Lyons Timeline

Lyons Hill, was the inauguration site for (members of one of three septs of the Uí Dúnlainge dynasty which rotated) the kingship of Leinster. 10 Uí Dúnchada Kings of Leinster established their base at Lyons.

Lyons Hill was one of the early royal seats and public assembly places of the kingdom of Leinster, and later chief seat of the Mac Giolla Mo-Cholmógs of Uí Dúnlainge.

There is an oval area (monument) on top of Lyons Hill with a trigonometric point erected in the centre. There is also a circular area, defined by a broad low earthen bank at the foot of North side of Lyons Hill

The name derives from the Irish language name for an elm tree, Liamhan

the earliest record of Lyons Estate in the ownership of the Tyrell family. The Tyrells got possession of Lyons in the Middle Ages

Lyons church, now a mausoleum for the Lawless family, was constructed around 1350

Helen Tyrrell married John Aylmer

The Earl of Ormonde and Ossory gave Richard Aylmer of Lyons the entire Barony of Cloncurry, a large property in north east Kildare

Gatehouse or Castle and Parish Church (& burial vault) and graveyard - It is recorded that, '(Lyons) Formerly contained a hamlet of the same name, which in 1612 was burned by Government troops.

(Other sources say that the original Lyons House and town were burned in 1641 on the orders of Lord Justice). Graves date from 19th and 20th century but the oldest headstone in Lyons churchyard dates to 1693, dedicated to Edmond Moore & his son James

In the 17th century the Aylmers, as Catholics, had a precarious existence during this period of political unrest. Oliver Cromwell eradicated most of the Catholics of Leinster but the Aylmers escaped, no doubt due to the influence of the Ormondes.

By order of Queen Elizabeth, Thomas Aylmer was brought up as an English Protestant and was educated at Trinity College Dublin. He remained a Catholic despite all these efforts & married a Catholic. He had 5,000 acres of land when he died in 1639.

Thomas Aylmer dies and is buried at Lyons.

following Thomas’ death most of his property passed to his brother, George Aylmer, although his wife, Mabel, retained ownership of Lyons Castle, which was subsequently burned down by the Earl of Ormonde. The old castle was never rebuilt.

Amid the Jacobite rising to 1746 the Aylmers took the side of James II (deposed in 1688, the last Catholic monarch of England, Scotland, and Ire.) & following his defeat they avoided having their lands confiscated, unlike other branches of the family

Michael Aylmer inherited Lyons Estate at the age of four in 1733 – He married 3 times and squandered his wives’ doweries and his own assets

Michael Aylmer became one of the directors of the Grand Canal Company and Aylmer bridge is called after him. He became indebted to the banker Sir Nicholas Lawless (later Baron of Cloncurry) eventually selling Lyons Estate and his lands at Cloncurry.

The lands at Cloncurry were sold to Sir Nicholas for around £40,000. Michael Aylmer died in Brussels in 1808

Sir Nicholas Lawless (1733-1799) His family were originally turf sellers from the Wicklow hills that became successful wool merchants and later bankers. Nicholas turned Protestant, bought Lyons Estate, supported the idea of the Union.

Sir Nicholas Lawless was a Member of Parliament for Lifford 1776-89, and became first Baron of Cloncurry in 1789

Sir Nicholas Lawless commissioned architect Oliver Grace to build a "grand Georgian mansion" in 1785, and it was completed in 1797 but died in 1799.

Valentine Brown Lawless (1773 -1853), who became the 2nd Baron of Cloncurry, Lord Valentine, on his father’s death, was the most accomplished of the family members and the creator of Lyons Estate as it is known today.

He spent £200,000 on renovation and furnished it with may treasures from Italy. He developed the grounds (1804 to 1810) including the 22 acres (8.9 ha) lake.

Lyons Hill is also one of the places claimed as the scene of Daniel O'Connell's celebrated duel with John D'Esterre in 1815

Edward Lawless, 3rd Baron Cloncurry (1816 - 1869) was Sheriff of Co. Kildare from 1838, and of Co. Dublin from 1846. He married Elizabeth Kirwan (d. 1895), of Castle Hacket, Co. Galway.

They had nine children 5 sons and 4 daughters. Edward committed suicide by jumping from the third floor of Lyons house.

1869 – Upon Edward’s death Valentine Lawless, 4th Baron Cloncurry (1840 - 1928) inherited Lyons. He was Sheriff of Co. Kildare from 1867. He married Laura Sophia Priscilla Winn (d. 29 Oct 1891). They had 2 daughters

By then the immense wealth of that branch of the Lawless family had been frittered away. Valentine played a large part in Home Rule. He disposed of some of his remaining lands to the British Government who laid out a scheme for Veterans of WW 1.

His oldest daughter, Mary Hermione Lawless (1886-1922) also preceded him in death. As he had no male heir his estate passed to his brother Frederick, who became the 5th Baron Cloncurry.

Upon Valentine’s death Frederick Lawless, 5th Baron Cloncurry (1847 - 1929) inherited Lyons - he served on the staff of two Lords Lieutenant of Ireland and as a Governor of the National Gallery of Ireland

Upon Frederick’s death – who was unmarried and had no children - the Barony and Baronetcy of Cloncurry became extinct and Lyons Estate passed to his niece Valentine’s youngest daughter Kathleen Emily Marie Lawless (1888-1957).

Upon Kathleen Lawless’ death she bequeathed the remaining property to a cousin, G. M. V. Winn

University College, Dublin (UCD), purchased Lyons Estate in 1962 from the Winn family, the purchase consisted of Lyons House and approximately 1,200 acres (485 ha) of land.

The University sold Lyons House and about half the land area.

1996 - Ryanair businessman Tony Ryan (1936 - 2007) bought Lyons House (£3.5 million) and undertook an extensive renovation to Lyons House to return it to its former splendour (over £80 million)

June 26th saw Sheep 2010 in Lyons, a national event showcasing the Irish sheep industry to both national and international audiences, with over 10,000 visitors to Lyons.

In conjunction with industry partners construction starts on new UCD Lyons Dairy Research and Education Facility including a 40 point rotary parlour and expanded housing facilities.

UCD Lyons Dairy Research and Education Facility officially opened 19th January 2016 by then Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveny TD. Dairy cow numbers increase as EU milk quotas are abolished and UCD marks over 100 years supplying milk.

Additional 22ha of land purchased with a view to developing a Long Term Grazing Platform to research sustainable agricultural production.

Two underpasses are installed in Lyons connecting the farm for the first time and the long-term grazing platform is completed.

Climb for Charlie event takes place as local community & UCD Staff climb Lyons Hill.

Construction commences on the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre and UCD Bimeda Herd Health Hub.

25th October 2023 AgTechUCD Innovation Centre and the UCD Bimeda Herd Health Hub, officially opened by then Minister for Trade, Enterprise & Employment Simon Coveny TD.

April Construction commences on UCD Dairy Calf Research & Innovation Facility

UCD and FBD announce €14 million (m) investment into a new Agricultural Research & Education Centre. FBD Holdings plc & FBD Trust CLG pledge a philanthropic contribution of €6m in support of the facility & UCD providing €8m totalling €14m in Lyons.