Saint Anne's Park

The park is bisected by the small Naniken River and features an artificial pond and a number of follies, a rose garden, a Chinese garden, a fine collection of trees with walks, including Dublin municipal arboretum, a playground, cafe, and recreational facilities including extensive Gaelic sport and soccer playing fields, tennis courts and a par-3 golf course.

In 1837, Elizabeth and Benjamin Lee Guinness commissioned St Anne's House, a large Italianate-style residence known locally as “The Mansion”, and it was modified over several generations.

[1] The Italianate influence included references in the garden follies to ancient Roman sites as well as the import of actual antiquities.

[4] In 1868 Elizabeth and Benjamin's son, Sir Arthur Edward Guinness, Lord Ardilaun, inherited the estate and also purchased an adjacent property, Manresa House.

[1] Bishop Plunkett retained Sybil Hill as a private residence with 30 acres (120,000 m2) of parkland, and it was later sold to the later became the site of St Paul's College, Raheny.

During the Second World War, Dublin Corporation encouraged local residents to grow vegetables in allotment gardens within the estate.

In December 1943, the main residence of St Anne's was gutted by a fire while being used as a store by the Local Defence Force; the ruins were demolished in 1968.

The Guinness family added a number of follies, a walled garden, and a grand avenue to the mansion house.

Within the last decade, Dublin City Council has been restoring parts of the Naniken River to its natural state, creating wildlife habitats and wildflower meadows, and improving the path system.

[citation needed] St. Anne's is known for its garden follies and features, of which there are approximately 10 surviving from around 12, mainly around the Naniken River.

[7]: 11 The viewing tower, an unusual folly, is a Roman-style building designed by Sir Benjamin Guinness himself, based on the Roman Tomb of the Julii at St Remi in France,[8] and stands on the hill overlooking the duck pond.

square, segmental pediments over the first-floor windows, and eight Doric columns and arches on the top floor supporting the roof.

The asymmetrical castellated bridge was built over the entrance driveway from the coast road in 1839 to mark the birth of Annie Lee Guinness.

The remains of a yew circle and fountain pool are located behind the former formal walled garden beside the house's site.

For example, the Roman-style viewing tower was graffiti-covered, had been closed for many years and became completely hidden by mature trees (it could only be revealed, and the view restored, by felling trees, which would be detrimental to the environment of the park, so an alternative proposal was that the tower be moved instead to the site of the old rockery, near the junction of James Larkin Road and Mount Prospect Avenue).

There was also a yew walk and nymphaeum, which ran within the formal gardens once located behind the main house, and is attested in photographs.

The elaborate Tudor red brick Ardilaun stables, lining three sides of a square, were designed by George Coppinger Ashlin, also the architect of All Saints Church at Raheny and built by Collon Brothers for £6,000.

In 1980 it was given a Civic Award by Bord Failte and the Irish Town Planning Institute, and since 1981 it has been a centre for International Rose Trials.

Its development led to the annual Rose Festival, now a popular event on the summer calendar for Dublin gardeners and families every July.

There is a herbaceous garden area open during limited hours, and a fine clock tower, restored to working order in 2007.

In 1840, Frederick Darley Ogilby described 'St Anne's House' as havinv a castle-like appearance, of irregular Gothic construction with a high tower'.

The eleven-bay house was two storeys high, with a three-bay pedimented breakfront, with elaborate armorials in its tympanum supported on Corinthian pilasters superimposed on Ionic half columns.

The walk terminated in a nymphaeum, flanked by obelisks of yew and featuring a sculpted group of Jupiter and Thetis.

Also in the walled house garden was an aviary with golden pheasants; a floral temple of arches and chains in cast iron; and a circular yew hedge with allegorical marble Italian statues representing the five continents, which were reflected in a great circular marble basin in the centre.

There is an all-weather cricket crease in the middle of the main playing fields area, and one pitch is floodlit for Gaelic games.