Looking for Family History: An Stad, 30 North Frederick Street

Laurence Dunne

I am looking for some help establishing family history for my maternal grandmothers guest house at 30 North Frederick Street, Dublin 1. It was called "An Stad" for many years and "McCarthy's" before that.

It was an IRA safehouse during the war of independence. Michael Collins stayed there on many occasions. It was owned for a time by Cathal McGarvey, author of "Star of the county Down" and it became my grandmothers house in 1937.

I am looking for more information if anyone who lived in the area knows of such information, or at least knows of places where I can search to find such information.

pinkypinky

Hi Laurence,

If you browse rootschat.com's Dublin forum, you'll see a guy called Corisande posts about Dublin during this period in great detail. You'll have to join the site to contact him directly but he may be able to give you some more information.

This is one of his websites:
http://www.cairogang.com/

Pinky

davewatson

Sadly missed!! Mary Walsh what a Lady!!!! she was the last daughter of Mrs Walsh left running the house she is still alive but now in st. mary's
nursing home in the phoenix park i can give more information about this Walsh Family some of the owners of the old shops would have lots of stories
about Mary and her Brother Pat the house has now been closed for some years
best regards
dave watson

chowder123

Hi all,

My name is Sam and I am currently studying a Masters in Architecture in UCD.

We are tasked with locating vacant sites in the city centre and re-using them for housing initiatives in response to the growing number of homeless families in Dublin.

My research has led to me this very building!

Today the building is boarded up and cant be accessed. I’m wondering if anyone could point me in a direction where I might find drawings for No.30? A plan of the house is proving difficult to obtain...

Thank you,
Sam

pedroeibar1

Have you checked the Irish Architectural Archive on Merrion Square? If the building was renovated it would be mentioned in 'The Builder' journal (NLI on microfilm) and possibly appear in the PKS records in the IAA.

chowder123

Thanks for the response.

I checked the IAA but they only had a few photographs on record. They told me it would be next to impossible to find original drawings.. The search continues.

Esel

Maybe the floor plans of an adjacent house might be very similar?

chowder123

That's true. No. 31 and No.30 North Frederick Street are of a pair but have different treatments towards the rear.

They were designed by the same architect Michael Fredrick Trench c.1793.

Ive looked for planning applications for both on the DCC website but no luck.

Nekarsulm

Would old editions of Thoms Directory be of help? I believe several Dublin libraries have complete collections.

pinkypinky

Thoms doesn't have drawings but it will tell you who lived there, as long as it was not a tenement. Pearse St library has the best collection, and the National Library.

Verona1976

How much will this icon of a building go for on the markets?

CORGLANCY

Just come across your entries. Delighted to make contact. I'm the grandson of James Walsh of Ballinabarney, whose brother Laurence married Maureen McCarthy, who owned the An Stad.

See my site: corglancy.net/walshtree.pdf

I'd be very interested to know more about the Walshes involvement with the An Stad.

Regards

JOE KELLY, Manchester UK