History tour from the 'Mines to Malahide!

A group of Silvermines Historical Society members and friends visited Malahide Castle & gardens on Saturday June 24th.

A few city based SHS members joined them in Dublin including historian Paddy Ryan, Malahide resident and formerly of Killeen, Templederry.

Malahide Castle & Gardens managed and promoted by Shannon Heritage, Bunratty, Co Clare, was home to the Talbot family from 1185 right through to 1976 – the year it was bought by Dublin City Council. The first Talbot to settle at Malahide was Richard, a twelfth century Anglo-Norman knight of noble heritage. He was the common ancestor of all the 29 Talbot lords of Malahide who followed in his footsteps.

The last Talbot to live at Malahide, his descendant, was Rose, the unmarried sister of Lord Milo Talbot, whose death in 1973 led to the sale of the castle. She was 60 when she left Ireland in 1976 for another Malahide, in Tasmania: there she lived happily until her own death in 2009. Her departure to the antipodes was a muted farewell to a family that had made such a mark on the history of Dublin and Fingal.

A tour guide took the SHS group through the Oak Room, the large Drawing Room, and the Great Hall, and then up the staircase to the Lady's Bedroom (with spectacular views of the front lawns), the children's room in the middle and the Gentleman's bedroom - both bedrooms have ornate adjoining dressing rooms. The final leg of the tour was to the ground floor's interpretive display on the history of the Talbots and Malahide Castle.

Thereafter the impressive gardens were visited (included in the €8 fee). They consisted of the West Lawn, the Walled Garden and pond, etc. It should also be noted that there is an Exhibition and Learning Area for children plus a picnic and playground area.

The SHS tour group spend the afternoon visiting the gardens and some took the 10/15-min walk to the lovely village of Malahide to see its harbour and boats. Some also visited the Heritage Centre located in the Steward's House beside the coach park.

Here, Paddy Ryan of Malahide Historical Society was the tour guide. The centre is managed and ‘manned' on a voluntary basis by the Malahide Historical Society and it is a marvellous collection of artefacts, photos and memorabilia of old Malahide.