Killester

Killester, a primarily residential area, is perhaps best known for its association with World War I veterans who were settled there from early 1922 onwards, in a development managed by the Irish Sailors' and Soldiers' Land Trust from 1925 onwards, when the Trust's Dublin office opened.[5] The Trust, created in 1924, catered for the housing needs of ex-servicemen at the time, and took responsibility for 2,700 homes built in Ireland from 1919 to 1934 to house the men who fought in World War I.[6] The Killester scheme was one of many started in answer to the early-20th-century housing crisis and worsening housing conditions of the working classes at the time; the 1914 "Housing Enquiry" found that 14,000 homes were needed to cater for the working classes at a cost of 3.5 million pounds.[7]

Developer Henry McLoughlin, who was leader of both the British Army-supporting Irish Recruiting Council and the Dublin Relief Committee, purchased 40 acres of land in the Killester area in 1916 and made them available to the relief committee; their use as a model farm was explored in 1917, and lasted two years. After the end of the war, the lands were offered to Dublin Corporation for housing but when this did not proceed, McLoughlin, who then headed Lord French's Irish Demobilisation Committee, gifted them to the Local Government Board for Ireland (LGB), which had as key tasks the provision of houses for both labourers and ex-servicemen and their families. The operational head of the Irish LGB, Henry Robinson, took a personal interest in the site, and in late 1920 sought funding for site clearance.[8]^: 222

A budget of 10,000 pounds was made available to the LGB in December 1920 and work began under an ex-Royal Engineer colonel and a team of approximately 180 ex-servicemen, first building roads, and then, from February 1921, laying foundations and drains.[8]^: 223 For reasons of both speed and economy, the LGB proposed to use an Irish company's new "semi-permanent" building system, branded "Orion" and patented; one of the directors of this company was the same Henry McLoughlin who had donated the land. The system had been deployed in nearby Clontarf, with 24 homes built on Victoria Road and taken on by the government. Ireland's Board of Works had doubts about the new system, and it was eventually not used in Killester.[8]^: 223–4 Instead a planned 247 dwelling houses were made with concrete blocks. The "Killester Garden Village "colony" was laid out according to "garden suburb" principles,[8]^: 224 with the plans approved of by both the Treasury in Ireland and leading town planner Patrick Abercrombie.[8]^: 225

The estate was laid out at a low density, with winding streets and breaks for green space and amenities, and with existing trees retained to a large degree. All initial housing was single-storey, and there were three standard designs. 32 were detached, with 5 rooms, and were intended for officers, while the remainder were semi-detached.[8]^: 225 However, in the event, housing was distributed on a first-come first-served basis, and ranks were mixed in all areas. Over 170 of the semi-detached or terraced houses had 4 rooms, while 38 had 3 rooms.[8]^: 225 The LGB expected the bungalows to cost between 700 and 900 pounds each, but the average cost ended up around 1,500 pounds, which contributed to the original contract being closed and re-tendered. A further factor in the re-tendering was the transfer of responsibility for the development to the Office of Public Works, which was already responsible for all other veterans' housing projects in Ireland. The 247 houses were completed by August 1923.

42 further houses were later added.[8]^: 226 The high costs led to high rents, and also created an additional challenge when the British Government looked to transfer the housing of ex-servicement to the new Irish Government.[8]^{: 225, 231}

The houses began to be occupied by May 1922,[9] and in the initial years after occupation, the ISSLT faced a backlash over rent prices, resulting eventually in a rent strike. The dwellings were leased with rents on a sliding scale, with the aim of the individual eventually owning their home, i.e.: the cost of rent was based on the amount of income an individual made. However despite this, on average a dwelling cost around 1500 pounds. The strike saw a decrease in the rent prices, however, further problems arose between the Trust and occupiers. In 1925, an investigation revealed that rents were higher than necessary to keep the organisation afloat. Rents were reduced again and with the reduction, but this prevented the Trust from building up capital for major maintenance and future developments.[10]

The area became well-established over time, with the development boasting its own water supply tower, and access improved, to both the city and neighbouring towns. This was particularly evident with the opening of Killester railway station in 1923.[11] Further, Killester acquired a "special" bus route for the area, operated by “The Contemptible Omnibus Company”.[12]