The now demolished, Athboy Lodge, stood on the edge of Athboy town on the road to Kells. The old Athboy Vocational School now stands on the site of the house. Still surviving from the house are the stables, the walls of the walled garden and a tunnel which was possibly used as an ice house.
The house was probably constructed about 1800 by the Hopkins family. The Dyas family came to Athboy from the Kilbeg area where they also held lands. In the 1850s, the land at Fosterfields was held by John Dyas and then passed to his son, Nathaniel Hone Dyas. Harry Dyas, a cousin of Nathaniel, held the lands at nearby Gillstown. Harry lived at Boltown, Kilskyre.
Harry Dyas
Harry Mortimer Dyas was born in Kilskyre in 1857. Dyas was many things: a farmer, a land agent, a Justice of the Peace, an all-round sportsman, a champion marksman, a racehorse owner and trainer.
As a trainer, he constructed a replica Aintree racecourse on his land in Gillstown just outside Athboy. Dyas is most well known for training Manifesto, the first horse to win the Aintree Grand National twice. Dyas sold the horse in 1898 and the horse came back strong to win the 1899 Grand National for his new owner. The favourite that year was “Gentle Ida”, another horse that had been owned by Dyas and was still kept in his stable. After Manifesto’s death, his skeleton was donated to a veterinary college in Liverpool and is still there to this day.
Outside of sports, Dyas was a notorious gambler and card shark who boasted of multiple affairs with women There are many tales told locally about his strictness with workers. He once shot an egg out of an egg cup sitting on his steward’s head. When asked the steward said he was going to be shot at whether he had an egg on his head or not. At the time of his death in 1915, aged 58, he was one of the largest landowners in Meath
Athboy Vocational School
A technical school was established in Athboy in 1935, initially in the rented Civic Hall, until Athboy Lodge could be adapted as a school. Athboy Technical School was officially opened on 1938. Meath VEC decided to proceed with the erection of new technical school (St. James’ Vocational School) on 28 June 1952.
In 2004, Athboy Community School located behind the vocational school was formed by the amalgamation of St. James’ Vocational School and St. Joseph’s Secondary School. Athboy Community School was opened to students on 7 November 2011. The building was officially opened by President Michael D. Higgins on 16 March 2012.
In 2015, St. James’ Vocational School building became the Louth and Meath Education Training Board (LMETB) further education and training building for Athboy.
Athboy 100 