During the opening years of the 19th century Drumcondra continued to be a place of popular resort. In 1812 a famous aeronaut made an ascent from Belvedere; and in 1820 a dancing master called Duval tried to exploit a well for its alleged medicinal qualities, and make the grounds of a house near the church into a second Vauxhall. John Arthur Wall Du Val (b.1773) of Spa Mount, Drumcondra, opened pleasure gardens here along with a "curative spa". The Spa Mount well's "natural irons" had, in fact, come from junk iron he had found on his land and thrown into the bottom of the well.
Clonturk House on Ormond Road was built in 1830 by the then City Architect, as a gentleman’s residence and was one of Drumcondra's fashionable big houses. It was extensively renovated in 1880 and given its Georgian frontage. The carved stone balustrade which now forms its boundary came from the original Carlisle Bridge (built by James Gandon) and was moved there by the builder of the present O'Connell Bridge (who was living in Clonturk House circa 1880).
For a number of years until 1960 Clonturk House was run by The Presbyterian Church which gave accommodation to girls attending school in dublin both as fee paying and on a susidised basis.
In 1955, The Rosminians were appointed by the Archbishop of Dublin to run services for the Blind in St Joseph's, Drumcondra, Dublin. The School which became known as St Joseph's School for the Blind, and Visually Impaired, was residential and was officially opened in 1960 by the Dept. of Education. Until 2009 Clonturk House was a home for blind men.
The School (originally called St Joseph's Asylum for the Male Blind) was founded by the Carmelites in 1859, and moved in 1870 to the lands of Drumcondra Castle.
SEE
Home for Visually Impaired to be Closed (Irish Times 2009)
Repairs needed to save home for visually impaired would cost €450,000
