1888 – Former Masonic Boys’ School, Clonskeagh, Co. Dublin

The Masonic Boys School was established for the sons of deceased, or financially distressed, freemasons. It was directly supported by the Brethren of the Masonic Order and was in existence from 1867 until 1981. The school originally operated from Adelaide Hall in Sandymount but moved because of overcrowding to this new site at Richview Lodge. The original Georgian house of 1790 had previous extension work by Sir. T.N. Deane in 1861.

“Upon this demesne there is a capital house three stories high consisting of parlour, drawing room, breakfast room, six bedrooms, three dressing rooms. Basement story containing kitchen and servants apartments. Farm yard, coach houses, stabling for six horses, a walled garden, plantations and pleasure grounds.”
Brassington 1832

After some alterations and extensions by the architect Sir Thomas Drew, the school opened from the new campus on 16 January 1888. Later extensions included a Memorial Hall which was built in 1930, as “an infirmary and hall”, in memory of the pupils of the school who fought and died in the First World War. In 1944, a memorial pavilion, at a cost of £820, was built in memory of Mr. James Moore, who had been headmaster of the school from 1896-1940. In 1969, a new £60,000 science block was added to the school and named the ‘Raymond F. Brooke Memorial Building’ honouring the late Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ireland.

In 1980, UCD bought Richview Lodge and its estate of 17.4 acres for £2.1million and the school closed soon after. It his now the centre for the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy.