Außergewöhnliche Residenz, Clifton House, Coliemore Road, Dalkey, A96X921

Stokes Property freut sich, dieses außergewöhnliche Anwesen an der Coliemore Road zum ersten Mal seit fast 100 Jahren auf dem Markt anbieten zu können.

Clifton House ist ein zweistöckiges, freistehendes viktorianisches Haus mit vier Schlafzimmern auf einem erhöhten, großzügigen Grundstück (ca. 0,25 ha/0,62 Acre) mit beeindruckendem Panoramablick über Dalkey Island und die Dublin Bay.

Clifton House verfügt über schön proportionierte Räume mit hohen Decken und vielen intakten historischen Elementen sowie einen sehr großen Garten mit zwei separaten Einfahrten zur Coliemore Road.

Kurze Geschichte
Clifton House hat eine faszinierende Geschichte, darunter eine Verbindung zu James Joyce:
Ulysses 16.157-9: – “There’ll be a job tomorrow or next day, Stephen told him, in a boys’ school at Dalkey for a gentleman usher. Mr Garrett Deasy. Try it. You may mention my name.”

Clifton, or Clifton House, as it was also known, was originally located at No 64 Coliemore Road, Dalkey. The house was in the possession of Edward Hamilton, M.D., F.R.C.S. (according to Thom’s Directory) in 1890 and 1894: Hamilton practiced at 120 Stephen’s Green in the centre of Dublin, but the house remained empty, or enjoyed only occasional occupation, as it was advertised to let on various occasions between 1890 and 1893. In mid-1893, its future appeared settled, and its commodious rooms and grounds were converted for use as a school:

Dalkey, Killiney, Bray – An Oxford Honorman, assisted by competent staff, proposes opening Classes in Classics, Mathematics, Modern Languages, about 7th August, at Dalkey, for Uni versities, Army, Navy, Juniors, Public Schools, and Intermediate [examinations]; can undertake Private Tuition at once; highest references exchanged. For terms apply- T. P. W., Clifton, Dalkey.
Irish Times, 28. Juni 1893

Thomas Preston Walsh war der erste Schulleiter der Clifton School (die später der Arbeitgeber von niemand geringerem als James Joyce war).

Clifton, Dalkey, County Dublin. Principal – Mr Preston Walsh (Honor, Oxon). Daily and Resident Tuition- Instruction entirely given by Honor Graduates. Vacancies for Resident Pupils. Healthy situation, tennis ground, sea baths close to house.
Irish Times (1893), 5. August, S. 3

In the following March, the school’s situation was specially noted in advertisements:

Clifton ist ein großes Haus mit Tennisplatz (bei Bedarf mit Ponystall für den ansässigen Schüler), heißem und kaltem Wasser im gesamten Gebäude und perfekten sanitären Einrichtungen; zwei Minuten von den Dalkey Sea Baths (heiß und kalt) und acht Minuten vom Bahnhof entfernt.
Irish Times, 24. März 1894

By this time, the school also offered “Individual Tuition, if required, for backward Boys”. The Irish Times carried several advertisements for teaching staff, not necessarily full-time – which is perhaps relevant in the light of Joyce’s involvement with the school ten years later albeit at another address.

Assistant Master – University Man Wanted for Junior work two or four hours daily, morning; resident if preferred. Apply, personally or by letter, Principal, Clifton School, Dalkey.
Irish Times (1894), 22. September

Im Jahr 1889 erschien in der Irish Times eine Anzeige für ein großes Haus namens Clifton (Haus) zur Miete in Dalkey. Das Haus war gut ausgestattet, mit sieben Schlafzimmern, Stallungen und einem Tennisplatz:

To be Let, Furnished, from the 1st of August, Clifton, Dalkey, standing on 2 acres, nicely planted, commanding fine sea view; 3 sittingrooms, 7 bedrooms, servants’ room, pantries, &c.; stables, tennis court: 8 minutes tram or train. Apply to Mr Casey, Post-office, Dalkey.
Irish Times, 13. Juli 1889

Francis Irwin is still a rather shadowy character in the Dublin mythology of Ulysses, though he is mentioned in many of the classic texts which help us to understand the novel and its background. Richard Ellmann introduces Irwin to us in his biography of Joyce, because Irwin ran the small, private school, Clifton School, at which Joyce worked for a short while as a teacher, in the first half of 1904. In the novel it is, of course, Stephen Dedalus who is briefly employed as a “gentleman usher” or assistant master by Deasy:

“Joyce’s next venture was as a schoolteacher. There was a temporary vacancy for a gentleman usher at the Clifton School, Dalkey, a private school…… headmaster was an Ulster Scot, very pro-British, named Francis Irwin, a Trinity College graduate. Joyce devotes the second chapter of Ulysses to describing Stephen’s activities at a school clearly modelled on Irwin’s.”
Richard Ellman – James Joyce (1982)

The property has been occupied by the vendors’ family for almost 100 years.