Citywest is a village on the southwestern periphery of Dublin, originally developed as a "business campus." It contains a large hotel and golf course, a shopping centre and an expanding residential element Citywest is situated in the southwest of the traditional County Dublin, in the jurisdiction of South Dublin County Council; the nearest major suburban centre is Tallaght, while the semi-suburban village of Saggart is adjacent.
History
Citywest was launched as a project by Davy Hickey Properties, comprising developer Brendan Hickey and clients of Davy Stockbrokers around 1990, working with entrepreneur and landowner Jim Mansfield. The promoters secured land at Kingswood and Brownsbarn near the N7 national road and targeted a mixed development, initially comprising a business park and a hotel and golf course complex. The concept was later extended, working with Harcourt Developments and Mansfield's HSS. Harcourt and HSS provided 55% of the 150 million euro funding for the Luas light line extension to pass through the site. As of 2011, Davy Hickey Properties had secured permission for 150 residential units, along with two shops and more offices, and while HSS had gone into receivership, development of the site continued. Major companies based at Citywest have included Pfizer, SAP, Unilever, Independent News and Media, and Eir, who are moving their headquarters to the campus
Geography
The River Camac flows north of the business campus, and two of its tributaries pass through it.
Access and transport
Following the opening of the original business park, the N82National road joining the N81 to the Naas dual carriageway was re-routed through the site, having previously passed through the village of Saggart. Dublin Bus routes 65b, 69, 69x, 77a, 77x, and the 175 by Go-Ahead Ireland, as well as feeder services to Tallaght, and a private commuter bus operated by the business campus management, serve the campus.
Luas
The Luas Line A1 Citywest extension, from Belgard to Saggart, was officially opened at Citywest Drive on 2 July 2011 by the Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar. The following stops were constructed on the line - Fettercairn, Cheeverstown, Citywest Campus, Fortunestown and Saggart. Citywest Campus is the main stop for the business campus, but parts are also served by Cheeverstown and Fortunestown stops. A park-and-ride facility was constructed at the Cheeverstown stop.
Sport
A golf complex, previously the Citywest and Hibernian Golf Club, and now simply Citywest Golf Resort, was laid-out, and then the Citywest Hotel, the largest in Ireland, with over 764 rooms, was built adjacent. The hotel, golf resort and related developments were placed in receivership in mid-2010 but remained open. There are two 18-hole courses in the golf resort - both designed by Christy O'Connor Jnr - and it hosted the Irish Masters in 1994 and the Irish Ladies Masters in 1996. The hotel has a 4,000 seat convention centre.
Amenities
The Citywest Shopping Centre, anchored by Dunnes Stores, also has stores including a pharmacy, cafes, restaurants & clothing. There is also two Circle Kservice stations and shop open twenty-four hours near the northern edge of the campus.
Education
Citywest hosts a Dublin City University branch facility, the DCU Ryan Academy. Three National Schools, one under the patronage of Educate Together and another under the patronage of the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board, opened their doors in 2012-2014. As of 2014, Citywest Educate Together National School and Citywest & Saggart Community National School, were established at a temporary location in a building next to the Saggart Red Line Luas stop, and in 2014 Scoil Aoife Community National School opened on Citywest Drive.
