ie. M-F 10AM-1PM & 2-5PM. One of Europe’s largest archives of oral tradition and cultural history, and inscribed in 2017 to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. Holds collections of manuscripts, Irish folk music, audio and video. Researchers are welcome to consult the Manuscript Collections without prior appointment, whilst researchers wishing to listen to audio recordings, view video material or to visit the Folk Music Collection should e-mail or telephone for an appointment. Free entry.
- Classical Museum, Room K216, 2nd Floor, Block K, ☏ +353 1 716 8576, stephen.obrien1@ucd.ie. M Tu 1-4PM, W noon-4PM, Th 1-6PM, F 10AM-3PM. Founded in 1910 by Rev. Henry Browne over a period of 10 years through exchanges/gifts with other museums such as the British Museum and Ashmolean. The collection was originally housed in Earlsfort Terrace until it was transferred to the Newman Building in 1971. Collection includes: Greek vases, Greek and Roman coins, bronze and bone objects of daily life, Egyptian antiquities and a marble sarcophagus. Free entry.
- An Cuas, Ground Floor, Block D. A main socialising and events space on the ground floor, named after the Irish word for a small hollow or cavity. Used for hosting many events, e.g. pancakes on Pancake Tuesday, chocolates on Valentine's Day and Easter, and for tea/coffee mornings by various societies.
- “Before I Die” Wall, Ground Floor, Block C. Representing the creative side of Newman Students, this was a campaign of a global project based on a mental health model with the purpose of helping people to clarify life, the person you want to be with the things you want to do. The idea is for people walking by to pick up a piece of chalk and reflect on their lives and share their personal inspirations and goals in a public arena.
Walks and tours
- UCD Guided Campus Tours. UCD's Student Ambassadors run free campus tours for prospective students at 13:00 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Tours leave from the John Hume Building and advance online booking is required. Free.
- 3 UCD Woodland Walks. There are five walking trails around the campus, between 1.8 km (1.1 mi) and 6.2 km (3.9 mi). The campus has trees dating back to its use as suburban estates in the 18th and 19th centuries, supplemented by planting since the 1960s.
- 4 UCD Sculpture Trail. The University College Dublin has a collection of scuplture around the campus. The 27 works are generally modern, created after 1970, by Irish artists.
Campus Period houses
The Belfield campus was once 11 separate period estates, and only 7 of those survive today. The original estates were as follows: Ardmore, Belfield, Belgrove, Merville, Newstead, Roebuck Castle, Roebuck Grove, Richview, Thornfield, Woodview.
- 3 Belfield House. Belfield House was the original estate purchased by UCD in the 1930s. It was built in 1801 by Ambrose Moore. Inside the porch (visible even if the house is locked) is one of the finest examples of Irish neoclassical sculpture called Hibernia, with the Bust of Lord Cloncurry. The sculpture was made by artist John Hogan in 1841 when he was working in Rome. The sculpture arrived in Ireland in 1846 to be exhibited at the Royal Exchange, which is now City Hall. The sculpture was in Lyons Estate and acquired by UCD when it purchased the estate in 1963. A large bay window (facing the running track) looks out onto Dublin Bay. Plasterwork found in the entrance hall and oval room is in Adams Style which is typical of Dublin houses of this time period. Current use for the house is as a reception for important visitors to the campus. Outside the house is a Loblolly pine tree, the state tree of the state of Arkansas in America. It was presented to former US President Bill Clinton when he visited to open the Clinton Institute for American Studies in 2010. Beside the house is the walled gardens.
- 4 Merville House. M-F 8AM-5:30PM. This is the oldest house on the campus, built in 1750 by Anthony Foster who was chief baron of the Irish Exchequer. When he died the house was passed onto his son John who was the last speaker at the Irish House of Commons. Ownership then went to the Huge Dudgeons in 1890 and a riding school was established. The stables from the school were incorporated into the Nova centre.
