Dollymount House

 

"A building popularly known as "The Long House," originally called "Dollymount," and at a subsequent period "Mount Pelier House" - a name which has caused it to be confounded wit the ruin on top of the hill. The original heavy gate pillars and stone walls along the avenue still remain, as also a couple of stiles constructed for the use of foot passengers when the approach was closed during the absence of the proprietors. The house is two storeys high in front, with six windows on each side, and over the hall-door are the arms of the Ely family, surmounted by a coronet. The rooms had marble chimney-pieces and stuccoed ceilings, some portions of which yet remain; and the windows commanded a beautiful view of the County Dublin, the city and bay, with Howth, Ireland's Eye and Lambay. On each side of the house was a large arched gateway, from which extended a long wing of out-offices, servants' apartments, stables, &c., terminating at each end in a square three-storied tower with embattled top and pointed windows. Over the door of the left hand tower was, formerly, the date 1763, inscribed on the keystone of the arch - probably the date of erection or commencement.

This establishment was built as a hunting residence by Henry Loftus, Earl of Ely, the Count Loftonzo figuring so Prominently in Baratariana, whose wife, Frances Munroe, was aunt of the celebrated beauty, Dolly Monroe, after whom the Place was called "Dollymount." It was originally surrounded and sheltered by a fine plantation of trees, some of which, mostly chestnuts, may still be seen to the left on approaching the building, and on the slope of the hill above it was a splendid wood of firs and larches, as dense as a tropical forest, not a trace of which now remains, the trees having been cut down and sold by a tenant who occupied the place after it had been abandoned as a residence by the owners."

From "The Neighbourhood of Dublin" by Weston St John Joyce, 1939.