Killester

From medieval manor to garden suburb

Joseph Brady & Ruth McManus

Killester: from medieval manor to garden suburb explores the development of Killester from its earliest days as Killester Demense, through its transformation in the early twentieth century as a garden suburb for ex-servicemen and onwards to the emergence of today’s suburb. Its history has given it a unique character and this is richly illustrated by maps and photographs. This is the first of a series of studies, entitled Dublin – Shaping the Suburbs, that explores the development of Dublin’s suburbs as many reach their centenary. This publication was commissioned by Dublin City Council as part of the Dublin City Strategic Heritage Plan 2023 to 2028, and is part funded by the Heritage Council.

Ruth McManus is an associate professor in Geography and associate dean for Teaching & Learning at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, DCU. Her recent books include the second edition of Dublin 1910–1940, shaping the city and suburbs (2021), and (with Joseph Brady) Building healthy homes, Dublin Corporation’s first housing schemes 1880–1920 (2021).

Joseph Brady is an urban geographer who specializes in the study of the growth and development of Dublin and who has published extensively on the topic. A particular research interest is the provision of social housing in the twentieth century.