Roebuck, Dublin facts for kids
Roebuck is an area in Ireland that was once a large piece of land, or "estate." It was also known as "Rabuck" long ago. It's located in what were called "baronies" – these were like old districts or divisions of land in Ireland.
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The Story of Roebuck
Roebuck became an important place not long after the Normans arrived in Ireland, starting around 1169. The Normans were people from France who came to conquer and settle in Ireland.
Early Owners and the Castle
By 1261, a person named Fromund Le Brun owned Roebuck. He was a very important official called the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, which was like a chief judge and advisor to the king in Ireland.
During the 1200s (the 13th century), a castle was built at Roebuck. This castle was a strong building meant to protect the land and its owners. However, it was badly damaged during a big conflict called the Irish Rebellion of 1641. This rebellion was a major uprising against English rule in Ireland.
An artist named Gabriel Beranger drew a picture of the castle ruins around 1768, showing what was left of it after the damage.
The Barnewall Family
In 1466, a woman named Elizabeth le Brun married Robert Barnewall. He later became the first Baron of Trimlestown, which meant he was a noble with a special title. The Barnewall family owned Roebuck for a very long time.
A survey done in Ireland between 1654 and 1656 showed that the Roebuck estate was quite large, about 500 acres. That's like 500 football fields! The Barnewall family kept parts of the estate until the early 1800s, when they started selling off some of the land.
For example, in 1812, a surgeon named Solomon Richards bought some land in an area of the estate called Roebuck Grove from Baron Trimlestown.
Later Owners and University College Dublin
In 1856, the Westby family bought the estate. Much later, from 1943 until 1985, a group of nuns called the Little Sisters of the Poor owned the land.
Eventually, a large part of the Roebuck estate became part of the campus for University College Dublin. This is one of Ireland's biggest universities, and it now stands on land that has a long and interesting history!
