My ancestors - Humphrys - Contents

Kingswood

The Humphreys house, "Ard Soluis", Brownsbarn townland, Saggart par, Co.Dublin.
On the old Dublin-Limerick road.
The house was on the SW (Limerick) side of Kingswood village.
Kingswood village is partly in Brownsbarn townland, Saggart par, and partly in the neighbouring townland, Kingswood townland, Clondalkin par.

Kingswood (front of house), 1942.
Note no lawn laid out yet.
See full size.

"Ard Soluis", Kingswood, was designed and built by Dick Humphreys 1934-35.
Usually spelt "Ard Soluis" or "Ardsoluis". For example, see Dick's memoir and his mass card and his grave.
Though "Ard Solus" is seen in [Thoms, 1936] and "Ardsolus" on [OSI] map.
Tommy O'Brien said he got a Mr. Olin, a plumber, on Pearse St (near Dick's business at 36 Pearse St) to build it.
Patrick Eugene Olin, plumbing and heating contractor, is listed with a business at 49 Pearse St, and a residence in Harold's Cross, in [Thoms, 1935], pp.1440 and 1561 and 1984. See his grave.
The fireplace (which has since been removed and survives) has date "1934".
The family moved in c.Feb 1935.

Dick died 1968.
His widow Eithne continued to live at Kingswood for many years.

Citywest Business Campus was established to the S of the house in 1990.
Eithne died 1995.
SAP, Europe's largest software company, opened their Irish headquarters just S of the house in 2001 (NOT 1997). Address: 1012-1014 Kingswood Ave, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24.
The Humphreys family left Ard Soluis in 2001.
The family sold Ard Soluis to the adjoining Citywest think 2001.
The house and site were sold for development.
See Kingswood after Humphreys.

Humphreys listed at "Ard Solus" under Clondalkin on p.1555 of [Thoms, 1936].
Humphreys was not listed in Clondalkin in [Thoms, 1935].

Maps and views

Location of Ard Soluis, Kingswood.
The 3-pronged building is SAP building. Ard Soluis is just N of it.
Click to toggle map/satellite view. Click to zoom in/out. Drag to move.
From Google Maps.

The site before Ard Soluis existed, on 1888 to 1913 map.
Ard Soluis was built in the N part of the "24.797" plot, near the road.
This narrow road, hard to believe, was then the main Dublin - Limerick road.

Kingswood from an airplane, from the SW, shortly after it was built, c.1935.
Note the Dublin - Limerick road (the old Naas Road).

"Ardsolus" on a 20th century [OSI] map.
This is after the new Naas Road has been built (to the NW side here) but before SAP building built (to the S).
Entrance to the house is off the old Naas Road.

Location of Ard Soluis, Kingswood.
View from E.
Ard Soluis is "The Site".
Old Naas Rd is front RHS. New Naas Rd is back RHS.
SAP building under construction to LHS.
See larger and full size.