17th January - Samuel Dick

Samuel Dick (1734 – 1802)

#OnThisDay, 17th January 1802 Samuel Dick died.

More than anybody else, Samuel Dick has left his mark on Raheny village, which owns its distinctive and unusual character to his building of the wonderful Crescent Cottages and the old schoolhouse in the late eighteenth century.

Samuel Dick became a successful linen merchant, was a director and Governor of the Bank of Ireland, director of Hibernian Insurance, and a trustee of the Malahide Turnpike Road and Justice for the Peace for Dublin among other things.

Samuel came to live in Raheny in a house called Violet Hill, later called Edenmore House and is now known as St. Joseph’s Hospital.

In 1787 he paid for the building of a new schoolhouse, which became known as ‘Dick’s Charity School’.  About 1790, he build eight cottages for his workmen on his Violet Hill estate.  These unique Crescent Cottages, almost unchanged, still survive today and add greatly to the charm of Raheny.

You can read more about Samuel Dick in the Raheny Heritage Society’s publication ‘Raheny Footprints’

Look at our photo gallery to see some photos.