The Flanagan estate of Crumlin and Walkinstown

Dr. Mark Humphrys
Dublin City University

humphrysfamilytree.com

Crumlin and Walkinstown History Festival, 24 Aug 2024.

Deirdre Flanagan

Deirdre Flanagan.
Born 28 Oct 1936, Walkinstown House.
Died 15 March 2024.

Edward Flanagan, of the Corkagh estate in 1750

The first record for our family may be this Edward Flanagan.
Corkagh House in Clondalkin parish is being sold in 1750.
Edward Flanagan's farm is somewhere in the Corkagh estate. It may be Kilnamanagh (see below).

Sale of Corkagh House and estate.
From Dublin Journal, March 24, 1750.
The sale includes "Flanagan's Farm", 8 acres, occupied by Edward Flanagan.

Edward Flanagan, of Kilnamanagh

Edward Flanagan, of Green Hills, Kilnamanagh townland, Tallaght parish, Co.Dublin.
Born maybe around 1750.
Married before 1777.
Possibly died before 1816.

First definite record in Flanagan family (1777):

Baptism of Michael Flanagan, 7 Oct 1777, Rathfarnham RC church.

Flanagan deeds from 1803

First known Flanagan deed (1803):

William Flanagan of Kilnamanagh

William Flanagan of Kilnamanagh.
Baptised 3 June 1790.
Died 5 July 1874.

The Green Hills road, Kilnamanagh, on Duncan's map of 1821.
The William Flanagan farm would be house at roadside on E side of road, just above "Gayfield".
Today the farm is vanished, part of Tymon Park, at edge of housing estate.

Signature of William Flanagan on a deed of 1825, which refers to his father Edward.

1865 general election

William Flanagan had the vote in 1865.

William Flanagan listed in Voters of Co.Dublin 1865.
This lists all voters in Dublin County in 1865 general election, and who they voted for.
Flanagan voted Liberal.

Flanagan acquires Walkinstown House

Alderman Michael Flanagan.
Baptised 29 Sept 1833.
Dublin Corporation councillor. Alderman.
Built a vast Flanagan estate.
Outlived 7 of his 11 children.
Died 16 Oct 1931, age 98 years.

William Flanagan the younger.
Baptised 29 July 1840.
Lived at Walkinstown House.
Died 27 Oct 1886.

Walkinstown House before Flanagan

Where was Walkinstown House?
Today the house is gone.
The site is SuperValu, Walkinstown Rd.

Formerly spelled "Wilkinstown". Then "Walkinstown".
Old pronunciation "Woll-kinstown".

Site of Walkinstown House on first OS map (1829 to 1842).
Seems like a vanished hamlet. (The original "Wilkinstown".)
Seems to show main road running through the grounds.
Red cross is site of Walkinstown House.
Original approach to house was to the N.

The Donagh family (at least 1847 to 1868)

"Wilkinstown" in Griffiths Valuation, 1847.
Note one huge house.

Griffiths Valuation map, 1847 and 1850.
Donagh house must be "Buttercup Lodge".

Shaw estate map

From maps of the Shaw estate, 1879.
Based on Ordnance Survey maps of 1866.
Dublin City Library and Archive.
Looks like old road sealed off and made private.

Crumlin in Thom's, 1868

First mention of "Walkinstown House".
Previous Thom's listings had Donagh just at "Walkinstown".

Crumlin in Thom's, 1868.
Donagh at Walkinstown House.
Note Cavanagh at Leicester House.

Crumlin in Thom's, 1877

Crumlin in Thom's, 1877.
Flanagan at Walkinstown House.
Note Cavanagh at Leicester House.

Flanagan/Cosgrave political dynasty

William Flanagan the younger was elected as a Poor Law Guardian in 1877.
The start of the Flanagan/Cosgrave/Humphreys/Kennedy political dynasty (1877 to 2019 so far).

William Flanagan is elected in Rathfarnham.
He is in the Liberal Party (Gladstone's party).
He was elected on Sat 24 March 1877.
Freemans Journal, Mon 26 Mar 1877.

The new OS map

William Flanagan died in 1886.
His widow lived at Walkinstown House for some years.
Then it was rented out.
William had no children. His brother the Alderman inherited.

Walkinstown House on the new OS map (1887 to 1913 map).
The hamlet is gone.
The old main road is now dis-used.
There is a new approach to the house from the side.

The Bird Flanagan

Willie Flanagan, "The Bird Flanagan".
The famous Dublin practical joker.
Born 10 Apr 1867.
Died 14 Dec 1925.

Willie Flanagan, "The Bird Flanagan".

Practical jokes

Most of his practical jokes seem to be in 1900-1910.
There are a long list of jokes attributed to The Bird.
For many, there are multiple versions of the story.

Sign on "The Bird Flanagan" pub, Rialto.
Showing the Bird pretending to steal a turkey.

During a performance at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin, during WWI,
he stood up in the middle of the show and took off his overcoat,
revealing himself to be dressed as the Kaiser.
(The above is the actual Kaiser.)

Not so funny:
The Somali village, 1907 Irish International Exhibition, Ballsbridge (later Herbert Park).
The Bird stole the baby, and brought it to a pub, or on a tram (accounts vary).

