Our Story

Kippure’s history

Kippure Estate was built in around 1830 by the Moores, who were the local landlords at nearby Manor Kilbride. Records show that a junior member of the family was instructed to ‘create a sporting estate’ out of the wilderness.

Kippure House, the focal point of Kippure Estate, was eventually destroyed by fire in 1922 during the Irish civil war – and it fell into ruins. The owner at the time, Denis Darley, a brewery owner, was succeeded by his son Col. A. E. Darley who had fought in India. He allowed the Estate, which then comprised 1500 acres, to go into near terminal decline with the farm buildings falling into decay. He used the estate for game shooting and some sheep farming.

A new era

By 1978 Col. Darley, by then in his nineties, decided to sell to the current owners, Tim and Della Kyne. They purchased the derelict estate and afterwards sold 1260 acres of the mountainous land to the Irish forestry commission. Post-sale, 240 acres of the central core of the estate remained, made up of parkland, mature woodland and ecologically sensitive areas such as bogland and heathland. The new proprietors were involved in primary and secondary education with qualifications in agriculture, business, environmental studies and primary/secondary education. Both are graduates of Universitiy College Galway, University College Dublin, and postgraduates of Trinity College Dublin. Their daughter Sorcha ní Chadhain is also a graduate of Trinity College and is Assistant Principal at Gael Scoil Cluan Dolcáin Baile Atha Cliath.

By the mid 1990s, the Kynes had hit upon an idea.  After lots of research surrounding the estate’s unique location in the middle of the Wicklow Mountains, and because of their combined experience and interests, they decided that the estate’s future lay in outdoor education, outdoor experiential learning and tourism.

Della taught initially at primary level and then for a number of years as a secondary teacher at the Church of Ireland College of Education – Coláiste Moibhí Rathmines, Dublin – until its closure. She then went back to primary teaching including periods at Gael Scoileanna.

Tim started his teaching career in a Vocational school in the Connemara Gaeltact; he then taught in Rockwell College Cashel, County Tipperary and at the DIT College of Commerce in Rathmines as a part time lecturer in marketing. After a stint at teaching Tim spent a number of years involved in varying management positions in the agri business scene.

Both Tim and Della are also enthusiastic Irish speakers with particular interest in conservation, culture, heritage and everything relating to education, the environment and tourism. 

Success

The revitalised Kippure Estate is now something of a gem and it has matured into a very special outdoor education centre in a superlative location.

We at Kippure Estate have been running Ecology and Geography Field Studies here since 2003, and our Rope Adventure Activities since 2005. We have built up a reputation for providing excellent tuition to schools from all over Leinster and beyond. The Leaving Certificate Geography river study in particular is very popular due to our location between two very suitable rivers - the Athdown Brook and the River Liffey. We carry out the Ecology studies in our mixed oak woodlands which is home to a wide variety of plant species, both native and introduced, and a number of animal species including red squirrels, Sika deer, hares and badgers. These studies can also be carried out on the natural grassland or on the conserved bog/heath areas on our estate.

Tim and Della Kyne are thrilled with how the Estate has developed and grown, particularly given their backgrounds and passion for education and the environment. Both strive to continue the growth pattern by leading the way in providing highest quality school tours, field studies and outdoor activity experiences.