St. Joseph’s Hospital began life in the early 1700s. Then named Violet Hill, the building was originally built as a private residence. It was purchased by a Dublin merchant in the latter half of the 18th Century, who turned Violet Hill into housing for his employees. Later, the building once again changed hands, again becoming a private residence. It stayed this way until the 1950s, at which point it became a nursing home. It was finally made into a hospital in the 1960s.
St. Joseph’s Hospital is not large and is primarily a site for medical students and the rehabilitation of the elderly. In the event that you are visiting a sick relative, the visiting hours at St. Joseph’s Hospital are between 2pm and 4pm, and then from 7pm to 9pm.
If you get ill during your visit to Dublin, you’ll be pleased to learn that St. Joseph’s Hospital comes under the jurisdiction of the much larger Beaumont Hospital, which is also very close by. The latter is one of the largest hospitals in Ireland, complete with a range of patient services including a 24-hour accident and emergency department.