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Follies

ROMAN TOWER ONE OF MANY FOLLIES AT ST ANNE’S PARK

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TOMB OF JULII

The Roman Tower is situated on a hill overlooking the lake and the Pompeiian temple.

Today, the Tomb of the Julii is largely obscured by vegetation which made it difficult for me to photograph. However, it was originally a more prominent feature of St. Anne‟s. It was based on the design of the original Tomb of the Julii in St. Remy, France and was constructed by Benjamin Lee Guinness. It was originally located on top of the main house, but was taken down and moved to this location by Lord and Lady Ardilaun when they commissioned the J. F. Fuller extension in 1873-76.

THE HERMIT’S CAVE AND NEARBY

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ST ANNE’S PARK IN RAHENY

The ‘Bridge & Hermitage’ spans the Nanekin River and houses the magical Hermit’s Cave. With its ancient stone entrance, visiting the Hermit’s Cave feels like stepping into a storybook where imagination come to life.

The Naniken River is a minor river on the north side of Dublin city, Ireland, one of more than forty watercourses monitored by Dublin City Council. It is culverted for its upper course, visible in St Anne’s Park for its entire lower course, and causes flooding somewhere along its line most years. The river flows entirely within the jurisdiction of Dublin City Council.

The origins of the name, also spelt sometimes as Nannikin or Naneken, are unclear, though it has been speculated that it might be a diminutive reflection of the much-larger Nanny River flowing just north of the County Dublin boundary.

The Naniken is a central feature of Dublin’s second largest municipal park, a former Guinness family estate. It passes in a shady channel through an area of playing fields, runs through the Dublin City Millennium Arboretum, and then flows in a more distinct valley through the central reaches of the park. In the 19th century there was a pond northwest of the modern-day nursery, with a small waterfall, but this is entirely gone now. Some artificial features were constructed for the Guinnesses near the river, including ornamental bridges (one high bridge was removed for safety reasons in the 1980s), at least one ford, and a couple of wider areas. Near the coast an offtake supplies the Duck Pond (or Old Pond), while the river itself flows around and passes under the James Larkin Road to enter the western half of the “lagoon” (also known as Crab Water or Raheny Lake) behind North Bull Island. The line of the Naniken from its mouth marks the boundary of the civil parish of Raheny with that of Clontarf, and the beginning of the Raheny portion of the Bull Island.

This small but long-established river causes flooding, as with the neighbouring Wad River, in many years. Frequent locations include Maryfield Crescent, Rosemount Avenue and parts of Kilmore. In 2014, the City Manager acknowledged the flood risks, noted that there was no near-term funding for serious remedial works, but agreed that the City Council would invest 60,000 euro in a hydraulic study.

HERCULANEAN HOUSE OR TEMPLE AT ST ANNE’S PUBLIC PARK 6 AUGUST 2023

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THE RAIN WAS REALLY INTENSE WHEN I VISITED ON THE BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY

Every time I visit St Anne’s Park it rains and yesterday was no different except for the fact that I have never seen such intense rain … a path that I was walking along turned into a river within minutes.

When I first photographed this more than ten years ago it was in very poor condition having been the subject of vandalism for decades. In recent years, there have been efforts to restore the follies but this has been a slow and expensive process and some are still in poor condition, There is hope that they will eventually be restored to their former glory.

Follies are decorative structures that are built for aesthetic purposes rather than for practical use. They are often found in gardens and parks, and they can take many different forms. Some common types of follies include towers, bridges, grottoes, and temples.

St Anne’s Park is home to 12 follies, which were built by the Guinness family in the 19th century. The follies are located throughout the park, and they are inspired by a variety of architectural styles, including Roman, Greek, and maybe Chinese.

The follies at St Anne’s Park have been conserved by Dublin City Council in recent years. The conservation work has included repairing the structures, removing vegetation, and applying a protective coating to the stonework.

  • The temple was built in 1835 by Benjamin Lee Guinness, the second earl of Iveagh
  • It is inspired by the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum, which was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 79 AD.
  • The temple is made of limestone, and it features a Doric portico with six columns.
  • The interior of the temple is small and circular, with a domed ceiling.
    The temple was originally used as a tearoom for the Guinness family.
  • The temple is located on the banks of the Naniken River.

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