My ancestors - Flanagan - Contents

Pre-1850s: "Sabine Fields"

1850s to 1919: "Beechpark"

1919 to 1969: Cosgrave ("Beechpark")

1969 on: After Cosgrave ("Ros Mór")

Beechpark, Templeogue, Co.Dublin

Beechpark (formerly "Sabine Fields", now "Ros Mór").
Scholarstown Road, Templeogue, Co.Dublin.
This is in Scholarstown townland, Rathfarnham parish, Co.Dublin.
Home of W.T. Cosgrave 1919 to 1965.
His son Liam Cosgrave (born 1920) grew up here, and lived nearby in different houses until his death in 2017.

References:
- [Handcock, 1899].
  - Beechpark on pp.139-140.
  - Handcock lived in the area, at Sally Park, Templeogue.
- Knocklyon, Past and Present. ICA, 1992. [UCD] 941.83 IRI.
  - "Ros Mor" on pp.60-63.

Beechpark, the front, around the late 1920s.
Photo from the period when W.T. Cosgrave was President of the Executive Council (1922-32).
Photo is by John Keaney, one of W.T.'s army drivers. Provided here courtesy of his daughter Mary Quinn.
See full size.
Mary Cosgrave confirms this is the front.

Pre-1850s: "Sabine Fields"

Early 19th century house.
The house was formerly called "Sabine Fields" or "Sabinefields".
John Thomas Moran is listed at "Sabine Fields" in 1836 (see below).
Moran family is still listed at "Sabine fields" in [Thom's, 1852].

"Sabinefields" on 1829 to 1842 map.

"John F. Moran" listed at "Sabine Fields" in Dublin Evening Post, 7 Jan 1836.
He is signing a petition to set up the new Reform Registry Association to encourage voter registration.
This should probably read "John T. Moran" (see below).

John Thomas Moran listed at "Sabine Fields" in Freemans Journal, August 12, 1836.

[Handcock, 1899] says Moran called it "Sabine fields" after a metal sculpture he owned representing the Rape of the Sabines.

John Thomas Moran listed at "Sabine fields", Templeogue, under RATHFARNHAM in [Pettigrew & Oulton, 1845].

Patrick J. Moran at Sabine fields, Scholarstown, in [Griffiths Valuation, 1850].
Leasing the house and 16 acres from Messrs. LaTouche and Co.

Richard Moran listed at "Sabine fields" under RATHFARNHAM in [Thom's, 1852].

1850s to 1919: "Beechpark"

The name of the house changed in the 1850s to "Beech Park" or "Beechpark".
"Thomas Croker" is listed at "Beech park", Templeogue, in [Post Office Directory, 1858].
Croker family is still listed at Beechpark in [Thom's, 1884].

"Mulhallen Gabbett" is listed at Beechpark in [Thom's, 1901].
See him listed there in 1901 census.

Henry Lloyd is listed at Beechpark in [Thom's, 1905].
See him listed there in 1911 census.
Henry Lloyd is still listed at Beechpark in [Thom's, 1919].

"Thomas Croker" is listed at "Beech park", Templeogue, under ROUNDTOWN in [Post Office Directory, 1858].

"Miss Croker" listed at "Beech park", Templeogue, under TERENURE in [Thom's, 1884].

"Beech Park" on 1887 to 1913 map.

"Henry Lloyd" listed at "Beech park", Templeogue, under TERENURE in [Thom's, 1914].

1919 to 1969: The Cosgrave era

Beechpark was bought by Alderman Michael Flanagan in 1919 as a wedding present for his daughter Louisa.
Louisa Flanagan married in June 1919 to W.T. Cosgrave (soon to become Ireland's first Prime Minister).
Home of W.T. Cosgrave and his wife Louisa Flanagan from 1919.
During the War of Independence of 1919-21, W.T. Cosgrave was on the run and often stayed away from Beechpark. On one visit home he was caught and arrested.

