Stylised illustration of the Baily Lighthouse, Howth Earlscliffe Howth, Co. Dublin
John Randal Plunkett

House & History

John Randal Plunkett
Owner: 1896–1901

John Randal Plunkett: Owner of Earlscliffe, 1896–1901

Between the Knox era and the early twentieth century, Earlscliffe passed into the hands of a very different kind of resident.

In August 1896 the house at Earlscliffe was purchased by John Randal Plunkett, a Dublin businessman whose family had been involved in the malting trade for several generations. Plunkett’s ownership marks an interesting period in the history of the house, linking it directly with one of the most important industries in nineteenth-century Dublin: brewing.

By the late nineteenth century Dublin was one of the major brewing centres of the British Isles, dominated by firms such as Arthur Guinness, Son & Co. Maltsters like the Plunkett family played a crucial role in supplying the roasted barley malt required for stout and porter production.

Family history

Plunkett Family Tree

List of Residents/Owners

John Randal Plunkett

John Randal Plunkett was born in Dublin in April 1849, the youngest of six children of Randal Plunkett and Eliza Byrne D’Arcy. The Plunkett family were already well established in the city’s malting trade. Their business supplied processed barley malt to a number of breweries, including Guinness.

By the time Plunkett purchased Earlscliffe in 1896 he was part of a long family tradition in the trade. The Plunkett maltings operated in the north inner city of Dublin, an area historically associated with brewing and grain processing.

The Plunkett Brothers Maltings

The firm Plunkett Brothers traced its origins to 1819, when John Randal's grandfather, John Plunkett (1778–1830) established a malting business in Portland Street in Dublin. 2 Maltsters specialised in germinating barley and roasting it in kilns to create the malt required by brewers.

The grandfather had five children, and his son, Randal Plunkett (1805-1852), took over the Malting business from his father when he died. 2

The company developed a reputation for high-quality brown malt used in porter brewing. By the mid nineteenth century the firm had longstanding commercial ties with Dublin’s breweries.

A testimonial preserved in the family papers illustrates this relationship. Arthur Guinness, Son & Co. wrote to the Plunkett family noting that they had purchased “considerable quantities of your Patent Brown Malt” and that their commercial relationship had extended over more than fifty years. 1

The testimonial from Arthur Guinness & Sons highlights the firm’s long-standing commercial relationship with one of Ireland’s most internationally recognised brands. This speaks to how Irish industry, even in food and drink, was increasingly professionalised, networked, and quality-driven in this period. Maltsters such as Plunkett were not peripheral producers; they were critical to the supply chains that underpinned both local consumption and export markets.

Patent brown malt was a key ingredient in the dark colour and flavour of porter and stout. The development of improved roasting methods in the nineteenth century allowed maltsters to produce more consistent results, which was highly valued by brewers.

In a book describing the Industries of Dublin, written in 1887, an article on the Plunkett Brothers, Maltsters and Patent Malt Roasters described their unique malt roasting process and stated that his grandfather had, in fact, invented the process of roasting malt. 1

Malting and the Brewing Economy of Dublin

Dublin’s industrial economy in the late nineteenth century was diverse and dynamic. Brewing and malting, though often overlooked today, were substantial contributors to employment, craft innovation, and international trade. Guinness alone employed thousands of workers and exported stout across the British Empire. Figures like Plunkett were both beneficiaries and agents of that commercial dynamism.

Brewing depended on several supporting industries, including coopers, grain merchants, and maltsters. Maltsters converted raw barley into malt through controlled germination and roasting. This process produced the enzymes and flavours needed during brewing.

Firms such as the Plunkett maltings therefore played an essential role in the supply chain that sustained Dublin’s brewing trade.

Family and Global Links

Plunkett married Cecilia Mary Read from Kensington, London, in October 1878. Cecilia came from a well known family of surgeons. Her mother was also called Cecilia Mary Read (nee Landon) and her father was a surgeon called Thomas Laurence Read. 

According to Cecilia's father's obituary, his own father was a friend of Dickens and Thackeray! 15

The Plunkett family were related to St. Oliver Plunkett through his niece, Ismay. 5

RMS Leinster
RMS Leinster in 1897. The ship was was torpedoed by the Germans in 1918 with Plunkett's daughter, Sheelagh (Sheila Isabel Mary) on board. John Randal died 14th April 1915, three years before his daughter drowned on the RMS Leinster. 9 Postcard [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

John Randal and Cecilia had eight children, three of whom died at a young age, including their daughter Sheelagh (Sheila Isabel Mary) who was drowned at the age of 21 when the RMS Leinster was torpedoed by the Germans in 1918 during the First World War.  6

Plunkett’s children went on to lives that reflect the mobility of the time. One son served with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in World War I, and another married in Canada, pointing to the broader diaspora connections common among Irish commercial families of this period.

