MONKSTOWN

In 1868, the parish of Monkstown contained the following places:

"MONKSTOWN, a parish and post-office village in the baronies of Dublin and Rathdown, county Dublin, province of Leinster, Ireland, 5 miles S.E. of the general post-office, Dublin. It is a station on the Dublin and Kingstown railway. The parish is 3 miles long, and its greatest breadth is 1½ mile. It contains the town of Kingstown, and the villages of Blackrock, Bullock, Glasthule, and Honeypark. It is situated on the S. shore of Dublin Bay. The Salthill Hotel, near the railway station, is a spacious establishment. Here are also the Kingstown baths, Rathdown hospital, and a dispensary. The living is a district curacy in the diocese of Dublin, in the patronage of the trustees. There are two churches in the parish-St. John's, and another on the Kingstown road, built in 1832 by means of a loan from the late Board of First Fruits. There are Quaker and Presbyterian meeting-houses, also two Roman Catholic chapels, united to that of Bray, besides another, and a conventual chapel at Kingstown. There are parish, National, and several other day schools in the parish. The chief seats are Monkstown Castle, Monkstown House, and Monkstown Park."

"BLACKROCK, a village in the parish of Monkstown, barony of Bathdown, in the county of Dublin, province of Leinster, Ireland, 4 miles to the S.E. of Dublin. It is a station on the Kingstown railway, and is seated in a pleasant district on the south coast of the bay of Dublin. Blackrock is much frequented as a watering-place, and contains a good hotel, lodging-houses, and baths for the accommodation of visitors. There are Episcopal and Roman Catholic chapels, a Carmelite convent for 20 nuns, founded in 1822, two schools, and a savings-bank. An old cross of granite in the village marks the south limit of the city of Dublin. There are many gentlemen's seats, with pleasure grounds, in the vicinity, among which are Blackrock House, Maritimo (the seat of Lord Cloncurry), Carysfort House, Newton House, &c."

"GLASSDOOLE, (or Glasthule), a post village in the parish of Monkstown, in the half barony of Rathdown, county Dublin, province of Leinster, Ireland, a short distance from Dublin, on Dublin Bay.

"HONEYPARK, a village in the parish of Monkstown, in the barony of Rathdown, county Dublin, province of Leinster, Ireland, 6 miles S.E. of Dublin."

"KINGSTOWN, formerly Dunleary, a seaport, market town, fashionable bathing-place, and station of the Royal Yacht Club, in the parish of Monkstown, county Dublin, province of Leinster, Ireland, 5 miles S.E. of Dublin. It has two stations on the Kingstown and Bray section of the Dublin and Wicklow railway, one in the town, and the other at Sandycove Harbour, the royal mail packet station. The former name of this town was derived from Leary, son of "Nial, of the nine hostages," and monarch of Ireland in 458, who resided here. Its present name of Kingstown was conferred on it by George IV. on his embarkation here for England, after his visit to Ireland, in 1821. Queen Victoria also landed and embarked here in August, 1849. It is situated on the southern shore of the bay of Dublin, and possesses a pier harbour, first projected by Captain Toucher, and begun in 1816 by Rennie. Previous to the formation of this harbour the bay of Dublin was regarded as extremely dangerous for shipping, owing to a bar of sand which obstructed the entrance into the port, and rendered the western passage at times utterly impracticable. The cost of this harbour was more than half a million sterling. Its pier is 3,500 feet in length, and its western pier 4,950 feet. By an angular deviation they incline towards each other, leaving at the mouth of the harbour a distance of 850 feet, and enclose an area of 251 statute acres. A quay 40 feet wide is continued along the piers, protected by a parapet, on the sea side, 9 feet high. Along the breast of the harbour a spacious wharf, 500 feet long, has been erected, where merchant vessels of any burthen may deliver or receive their freight at all tides. A revolving light is placed at the extremity of the western pier. This harbour is now exclusively the station for the Holyhead and Liverpool steam packets. The Dublin and Kingstown railway, now amalgamated with the Dublin and Wicklow, affords frequent intercourse between these towns. It was first opened in 1834, and was continued to Dalkey in 1844, on the atmospheric principle, but this being found impracticable in working, it has since been continued to Bray on the ordinary plan. The town has recently greatly increased in wealth and population, and in 1861 contained 1,823 houses, inhabited by a population of 11,584. It mainly consists of one spacious street, half a mile long, with several smaller streets branching out in all directions. There are several handsome ranges of buildings, as Gresham-terrace and Haddington-terrace. It contains market and court houses, fever hospital, a savings-bank, baths, hotels, lying-in hospital, race-stand, and George IV.'s obelisk, near the quay. Here is an Episcopal chapel, built by subscription, and called the "Protestant Episcopal Mariners' Church." In the Roman Catholic arrangement the town is the head of a union comprising the parishes of Dalkey, Killiney, Old Connaught, Rathmichael, Tully, and the greater part of Monkstown and Kill. The chapel is a handsome building. There are also places of worship for Wesleyans, Independents, and Presbyterians, and a convent of Mercy. There are numerous schools in connection with the several denominations. According to the census of 1861, the proportions were, 3,335 belonging to the Established Church, 7,745 Roman Catholics, 167 Presbyterians, 88 Methodists, 165 Independents, and 88 of all other denominations. From the purity of its air, its convenient situation, and excellent sea-bathing, Kingstown has become a great summer resort for the citizens of Dublin. The immediate neighbourhood is thickly studded with villas and handsome residences. Races are held annually in August, also regattas in the harbour. Near here are remarkable quarries of fine granite, which was employed in the erection of the bridge over the Menai Straits, and for the harbours of Howth and Kingstown. This town is the head of a coastguard district, including a force of 5 officers and 38 men, under an inspecting resident commander. There is also here a constabulary police force. Petty sessions are held every Monday, also a court to try harbour offences every Tuesday. The seneschal of the Glasnevin and Grangegorman manorial court sits on alternate Fridays for the recovery of debts within this district. The chief business is in connection with the fisheries, and in the cross channel trade, consisting of the export of cattle, corn, granitic, and lead ore, and the importation of timber, coal, and iron. The chief residences in the neighbourhood are, Granite Hall, Northumberland Lodge, Wellington Lodge, Plunkett Lodge, Carrig Castle, Fairyland, &c."

"MONTPET TER, a village in the parish of Monkstown, in the barony of Rathdown, county Dublin, province of Leinster, Ireland. It stands on the Dublin and Kingstown road, within a short distance of the latter. Montpelier House was the residence of Sir William Betham, the well-known antiquary."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018