HISTORY
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Of the rich and varied histories of Cooldrinagh House, the connection to Samuel Beckett is one of the more interesting. This was his mother’s family home and her affection for the place was so great, that in 1903 when the family build a fine new house in Foxrock she named it “Cooldrinagh”. Beckett himself was born on Good Friday 1906 and went on to become one of our most enigmatic and well loved writers.
“…Nothing
to be seen but the wheat
turning yellow and the blue sky vowing every
now and then you loved each other…”
Cooldrinagh House was purchased in 1996 by the O’Byrne Brothers of the renowned “Dobbins Restaurant”, after being completely refurbished, it was opened in September 1997 and is now home to Becketts Hotel and restaurant.
Time Line
| 1760: | The house dates from 1760. According to James Knowlson, Beckett's biographer "a very grand house, almost a mansion, with imposing pillars at the front door, a flight of stone steps and a cast iron balustrade". The key Georgian features of the house have been retained and it is a "listed building" protected by An Foras Forbartha. They declared the area of both national and international importance. |
| 1871: | Samuel Beckett's mother was born at Cooldrinagh House. |
| 1903: | The Beckett Family moved to Foxrock and took the name "Cooldrinagh" with them. |
| 1906: | On Good Friday, Samuel Beckett was born. |
| 1985: | The original house stood derelict. |
| 1996: | The house was fully restored. |
| 1997: | Cooldrinagh House was opened up to the public as a fine hotel and restaurant. |
| 2005: | Beckett's at Cooldrinagh is into its eighth year of operation and has built up a great reputatioin. |
Useful Links
www.themodernword.com/beckett/