Plunkett Bros Ad
Plunkett Brothers advertisement, with a written recommendation from Arthur Guinness, Sons & Co. 1 (Select image to enlarge)

Mrs. Eliza Plunkett,
Belle Vue

Dear Mrs. Plunkett

We have the pleasure of stating that we are purchasing considerable quantities of your Patent Brown Malt and find it of very good quality, we would also say that our connection with your Firm and that of your husband the late MR. RANDAL PLUNKETT, and his father, extends over fifty years, during which we have had large and satisfying transactions.

ARTHUR GUINNESS, SONS & CO.

Details of the written recommendation from Arthur Guinness, Sons & Co.

John Randal Plunkett, Cecilia Read and probably her mother
John Randal Plunkett, Cecilia Read and probably her mother

List of Residents/Owners

Main residence for John Randal Plunkett

John Randal Plunkett's main residence was at 83 Merrion Square South. 4  In the early days, Plunkett Brothers had their premises at Belview, a street off James' Street, as well as other storehouses around the city. But around 1895, about the same time he bought Earlscliffe, Plunkett acquired new premises for the company in Islandbridge, called Bellevue Maltings.

Bellevue, Islandbridge stayed in the family, firstly as a business premises but later also as a residence, until the company was wound up around the 1970's. It is now an apartment complex called Belle View Maltings.

List of Residents/Owners

Move to Earlscliffe

In August 1896, Plunkett purchased Earlscliffe as a summer residence, reflecting both personal success and the cultural habits of Dublin’s successful business classes who looked to coastal homes for respite from the city. His main residence remained in Dublin at 83 Merrion Square South, signalling that Earlscliffe was part of a life divided between urban business activity and seaside leisure.

Life at Earlscliffe

When John Randal Plunkett purchased Earlscliffe in 1896 the house already had a reputation as a comfortable coastal residence overlooking Dublin Bay. By the late nineteenth century Howth had become increasingly popular with wealthy Dublin families seeking sea air and views of the bay.

The railway line to Howth, opened in 1846, made it practical for businessmen working in Dublin to maintain residences or summer houses on the peninsula.

During the years Plunkett owned Earlscliffe, the property was frequently unoccupied in winter, as shown in the 1901 census, since it served primarily as a seasonal retreat.

At the time of the 1901 census (31st March 1901), although Earlscliffe was unoccupied, the property was being managed over winter by the residents in the Gardener's cottage at Earlscliffe. These were Hugh Lynch and his wife Anne. Hugh was the gardener/caretaker and, according to the census, he was 80 years old at that time. His wife, Anne, was 68. Hugh was originally from Co. Meath and Anne was from Wicklow. 10

John Randal Plunkett's telephone number at Earlscliffe
John Randal Plunkett's telephone number at Earlscliffe

The Earlscliffe household’s telephone listing in early records — “Howth 8” — places them among the first local residents connected to early telecommunications. Of course, in those days, there were no direct calls. You rang the exchange and asked for "Howth 8" and they put you through. 11.

The Plunketts did not stay in Earlscliffe too long as the house was put up for rent in June 1901 7 and in October 1901 Earlscliffe was sold to Professor John Pentland Mahaffy, soon to be Provost of Trinity College Dublin (but not as soon as he would like!).8 

After moving out, Plunkett continued his commercial and family life in Dublin until his death in April 1915.

List of Residents/Owners

Unresolved Questions About the Plunkett Maltings

Historical records suggest that more than one malting firm operated in Dublin under similar names during the nineteenth century. Some references mention both Plunkett Brothers and John Plunkett & Co.

It remains possible that different branches of the family operated separate maltings businesses, or that the firm changed its name over time. Further research into trade directories and bankruptcy records may help clarify the relationship between these companies.

Plunkett Brothers vs. John Plunkett & Co. - assumptions or unanswered questions

In our research into the Plunkett family, there are still some unanswered questions around the malting company as there were two companies in Dublin with similar names. The following are my assumptions or unanswered questions (see family tree above). I am currently researching these.

  1. The Grandfather, John Plunkett, established a Maltsters business at Portland Street, Dublin in 1819. This company supplied all of the large breweries in Dublin such as Guinness, Beamish & Crawford and the Phoenix Brewery. After John died the business was taken over by his son Randall Plunkett. 2
  2. One of the Grandfather's other sons, also confusingly called John Plunkett, went into business with his mother, Mary Plunkett, trading as Mary Plunkett and Sons. It is alleged that this company went bankrupt in 1844. 2

    In the Dublin Almanac and General Register of Ireland of 1842 it states that "Mrs. Mary Plunkett & Sons, patent malt manufacturers" were based at on 6 Portland Street. 12  By 1849, The Dublin Almanac and General Register of Ireland now stated that living on 15 Portland Street West at that time was Mrs. Mary Plunkett and John Plunkett, Maltster. As the Grandfather had died in 1830, this "John" must have been their son. Also, as there was no mention in 1849 of the maltster business, maybe it had gone bankrupt by then.  13

    However, there was also a Malting business on Portland Street called "John Plunkett & Co." which was in business by 1887 14 Was this one set up by the son after his mother's business went bankrupt?
  3. Finally,  there was Plunkett Brothers. This is the company with the advert above, which has clear links to Randall Plunkett, and therefore to his son, John Randall Plunkett, who would later own Earlscliffe. The testimonial from Guinness talks about connections going back fifty years to him and his father. As the advert clearly states "established 1819", the date his father set up his business, then this must be his father's business.

