Lalor

Rathborne Candles have been Dublin Candlemakers since 1488. In 2002 we moved to new premises at Rosemount Business Park, Blanchardstown. This is just a short distance from Dunsinea in Abbottstown, where for nearly two hundred years from the 1700's we produced our candles, drawing on labour from the small village of Ashtown and the small labourers cottages on Blackhorse Avenue, between the Hole in the Wall public house and the Ashtown Park Gates. We returned to this area to ply our trade in the art of candlemaking, maintain our long heritage as Ireland's Oldest Company, and survive to celebrate our sixth century. We are very proud to look back at our past, and eager to look forward into the future.

1488 - Wynetavern Street (near Christchurch Cathedral ): Rathbornes came to Ireland in 1488, driven from Chester by the silting-up of the River Dee, which was slowly strangling economic activity at the port. Chester was at that time a thriving area and conducted a busy trade with Ireland, Scotland and the ports of Europe. Joseph Rathborne came to Dublin and later established a candle manufacturing business in Dublins Wynetavern Street. For nearly 150 years Rathbornes produced their candles on Wynetavern Street before locating on the the north side of the city in St. Mary's Abbey.