Prospect House
NAME Mount Prospect/Prospect House/Prospect School/St Joseph's College/Rosemount
International School
AREA LOCATION Blackrock - Barclay Court off Temple Road
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of
Newtown Blackrock and it is annotated as Prospect House and St
Joseph's College respectively. It appears on Taylor's map of 1816 as
Prospect School. On Rocques's map of 1760 an unnamed house
thought to be Prospect House stands close to the Carysfort Maretimo
stream.
GENERAL Prospect House on Temple Hill is a six bay three storey double stack house
originally with two gatelodges at Temple Road and Brookfield Lane. The rear stack with its
hipped roof and bow ends is the earlier part of the house and dates from the mid 18th Century.
Some plaster work survives and the majority of the windows are original. The staircase appears
to be early 19th century.
The front stack, also three storey and six bay, is now rendered with 20th century cement and
has an awkward off centre door with a Victorian porch. The building has been added to and
wings have been demolished over its lifetime. Its setting and landscaping were compromised
by the building of Barclay Court in the 1980's. A Chapel was added close to the house circa
1887 which also compromises the aspect.
The building was run as a school for much of it's existence. In 1818 Mrs Millar tried to keep
Prospect school going with the existing staff and the help of her brother Mr Vance who was,
due to finish his studies but later that year we see the contents of the school, including 59
bedsteds, for sale.
YEAR BUILT circa 1750
VALUATION In 1912 the valuation was 235 pounds and in the 1911 census it is
noted as having 30 rooms.
ARCHITECT Unknown
SOURCES Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, OSI Maps,
Griffiths Valuation and NAI Census & Wills
OCCUPANTS
1775 Mr Parvisol
1776 - 1792 Rev Dr John Burrowes - Prospect School
1792 - 1795 Rev Charles Meares - Prospect School
1795 - 1809 Rev Dr Oliver Millar - Prospect School
1809 - 1818 Rev James Vance Millar - Prospect School
1818 Mrs Millar - Prospect School
1818 House for sale on 14 acres/Contents of school for sale
1822 Edward Maghlin Blood
1823 - 1825 Prospect Boarding House advertised on six acres
1832 - 1833 Prospect Boarding House - John Lawlor & T Lawlor
1837 Prospect Boarding House (21 Beds) for let on 5 acres
1840 - 1846 Blackrock Seminary – Rev Daniel William Cahill
1848 - 1849 Charles Cavanagh
1873 - 1973 The Vincentian Order as St Joseph’s College
c1983 Barclay Court housing estate built in the grounds.
1977 - 2012 Rosemount International School under the patronage of Opus Dei
2017 Carrickreagh Developments Limited
2018 Planning permission sought to convert into six apartments
STAFF
1782 Mr Glasco - Asst Master
1784 - 1786 Rev Edward Beatty - Asst Master
1786 Thomas Trenor - Elocution Master
1823 - James Flynn - Head Waiter
1849 Thomas Wilson - Gatekeeper
1901 Rev Thomas Morrissey - Superior of Community
1911 Rev Joseph Walsh - Head/Thomas Morrissey - Asst Head
1911 James Owens - Asst Cook
James Ryan - Carpenter
James Conway - General Domestic servant
Daniel Cowhig - General Domestic servant
Eugene O'Riordan - Farm Labourer
John Whelan - General Domestic servant
John Luscombe - General Domestic servant
PUPILS 1782 - 1786
CURRENT
STATUS Extant
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE September 2019