Next chapter: Sir John Pentland Mahaffy

Earlscliffe timeline

  1. 1845–1864: Cornelius Egan
  2. 1864–1878: Captain William Bunbury McClintock
  3. 1878–1896: The Knox family
  4. 1896–1901: John Randal Plunkett
  5. 1901–1922: Sir John Pentland Mahaffy
  6. 1922–1924: Very Rev. Charles Thomas Ovenden
  7. 1924–1927: Robert Rooney
  8. 1927–1930: Dr Ella Webb
  9. 1930–1945: Sir John Lumsden
  10. 1945–1949: William Martin Murphy
  11. 1949–1950: Lily Margaret Graham Gough
  12. 1950–1952: Olive & "Kit" Stanley-Clarke
  13. 1952–1961: Peggy & Bobby Woods
  14. 1961–1969: Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Knowles
  15. 1969–today: Robinson & Foley family

References & Further Reading

  1. Advertisement found in "Noted Breweries of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3", Alfred Barnard, 1890, pages 561 - 562. The Noted Breweries of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3 ↩
  2. Plunkett Family of Frescati. Youwho.ie © June Bow & Karen Poff – May 2019 https://www.youwho.ie/johnplunkett.html ↩
  3. "The Industries of Dublin. Historical, statistical, biographical." An account of the leading business men, commercial interests, wealth and growth. Published 1887 by S. Blackett in London. https://openlibrary.org/books/OL22883379M/The_Industries_of_Dublin.
  4. The 1901 census information from the National Archives found on the internet states he lived at 83 Merrion Square. At that stage Plunkett was recorded as being a 51 year old Roman Catholic and head of the family. The Thom's Irish Almanac & Official Directory~1897, as listed in "Extracts From Various Trade Directories 1834 To 1910" states that it was 33 Merrion Sq. South, but this is an OCR glitch https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~chrisu/genealogy/howth/howth_dir5.htm https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Dublin/South_Dock/Merrion_Sq__South/. https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~chrisu/genealogy/howth/howth_dir5.htm. ↩
  5. Nearly all of the background and detail around John Randal Plunkett was very kindly given to David Foley by the great grand daughter of John Randal Plunkett, Aideen Byrne ↩
  6. Additional information on J R Plunkett's family kindly provided by E. Michael D. Scott ↩
  7. Irish Times June 15, 1901, pg 11 ↩
  8. A History of the County Dublin, Francis Elrington Ball, originally published in six volumes (1902-1920). Volume 5 "Howth & its Owners", Chapter 9 "As a Packet Station and After" https://archive.org/details/historyofcountyd05ball. ↩
  9. Calendars of Wills and Administrations, 1915 https://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/reels/cwa/005014919/005014919_00313.pdf ↩
  10. As taken from the Census of Ireland, 1901 https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai003675704/ ↩
  11. As seen in "Telephone Subscribers Ireland 1900-1901 https://www.swilson.info/phone1900.php?pageno=14 ↩
  12. See the Dublin Almanac and General Register of Ireland of 1842 https://books.google.ie/books?id=5zc_AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA712&dq=%22mary+plunkett%22+sons+malt&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiM_cWwrKXzAhWOX8AKHWr2C1IQ6AF6BAhAEAI#v=onepage&q=%22mary%20plunkett%22%20sons%20malt&f=false ↩
  13. See the Dublin Almanac and General Register of Ireland of 1849 https://books.google.ie/books?id=4BQ2AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA806&lpg=PA806&dq=%22mary+plunkett%22+sons+malt&source=bl&ots=tTbMSoCago&sig=ACfU3U3v03cRBmQoCpCiR0HaDLeMdQtghw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwii28rTqqXzAhXNesAKHZI4AGEQ6AF6BQimAhAD#v=onepage&q=%22mary%20plunkett%22%20sons%20malt&f=false ↩
  14. Royal Jubilee Exhibition, Manchester 1887 : official catalogue https://archive.org/stream/royaljubileeexhi00roya/royaljubileeexhi00roya_djvu.txt ↩
  15. British Medical Journal, Feb 6 1909, page 379 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2318057/?page=1 ↩

Page last updated: 4 Aug 2026