Fawn Lodge and adjacent houses up to the Phoenix Park Racecourse – Local History Castleknock

    

These two storey houses opposite the Castleknock gate of the Phoenix Park, were built  c. 1885. Courtesy National Inventory Architectural Heritage.

When I was growing up, ‘Fawn Lodge,’ the dashed house on the left in the photo above, was home to Dr. Merrick, a former British Army doctor. Both houses are gone now and the apartment block that stands there now carries on the name, ‘Fawn Lodge.’ This was the grant of planning permission for ‘Fawn Lodge’:-

PLANNING PERMISSION – DECISION TO GRANT – 31st August 2008:

Location: Deerpark House and Fawn Lodge, Castleknock Road, Dublin 15. Proposed development: demolish house and outhouses/stables for a three-storey block with 18 apartments (five two-beds and one three-bed at ground floor, first floor and second floor level). Car-parking, landscaping and site works. Applicant: Fiancon Builders Ltd.

An elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Sikes, lived in Deerpark House beside Fawn Lodge. It was said that they had been tea planters in India. Mrs. Sikes used a large basket chair to get around – of course, there was virtually no traffic on the road back then. An opening to one side of Deerpark House led to a large stable block at the back. Over the years, many race-horse trainers including the Grassicks operated from here as it was ideally located beside the Phoenix Park and the race-course. In the early morning, the race horses were brought to ‘the gallops,’ a ploughed area at ‘The Fifteen Acres,’ which extended in front of the American Legation and beyond where the Pope’s Cross now stands.

On the opposite side of Fawn Lodge, just around the corner, the Robinson family lived in a large old house. I remember two sons of the family – Frank Robinson was in my class at school and his brother, Christy Robinson, was a member of the scouts and involved in the community. He used to do some gardening for my father.

Beyond Robinsons was a block of three two storey houses – the local Jubilee nurse worked from the last house and further on was Mahady’s cottage. At a point near where Castleknock Garden Centre once stood, was the lodge leading up to the ‘Rasher’ Byrne’s house and horse training establishment.

Photo of W.J. (‘Rasher’)Byrne. Courtesy Irish Racehorse Trainers Association

Beyond that was a wide entrance to the Phoenix Park Racecourse which operated between 1902 – 1990. The grounds once housed a branch of Squash Ireland as well as Silks Nightclub.

The more familiar entrance to the Racecourse was on a bend opposite the Ashtown entrance gate to the Phoenix Park, with ornate railings and a tudor lodge style kiosk, now demolished.

Medical matters – Local History Castleknock

Ard na Greine, Castleknock. Photo courtesy Dr. Mark Humphrys.

The Dispensary in Castleknock is still there, located opposite the traffic light junction at Auburn Avenue. In my early years, Dr. Cullen lived in the doctor’s residence behind the Dispensary; later on, it was Dr. Lavelle. Many a time I was sent off on my bicycle to fetch the doctor. The doctor’s practice covered an area extending across to Porterstown and Clonsilla. Back then, doctors were available 24/7, house visits by car were commonplace. There was no such thing as having to make an appointment with the doctor.

 

Eastern Health Board Child and Family Centre. Photos courtesy niah.ie

 

Two storey houses c. 1885 opposite the Castleknock gate of the Phoenix Park, courtesy National Inventory Architectural Heritage.

Dr. Merrick, who was formerly a British Army doctor, lived with his wife at ‘Fawn Lodge,’ the dashed house on the left in the photo above, which was situated beside Deerpark House, opposite the Castleknock gate of the Phoenix Park. The apartment block built there now carries the name, ‘Fawn Lodge.’ Dr. Merrick and his wife are recorded as being buried in the cemetery at St. Brigid’s:

Merrick, Dr. W.J, d. 22 May 1950, h/o Irene Edna, [AR]
Merrick, Irene Edna, d. 13 Oct 1938, w/o Dr W J, [AR]

 

The Jubilee nurse for the Castleknock area was a jolly woman who lived around the corner from Dr. Merrick in the row of two-storey houses facing the wall of the Phoenix Park. That row of houses is long gone. Her clinic was based at Castleknock Dispensary. When a new Jubilee nurse took over, she lived in a brand new house in the row alongside Kelly’s pub, the Half Way House on the Navan Road. Many a time I called over there for her to dress various gashes sustained while participating in sporting activities and in the workplace. The Jubilee nurses worked alongside the doctors in the community and cycled all over the district on home visits, armed with their Gladstone bags.