The
house in the photograph once stood on the site of the
Genoa Café in Custume Place. Until its demolition
in 1939, it was commonly referred to as Ginkel’s
House, with the person in question being one Godard Van
Reede, Baron De Ginkel, who was born in Utrecht in the
Netherlands.
He was one of William of Orange’s most able commanders
in the Jacobite Wars of 1690 to 1691 and commanded the
Williamite Forces during the epic second siege of Athlone
in June 1691.
Afterwards, for his services, he was created Earl of Athlone
and Baron of Aughrim in the Irish Peerage. He was also
granted 26,000 acres of land confiscated from the Jacobite
Earl of Limerick who was in exile in France.
The house was traditionally called ‘De Ginkel’s
House’ because it was commonly believed that the
general resided there during the siege. Its central position,
looking towards the old bridge, the castle and Connaught
Tower, would have made it an ideal vantage point.
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The building known as 'Ginkel's House', which was demolished
in 1939 |
It
is most unlikely De Ginkel stayed in the house during
the actual siege; it is more likely to have been used
as an observation post. He would have stayed close to
the Williamite Camp, which is known to have been on the
land now occupied by Beechpark and Beechpark West, and
may have stayed in the house after the siege until the
Williamite army moved towards Aughrim.
As can be seen from the photo, the house had a very fine
doorcase with the date ‘1626’ carved on the
stonework above the door. The house dates from a period
in the 1620s when English settlers were given grants to
build stone houses inside the walls of the Leinster town
(the Irish lived outside the walls in Irish Town). Many
such houses once existed in the area of Church Street.
A house that stood on the site of T. Burgess & Sons
Department Store was referred to as ‘the Great Stone
House of Thomas Jones’.
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General Godard Van Reede, Baron De Ginkel |
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The
building which replaced 'Ginkel's House. The Genoa Café
is owned by the Magliocco family.
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Athlone Architectural Heritage Group would
like to thank Donal O'Brien, author of 'Athlone, a visitor's
guide' © for his kind permission to use above content.
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