Killiney Hill (Irish:Cnoc Chill Iníon Léinín) is the southernmost of the two hills which form the southern boundary ofDublin Bay, the other beingDalkey Hill. These two hills form part ofKilliney Hill Park.
Crowned by amonument, Killiney Hill is 153 metres high and has views over the surrounding areas:Dublin to the northwest; theIrish Sea and the mountains ofWales (on a clear day) to the east and southeast; andBray Head and theWicklow Mountains to the south. The hill was higher in the past but material was removed from the summit for the construction of the pier atDún Laoghaire.[1] The obelisk was completed in 1742 and commemorates the victims of theIrish Famine of 1740-41.
Killiney Hill stands in the former townland of Mount Mapas, or Scalpwilliam, first mentioned under that name in the beginning of the 17th century. Former residents included Captain Edward Maunsell, who served as theHigh Sheriff of County Dublin in 1755, followed by Colonel the Hon.Henry Loftus, MP forBannow inCounty Wexford. Loftus planted the hill and built nearby roads. In 1790Lord Clonmell lived here and constructed a park which he filled with deer.[2]
Killiney Hill and Dalkey Hill are both part of 'Killiney Hill Park', a small public park overlooking the villages ofDalkey to the north andKilliney to the west. In 1887 it was dedicated to public use byPrince Albert Victor of Wales, in memory ofQueen Victoria's Jubilee, and called Victoria Hill. The park is crossed by a number of walking tracks, and with views in all directions, is used by walkers and hikers from the surrounding areas.
In early times this area was included in the lands of Rochestown and Dalkey Commons and belonged for many centuries to the Norman family of Talbot (the same Talbot of Malahide Castle) and through them the property passed eventually to Colonel John Malpas who, in the early eighteenth century, built a brick house for himself at Rochestown.
The "Wishing Stone" of Killiney Hill is located to the north-east of the obelisk, alongside a smaller obelisk, known locally as "Boucher’s Monument" -‘A tourist in 1796 mentions that a memorial was about to be placed on the hill, in pursuance of the will of the last Mr. Mapas, who left a large sum for the erection of a monument to his family.’[3]
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(November 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Obelisk Hill Halt | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | Vico Road,Killiney,County Dublin, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°16′12″N6°05′50″W / 53.2699°N 6.0973°W /53.2699; -6.0973 |
| Platforms | 1 |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | At-grade |
| History | |
| Pre-grouping | Dublin and Wicklow Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 10 July 1854 | Station opens |
| 31 December 1857 | Station closed |
Obelisk Hill Halt was located betweenDalkey andBallybrack stations on a section of theDublin and Wicklow Railway'scoastal branch. The station was named after the nearby obelisk, located on the hill above the bay. The Dublin and Wicklow Railway opened the station one year after constructing their line fromDún Laoghaire toBray in 1854.[4] The station only had one platform located on the down side of the line, as the line between Dalkey and Killiney was originally built as single track. The station also featured a footbridge, and was accessed from the parallel Vico Road above the railway. A walled pathway also existed on the seaward side, giving access to a small cove. This allowed sea bathers continued access to the shore, which the new railway would otherwise have prevented. Obelisk Hill closed on 1 January 1858 and was replaced by the originalKilliney railway station at Strathmore Rd.[5] Today, only one of the footbridge piers at the former station site remain, as does the now crumbling walled pathway on the seaward side. At the southern end of the station site is a footbridge over the railway at Whiterock beach, while at the northern end is the southern portal of Dalkey Tunnel. The line between Dalkey and Killiney was eventually doubled in 1882.
| Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalkey Line and station open | Dublin and Wicklow Railway Coastal line | Ballybrack Line open, station closed | ||
53°15′56″N6°06′43″W / 53.26556°N 6.11194°W /53.26556; -6.11194
