behind die scenes The story of Whitechurch district in south County Dublin BEHIND THE SCENES . BEHIND THE SCENES The Story of Whitechurch District in South County Dublin by ERNIE SHEPHERD WHITECHURCH PUBLICATIONS ©Ernie Shepherd 1983 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, recor­ ding or otherwise, without the prior permission of Whitechurch Publications. By the same author Twentieth-Century Irish Locomotives—Union publications, London 1966 The Dublin & South-Eastern Railway —David & Charles, Devon 1974 Cover Design by John Clarke. Typeset by Officina Typographica, Galway. Printed in the Republic of Ireland by Irish Elsevier Printers Ltd., Shannon. Published by Whitechurch Publications, 16 The Close, Woodpark, Ballinteer, Dublin 16 CONTENTS Foreword vi Acknowledgements viii Geographical Description 1 General History 5 Church History 10 Whitechurch School 29 St. Columba's College 34 Rockbrook Flouse 40 Rockbrook Park School 40 The La Touche Family andMarlay Estate 41 TheWicklowWay 46 Footmount (later Orlagh) 46 The Hell Fire Club 48 Mount Pelier House 50 Tibradden 53 Edmondstown Park and the Hayes Family 56 The Hermitage/St, Enda's 57 Woodtown 60 Industries 62 Prehistoric Dolmens and Holy Wells 70 The Golf Clubs 77 Miscellanea 77 Bib li ograp hy 80 Index 81 v FOREWORD The history of a parish is the story of a window, and many visits to Whitechurch, community. This fascinating account the Alba Ecclesia, whose spire serves as of Whitechurch and district is more a land-mark and focus. Ernest Shep­ than a parish history. It brings to life herd has interpreted the personality of traditions and customs of earlier times this lovely landscape, introducing us to in a way which cannot fail to interest famous houses and guiding us along the those who have recently come to this winding roads, sheltered in the woods part of Dublin, as well as the many who and secluded between the familiar have had family roots among the hills boundary walls. He has rescued from and valleys, beloved by visitor and citi­ oblivion much that has been hidden or zen alike. forgotten. Today, old and new White­ It has been a pleasure and delight to church have common ground to share read of the people and places, faithfully and enjoy; the varied strands of culture, described with lively detail and under­ tradition, and religious ethos make a standing intimacy. Mr. Shepherd writes pattern for happy relationships and to inform the recent resident about generous neighbourliness. Prices are many local events, which are now wo­ higher today, judging by the astoun­ ven into Ireland's history. The record is ding figures which the author quotes spiced with exciting incidents from from account books of several centur- dangerous and troubled times; yet his ries ago; times were more leisurely comprehensive survey of all that has with fewer pressures; the roads and been happening among the churches lanes were worn by human feet and old and new, in the field of education, horses' hooves; yet somehow this por­ among the industries and recreational trait of a place greatly beloved has amenities, has put the surroundings in a much to give to us whose life and work proper perspective. are firmly concerned with the present. As I read on, I recalled my many walks I commend this inspiring story and de­ over Kilmashogue and along the 'Wick- lightful chronicle to all who are drawn low Way', the climb to the Hell Fire to Cill Fhuinnsean and who have faith Club which I can see from my study in its future development. G. O. SIMMS Former Archbishop of Dublin VI He that publishes a book runs a very great hazard, since nothing can be more impossible than to com­ pose one that may receive the approbation of every reader. Cervantes ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are very grateful to the Bank of Ire­ Father P. Duffner, O.S.A., Archivist land for their valued sponsorship of this of the Augustinian Order, Ballyboden, publication. The association is particu­ S. Bennett, the ReverendJ. Berry,J. F. larly appropriate in this bicentenary Browne, C. Coard, N. Falkiner, C. year of the Bank whose first Governor, Guinness, Mrs K. Guinness, Miss M. David La Touche, was a renowned resi­ Hatton, H. Hislop, D. Little and the dent of the area and an esteemed bene­ staff of the Photographic Department, factor of the Whitechurch Parish. Trinity College, Dublin, J. Mills, D. It would have been impossible to have Moran, R. Richards, H. Richardson and written this brief history without the D. Robinson. encouragement and kind assistance of Acknowledgement is made to many many people. Firstly, I should mention other people who helped and contribu­ the Rector of Whitechurch, the Reve­ ted in many ways but are too numerous rend Horace McKinley, who unknown to