St Helen's
AME Seamount/St Helen's/The Radisson
AREA LOCATION Stillorgan dual carriage way (N11) facing Foster's Avenue.
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of
Booterstown and it is annotated as St Helen's on both. It is on
Duncan's 1821 map and Taylors map of 1816 and Rocques's map
annotated as Seamount.
GENERAL A listed two storey, five bay classical house with a centre pediment
carried on coupled Corinthian pilasters, and lower wings, which are single storey on one
side and two-storey on the other. It has a cladding of Portland stone and a glass
conservatory with curved roof. The fourth gatelodge was shared with San Souci. The
garden is thought to have been originally designed by Nivian Nevin (the Victorian age
landscaper). In 1847 Colonel Henry white put the mansion house and demesne up 'for
let for 7 years or the interest in the lease for sale'. The house was on 40 Irish acres.
The 1st Viscount Gough bought St Helen's in 1851 for 10K from Colonel White and
employed John McCurdy to makes extensive alterations and additions so as 'to add to
the accommodations and comfort' in 1862/3. A beech tree planted in the garden had a
circular iron seat which was slowly subsumed by the tree. The garden also contained one
of the few old Mulberry trees in the locality. In 1865 Daniel Webley was employed as
steward and transformed the gardens and designed the planting of the terraces.
The house was renovated again for Sir John Nutting when he purchased it in 1897 by English
architect William Douglas Caroe. It had four gatelodges, one of which was opposite St
Thomas's Church and another which was on Booterstown Avenue. By 1903 the house was the
location for parties and charity concerts with over 500 people sometimes in attendance to
hear Madame Alice Etsy or Melfort D'Alton sing, or a ball with Gottlieb's band performing.
The Nuttings were gracious hosts, and they opened the gardens of their home for many
charitable events. The stable block was converted into 10 houses in 1991.
YEAR BUILT Between 1750 and 1754
VALUATION In 1887 the valuation was 300L and in the 1911 census it is noted as
having 40 rooms.
ARCHITECT Unknown, alterations and additions by John McCurdy 1862/3 with
Messrs M Kennedy and sons the contractors. Renovated by William
Douglas Caroe circa 1900.
SOURCES Thom’s directories, OSI maps, NAI Census & Wills, Registry of
Deeds and contemporaneous newspapers.
OCCUPANTS
1750 - 1754 Thomas Cooley- Barrister and MP for Duleek
1791 - 1826 Robert Alexander
1827 - 1830 Mrs Elizabeth Wall
1830 - 1837 Rt Hon John Doherty
1837 - 1851 Lieut Col Henry White, MP (Later Lord Annaly)
1851 - 1869 Viscount Hugh Gough
1869 - 1895 Viscount George Stevens Gough
1895 - 1897 Viscount Hugh Gough
1897 - 1918 Sir John Gardiner Nutting
1918 - 1925 Sir Harold Nutting
1925 - 1988 Christian Brothers Novitiate
1988 Phoenix Properties
1989 British Developers Ltd
1989 Berland (Homes) Ltd
1997 The Cosgrave Group purchase for 2 million to build a hotel
Todate The Radisson Hotel
STAFF
1826 Lawrence Mulhall - servant to Robert Alexander
1849 Christopher Rivers - Gatekeeper
1857 Mr Phelan - Gardener
1865 - 1870 Mr Daniel Webley - Gardener/steward
1889 - 1896 Mr John Hay Cumming - Gardener
1901 Mary Michele Williams - Governess
Margaret Callaghan - Kitchenmaid
Mary O'Dowd - Housemaid
Margaret Monaghan - Laundry maid
Kate Kehoe - Laundry maid
Mary Mullaly - Housemaid
Annie Mullaly - Housemaid
Marian Barrett - Lady's maid
Bridget Reynolds - Cook
Mary Kelly - Kitchenmaid
Mary Broe - Housemaid
Patrick Henson - Footman
Samuel Massey - Footman
Mary Gethin - Housemaid
c1905 James Masson
1897 - 1907 Edward Knowldin - Steward and gardener
1911 Laura Mara - Housemaid
Julia Maher - Housemaid
Kate Lynch - Housemaid
Julia Ivy - Housemaid
Margaret Murray - Kitchenmaid
Annie Kerch - Cook
Mary Cheevers - Scullery maid
Robert Williams Foster - Footman
Alfred Nolyouke - Footman
Jessie MacKensie - Lady's maid
Elizabeth Hudson - Kitchenmaid
Patrick Ryan - Garden labourer
William Kinch - General labourer living on site
Frederick Lobb - Coachman living on site
Denis Hogan - Stud groom living on site
1910 - 1914 John Allely - Gardener living at Gardiners Row in 1911
1919 - 1925 Edward Mason - Gardener/Handyman
1925 Michael & Frank Halpin - Front gatelodge opposite St Thomas' Church
1920 - 1937 James Hammett - Butler living at the gatelodge
CURRENT
STATUS Extant
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE April 2018
AREA LOCATION Stillorgan dual carriage way (N11) facing Foster's Avenue.
