HOEY FAMILY OF KILMACUD
The Hoey Family were at Kilmacud House between 1855 and 1880. They were a wealthy merchant
family involved in the coal industry being both merchants and importers. They were devout Roman
Catholics and donated some land from their estate for the building of the St Laurence’s Church and
school. They referred to the house as Belvoir Park and Kilmacud House.
Robert (c1814-1880) married twice and had at least thirteen children. He was a coal merchant as
was his brother James, of Sion Hill Dalkey. He was on the board of the Scottish Amicable Life
Assurance Association and was the principal trustee of William Dargan’s estate He personally
collected Dargan’s debts and paid the creditors so that Dargan’s widow would be financially secure.
The family vault is in St. Andrew’s Church, Westland Row, Dublin and there is also a memorial in
the church to the family. His son George died at Downside College, in Bath age just 13 and another
son Ernest died in tragic circumstances when his horse crashed into a tree in the Phoenix Park in
a mist.
His eldest son Robert Jnr., ( 1841-1871) was the proprietor of the Chapelizod Flax spinning Mills.
The Mill was beset with industrial relations problems and there were numerous accidents, some
leading to the deaths of employees. The mill seems to have been in financial difficulties from the
mid 1860’s and there were attempts to sell it. Robert’s obituary recalls him as a man who 'gave
constant employment to a large number of persons who looked up to him with affection for his
kindness and liberality” but “owing to the dullness of trade for sometimes past, prudence would
have dictated stoppage of the mills.'
Local historians Kevin Harrington and Bonnie Flanagan both mention a memorial to the children
of the family that was in the old St Laurence’s Church but no evidence of this remains. Robert
died in 1880 leaving personal estate of just under 80K pounds.
Robert Hoey Ellen Walls Eliza Murney
born circa 1814 born circa 1821 born circa 1821
eldest son of John Hoey youngest daughter youngest daughter
of City Quay of Luke Walls of Henry Murney, Belfast
of Victoria Tce, Kingstown m 28 Apr 1839 Rathmines m 27 May 1846
died 27 Jul 1880 (66) died 22 Jul 1843 (22) died 2 Oct 1891 (70)
late Kilmacud House late Fitzwilliam Square
1 John Hoey son of Robert and Elennor baptised 2 Aug 1840 at St Andrews. John was
living at 80 Lr Leeson Street and married Charlotte Gerty on 16 Mar 1885 at St
Andrews Church.
1 Ellen Hoey born circa 1860 in Co. Dublin.
2 Robert Luke Hoey Jnr son of Robert and Eleanor baptised 14 Aug 1841. Robert died on
12 Mar 1871 aged 29 years at Kilmacud House and is interred in the family vault at St
Andrews, Westland Row.
3 James or Samuel Henry Hoey 3rd son born 2 Apr 1843 son of Robert and Ellen of
Kingstown died 26 Feb1882 aged 38 years in Liverpool.
4 Joseph George Hoey (twin) born 17 Oct 1847.
5 Hoey born 17 Oct 1847 (twin).
6 Charles Hoey son of Robert and Elizabeth born 17 Jul 1849 at Victoria Tce baptised
22 Jul 1849 at Kingstown. Charles was a Solicitor of 19 Rutland Square and married
Ida Walsh daughter of Cornelius Walsh on 8 Sep 1897 at St Marys Pro Cathedral.
Charles died 1920 aged 72 years.
1 Frederick Cyril Hoey born 18 Jun 1898.
2 Ida Ruth Hoey born 12 Feb 1900 died 15 Mar 1919 at 8 Burlington Road.
3 Eustace Henry M Hoey born circa 1903.
7 Mary Isabella Hoey born 31 Jan 1851 at Kingstown became an nun in the order of the
Sacred Heart. Madame Isabella Hoey elder and last surviving daughter died at the
convent of the Sacred Heart, Lima, Peru 27 Mar 1925.
8 George Alfred Hoey born 15 Jan 1853 at Kingstown and died on 03 Nov 1865 at
Downside College, Bath.
9 Elizabeth Anne (Lily) Hoey youngest daughter born 10 Mar 1855 at Kilmacud House
married John son of George G Fottrell on 19 Nov 1884 at St Andrews Church. Lily died
14 Dec 1890 at 62 Upper Mount Street.
1 Brendan Joseph Fottrell born circa 1885
2 Mary Fottrell born circa 1887
3 Elizabeth Fottrell born circa 1890
10 Frederick William Hoey born 9 Dec 1856 at Kilmacud House married on 30 Aug 1881
to Caroline (Carrie) Bayly widow of the late James Harper of Leitrim at the British Embassy
in Paris. James Harper had died on 22 Sep 1877. Frederick the last surviving son died
21 Apr 1927 aged 71 years at Sunnyside, Windsor. Caroline died 4 Dec 1929 in Middlesex.
1 Charles Bayly Robert Hoey born circa 1882 and a Major in the British Military.
11 Francis Joseph Hoey born 21.Aug 1858 4th son married Emily Letitia (Elmie) daughter
of Samuel John Magowan on 17 Apr 1894 at St Georges Church Belfast. Frank of 37
Victoria Street Belfast died 9 Jan 1925 at Eastbourne.
1 Phyllis Hoey born circa 1896
12 Edmond Joseph Hoey born 7 Nov 1860 at Kilmacud House married Margaret Mulchinock
daughter of the late Edward Mulchinock of Cloghers House, Tralee and 53 Pembroke Road on
24 Apr 1883 at the Church of St Mary’s Haddington Road. Edmond, a stockbroker died
3 Mar 1887 at 101 Lower Mount Street aged 26 years.
1 Ethel Hoey born circa 1883
2 Edmond Hoey born circa 1884
13 Ernest Aloysius Hoey youngest son born 1 Apr 1863 died unmarried on 7 Oct 1893 at
the Phoenix Park as the result of a tragic accident aged 30 years.
©June Bow & Karen Poff - April 2017