Rural Designs
Mill Worker's Cottage, Mill Lane, Palmerstown
Mill worker's cottage in Mill Lane, Palmerstown. This is an example of the type of dwelling built for the workers of Palmerstown Mill.
© South Dublin Libraries.Mill Worker's Cottage, Mill Lane, Palmerstown
© South Dublin Libraries.
© South Dublin Libraries.
Mill Worker's Cottage, Mill Lane, Palmerstown
Mill worker's cottage in Mill Lane, Palmerstown. This is an example of the type of dwelling built for the workers of Palmerstown Mill.
© South Dublin Libraries.Before the growth of housing estates and apartments, the houses in South Dublin rural villages were made of brick or stone. They usually had slate roofs. Many of these were two stories high and most had timber sash windows. Employers of mill and factory workers along the Dodder and Liffey rivers often built cottages nearby for their workers. This meant the workers could avoid travelling long distances every day to their jobs.
A Rural Cottage in Glenasmole
A old white-washed cottage in Glenasmole. Many people still live in cottages like this. Some people build extensions onto old houses and renovate them to make them suitable for modern living.
© South Dublin Libraries.A Rural Cottage in Glenasmole
© South Dublin Libraries.
© South Dublin Libraries.
A Rural Cottage in Glenasmole
A old white-washed cottage in Glenasmole. Many people still live in cottages like this. Some people build extensions onto old houses and renovate them to make them suitable for modern living.
© South Dublin Libraries.Rural houses were built using mainly stone or mud, and many had thatched roofs. In general, these cottages were small but housed big families. This picture shows a typical rural cottage in Glenasmole on the border with Wicklow. The cottage was first built around the turn of the century.
Kearney's Cottage, Glenasmole
A picture of Kearney's Cottage, Glenasmole
South Dublin Libraries.Kearney's Cottage, Glenasmole
South Dublin Libraries.
South Dublin Libraries.
Kearney's Cottage, Glenasmole
A picture of Kearney's Cottage, Glenasmole
South Dublin Libraries.The 1901 census shows that John Kirwan, a farm labourer from Rathfarnham, and his wife Esther, lived in a three-roomed house with their ten children. For this reason, some rooms had to have multiple uses. The sitting room was probably converted into a bedroom at night. Arrangements like this were typical in many rural families at the time.
Big Houses
Rathfarnham Castle
The exterior of Rathfarnham Castle.
© South Dublin Libraries.Rathfarnham Castle
© South Dublin Libraries.
© South Dublin Libraries.
Rathfarnham Castle
The exterior of Rathfarnham Castle.
© South Dublin Libraries.At the other end of the social scale, there were many 'big houses' in South Dublin. These include Rathfarnham Castle, which is still in existence. It was built in 1583 and changed possession between a number of wealthy owners over the centuries. In 1901 Edward Blackburne, a lawyer, and his wife, Georgina, lived there along with their three servants: a cook, a maid and a butler. There were thirty-one rooms in the house, each lavishly decorated. The Jesuits bought the house in 1913 and owned it until 1985.
The Hall in Rathfarnham Castle
A photo of the hall in the interior of Rathfarnham Castle.
© South Dublin Libraries.The Hall in Rathfarnham Castle
© South Dublin Libraries.
© South Dublin Libraries.
The Hall in Rathfarnham Castle
A photo of the hall in the interior of Rathfarnham Castle.
© South Dublin Libraries.The state purchased Rathfarnham Castle in 1987 after immense public pressure was applied to prevent its demolition. The castle was then declared a National Monument. At present, Rathfarnham Castle is undergoing extensive refurbishment, but it is still open to the public during the summer months.