Massy “If those trees could speak, And those mountains could see, Many a tale you would hear.” Hugh Hamon Charles, 8th Baron Massy (1894-1958) 2 IF THOSE TREES COULD SPEAK SDCC Crest The Crest or Coat of Arms of South Dublin County reflects the ancient history of the area, its geographic features and the work of the Council. The motto "Ag seo ár gCúram - This we hold in Trust" is an admonition to value, to preserve and to develop the economic, social, environmental, cultural and heritage assets of the area. IF THOSE TREES COULD SPEAK 3 If Those Trees Could Speak The Story of an Ascendancy Family in Ireland by Frank Tracy South Dublin Libraries – March 2005 4 IF THOSE TREES COULD SPEAK Copyright 2005 Frank Tracy and South Dublin Libraries ISBN 0954766024 No part of this publication may be stored or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright holders. Design and layout by DTP Training Unit, The Central Remedial Clinic, Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3 Phone: (01) 805 7400 Printed in Ireland by The Central Remedial Clinic, Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3 Local Studies Section County Library Town Centre Tallaght Dublin 24 Phone: 353 (0) 1 46 20073 Fax: 353 (0) 1 414 9207 e-mail:
[email protected] web: site www.southdublin.ie South Dublin Libraries Headquarters Unit 1 Square Industrial Complex Tallaght Dublin 24 Phone: 353 (0) 1 459 7834 Fax: 353 (0) 1 459 7872 IF THOSE TREES COULD SPEAK 5 Introduction by Mayor Robert Dowds South Dublin County is fortunate to have the wonderful natural resource that is Lord Massy’s Woods in Killakee, within its boundaries.