Beaumont, Dublin
Beaumont is a suburb of Dublin, located on the Northside. It lies within the postal district Dublin 9, sometimes known as D9. The name derives from the French for "beautiful mount". ( named by Olivia Whitemore and Arthur Guinness in 1764)
Beaumont sits at the top of a considerable ascent from Fairview and Georgian Dublin Coastlines. Its clean Air and Northside views across Georgian Dublin to Wicklow mountains inspired the name. From 1764 Olivia Whitmore and Arthur Guinness made their new family home in Beaumont House. Beaumont House is a protected structure and can be visited today
History
Beaumont was originally a farm in the Civil Parish of Coolock, between the townlands of Kilmore Big and Kilmore Little.[citation needed] It is the former home of the Guinness family from 1764-1855. The original 1764 lease between Charles Gardiner and Arthur Guinness can still be seen in the National Library of Ireland. Guinness took 51 acres (210,000 m2) "more or less situate in the Parish of Coolock" on a lease for the longer of 31 years or three lives, and built a house "at Kilmore" ; it is apparent that he later named the property "Beaumont". His rent was £93 p.a.[1][2]
RTÉ had a radio transmitter in Thorndale, Beaumont (off Beaumont Road, where Collinswood is now), from which from 1982 broadcast RTÉ Radio 2 on 1278 kHz AM to the Dublin region, it ceased broadcasting on December 15, 2003.[3] RTÉ used the Beaumont facility to jam radio signals from pirate radio stations in the 1980s.
Notable places
Beaumont is the location of one of Dublin's main hospitals, Beaumont Hospital, and the Sister of Mercy Convalescent Home. Other facilities include a small group of shops and two pubs - 'Kenny's Kilmardinny' Lorcan Avenue, Santry is also used by the locals of Beaumont. The 'Beaumont House' formerly the 'Rendezvous' - the latter is a favourite haunt of former Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and is named after the original home of Arthur Guinness which is located nearby and is now a convalescent home for the elderly. Beaumont is also home to the large modern estates, Beaumont Woods - a recent development which houses "Beaumont Medical Centre" and is located next to Beaumont Hospital, Elm Mount - built in 1960's, Ardmore and Monstrose also.
Parish
Beaumont also have a parish Church, 'Nativity of the Lord Church'. There is also a Roman Catholic parish in Whitehall, also taking in the townlands of Santry, Larkhill and to a lesser extent Artane West and Artane South, and part of Artane North.
The 'Church of the Holy Child' located on the old airport road is the main church serving the people of Whitehall, Larkhill, Santry. It was blessed by Pope John Paul II as his motorcade passed by during his visit to Ireland in 1979.
Schools
An all-girls school, Mercy Beaumont School, founded in 1957, is located beside the hospital. St. Fiachra's junior and senior schools are also located near the hospital and the Church.
Notable people
- World-famous brewer Arthur Guinness established his residence in Beaumont, in what is now Beaumont convalescent home.
- Former Chelsea and Republic of Ireland international footballer Paddy Mulligan was born and raised in Beaumont.
References
- ^ NLI, Genealogical Office, Gardiner Papers; manuscript 36,578/15. Lease dated 8 May 1764.
- ^ "Beaumont" is not mentioned as such on John Rocque's 1756 map of Dublin.
- ^ Ireland European MW and LW History, Radio Heritage