mention individually. to himself at the time, sowed theseedof Last, but by no means least, my sincere the idea in my mind. My grateful thanks thanks are due to Miss Angela Pawley go to the Director and his staff of the for deciphering my writing and typing National Library of Ireland, the Libra­ the manuscript. Angela was also res­ rian of the Royal Irish Academy, Wil­ ponsible for the excellent map on page liam O'Sullivan, Keeper of Manuscripts 2. in Trinity College Dublin, Public Rec­ Acknowledgement for the loan and use ord Office of Ireland, Senior Parks of photographs is as follows: Mrs. P. Superintendent of Dublin County Clarke, J. Cleary, C. Coard,C. Guinness, Council, Miss G. Willis, Librarian, and National Library of Ireland, Pearse Mr Raymond Refausse, Archivist of the Museum, and St Columba's College. Representative Church Body of the The pen and ink illustrations of Kelly's Church of Ireland, Dr. D. Nolan, Head­ Glen, Laurelmere and Kilmashogue are master of Rockbrook Park School, thanks to my wife, Joy. vm GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION The region of south County Dublin connection in the Dundrum area, Ball- dealt with in this brief history encom­ aly or Ballawley being the Town of passes an area running from the Knock- Olave, the famous Danish saint who lyon end of Scholarstown Road along had a church off Fishamble Street and Taylor's Lane and Grange Road to the a colony at the foot of Three Rock Marley Park Hotel (previously known Mountain. The term 'marches' was ap­ as Taylor's Grange Hotel) pushing slight­ plied to the hinterland or borderland of ly north of this line to embrace Bally- the Pale. The Pale or Paling was con­ bo den, Sarah Curran Avenue and Elm structed to improve the protection of Park House. From this line it runs south­ the Dublin area from the attacks of the wards taking in on its western bound­ O'Byrne and O'Toole clans from Wick- ary Orlagh, Mount Venus andKillakee, low. Beginning at Bulloch Harbour it turning south-eastwards from the latter ran through Kilternan, across Taney to run along the county boundary to a Parish to Tallaght and Ballymore Eus­ point almost level with Glencree. From tace, Clane, Trim andKells from which here it runs north-east to come close to it ran to the sea north of Drogheda. It Two Rock Mountain and finally north­ consisted of a continuous barricade in wards back to Taylor's Grange. In total, the form of an embankment raised to a it comprises an area of just over 7500 height of ten or twelve feet with a thick acres divided into seventeen townlands, hedge of thorn bushes on the outside. the largest of which, Kilmashogue, to­ The barrier ran across the north slope tals 1400 acres, the smallest, Orlagh, of Kilmashogue mountain, where the with 43 acres. remains of it could be seen in the eight­ Before we embark on the history of the eenth century. area it would perhaps be no harm to Next to Harold's Grange as onemovesin take a brief tour, looking at some of the a clockwise direction is Taylor's Grange interesting place-names and the like. which probably owes its origin to the Perhaps the simplest way is to take it Taylor family who lived in the area townland by townland beginning in the from the mid-1700s. Stackstown, some­ north-east corner with Harold's Grange times referred to as Slackstown, is ob­ which includes within its boundary St viously a family name. Kilmashogue En da's of Patrick Pearse fame, Marlay (Cill mo Shamhog or the Church of St House and Elm Park. Harold is a name Mashoge or Mosamhog) also appears as believed to be of Danish origin, and an Kilmakeoge in the Books of Survey and extract from a grant of James I shows Distribution in 1670 andKillmashouge the name Grange in the Marches, alias in John Rocque's 1756 survey of Co. Harralds Grange. Another source states Dublin. Between Kilmashogue and Ti- that the Harolds may have descended bradden mountains lies the wild and from the Saxons who came over to Ire­ beautiful Kelly's Glen with the remains land with the Anglo-Norman invaders. of the chalybeate spa, more fully de­ The name is still to be found in Harold's scribed on p. 00. Tibradden also ap­ Cross where they owned large tracts of pears in various guises—as Tibroden and land. There is in fact another Danish Tibroddan (Tigh Bretan or Tigh Brad- N tion. Craoibech was certainly the name used in the seventeenth century when it is mentioned in an inquisition taken at Saggart in March 1620 as Creevaghna temple. An alternative name for Tibradden was Kilmainham Beg, derived from the fact that the hospital of St Tohn at Kilmain­ ham held 342 acres of land at Tibrad­ den, referred to as Caghbrovane alias Kilmaynane Beg in an undated rental, but probably compiled at the time of the dissolution of the hospital.