Marlay Park

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1 Marlay House
2 Marlay Craft Centre
3 Wicklow Way
4 Marley Grange
5 Concerts
6 Note
7 External links

Waterfall in Marlay Park

Marlay Park is a 300 acre (121 hectares) suburban public park located in Rathfarnham in the administrative area of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, in Co. Dublin, Ireland. Lying about ten kilometres (six miles) from Dublin city centre. The parkland comprises woodlands, ponds and walks. Recreational spaces include a nine hole par three golf course, tennis courts, BMX cycle track, fourteen football pitches, a cricket pitch, children’s playground and a miniature railway run by the Dublin Society of Model and Experimental Engineers. There is also a craft courtyard with home craft shops and coffee shops.

Dublin County Council acquired the land in 1972 and developed it as a regional park. Opened in 1975, it is now administered by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. Dublin Bus serves the park directly with the 16 bus, but the following buses are within walking distance: 14, 14A and 48A directly to the city centre. The 75 bus goes to Dún Laoghaire^[1]. Since 2000 Marlay Park has become a popular music venue featuring both renowned national and international stars before an audience of 30,000 concertgoers

Its name is commonly misspelled as Marley, most notably in nearby housing developments (see below).

[edit] Marlay House

Marley House, Dec 2003

Facade of Marlay House

1837 sketch of Marlay Park Demense by Anne La Touche

Marlay House was built by Thomas Taylor and was known as ‘The Grange’. David La Touché, first governor of the newly established Bank of Ireland acquired and extended the house in 1764 and renamed it for his wife Elizabeth Marlay. The house, a fine example of Georgian architecture, has many elaborate features including plasterwork by Michael Stapleton. Marlay was sold in 1864 to Robert Tedcastle, a well known Dublin coal merchant[2], whose family lived there until 1925 when Philip Love bought the house for £8,325. Love, a market gardener who was once Ireland's largest tomato producer, was also a racehorse breeder whose famous horse Larkspur won the 1962 Epsom Derby. He lived there until 1972 when it was donated to the Dublin County Council.

A 4.5 acre walled garden was built near the house around 1794, and consists of a restored regency ornamental and kitchen gardens. The ornamental garden boasts an extensive display of period plants, ranging from herbaceous borders to shrub beds. The Head Gardener's house, orangery, arbour and water features combine to create a distinctive atmosphere. Located just over the wall, the kitchen garden houses a fine collection of regency fruit trees, vegetables and associated bothys.

Daily tours of the gardens are available in the summer months and by appointment at other times. Tea, coffee and other refreshments are available, year round, in the former gardener’s house.

[edit] Marlay Craft Centre

Farmer's Market, held each Saturday in the Craft Courtyard

Former Head Gardener's cottage, now a coffee shop and entrance to Regency (Walled) Garden

Kite flying at Marlay Park

A number of small craft workshops are located in the courtyard adjacent to Marlay House including, weaving, glass cutting, bookbinding, furniture restoration, copper craft, pottery, jewellery and embroidery. One of these was originally the residence of Evie Hone whose stained-glass workshop was located in the library of Marlay House itself.

[edit] Wicklow Way

Marlay Park is the official starting point[3] of the 132 km Wicklow Way, an Irish long distance walking trail, that begins at the car park adjacent to Marlay House. The trail wanders through the delightful sylvan surroundings of the park, before tunnelling under the M50 motorway to begin its first ascent southwards towards the Dublin hills and the first of several forest vistas on its way southward over the Wicklow Mountains to Clonegal, County Carlow. The Wicklow Way website estimates that walkers should allow 7 hours for the first 21-km section to Knockree.

[edit] Marley Grange

Marley Grange, developed in the 1970s, is one of several housing developments adjacent to Marlay Park and contains five roads named "Marley": Avenue, Drive, Walk, Close and Grove. Residents assume that the developer misspelled the name when naming the roads.