Horan’s Hall in Clonsilla, which still exists – Local History Castleknock

149 Horan's Hall, Clonsilla (Clonsilla Hall). Reynolds Family Private Collection

‘Clonsilla Hall,’ known in my time as ‘Horan’s Hall.’

The Horan family owned the shop in Clonsilla, known as ‘The Thatch.’

The Thatch, Clonsilla Road, no longer a thatched roof

‘The Thatch’

Behind The Thatch was the multi-functional Horan’s Hall, also owned by the Horan family. Not alone was it the parish meeting place, but it was also a venue for plays, dances and film shows. On Thursday nights and Sunday mornings, the County Council ran the library in an annexe to the front of the hall.

This wordpress site has been set up for the purpose of sharing photographs of familiar landmarks in the neighbourhood of Castleknock, school photographs and other groups by way of blogposts:-

https://reynoldshistorycastleknockblog.wordpress.com

In due course, a hard copy folder of photographs of local landmarks as well as group photographs will be submitted to the Local History Section of Fingal County Council Library, Blanchardstown, with the hope of bringing forth more photographs and records for the benefit of all those interested in the local history of the area.

The book ‘Castleknock – Memories of a Neighbourhood‘ by Tony Reynolds, is currently for sale in the following outlets:

*Newsagents at Roselawn Shopping Centre, Castleknock

*The Last Bookshop, top of Camden Street.

It is also available to purchase on-line at http://www.amazon.com.

Updates regarding retail outlets selling the book will be posted on this site.

Author: Castleknock History

Tony Reynolds has roots in Castleknock extending back to 1758 and relations scattered throughout the area. During the 1930s/1940s, his family ran a shop, ‘Glen Stores’ beside their home at Carpenterstown, Castleknock. The hut alongside the shop was used by the scouts, musical and drama groups, card schools and for parties. In a new book about the area, ‘Castleknock – Memories of a Neighbourhood,’ Tony recalls a vibrant past, when Castleknock was mostly farmland, dotted with grand houses. Tony brings you on his newspaper rounds and tells you who lived where, who was related to whom and how the community intermingled, a blurring of lines between memoir and local history.

2 thoughts on “Horan’s Hall in Clonsilla, which still exists – Local History Castleknock”

  1. Hi Tony,
    Really enjoying having time to read some of out areas history. Will definitely see if I can find your book. We walked down ‘the glen’ this morning from the workman’s cottages to the road by the Liffey. A man we met down there said that there was another right of way called ‘the slip’ wondering if you know where that is, and whether it is still a right of way?

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    1. Hi Aileen,

      I was born in 1927 and knew the Glen area well but never heard of ‘the slip’ – it sounds like a local nickname for a pedestrian route?

      The Lower Road was reached from the Chapelizod end past the Anglers Rest pub and from the Lucan end past The Wren’s Nest pub in addition to there being three well-known routes down from the Porterstown Road (once known as ‘The High Road’) – (1) The Rugged Lane (2) Somerton and (3) The Glen, which was always a pedestrian route.

      Other footpaths I am aware of (i) behind the Anglers Rest there was a footpath which led down from Mount Sackville and came out beside the Angler’s Rest that is now overgrown (ii) In the vicinty of the Strawberry Hall, a footpath led up towards Somerton and came out at a house that once belonged to the Doyle family (Sheila Doyle was the last resident) (iii) In Patrick Troy’s book on the Strawberry Beds, I also read of a ‘mass path’ across a field towards the Rugged Lane which led up to Porterstown chapel, which was news to me! Now one of these might very well have been nicknamed ‘the slip.’ I hope this assists but if not, I reckon some of the older Lower Road residents might be able to help you out with your query – I suggest the local family pubs – The Wrens’ Nest or the Strawberry Hall, might be a good place to make enquiries.

      P.S. My book, ‘Castleknock, Memories of a Neighbourhood’ is available on Amazon.com.

      Kind regards,
      Tony

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