You might get closer to God... but it will cost you €12m
THE former home of Dublin Archbishop John Charles McQuaid has gone on the market for €12million.
Ashurst, a Victorian mansion complete with tower and gate lodge, is located on the Military Road in Killiney, with views of Killiney Bay and Bray Head, as well as the Sugarloaf and the south Dublin and Wicklow mountains.
The most recent owners bought the house in 2013 for just €4.065million, according to the Property Price Register. Estate agent Sherry FitzGerald is now marketing the seven-bedroom family home, which has been completely renovated in recent years.
Ashurst was originally built in the mid-1800s for Compton Domville, a member of parliament and landlord in the area. The architect, Charles Lanyon, was also responsible for the famous Palm House in the Botanic Gardens, and Queen’s University, Belfast, which Ashurst closely resembles.
The house’s first owner was followed by a series of wealthy owners and parliamentarians, including MP William Dodds.
It was a century later, in 1945, when it came to be occupied by Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of All Ireland John Charles McQuaid. A close friend of Éamon de Valera, Archbishop McQuaid amassed religious, political and social power, imposing his iron will
‘It has been lovingly restored’
on Irish politicians and instilling fear among his clergy and laity.
He was a conservative figure who wielded much influence over Irish society. This power was used to build up a Catholic-dominated state – not always welcoming to Protestants, Jews and feminists.
While he was archbishop, the Catholic population of Dublin grew from around 630,000 to over 800,000, and clergy rose from 370 to 600.
Archbishop McQuaid set up a vigilante system that spied on politicians and priests, workers and students, doctors and lawyers, nuns and nurses, soldiers and trade unionists, but he has also been credited with many achievements in education and in the alleviation of poverty. He oversaw the establishment of the Catholic Social Welfare Conference and the Catholic Social Welfare Bureau, between 1941 to 1942, and had a personal interest in providing for people who suffered physically, mentally and spiritually.
Yet he was slow to implement Vatican reforms in the 1960s, in relation to liturgical change, greater lay participation and ecumenism, and the public began to question his policies and personality. Irish society was changing.
He tendered his resignation, which was announced in January 1972, and he died 15 months later.
The brochure by agent Rosie Mulvaney for the 1,000-squaremetre house states that at Ashurst, Archbishop McQuaid found sanctuary, as well as a space to host meetings with key players in the affairs of state. ‘A keen astronomer, he added the belfry tower, which today offers commanding views of Killiney Bay. It is said he suggested he liked to ascend to be closer to God, but he was also fond of shooting, and would aim his .22 rifle at encroaching magpies,’ she said.
‘After McQuaid died, the house fell into disrepair, but on its first full refurbishment in the late 1990s, it quickly became the most expensive rental in Dublin. Today it has been lovingly restored once more, and fully enjoyed as one of the most impressive family homes to come to the market.’
The two-year restoration included preserving the historic fabric of the building and 148 sash windows, while updating it with geothermal underfloor heating, a modern sound system and Wi-Fi.