The Bird at Walkinstown House

The Bird got married in 1910 (at age 43).
He is first found in Walkinstown House in the 1911 census. (Previously vacant or let to tenants.)

Walkinstown House in the 1911 census.

The Bird dies, 1925

Irish Times, 16 Dec 1925.

The Duffin eviction story

George Duffin was groom and steward for The Bird at Walkinstown House.
His son Shay Duffin told me that in 1925, the Alderman evicted the Bird's widow, and the Duffins.

A lost picture of The Bird Flanagan.
Somewhere in America, in family of Shay Duffin (died 2010).

Frank Flanagan at Walkinstown House

Alderman Michael Flanagan died 1931.

Frank Flanagan.
Born 11 Dec 1886.
Moved into Walkinstown House by 1933.
Died 23 Oct 1970.

Walkinstown House.
Frank Flanagan and his daughter Deirdre, c.1938-39.

Flanagan photos

   
The front of Walkinstown House. Photo c.1943.

Flanagan sells Walkinstown

Frank Flanagan's wife Nora Stack died 1957.
Frank sold Walkinstown House in 1959 or 1960.

Aerial photo of Crumlin and Walkinstown, 1952.
Walkinstown House is on far RHS, surrounded by trees.
From The Old Drone: Norman Ashe Aerial Photographic Collection.

Mansfield-O'Flynn photos

Mansfield-O'Flynn lived at Walkinstown House in 1960s.

The gate on Walkinstown Rd.

The drive up to the W side of the house from the gate.

The front.

The front.

Walkinstown House demolished

Walkinstown House was demolished around 1971.
The site became Superquinn supermarket. Now SuperValu.

From modern street view.

Overlay of second series OS map and modern map.
Site of the main house (red cross) is buried under the supermarket.
The shape of the paddock to the NE matches the shape of the NE supermarket car park.

Much of the old wall survives, reduced in height.
Here along the front (W side).

More of the old wall, with modern addition on top.
Here along the N side.

Leicester House, Crumlin

Leicester House, Crumlin.
Another lost Flanagan house.

Leicester House on the OS map (1887 to 1913 map).
On the Drimnagh Rd / Crumlin Rd.

Aerial view of Leicester House

Aerial view of Leicester House.
20th century. Maybe 1920s.
Courtesy of Wendy Reynolds.

Crumlin in Thom's, 1858

Crumlin in Thom's, 1858.
Cavanagh (mis-spelled) at "Leinster House".
"Leinster House" is used in Thom's 1858 to 1860, then "Leicester House".
Old name or error?
Note Donagh at "Walkinstown".

Crumlin in Thom's, 1877

(Repeat of the previous.)

Crumlin in Thom's, 1877.
Cavanagh at "Leicester House".
Flanagan at "Walkinstown House".

Flanagan buys Leicester House

Alderman Michael Flanagan bought Leicester House by 1882.

His son Larry Flanagan.
Born 2 May 1874.
Listed at Leicester House from Thom's 1896 edition until death.
Died 9 Dec 1925.

Larry Flanagan and family, around 1907.

Flanagan sells Leicester House

Larry Flanagan died 1925.
Apparently his father the Alderman still owned it.
It was sold 1931, when the Alderman still alive.

Leicester House for sale, Irish Times, January 31, 1931, p.16.

Housing development

Noonan is listed at Leicester House in Thom's in at least 1934 to 1953.

Leicester House.
After some housing development. Maybe 1940s.
Note the barn and the stables.
Courtesy of Crumlin & Walkinstown History Group.

Rear side.
Courtesy of Crumlin & Walkinstown History Group.

Leicester House demolished

Mulligan is listed at Leicester House in Thom's at least 1958 to 1981-82.
Standing in 1982.
It was demolished in 1982-1985. Probably around 1983.

Junction of Errigal Rd.
The site is now the Children's Medical and Research Foundation.

Leicester House, front.
In or shortly after 1982.
Courtesy of Crumlin & Walkinstown History Group.

The rear.
Courtesy of Crumlin & Walkinstown History Group.

Leicester House stables

The stables survive, converted into a row of houses, on Drimnagh Rd.

Leicester House stables.
From street view.

The Flanagan estate

Alderman Michael Flanagan built up a vast estate, starting in the 1860s, until his death in 1931.

At its peak he had land in: Crumlin, Drimnagh, Rialto, Dolphin's Barn, Walkinstown, Greenhills, Tallaght, Kilmainham and Rathfarnham.

The estate was gradually sold off by Frank Flanagan in 1931 to 1960.

From Crumlin and the way it was, Finola Watchorn, Dublin, 1985.
She considers a "Flannaganstown" that could have been.

Alderman Flanagan of Portmahon House

Alderman Michael Flanagan's own house was Portmahon House, Rialto.
This survives.

Portmahon House.

Alderman Michael Flanagan in 1925 with his grandchildren Liam Cosgrave (left, born 1920) and Míceál Cosgrave (right, born 1922).

All source material is at:

humphrysfamilytree.com

In particular at:

humphrysfamilytree.com/Flanagan/contents.html

Or just use the search engine on the site.

Dr. Mark Humphrys

markhumphrys@gmail.com