Marlay Park House, Dublin, Ireland Stock Photo

Marlay House is located in 300 acres of the parklands in south Dublin. The origins of this estate can be traced back to the Anglo-Norman conquest of Ireland. The original house here was built by Thomas Taylor and was known as ‘The Grange’ and was then acquired and extended in 1764 by David La Touche. La Touche was a French Huguenot and the first governor of the newly established Bank of Ireland who renamed it for his wife Elizabeth Marlay. The house is a fine example of Georgian architecture and has many elaborate features including plasterwork by Michael Stapleton. Robert Tedcastle, a well-known Dublin coal merchant lived here between 1864 and 1926. The next owner was Robert Ketton Love who purchased the house for £8,325 in 1927. Love was once Ireland’s largest tomato producer and 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. The stunning parklands include playgrounds, lakes, sports fields, and recreational spaces under the stunning vistas of the Dublin Mountains. Marlay Park has become one of the most important outdoor music venues in Ireland and is also the official start of the 132 km Wicklow Way.