- 5 Ardmore House. M-F 8AM-6PM. Previously known as Belview and built in the 1800s as a country villa. Purchased in 1948 by the Department for Post and Telegraphs (predecessor to RTÉ television) which used it as a broadcasting station. UCD acquired Ardmore in 1957.r
- 6 Woodview House. M-F 8AM-10PM. Part of the Earl of Pembrokes Estate, built in 1820. Used to have a gatelodge, water streams, a footbridge and walled gardens. A wildflower meadow is opposite the house.
- 7 University Lodge (Roebuck Grove). Closed to public. Residence of the President of UCD, with restoration completed in 2004 in-between presidents. House has a role as a reception venue with formal reception rooms with Greek facade and a rear section to the house for the President and his family.
- 8 Richview. M-F 8AM-10PM, Sa 8AM-6PM. Built in 1785 by the Powell family and originally a masonry boys school where students learned the art of masonry. UCD bought the estate in 1980 for €2.1 million and it’s buildings now house the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy. The main school building was once an orphanage for boys, while the quad was used for cricket matches and planted around it are lime trees. The Memorial Hall commemorates the students who died in World Wars I and II. It is now a lecture theatre, a choral scholars hall and an exhibition space. The adjacent Newstead is home to Leinster rugby and the campus's most mature trees (over 350 years old).
Buy
- 1 The Campus Bookshop, Library Concourse, ☏ +353 1 716 7588, campus.bookshop@ucd.ie.
- 2 The College Collection Gift Shop, Gerard Manley Hopkins International Centre, ☏ +353 1 716 8621, thecollegecollection@ucd.ie.
- 3 Merrion Centre. The Merrion Centre is a shopping centre situated at the junction of Nutley Lane with Merrion Road. It is anchored by the Tesco supermarket and the Japanese embassy is located in the centre.
Eat
There are two canteen restaurants on the campus, and a cafe in most large buildings. Opening hours in the evenings are quite poor, and it can be difficult to get food anywhere after 6PM. Food options on campus include a Food Society, Subway and Freshly Chopped food outlets, and a village market held every Thursday during term time.
- 1 UCD Village Market, Green area between Campus Bus Park and Sutherland School of Law. Thursdays only during term times. Does not take place outside of term or during inclement weather.
Drink
Following the shock bankruptcy and closure of the main student bar in 2012, UCD now only has one sports bar, the Clubhouse in the Student Centre:
Other nearby pubs include:
- 1 The Clonskeagh House (O'Sheas), 68 Clonskeagh Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 6, ☏ +353 1 283 0189, clonskeaghhousepub@gmail.com.
Sleep
Hotels
Nearby hotels include:
- 1 Radisson Blu St. Helen's Hotel, Stillorgan Road, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, ☏ +353 1 218 6000, fax: +353 1 218 6010, info.sthelens.dublin@radissonblu.com. A grand house and gardens built in the 1750s which became a hotel in 1998.
- 2 Talbot Hotel Stillorgan, Stillorgan Road, Co. Dublin, ☏ +353 1 200 1800, fax: +353 1 283 1610, reservations@talbotstillorgan.com.
Stay safe
In the event of an emergency while on campus, dial 7999 from any campus phone or +353 1 716 7999 from a mobile. UCD has its own first response services based on campus who will attend to any incidents. It's a good idea to save this number into your phone, just so you have it in case you happen to need it.
While general precautions should still be taken, UCD is considered a very safe place to be, and crime of any sort is extremely rare. Many students will even tell you of stories where phones or wallets were left somewhere, and were found untouched in the same location many hours later. Walking through the campus alone at night is not recommended and a free Walk Safe service is available to escort people who need to make journeys at night. This can be requested by calling Campus Services on extension 7000 approximately 15 minutes before making your journey, and is available free of change.
Any incidents of crime should be reported to Donnybrook Garda Station (+353 1 666 9200).
Connect
Internet
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout all buildings on the UCD Campus, on two networks. The "UCD Wireless" network is open and doesn't require any password or sign in.