Burnt in Civil War, Jan 1923:
During the Civil War of 1922-23, W.T. was head of the pro-Treaty side and lived elsewhere for periods.
Beechpark was burnt by the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War, on 13 Jan 1923. The Cosgraves were not in residence when it was attacked.
Re-built 1924.

W.T.'s son Liam Cosgrave moved to "Maryfield" nearby in 1952.
W.T.'s wife died 1959.
Liam moved back into Beechpark 1960 to take care of his father.
W.T. died at Beechpark in 1965.
Beechpark was sold 1969 [ICA, 1992].

The burning of Beechpark, Jan 1923.
Freemans Journal, January 15, 1923.
W.T. notes that many of his letters and papers were burnt.
Flanagan photos and family history was probably burnt too.

This was said to be Beechpark, around the late 1920s. Would have to be the back of the house.
Photo from the period when W.T. Cosgrave was President of the Executive Council (1922-32).
Photo is by John Keaney, one of W.T.'s army drivers. Provided here courtesy of his daughter Mary Quinn.
See full size.

Mary Cosgrave does not recognise this as the back (or front). She says the windows are different and the door is quite different.
Compare to the photo of the front and it does not seem the same house. The side chimney is gone. The two main chimneys are slightly different. The fence looks similar but when examined closely it has a different number of rungs.
One possibility is this is not Beechpark, but the fence made someone think it was.

Louisa Flanagan (wife of W.T. Cosgrave) and her sons Liam (born 1920) and Míceál (born 1922), and unknown person, Beechpark.
See larger and full size.
Mary Cosgrave confirms this is the side. Front door on RHS.

Beechpark (front) in Irish Independent, September 25, 1929.
See full size.

1969 on: After Cosgrave

The old house, Beechpark, was sold in 1969.
Liam Cosgrave moved to a bungalow nearby.
The old house was renamed "Ros Mór".
Liam's bungalow then took the name "Beechpark".
The bungalow is gone.
The old house "Ros Mór" still exists.

The old Beechpark (front).
Now called "Ros Mór".
From [ICA, 1992].

The site before redevelopment.
The old Beechpark (top left), Beechpark bungalow (centre, with long straight drive up to it) and Maryfield (right).
3D view from Google Maps. Google dates this as 2022 but image is actually before 2021.
See earlier satellite view.

The old Beechpark (top left, the big house), Beechpark bungalow (centre) and Maryfield (right, red cross).
Scholarstown Rd, Templeogue, Co.Dublin.
From modern map.

Close-up of the old Beechpark.
3D view from Google Maps. Before 2021.
See earlier satellite view.

"Maryfield"

Close to Beechpark.
Liam Cosgrave lived in "Maryfield" from 1952 to 1960.
He then moved back to his father's house, Beechpark.
"Maryfield" is now vanished in the re-development.

Close-up of Maryfield before demolition.
View from rear.
3D view from Google Maps. Before 2021.
See also 2018 street view of entrance.

"Beechpark" (bungalow)

The old Cosgrave house, Beechpark, was sold in 1969 and became "Ros Mór".
Liam Cosgrave moved (probably 1969) to a bungalow nearby. This then took the name "Beechpark".
The bungalow was in between Maryfield and old Beechpark.
Liam lived here until his death in 2017.
The site was then sold and re-developed.
The entire site ("Maryfield", the bungalow, and the old Cosgrave farm) is being completely replaced with a massive estate of apartment blocks called "Two Oaks".

Close-up of the bungalow before demolition.
View from rear.
3D view from Google Maps. Before 2021.

"Beechpark" (the bungalow) after Liam's death, 2017.
Note the garda sentry box.
From article, "Gardai still stationed outside Cosgrave's home a month after his death", Irish Independent, 11 Nov 2017.

Google Street View captures "Beechpark" (the bungalow) before demolition.
From 2018 street view.

The massive "Two Oaks" re-development.