Welcome To Our Website
The aim of the Kilmacud Stillorgan Local History Society is to promote and sustain an interest in our culture, heritage and history, particularly with regard to Kilmacud Stillorgan and the adjoining areas
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Upcoming Events
History Trip – – 17th May
We’re delighted to announce details of this year’s History Trip that will take place on Saturday 17th May, 2025. We plan to visit:
Newbridge House, Donabate, Co. Dublin - A Georgian villa, designed by architect James Gibbs
Mellifont Abbey, Co. Louth - Monastic site (first Cistercian foundation in Ireland)
Beaubec, Co. Meath - A medieval monastic settlement and farm
Cost: €45 per person. Payment can be made through our online shop - May Trip or at next talk night (10th April) in St Laurence’s Parish CentreLast Talk – – – – April 10th
Our final talk for this season took place in St Laurence's Parish Centre, Lr Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan (A94 CV63), on Thursday 10 April.
Our Speaker was Sam McGrath and the talk was titled :
Kilmacud's Revolutionary Residents: Exploring the Military Service Pensions Collection (1916-1923)
This presentation explored some of the key incidents and day-to-day military activity that occurred in the 1916-1923 period in the wider Kilmacud-Stillorgan area, using the wealth of material released by the MSPC including pension records, medal files, membership rolls and the Brigade Activity Reports. It also examined the organisational structure of the IRA, Cumann na mBan and Na Fianna Éireann in the South Dublin area. Finally, the talk showcased how the MPSC records can be used to unearth aspects of social and local history including themes of employment, emigration trends, social mobility, living standards, the experience of women and politics in the post-civil war period.
Sam grew up in Kilmacud and since 2017 has worked as an archivist with the Military Service (1916-1923) Pensions Collection, Irish Military Archive. In addition to processing files for release to the public, he has given several local history talks and contributed articles for the project’s blog on topics such as the republican movement outside Ireland, the IRA’s intelligence department, the Irish Citizen Army and MSPC connections to Irish politics in the 1930s/40s. He holds a BA in History and Politics (2011) and an MA in Archives and Records Management (2013), both from UCD. He was co-author of two Dublin social history books “Come Here To Me” published in 2012 and 2017.
Can You Help?
We are always glad to get help running our Society's activities. If you would like to help with specific tasks or if you would like to join our committee, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Articles for Obelisk
If you have an idea for an article, we would like to hear from you. The first step is to contact us and we will provide you with more detailed suggestions and hints to help you develop and write your article.
Unwanted History Books / Journals
If you have any books or journals of a historical nature that you no longer require please let us know. We may be able to find new homes for them at our monthly talks. If you have any questions or would like more information on our activities please to contact us.
Obelisk 2025 – – – – – on sale
The nineteenth edition of the Society’s annual journal, Obelisk, was launched in the Function Room, Glenalbyn on Friday 22 November. Click HERE to see some photos from the night..
As always we pay a special thanks to our contributors for their very enthusiastic response with material and without whose stories there would be no Obelisk. Over the years Obelisk has accumulated a rich trove of articles that help to give us a fuller picture of daily life and the streetscape of times past.
Click on image for the list of contents.
Obelisk 2025 is available at our monthly talks and from our usual outlets at €7 a copy :
South Dublin Credit Union, Lower Kilmacud Road, The Village Cafe, Glenalbyn House, Stillorgan, and through our Online Shop. Online purchases for local addresses in Kilmacud, Stillorgan and surrounding areas that can be hand delivered will have any postage paid refunded.
Obelisk Editions Available
Copies of Obelisk No.18 2024, Obelisk No.17 2023, Obelisk No.16 2022, and Obelisk No.15 2021 are available at €7 each (postage extra). Copies of Obelisk No.14 2020, Obelisk No.13 2019, Obelisk No.12 2018, and Obelisk No.11 2017 are available at €5 each (postage extra). Copies of Obelisk No.10 2016, Obelisk No.8 2014, Obelisk No.7 2013 and Obelisk No.1 2006 (reprint), are available at €3 each (postage extra).
Take a few minutes and look at our video presentation on back issues.
To purchase our journals please click Online Shop. In the shop, there are three Postage & Packing rates available, based on your geographical location – Ireland, Great Britain and Rest of the World. Note also that for local area deliveries the postage will be refunded.
If you need any assistance or have any questions on the above or our other publications, please contact us.
A limited number of earlier editions is available from Kennedy’s Centra, Stepaside Village.
Dublin South – – Radio Podcast
On 27 November 2024, Kilmacud Stillorgan Local History Society featured on Dublin South 93.9 FM in ‘’Community Connection”. You can hear the broadcast on playback by clicking HERE.
Looking for something specific ? Try searching our website.
Society Emails
Our March 2025 Talk
Our last talk was held in St Laurence's Parish Centre, Lr Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan (A94 CV63), on Thursday 13 March. Our Speaker was Jane Nolan and the talk is titled :
Local History through Maps
This presentation featured a range of free websites where historical maps of Dublin can be viewed. It included demonstrations on how to search these resources and print maps, with a focus on the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown area.
Jane hails from Rathfarnham and has worked as a librarian at UCD for many years. Initially, she worked in the Architecture and Planning Library at Richview - where most of the library's map collection is held - and it was there that her interest in maps began. In that position, she managed Archinfo, an information service for architectural queries related to historical maps. Jane played a key role in discussions with Ordnance Survey Ireland to secure digital scans of their 19th-century large-scale maps, which are now accessible online via UCD's Digital Library.
In her current role at UCD Library, she provides mapping and geospatial support to UCD students, researchers, and staff. Jane has developed and maintains two digital mapping guides as part of the Library’s services.
History in Maps
Click to download Jane's PowerPoint Presentation
If you have difficulty downloading the PowerPoint presentation, try downloading this PDF Version of the presentation.