01/03/2005
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
LORD MASSY TO ATTEND BOOKLAUNCH BY MAYOR ROBERT DOWDS,IF THOSE TREES COULD SPEAK, WRITTEN BY FRANK TRACY IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM KILDARE STREET.
A history of the family of Lord Massy of Duntrileague will be launched in the National Museum, Kildare St at 7.00pm on Wednesday 9th March. The book, If Those Trees Could Speak, written by Frank Tracy, is being published by the South Dublin Libraries, and will be launched by the Mayor of South Dublin County, Robert Dowds. The launch will be attended by members of the Massy family, including David Hamon Massy the current holder of the title. In the 19th century, the Massy family had extensive landholdings in various parts of the country including the beautiful Killakee House, gardens and woods in the Dublin Mountains near Rathfarnham, and at Hermitage in Castleconnell, Co. Limerick. In the early 20th century the family fortunes declined dramatically and in 1924 Hugh Hamon, 8th Baron Massy, was evicted from Killakee House. He spent the remaining thirty four years of his life living in a three-roomed gate lodge at Killakee, dependant on his wife’s income. The book traces the family’s history from Normandy in the 11th century to the present day.
To celebrate National Tree Week and the publication by South Dublin Libraries of If Those Trees Could Speak, a joint guided walk of Lord Massy’s Woods, led by FrankTracy and Coillte Staff, will take place on Sunday 13th March 2005 from the Hellfire Club Car Park, Killakee Road at 2.30pm. All are welcome.
After the launch, copies of the book will be available from branches of South Dublin Libraries.
For further information please contact Kieran Swords, Local Studies Librarian, County Library, Tallaght, Dublin 24 by phone at 01 4620073 or by e-mail at localstudies@sdublincoco.ie