Patrick Smith
KILLESTER GARDEN VILLAGE
My paternal grandparents Patrick and Mary Smith lived at 26 Abbeyfield, Killester, Dublin, and were one of the first families to move into the newly built Killester Garden Village in 1923. As my grandfather had been a World War 1 veteran, he qualified to apply for one of these houses.
Grandmother Mary Smith outside 26 Abbeyfield, Killester.
Under The Irish Land (Provision for Sailors and Soldiers) Act of 1919, the Government started to build housing for the Irish WW1 ex-servicemen in Ireland. However, building sites equipped with water, drainage and other suburban services were difficult to locate. Killester was available and work began there in 1920. Killester Garden Village was based on Ebeneezer Howard’s Garden Concept which was to create new (suburban) towns of semi-rural, low density houses with recreational spaces and affordable housing and the project was completed in 1923. A new train station was built, and also a hall in the 1930s to replace an old Army hut, which stood on the green in Abbeyfield, now known locally as the Legion Hall (branch of the British Legion who provided support to the ex-servicemen and families in Killester).
The scheme initially involved the building of 247 houses, mostly semi-detached, single storey bungalows. However, this number rose to 289 when a group of two-storey houses was erected, which was not part of the original scheme. The Scheme retained the land divisions of the old private estate when the roads were named “The Orchard”, “The Demesne”, “Abbeyfield” (where my grandparents lived) and “Middle Third”.
My grandparents moved from Meath Street in Dublin City, to Killester in 1923 and it was such a different world for them. They actually had their own indoor toilet, running water and separate bedrooms, which were considered luxuries at that time.
Killester Garden Village celebrated its 100th Birthday in 2023 and there are still descendants of the original families living there today.