A Brief History

The Demesne consists of the ancient townlands of Kilmainham, Ardgillan and Baltry. The district was originally controlled by the Gaelic O'Casey family and later the Earl of Tyrconnell. However, the period 1600 -1700 saw great changes in the pattern of land ownership in Ireland due to the confiscation and redistribution of land after the Cromwellian and Williamite wars (1640's and 1680's respectively).

In 1658 the "Down Survey" records that Ardgillan was owned by a wine merchant Robert Usher, of Crumlin, Dublin and by 1737 the property had been acquired by the Reverend Robert Taylor, one of the Headfort Taylors, whose grand-father had collaborated with Sir William Petty on the mid 17th century "Down Survey of Ireland".

Ardgillan remained the family home of the Taylors (later changed to Taylour) for more than two hundred years until 1962 when the estate was sold to Heinrich Potts of Westphalia, Germany. In 1982 Dublin County Council purchased Ardgillan Demesne and Fingal County Council now manages it.

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