Photograph courtesy of Dominic Lee of Priory Studios. © Dominic Lee

   
                                                                               ​Granada

NAME                       Riversdale/Granada

AREA LOCATION   STILLORGAN
 
MAP LOCATION    OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Stillorgan Park
                                  on both.
 
GENERAL                The name of the Riversdale was changed in 1964 to Granada reflecting the birthplace
                                  of the order of St John Of God in 1539.   It 1920 it was set on 14.5 acres and described
                                  as a castellated, two storey, non basement house.  It was also noted that it had a
                                  new entrance with a gatelodge.  In 2017 the house underwent major refurbishment
                                  and the entire external plaster was removed and under the direction of an
                                  Archaeological Architect it was re-plastered with a “breathable” render which needed
                                  a year to dry and was repainted in 2019.
               
YEAR BUILT            circa 1778
 
VALUATION           In 1912 the valuation was 77 Stg and in the 1901 census it is noted as having 19 rooms
                                  occupied by the family, but by 1911 it is no longer considered a 1st class house and it
                                  seems to have been divided into two residences.
 
ARCHITECT             Unknown

SOURCES                Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, NAI Census, Registry of Deeds, OSI
                                  Maps & Valuation Office and Brother Finnian Gallagher & Brother Kilian Keaney of John
​                                  of God Hospitaller Services.
  
OCCUPANTS

1778                       Eliza & Mary Ryves
1830 - 1836           Benjamin Ball
1840                       Leased to Michael Harris….Guinness
1840 - 1841           Hon Major Arthur Francis Southwell
1842                       Elizabeth Jane Doyne (RIP) relict of Charles Powlett Doyne
1846 - 1848           Edward Reynolds, attorney 
1849 - 1850           Roderick Reynolds  
1854 -1855            Mark Cardiff Esq.    
1856                       Robert Perse Esq. 
1855 - 1862           Charles McDermot   
1857 - 1859           Alexander McMahon Esq.
1860                       William McDermott Esq. 
​1864 - 1865           Clement Edwards
1861 - 1868           Charles J McDermot Esq. (Owner)
1869                       George Berg, Op. Dr (Excm)
1870 - 1871           Carleton N Atkinson  
1872                       Charles J McDermott Esq.
1873 - 1874           Ralph Budd
1875                       Edw J Darys Esq.  
1877 - 1878           Thomas Farrell Esq. 
1879                       Vacant   
1880 - 1882           John McClelland, Insp. Gen of Hosp  
1883 - 1888           Vacant        
1889 - 1893           Robert McLaren Esq.                 
1894 - 1896           M J O Farrell Esq., solicitor         
1897 - 1900           Vacant         
1900 - 1915           Gerald O’Reilly 
1920                       House For Sale
1916 - 1925           Francis Patrick Walsh 
1926                       Contents of house for sale 
1926 - 1948           Mrs Harriet Bewley
1947                       For sale on 14.5 Acres
1948 - 1954           William J Ahern of Ballsbridge
1954 - todate        St John of Gods
2017                       Refurbished
                                  
STAFF

1849                      Mary Hanly - Gatekeeper
1871                      William Donnelly - Gardener
1876                      Daniel Finlay - Coachman living at the gatelodge
1877                      James Sullivan - Coachman
1901                      Paul Kelly - Apprentice
                               Margaret Heslim - Cook
​1911                      Ellen Murphy - General Domestic Servant

           
CURRENT
STATUS                 Extant and under refurbishment in 2017

CONTRIBUTOR    © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE                      May 2017