Sir Charles Domvile and his Shankill estate, County Dublin, 1857–1871

Rob Goodbody

Sir Charles Dumvile inherited his family's title and estates in 1857, becoming one of the wealthiest commoners in Ireland. The property included the lands of Shankill and Rathmichael, Co. Dublin, which were occupied by 95 families. Within ten years, 85 of these had gone – many of them evicted, others forced out by other means. Domvile's aim had been to make these lands more profitable, but he achieved very little and was ultimately declared bankrupt. This book examines events to show how Sir Charles managed to turn a promising beginning into a total failure, both for himself and for the population of Shankill and Rathmichael in south Co. Dublin.

Rob Goodbody is from Dublin and lives near Shankill. His interests in local history and building conservation are wide, with a particular emphasis on Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.