A Brief History

What is now known as Kirwan House was established following a meeting in 1790. It was incorporated as the Female Orphanage House by one of the last acts of the Irish Parliament before the Act of Union in 1800, and received an annual grant from the British Government until 1927. A group of eminent people headed by Mrs Margaret Este, widow of the Bishop of Waterford, decided to form a charity for orphaned children. The prospectus as follows:

‘In the Orphan House, near Dublin, for the support of destitute female children, it is proposed that they shall be received from the age of five to ten years;  that they shall be lodged, clothed and taught reading, writing, and common accounts; carefully instructed in the Christian Religion;  and habituated to cleanliness and industry, in proportion to their age and strength;  to spin, knit and when able, to make their own clothes.  They are to take in plain work as the Charity advances;  the profits arising from which are to be applied towards the support of the House”

It is named Kirwan House after Dean Kirwan who used to preach on behalf of the charity and raise funds for it annually in St. Peter's Church in Aungier Street.

They aimed to train the girls as domestic servants to be placed in homes chosen by the Governors – 42 Prussia Street was bought for this purpose. 

Following the inspirational sermons preached by the Rev Walter Blake Kirwan, funds were used to build a new house on North Circular Road, which included a chapel and rectory, The Female Orphan House now became known as Kirwan House.

In 1955, the Governors decided to sell North Circular Road owing to declining numbers and by 1959 Kirwan House moved to 34 Sandford Road. By this time boys had been included into the family home of about 15 children. They attended Sandford Primary School, High School, Trinity College and other 3rd level colleges.

In 1987 there remained only 3 children and the sale of Sandford Road was authorized.

The scheme approved by the High Court in 1991 changed the usage of Kirwan House funds to form a Trust Fund, the income of which enabled many more children to be educated throughout the Republic of Ireland.

During the 20th Century the Thomas Pleasants Trust, the Lady Belvedere Trust, the Susan Rudd Trust and the T.P. Dormer Trust joined with Kirwan House. More recently the Governors decided to sell the Sandford Road premises and to apply to the High Court to use the income to establish a Trust Fund to award bursaries to assist in the education of children who were Church of Ireland or of Protestant Churches in Ireland and who were in need. The application to the High Court was approved in 1991. "KIRWAN HOUSE — The foremost Irish Charity 1790-1995" compiled by the Reverend Canon Charles Carter contains a full history of the charity.

The aim of the present Board continues this work and are supporting more than 60 children with their education.