Overview
In the 7th century a monk named Mosacra founded a religious house at Saggart that grew into a nunnery, until Viking raiders scattered the community in the 9th century. South Dublin County Council traces the village’s name to St Mosacra and his monastery. That layered past is the reason to stop here, because on the surface Saggart is now largely commuter Dublin, with the Citywest business and leisure complex spreading across the fields around it. Come for the history and the setting at the foot of the Dublin Mountains, not for a big set-piece attraction.
The Luas Red Line terminates here, so you can reach Saggart from the city without a road journey. The council’s Saggart village page is a good starting point for the village’s heritage.
History and heritage
The name comes from the Irish Teach Sagard, “the priest’s house”. After Mosacra’s foundation and the Viking raids, the Normans recorded the settlement as Tasagart by 1207 and made it a prebend of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. The old parish church had fallen down by the 1630s. The present Catholic church, dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built between 1847 and 1849 and is still the village’s main landmark. The village itself developed around a crossroads.
The ground around Saggart is unusually thick with prehistoric markers. The best known are the “Adam and Eve” standing stones at Boherboy, a pair of Neolithic uprights in the fields. The Raheen Standing Stone stands alone off the Blessington Road, and a 10th-century pilgrim’s stone rests in the local graveyard. These sites lie on or beside private land and there is no public way in to them from the village, so appreciate them from the public road or through the heritage material rather than walking across fields. The remains of Mosacra’s 7th-century foundation, at Coolmine, are likewise on private grounds and are not open to casual visitors.
Later industry left its own traces. The Swift Brook Paper Mill worked here from the mid-18th century for over 200 years, and the Dublin and Blessington Steam Tramway ran through the village from 1888 until 1932, decades before the Luas.
What to see and do
The village and its church
- Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – the 19th-century stone church at the heart of the village, still in use as a place of worship. Visit respectfully and keep clear of the entrance during services.
- The old village core – a short stroll around the crossroads shows how the village grew, and gives a sense of the older settlement behind the modern housing.
The Slade Valley
- Slade of Saggart – the village sits at the northern mouth of this narrow east–west valley below the Dublin Mountains.
- Local walking – there is no single marked heritage trail that we can recommend here. Stay on public roads and signed paths, keep off farmland and check local notices before setting out, as ground in the valley is wet in winter.
Further afield
- Standing stones and monastic site – see the history section above. They are part of why Saggart is worth knowing about, but they are not walk-in attractions.
Getting there and practical information
Saggart is a terminus of the Luas Red Line. Check Luas service information for the best connection and any changes to the city-centre stops before you travel. The Luas stop and the old village centre are separate, so use the public streets between them and allow time for the walk.
Check current Dublin Bus and other local bus routes with the National Transport Authority journey planner before you rely on them, as services change. For parking at the Luas stop, check the current charges and rules on site, as they are set by the operator and change from time to time.
For a quiet visit, go early in the day and keep to public roads and paths. The church and village streets are easy to see on foot in an hour or two.