Historic photos of Larkfield

@Tighin wrote:

Has anyone got, or does anyone know where to find, a photograph of Larkfield in Kimmage – not the modern estate, but the house owned by the Plunketts whose vast grounds were used as the training ground for the Volunteers before 1916?

You could try finding Finola Watchorn’s book on the History of Crumlin – haven’t read it myself but she has been the main source of historical info on the area. Might be out of print now but some libriaries will have a copy. You could also try dublin.ie forums which has a section on Crumlin/Kimmage and you might get lucky there.

Unfortunately there’s not much about Larkfield in ”Crumlin, and the way it was” by Finola Watchorn, just a few references to the townland and this short passage on Larkfield Flour Mills:

”Larkfield Mills was situated behind the present Sundrive Shopping Centre. Around the middle of the last century [i.e. the 19th century], it was run by a Francis Tuite.

It was later owned by Count Plunket, who’s son, Joseph Mary Plunkett was executed at Arbour Hill [?] in1916. Kimmage was a republican stronghold at that time and Larkfield Mill was used as a training ground for the Republican forces before 1916. There was also a shooting range at this mill and it was said that Michael Collins trained here”.

There isn’t an index in this otherwise fine local history, published in 1985, but I’ve flicked through it and I think that’s the only reference.

Try here Tighin http://www.southdublinimages.ie/search.aspx?location=202:Donabate

Just saw this – thank you for these references; unfortunately, neither contains an actual photo. It seems likely that somewhere – in an old article, in a school yearbook, in an architect’s private photos – there’s a picture of Larkfield alone, or of the Lambs drilling there, but so far it’s proved impossible to find.