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of
Booterstown and it is annotated as St Helen's on both. It is on
Duncan's 1821 map and Taylors map of 1816 and Rocques's map
annotated as Seamount.
GENERAL A listed two storey, five bay classical house with a centre pediment
carried on coupled Corinthian pilasters, and lower wings, which are single storey on one
side and two-storey on the other. It has a cladding of Portland stone and a glass
conservatory with curved roof. The fourth gatelodge was shared with San Souci. The
garden is thought to have been originally designed by Nivian Nevin (the Victorian age
landscaper). In 1847 Colonel Henry white put the mansion house and demesne up 'for
let for 7 years or the interest in the lease for sale'. The house was on 40 Irish acres.
The 1st Viscount Gough bought St Helen's in 1851 for 10K from Colonel White and
employed John McCurdy to makes extensive alterations and additions so as 'to add to
the accommodations and comfort' in 1862/3. A beech tree planted in the garden had a
circular iron seat which was slowly subsumed by the tree. The garden also contained one
of the few old Mulberry trees in the locality. In 1865 Daniel Webley was employed as
steward and transformed the gardens and designed the planting of the terraces.
The house was renovated again for Sir John Nutting when he purchased it in 1897 by English
architect William Douglas Caroe. It had four gatelodges, one of which was opposite St
Thomas's Church and another which was on Booterstown Avenue. By 1903 the house was the
location for parties and charity concerts with over 500 people sometimes in attendance to
hear Madame Alice Etsy or Melfort D'Alton sing, or a ball with Gottlieb's band performing.
The Nuttings were gracious hosts, and they opened the gardens of their home for many
charitable events. The stable block was converted into 10 houses in 1991.
YEAR BUILT Between 1750 and 1754
VALUATION In 1887 the valuation was 300L and in the 1911 census it is noted as
having 40 rooms.
ARCHITECT Unknown, alterations and additions by John McCurdy 1862/3 with
Messrs M Kennedy and sons the contractors. Renovated by William
Douglas Caroe circa 1900.
SOURCES Thom’s directories, OSI maps, NAI Census & Wills, Registry of
Deeds and contemporaneous newspapers.
OCCUPANTS
1750 - 1754 Thomas Cooley- Barrister and MP for Duleek
1791 - 1826 Robert Alexander
1827 - 1830 Mrs Elizabeth Wall
1830 - 1837 Rt Hon John Doherty
1837 - 1851 Lieut Col Henry White, MP (Later Lord Annaly)
1851 - 1869 Viscount Hugh Gough
1869 - 1895 Viscount George Stevens Gough
1895 - 1897 Viscount Hugh Gough
1897 - 1918 Sir John Gardiner Nutting
1918 - 1925 Sir Harold Nutting
1925 - 1988 Christian Brothers Novitiate
1988 Phoenix Properties
1989 British Developers Ltd
1989 Berland (Homes) Ltd
1997 The Cosgrave Group purchase for 2 million to build a hotel
Todate The Radisson Hotel
STAFF
1826 Lawrence Mulhall - servant to Robert Alexander
1849 Christopher Rivers - Gatekeeper
1857 Mr Phelan - Gardener
1865 - 1870 Mr Daniel Webley - Gardener/steward
1889 - 1896 Mr John Hay Cumming - Gardener
1901 Mary Michele Williams - Governess
Margaret Callaghan - Kitchenmaid
Mary O'Dowd - Housemaid
Margaret Monaghan - Laundry maid
Kate Kehoe - Laundry maid
Mary Mullaly - Housemaid
Annie Mullaly - Housemaid
Marian Barrett - Lady's maid
Bridget Reynolds - Cook
Mary Kelly - Kitchenmaid
Mary Broe - Housemaid
Patrick Henson - Footman
Samuel Massey - Footman
Mary Gethin - Housemaid
c1905 James Masson
1897 - 1907 Edward Knowldin - Steward and gardener
1911 Laura Mara - Housemaid
Julia Maher - Housemaid
Kate Lynch - Housemaid
Julia Ivy - Housemaid
Margaret Murray - Kitchenmaid
Annie Kerch - Cook
Mary Cheevers - Scullery maid
Robert Williams Foster - Footman
Alfred Nolyouke - Footman
Jessie MacKensie - Lady's maid
Elizabeth Hudson - Kitchenmaid
Patrick Ryan - Garden labourer
William Kinch - General labourer living on site
Frederick Lobb - Coachman living on site
Denis Hogan - Stud groom living on site
1910 - 1914 John Allely - Gardener living at Gardiners Row in 1911
1919 - 1925 Edward Mason - Gardener/Handyman
1925 Michael & Frank Halpin - Front gatelodge opposite St Thomas' Church
1920 - 1937 James Hammett - Butler living at the gatelodge
CURRENT
STATUS Extant
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE April 2018
St Helen's gatelodge on Booterstown Avenue - Courtesy of Gerard O'Kelly