Hellfire Club

Hellfire Club
Courtesy of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage

The Hellfire club, one of South Dublin's most  well known landmarks, is situated in a clearing of woods on Montpelier Hill in the Dublin /Wicklow mountains at an altitude of around 1264 ft

There was originally a Neolithic passage tomb on the site. A hunting lodge was built there using stone from the tomb  by the  Speaker Connolly in 1725. There was an abundance of red deer in the area at the time and it would have been an ideal hunting ground. After Connolly's death, the lodge was taken over by the Hellfire club- a secret sociey of ill repute  who held secret meetings there. The Devil was said to have appeared on the site and it is also said to be haunted.  There are also tales of huge black cats roaming the region and it was said that a large black cat used to be the guest of honour at Hellfire Club meetings as Satan's representative.

The ruins of the building still remain and the Hellfire club was recently named building of the month for March 2010 by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage on the buildings of Ireland website below. The site of the Hellfire Club is owned by Coilte who also maintain the forrest and it's surrounding trails.

http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/

This area is very popular for waking and there are amazing views over Dublin from this vantage point.  There are several trails to be followed through the Forrest with around 4.5km of forest roads and tracks. The trees in the area are mostly Sitka Spruce, Larch and Beech and there is an abundance of heather, grouse and furze.

For more information about the history Hellfire club please visit

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/life-society/irish-language-legends/myths-and-legends-of-sout/myths-and-legends-in-engl/the-hell-fire-club