Scholarstown

Scholarstown House

Scholarstown House

Scholarstown House, Rathfarnham, South Dublin County

Reproduced by kind permission of Duchas

Scholarstown House
Reproduced by kind permission of Duchas

Scholarstown House

Scholarstown House, Rathfarnham, South Dublin County

Reproduced by kind permission of Duchas

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The townland of Scholarstown formed a part of the Rathfarnham Manor, acquired in 1589 by Adam Loftus. The residents of Scholarstown house were mostly tenant farmers; the earliest recorded tenant was one Henry Jones who was killed during the siege of Rathfarnham in 1641.

When 'Speaker' William Connolly bought the Rathfarnham estate (including Scholarstown House) in 1723, he left his name in local memory - one of the fields is still known as 'Connolly's Freehold'.

In the mid nineteenth century the property was leased by John David La Touche of Marlay to Patrick Dunne. Griffith's valuation in the 1850's lists the occupant as one Mrs. Dunne.

Boden Park

As recorded in Griffith's Valuation (1850's), Boden Park estate off the Scholarstown Road consisted of a house, lodge and gate lodge, occupied by a man named William B. Drury. The house was built in about 1825 and appears on the Ordnance Survey of 1843. According to Thom's Directory the property was occupied for a time by one William Wynne. Boden Park survives in good condition today, according to the NIAH assessment.

Beechpark/Sabine Fields

The house on Scholarstown Road was originally named Beechpark and acquired the name 'Sabine Fields' in the nineteenth century. It is said to have been inspired by a group of four life-sized figures cast in metal representing the Rape of the Sabines, which were bought at auction by the owner of the property, Mr. Moran. Moran displayed these figures on his lawn but in about 1848 they were stolen. After Moran's departure from Sabine Fields it was occupied by a sect of White Quakers who established an Agapemone there. In 1914 a Judge Lloyd bought the property. In 1919 it became the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Cosgrove, whose son, Liam Cosgrove was Taoiseach from 1965 to 1977.

During the civil war part of the house was burned down but it was rebuilt in 1924. Liam Cosgrove and his family lived there from 1960 to 1969 and sold it to the Foley family. The Cosgroves took the name 'Beechpark' to their new home and the original Beechpark was renamed Ros Mór.

Bolton Hall

Bolton Hall is a detached two-storey country house built in 1818 and is located off the Ballyboden Road. There are single storey wings flanking the main house, and the property's notable features include an arched gateway into the gardens with a funerary urn above it and a ruined house known as the servants quarters.