Postcard of Kenure House
An old postcard showing Kenure House. This big house was demolished in 1978. The six columns at the entrance to the house were the only parts that were left standing. They remain in St. Catherine's housing estate in Rush, which was built on the site of Kenure House.
Courtesy of Fingal County LibrariesPostcard of Kenure House
Courtesy of Fingal County Libraries
Courtesy of Fingal County Libraries
Postcard of Kenure House
An old postcard showing Kenure House. This big house was demolished in 1978. The six columns at the entrance to the house were the only parts that were left standing. They remain in St. Catherine's housing estate in Rush, which was built on the site of Kenure House.
Courtesy of Fingal County LibrariesKenure House was a mansion located in Rush. It was demolished in 1978 for safety reasons, as it had fallen into disrepair. Take a look at this image to see what an impressive house it was. This house was originally built in 1703, and was extended after it was damaged by fire in 1827.
George Pratt lived at Kenure for a number of years when he was a teenager. His aunt was the housekeeper there. In a book called Fragments of Fingal, he describes what life was like in the big house.
"The staff consisted of about twenty servants ranging from Lindsay the butler and Preston the footman, to the lowliest of them all - the scullery and stillroom maids.
The working day for the servants began at 6 in the morning, and the working week consisted of six and a half days, with a half-day from 2pm to 10pm allowed for free time. The estate gates and the house doors were locked each night at 10, so everybody had to be back by that time.
Kenure House - Main Staircase
The main staircase in Kenure House.
Kenure House - Main Staircase
Kenure House - Main Staircase
The main staircase in Kenure House.
From Punchestown Races in April, through the Season to the following September each year, the Colonel entertained his guests at the house. They were all titled gentry and senior officers of the British army, with their wives. Both male and female guests wore tweeds during the day, and they would spend their time either at the races, or walking or riding on the estate, with the occasional shoot or picnic. At 7.30 each evening I sounded the gong to remind the gentry to dress for dinner, and at 8, I would again sound it for them to appear in the dining room."