Robert Smyth with his daughter Emily circa 1890 at Knocksinna - photograph courtesy of Stephen Hodson
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Knocksinna
NAME Knocksinna
AREA LOCATION Knocksinna off N11 between White's Cross and Foxrock Church
MAP LOCATION OSI map of 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Galloping Green South and
it is annotated as Knocksenna.
GENERAL House with gatelodge, stabling and coach house on 10 acres with a right of way
across the golf links built for Robert Smyth in 1873. It had an ornamental building on the grounds
in use as a dairy. It had a short carriage drive flanked with ornamental gates and curved entrance.
The Indian ambassador's residence 'India House', a listed Art Deco style building, was built on part
of the site circa 1937. In 1947 it was for sale on 3 acres described as a magnificent residence with
tiled vestibule leading to an imposing entrance hall. It had a dining room and drawing room with
polished oak flooring. It had a study with fixed bookcases and a cocktail bar with a sunroom
conservatory leading to the formal gardens. It had six bedrooms with a modern bathroom and
shower apparatus. It had a bright kitchen with pantries, larders, store rooms, breakfast room, wine
cellars and and maids rooms. The outbuildings all had electricity and included, garage, men's room,
wc, stabling, lofts, stores rooms, billiards room, hay shed and fruit room. The grounds were
composed of the formal garden, planted rockeries, sunken lily pond, lawns, walled gardens,
orchards and a small paddock. By 1962 it was on 2½ acres.
It now serves as the Portuguese Ambassador's residence. It still retains a mews building and an
enclosed cobbled courtyard. It is sometimes mentioned as being the home of George Formby but
George purchased Aldon on Knocksinna Road in 1952. Knocksinna lost its tennis courts with the
widening of the N11 in the 1990's.
YEAR BUILT 1873
VALUATION In 1912 the valuation was 105 pounds and in the 1901 census it is noted as
having 18 rooms occupied by the family.
ARCHITECT John Holmes (1873)
SOURCES Thom’s directories, Griffith's Valuation, contemporaneous newspapers, NAI
Census & Wills and OSI Maps.
OCCUPANTS
1873 - 1893 Robert Smyth
1894 - 1895 For Sale on 10 acres
1896 - 1905 Christopher Gillespie
1911 - 1920 H Leopold Pim
1921 - 1934 Charles Gamble
1937 India House (Indian Foreign Embassy) among others built on the site
1940 - 1947 Roderick Desmond Carroll
1950 - 1962 Raymond Arthur French
1971 Vacant
1972 - 1977 M H C Petre
1978 - 1985 In flats
1986 - todate Portuguese Ambassador's Residence
2006 Planning application to build nine mews houses on the grounds
STAFF
1901 Kate Lamb - Cook
Mary Anne Territt - Parlourmaid
William Courtney - Coachman
Bridget Cosgrove - Housemaid
1901 John Monaghan - Gardener at gatelodge
1911 Kate Nolan - Housemaid
Mary Kate O'Donnell -Housemaid
Emilienne Dubrielle - Governess
William Saunders - Butler
CURRENT
STATUS Extant
CONTRIBUTORS © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE January 2019
NAME Knocksinna
AREA LOCATION Knocksinna off N11 between White's Cross and Foxrock Church
MAP LOCATION OSI map of 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Galloping Green South and
it is annotated as Knocksenna.
GENERAL House with gatelodge, stabling and coach house on 10 acres with a right of way
across the golf links built for Robert Smyth in 1873. It had an ornamental building on the grounds
in use as a dairy. It had a short carriage drive flanked with ornamental gates and curved entrance.
The Indian ambassador's residence 'India House', a listed Art Deco style building, was built on part
of the site circa 1937. In 1947 it was for sale on 3 acres described as a magnificent residence with
tiled vestibule leading to an imposing entrance hall. It had a dining room and drawing room with
polished oak flooring. It had a study with fixed bookcases and a cocktail bar with a sunroom
conservatory leading to the formal gardens. It had six bedrooms with a modern bathroom and
shower apparatus. It had a bright kitchen with pantries, larders, store rooms, breakfast room, wine
cellars and and maids rooms. The outbuildings all had electricity and included, garage, men's room,
wc, stabling, lofts, stores rooms, billiards room, hay shed and fruit room. The grounds were
composed of the formal garden, planted rockeries, sunken lily pond, lawns, walled gardens,
orchards and a small paddock. By 1962 it was on 2½ acres.
It now serves as the Portuguese Ambassador's residence. It still retains a mews building and an
enclosed cobbled courtyard. It is sometimes mentioned as being the home of George Formby but
George purchased Aldon on Knocksinna Road in 1952. Knocksinna lost its tennis courts with the
widening of the N11 in the 1990's.
YEAR BUILT 1873
VALUATION In 1912 the valuation was 105 pounds and in the 1901 census it is noted as
having 18 rooms occupied by the family.
ARCHITECT John Holmes (1873)
SOURCES Thom’s directories, Griffith's Valuation, contemporaneous newspapers, NAI
Census & Wills and OSI Maps.
OCCUPANTS
1873 - 1893 Robert Smyth
1894 - 1895 For Sale on 10 acres
1896 - 1905 Christopher Gillespie
1911 - 1920 H Leopold Pim
1921 - 1934 Charles Gamble
1937 India House (Indian Foreign Embassy) among others built on the site
1940 - 1947 Roderick Desmond Carroll
1950 - 1962 Raymond Arthur French
1971 Vacant
1972 - 1977 M H C Petre
1978 - 1985 In flats
1986 - todate Portuguese Ambassador's Residence
2006 Planning application to build nine mews houses on the grounds
STAFF
1901 Kate Lamb - Cook
Mary Anne Territt - Parlourmaid
William Courtney - Coachman
Bridget Cosgrove - Housemaid
1901 John Monaghan - Gardener at gatelodge
1911 Kate Nolan - Housemaid
Mary Kate O'Donnell -Housemaid
Emilienne Dubrielle - Governess
William Saunders - Butler
CURRENT
STATUS Extant
CONTRIBUTORS © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE January 2019