KILLINEY, a parish, in the half-barony of RATHDOWN, county of DUBLIN, and province of LEINSTER 2.50 miles (S. by E.) from Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire), on the road from Dublin City to Bray (Co. Wicklow); containing 495 inhabitants.
This parish comprises 1269 statute acres, as applotted under the a tithe act, and valued at £3118 per annum. The hills of Kllliney command magnificent views of Howth, Kingstown, and Dublin bay; the groves of Merrion and Mount Anville, with part of Dublin, the Phoenix Park, and the river Liffey, Killiney bay, Bray Head, and the two Sugar-Loaf mountains. They are visited by many parties of pleasure in summer; at which season Killiney and its vicinity are favourite places of residence, and several pretty villas and rustic cottages have been erected for such as may take up their abode here. There are three hills, called "the Three Sisters," in one of which was procured the stone for constructing Kingstown harbour : the second is of considerable elevation; the village of Killiney, which. is in the parish of Kill, occupies the south side of the third hill.
The principal seats are
- Loftus Hill, formerly belonging to Mr. Henrys, which is beautifully situated to the north of the Killiney hills ;
- Laughlinstown House, the residence of the Hon. Judge Day;
- Ballinclea, of the Hon. Mrs. Mellefont ;
- Killiney Park, of Sir N. W. Brady, Knt. ;
- Saintbury, of Capt. Stritch ;
- Kilmarnock, of Lieut. Baker, R. N. ;
- Ballybeack Grove, of Japhet Alley, Esq. ;
- Killiney House, of Capt. Gaynor;
- Marino, of Mrs. King ;
- Martello Farm, of T. Oxley, Esq. ; and
- Drum Cottage, of Mrs. Pattem
It is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Dublin, forming part of the union of Monkstown; the rectory forms part of the corps of the deanery of Christ Church, Dublin. The tithes amount to £117.0s.11.50d., of which £78. 0s. 7.75d., is payable to the dean, and £39. 0s. 4.50d.,to the incumbent of Monkstown. By a public act passed in the. 9th of Geo. IV. it was enacted that a church, or chapel of ease to Monkstown should be erected at Killiney, and endowed with houses and land in the village of Dalkey, which were taken from the deanery. For some years divine service was performed by the Rev. Chas. Sleater, the first chaplain (who was appointed by the incumbent of Monkstown) in a private houses but in 1834 a chapel of ease was erected on a site given by Sir Compton Domville, Bart., who also gave a portion of glebe. It is in the later English style, and is built of the white granite that is found in great abundance on the spot; at the west end is an embattled tower with pinnacles.
In the Roman Catholic divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Kingstown.
In the village is a public school, in which about 60 children are educated, and a school-house was erected in 1834, in connection with the church. A dispensary in the village is maintained in the customary manner.
Near Killiney bay are two Martello towers and two batteries.
The picturesque ruins of the old church, covered with ivy, are on the shore.
In Killiney Park and the grounds of Druid Cottage are some interesting druidical remains.
Stone coffins and urns of baked clay were found in the grounds of Killiney House, about the year 1784 ; and ancient coins, ornaments and military weapons have been frequently found here.
Near Dorset Lodge is a pyramidical monument of granite, erected to mark the spot where the fourth Duke of Dorset lost his life accidentally, while hunting, in 1815.
