Gone but not forgotten (Part 1)
This is the first of a number of articles which we plan to publish over the next few months recording the houses and other buildings which are no longer with us but which formed part of the vanishing fabric of Killiney. This piece concentrates on Glenalua Road and the Village which have seen many recent changes and significant new additions. What is very striking is the gradual erosion of the commercial core of the Village evidenced in the findings below. What was once a thriving but small commercial centre consisting of a number of restaurants, shops, pub, post office, hotel, telephone exchange and numerous dairies reflects the improvements in public and private transport and other factors including the increasing demand for housing in the area which has played out over most of the country in the last few decades. Over time we will continue this project working down the hill from the Village, as we are doing with the existing houses of the area. Thanks to the current occupants of many of these properties who have provided information including photographs etc. as this adds greatly to very sparse material available. If anyone has further information on the houses in this article or ideas for properties to be included in future posts we would love to hear from you. You can email us from the contact page.
Eagle House
Eagle House as it was originally called was built c. 1873 and later became the village Post Office, although the location of the Post Office was a moveable feast over the years (see Talbot House below.) In Thom’s Directory of 1975 the Post Office is being run by Mrs. Murphy and the adjoining Rita’s sweet shop is occupied by R. Heffernan. For a considerable time it was known as Quaid’s shop and post office and was run by Dave and Una Quaid. It was a simple two storey double fronted terraced house opening directly onto the space shared with Talbot House and The Druid’s Chair Pub. An advert dated July 1896 for the sale of Eagle House and Talbot House refers to six cottages, known as 1-6 Eagle Cottages, which were part of the Eagle House property. The cottages, three of which were tenanted at the time, were ‘usually let to weekly tenants.’ We believe these cottages are among the houses which can be seen in close proximity to Eagle House in the 1888 map below and would appear to predate nos 1-5 Talbot Cottages which currently exist on Talbot Road. Eagle House and Talbot House are described as ‘two storey houses and are fitted with shop fronts.’ Permission was granted in 2005 for a development consisting of the demolition of the post office with facade to be retained, and the associated residential unit at Eagle House. The redevelopment into a scheme of 2 own door apartments of 3 storeys consisting of 1 No. 2 bedroom unit, and 1 No. 3 bedroom unit with integral garage for 2 cars.
Talbot House
Talbot House was built c. 1873 by John Ryan who also built Eagle House. The property appears along with Eagle House and The Victoria Arms Hotel in the 1888 Ordnance Survey map of the district. It derives it’s name from the landlord to much of the property in this part of Killiney, the Talbots de Malahide. An advert for the sale of Talbot House and Eagle House dated September 1890 states that both properties were held under lease from the Honourable Richard Talbot to James Ryan for the term of 70 years from 1st November 1873, at the yearly rent of £6 sterling, payable half yearly. The property is described as a Licensed House and Premises known as Talbot House with a ‘Superior Spirit Grocery, with Porter Licence.’ The licence was a Spirit Grocer’s and Retail Beer Licence for consumption off the premises. The landlord has intimated his intention of extending the lease to 99 years from 1890 at an increased rent.
In 1895 the premises was acquired by a Mr. Featherstone at auction but sold again in 1896. The property seems to have changed hands on many occasions around this period.
Thom’s Directory of 1940 lists Thomas Breen, Plastering Contractor as occupant. A photo from the early 1960’s, which was only recently brought to our attention, shows the Post Office at this location. In 1975 it was an antique shop which was run by a Mrs. Burke. It was Chez Sylvio’s Restaurant for a brief period around 1986 or so before it’s change of tenancy to Rockwell’s Pizza Restaurant which ceased trading around 1995. The building was eventually demolished to make way for the new Talbot House infill residential development.
We do not have the names of the other two gentlemen but if anybody does please let us know. We understand that Fay lived in Killiney and Michael lived in Daleview in Ballybrack.
Victoria Arms Hotel
The 1888 map shows that the local Post Office was housed at the premises at that time. From Thom’s Directory 1887-1892 Peter McKeever was the proprietor of Killiney Post Office and this service along with the grocery store and hotel all appeared to operate from this location. The lease to Peter McKeever from Edward Lister K. Talbot is dated November 1888. Peter McKeever is mentioned as the proprietor of Victoria Hotel and Restaurant in a newspaper advert of 1895, he died in July 1897. The report of his funeral mentions the chief mourners, his sons Masters Ernest James and Louis. The advertisement dated 1911 from Porter’s Directory states that the hotel was ‘Established Upwards of Half a Century’. Read the full story here.
Tenerife (now The Lookout)
Tenerife was a two storey flat roofed residence constructed c. mid 1960 and was built on a rocky outcrop just off Glenalua Road. It was demolished a few years ago to make way for the recently erected dwelling which has been named The Lookout. Thom’s Directory lists occupant in 1975 as Eileen Crangle.
Aisling (now Knockbo)
Thom’s Directory 1975 occupant listed as Comdt. Fergus Fleming.
In May 2005 planning permission was granted for the demolition of the existing two storey house and the construction of a new two storey split level single family dwelling. The architects were O’Donnell & Tuomey.
Finchory (now Blue Ridge)
In the sales brochure dated September 2002 Finchory is described as a 3 bed single storey dwelling of 1,064 sq.ft. The bungalow supported on dramatic concrete stilts took advantage of the magnificent views over Killiney Bay and the plot area is 0.6 acre. We understand that the house was built c.1964. In March 2005 planning permission was granted for the demolition of the existing 3 bedroom house (single storey raised over car port) and double garage and construction of new 5 bedroom house (two storey split level ground floor and basement floor), double garage and garden pool set into hill. The architects were Brazil Lohan.
Thom’s Directory 1975 occupant listed as Cecil E. Adams
Paddock Wood
Unfortunately we have not been able to source a photograph of the original 3 storey house which was demolished in 2006 but if anything turns up we will post it here. In July 2005 planning permission was granted for the demolition of an existing 3-storey 4-bedroom detached dwelling and double garage and the construction of a replacement 3-storey detached 6-bedroom dwelling, with roof terrace and balconies, together with a detached 2-storey double garage and a 12 m by 6 m outdoor swimming pool. The architects were Conroy Crowe Kelly.
Hendre
Read about Hendre here