"Murino" Lodge, Fairview

[tommobecket]

My grandfather alludes to his service in the Irish Citizen army and being based at "Murino Lodge, Fairview" during the War of Independence. I am aware that there is an historic building called Casino Marino, and a Marino conference centre but can't seem to find anything else about the use of the 'casino' or the house around 1920, and very little about the history or heritage of the buildings in the early 20th century. Can anyone offer direction to any sources which might offer more information, particulalry regarding the role of these buildings during the war of independence?

Many thanks

[kintree]

Marino was a large house, surrounded by a demesne (in which the Casino was built). There were several lodges, at the various gates into the demesne.

Do you know at which lodge your grandfather was stationed?

Adrian

[tommobecket]

Hello Adrian

thankyou for replying  and I wasn't aware that were several lodges,(this is new information indeed). When asked for information on continuous active service during the period from 1st April 1917 to 31st March 1918, Denis says his unit was the “Irish Citizen Army (I.R.A.)” and the duration of this service was “From June 1917 to February 1918” with the district in which this service was rendered being “Liberty Hall and Murino Lodge, Fairview, Dublin”. His commanding officer at this latter time was “Mr, Robert De Coeur” and that his action at this time is described as “Services during this period consisted of Drilling and Rifle Practice”.

Any information on the buildings at the site would be most valuable as nothing I have read so far (O.K, limited and restricted to web information available only) is indicating several buildings and there appears to be nothing on any activity during the war of independence, so absolutely anything you suggest is most helpful

thankyou Adrian

Denis

[mcmahongg]

The main entrance to Marino House was located near Marino Mart - opposite the current Fairview Park. The original gates were located here - these are now located at the entrance of Marino Institute (just off Griffith Avenue).
I've just looked at an 1840 OS Map - there was a gate lodge near these gates at that time. There was another entrance, with gate lodge, on the current Malahide Road - looks to be a little north of the present-day entrance to the Casino. Near this entrance the was also Marino Villa - might be relevant.
Marino House was demolished about 1927.

I hope this helps.

Gerry

[tommobecket]

Gerry, wow, where did you get that detail from, fantastic, thankyou. Are there any records at the conference centre (or anywhere else for that matter) that might throw further light on the role of the premises between 1916 - 1921 and clarify the structure and location of what appears to be a disparate collection of buildings?

regards

Denis

[mcmahongg]

Denis

See text below re history of Marino Institute of Education [from http://www.mie.ie/About-MIE/Campus/History.aspx]. An email to the college might get some info on usage during the War of Independence.

Griffith Avenue now cuts across the townland of Marino which contained Lord Charlemont's estate. However, Griffith Avenue was only laid down in the mid 1920s.

Lord Charlemont's Marino House was at the south end of the townland (in the area of the Marino modern housing estate, built in the late 1920s). At the north end were the Casino as well as the enclosed gardens and ornamental lakes. Some of the garden brick walls can still be seen, surrounding the grounds of the St. Vincents GAA Club. The grounds north of the present Marino Institute consisted of open fields as recently as the mid 1980's - before the construction of the modern Charlemont housing estate and St. Vincents clubhouse and grounds, as well as the Casino modern housing estate. The lakes are long gone, but some older people still remember them.

best regards

Gerry

Marino Institurte History:
Coláiste Mhuire is a primary college of education run by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. The site upon which the college now stands is only one of a series of locations where the Christian Brothers' centre of teacher training was housed. In 1831 the residence of the Superior General of the Irish Christian Brothers and the centre of teacher training was moved to North Richmond Street (O’Connell Schools) Dublin from Our Lady’s Mount (North Monastery) in Cork. In 1874 it was transferred to Belvedere House in Drumcondra (now the President’s House in St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra). Cardinal Mc Cabe who established it as a teacher training college, now known as St. Patrick’s College, acquired Belvedere House for the Christine Brothers initially. In 1875,The Brothers moved to Marino House, on the original Lord Charlemont demesne, and have made it their home since.
Construction of a new Training College - St. Mary's Building - commenced with the laying of the foundation stone by Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Walsh on 10th of June 1900. From its earliest days the College was involved in the training of teaching brothers who would subsequently work on the five continents.

In 1926 the Christian Brothers entered the National Schools system. Since 1971 Brothers of other orders attended the college, and since 1972 the admission of lay students to Coláiste Mhuire became a permanent arrangement. From this time the B.Ed qualification gained from Coláiste Mhuire is validated from Trinity College Dublin.

[tommobecket]

Gerry

thanks for this and I have contacted the Institute and look forward to the response.

I read recently that there are tunnels and underground passages under the casino' that were used by Micheal Collins for rifle and small arms practice, which is the first direct reference I have been able to obtain apart from Denis's own reference.

cheers

Denis

[tommobecket]

I just wanted to say thankyou to everyone here who helped as I had a tremendously helpful reply from the Marino Institute, and I was able to clarify that Marino Lodge was subsequently named Marino House, so it may well have been the old house where he was stationed. Although, as Gerry indicates there are several 'lodges' at gate entrances so he may have been at one of these. I guess we'll never know. Frustratingly, it appears the brothers kept no documentation about the role of Marino House during the War of Independence, especially as Micheal Collins was known to have used the house and gardens for drilling and rifle practice. And now I'm tormented by the idea that Denis may have known Micheal Collins, possibly quite well ...

So I have a substantial amount of new information that has helped me get a very strong pricture if Denis's activity and the places where he moved. Sure now to pay a visit to Marino on my next trip to Dublin.

Thankyou

[tommobecket]

Gerry

A bit of a delay but I have had the privilege of engaging in correspondence and have has an incredible response from the Institute.  My grandfather was actually referring to Marino House, which is now St.Marys College in Donnycarney.
 
I've had wonderful help from one of the administrators at the college, Ciaran Fogerty, who forwarded me a book about Marino, in which the author suggests frustration at the lack of any documented records by the brothers on their involvement in 1916 and the war of independence.
 
But significantly he also pointed me in the direction of one of the Brothers at the college, Brother Seamus Plunkett Nolan who has been incredibly helpful. Seamus has unearthed a remarkable document with references to how the brothers helped the volunteers leading up to 1916, and how the volunteers and the ICA used the grounds for drilling and hiding guns. In a 'booklet' format and written in 1966 by the pupils to commemorate the 50th anniversary of 1916, and in Irish, he has kindly begun to translate sections and forward these to me. I'm no historian, but this looks like some very rich detail indeed with references to a number of volunteers! I imagine this detail may already be in the public realm but nonetheless would like to share it.

I guess in order to fully allow the information to be shared and signpost members who are interested in this subject, I will open another link focused on 'Marino House, 1916 and the War of Independence'. I hope thats OK and hope a moderator can confirm this is OK. I will try to upload all the text that Brother Seamus has forwarded me, but its quite a lot if text.

Denis