Glenasmole

Glenasmole Lodge

Also known as Heathfield Lodge or Cobbe's Lodge, Glenasmole Lodge was originally built by George Grierson, the King's Printer, in 1792. It is situated at the top of the valley of Glenasmole in the townland of Castlekelly. Grierson leased the land from Thomas Cobbe who in turn leased it from his father the Archbishop of Dublin. Glenasmole land was for the most part owned by the church; the Cobbes were owners of the Newbridge House and estate in Donabate. Grierson also built Woodtown House and owned houses in Harcourt Street and at Rathfarnham (the Loreto Convent). He was said to have had an income of £20,000 before the Union. Glenasmole Lodge was used for hunting and shooting and the Griersons were great entertainers. His sons John and George founded the Dublin Daily Express. Grierson's three daughters lived in the lodge after his death and they altered it to the style of a Swiss Chalet with thatched roof. They brought back plants and mementos from all over the world to Glenasmole.

The house was burned down and rebuilt circa 1812 on a plan designed by the Griersons. Glenasmole is associated with the Fianna legends and there were many stories of Finn McCoole in the glen. In the grounds of Glenasmole Lodge is a large stone called Finn McCoole's Stone on which the Griersons had placed a plaque. The plaque had an inscription, which read in part  "Finn McCoole one of the Irish giants carried this stone on his shoulder from the opposite mountain on 1st April 1444".

Ann Mount

Ann Mount, or St. Anne's, in the Glenasmole Valley near Kilnasantan was a monastery of the Carmelite Order. The founders were Maurice Collins and John Seward, who set up a school in the valley in 1821. They provided an education to the poor before the introduction of the state national school system, and continued to provide schooling in the area until 1894. They also ran a guesthouse to help maintain the school. Handcock said that this was the venue for a quoit club, with the monks providing room, fuel and water for their guests from the city. The last brother in the order was laicised and married a local woman. There is a monument to the brothers in St Santain's Cemetery nearby. The use of the name St. Anne in the area was often a corruption of Santan the local saint.