Johnstown House – St Johns College Ballyfermot
History
Johnstown House was not always as big as it is today. The original school started in the house, which is now the Brother’s Monastery. The house itself has a very interesting history and even its external appearance is very impressive. The house is believed to have been built in 1745 as this date was found inscribed on a wall in the basement of the house. In A page from Thom's official directory for the year 1776 a V Earl paid £121 in fees to the Government. One of the early owners was Lord Spring.

1837 Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary cites Johnstown as the residence of T. Daly, Esq.,

1863 There was a very graphic report by a Canadian paper that a Mr John Spring who was a respectable trader in Dublin was found dead in a closet adjoining his residence of Johnstown House Chapelizod under circumstances which leaves no doubt that he died by his own hand.

1841 – 1860 Alexander Findlater who was trading as the Irish and Scotch Whiskey Stores. Later became well known in the wine industry in Dublin. Lived in Johnstown House and in 1860 sold his leasehold interest in the farm for €740 (€70,000.00) and paid £2,000.00 (€190,000.00) for a fashion House in Monkstown.

Around the turn of the centenary The O’Toole brothers who were farmers purchased the house and its surrounding lands. They used the lands to maintain their dairy herd. The two brothers themselves never lived in the house but they rented it out to suitable tenants. One of these tenants was Sir Richard Levinge, who was a Director of Guinness’s Brewery. At that time Johnston House was covered by trees and shrubs and could not be seen from the road as a long avenue ran from the house straight up as far as the Silver Granite in Palmerstown which was the entrance to the house. The avenue was later dug up in the late 1940s to make room for a housing programme in the area but the outline with its railings could be still seen, in 1967 and can be still seen today. During the 1940s, the house became unoccupied and rundown. Wild bushes, shrubs dotted the landscape, the locals knew it as a spooky place, and many stories were told about ghosts that roamed the grounds. Rumours were also rife at that time about a headless horseman, which was said to appear sometimes at the entrance gate and ride up to the old avenue and down as far as the school wall and disappear. Many of the scenes in the film ‘Return to ‘Glennascaul’ 1951 starring Orson Welles, were filmed in the hallway of Johnstown House- notably the Ghost scene in the film.

In 1955, the De La Salle Brothers purchased Johnstown House from the O’Toole. During the work of converting the building into classrooms, the workmen heard strange noises. They were alarmed to the extent that they threatened to stop work unless the foreman took action. The Brothers gave permission to wall off a part of the basement where the noises were coming from. When this was completed, the noises stopped and the work continued as normal
In 1955 Seventy-five pupils enrolled in the college, and Johnstown house opened in 1956 at this stage the teaching staffs were working out of Johnston House. Also the house had the Students from Mary Queen of Angels while they were awaiting the completion of their new school on Gurteen Road which opened in 1960. The new St Johns college building was completed in 1957 and was first called Colaiste De La Salle. In 1962 Johnstown House became the Monastery House for the De la Salle Brothers.

1983 Br Paul Moynihan wrote a forward to the Booklet that was produced saying he welcomed the new Extension to St Johns College. Gone was all the Prefabs that were part and parcel of the Secondary Education in Ballyfermot for the past twenty years. He thanked the Dept of Education who provided 80% of the cost, and to the Trustees of the De La Salle Order who kindly gave the other 20%. Also he thanked the Teachers and Parents who helped in the fund raising activities. The extension was finally approved with the direct help of Brian Leniahan T.D in January 1981.

Late August 2023 will see the ends of St Johns College after which began teaching in 1956, Caritas College 1967 and St Dominic’s Colleges in 1956 and all the pupils will join forces in the new St Seton’s Secondary School on Le Fanu Road.

Thank you to all the De La Salle Brothers. The Dominican Sisters , and the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul and all the Lay Teachers of the three Colleges that taught so many young Ladies and Gentleman in Ballyfermot and the surrounding areas over so many years. May St Seton’s Secondary School be a place of welcome, Inclusion, and opportunity for all. For many years ahead.

Researched Some notes and Help from the following Website Links

Notes taken from Ballyfermot Building a Community 1948 to 2006

Thanks to Ballyfermot Library, St Johns College Booklet 1983, and Tom Murphy for his information on the School

Alexandra Findlater Alhttps://www.dib.ie/biography/findlater-alexander-a3086

National Inventory of Architectural Heritage Website Link www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/50080...

St John College History Website Linkhttp://www.stjohnsdls.ie/history/

Ken Larkin 1 February 2023

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