Casting the Net Wide on Blessington Lakeside

© The Publishers

Full title: Left at the Lamb: a flavour of the history and heritage of the Blessington area

Creator / Author: Aidan Cruise, David Harrington and Seamus Balfe. Editor: Professor Tom Barragry

Item Type / Page count: Book / 280p

When Published: 2022 – 2023

Publisher / Place of Publication: [Lakeside Heritage Group / Blessington, Co. Wicklow]

About: The subtitle of this publication calls it “a flavour of the history and heritage of the Blessington area”. In truth, it is more of a feast than just a flavour. In just under 300 pages, readers are given an overview of the history and archaeology of Blessington and its wider hinterland and can embark on an imaginary road trip where the heritage of all places between Saggart and Hollywood is described in more detail. The extensive use of photographs and illustrations make every location come alive and help to highlight the human element of local history.

ID number(s): None

Contents: Introduction — A Brief Historical Profile of the Blessington and Lakeside Area

[Archaeology and History] The Ice and Stone Age – Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic – Cairns – The Bronze Age – Piper Stones – Standing Stones – The Iron Age – Hillforts – Early Medieval – Raths and Ringforts – The Age of Christianity – Ogham Stones – The Vikings – The Normans and the Birth of Blessington – The Lordship of Ireland – Early Modern Wicklow – Wicklow, the Last County – Nine Years War — Rebellion, Defeat, Confiscation, Plantation — Archbishop Boyle, The Downshires and Blessington Estate – The Manor House and the Estate of Blessington – Wicklow and the 1798 Rebellion – Edward Heppenstall “The Walking Gallows” – The Wicklow Military Road – Captain Michael Dwyer – The 1800’s.

Blessington by Trap or Tram – The Scrap Iron Express – The Blessington to Poulaphouca Tram Co – Incidents and Accidents – The Blessington Tram [ballad] / Peter C. Grattan (Roving Bard) –The Blessington Lakes – The Crockery Way [ballad] / Martin Shaughnessy – Wildlife in the Area – The Blessington Game and Wildfowl Conservation Association

[A Trip to the Lake] Tallaght to Brittas – Sagart-Teach Sacra – Crooksling-Cnoc Slinne — Brittas-An Briotás — Kilteel-Cill Chéile – The Lamb – Rathmore-An Ráth Mhór – Hempstown – Golden Hill – Kilbride Lodge, Glen Heste Hotel and the Airfield – Lime Kilns – Quarries at Golden Hill, Three Castles, Oldcourt and the Dowrey – Manor Kilbride – St. Brigid’s – Hedge Schools in the Area – The Hollywood Grave-slabs – Mooney’s Pub – Cloghleagh – The Church of St. John the Baptist – Kilbride Army Camp – Seefin – Kippure – Boglands – Ballylow — The Coronation Planatation — Ballysmuttan – Ballysmuttan Bridge [poem] – Oldcourt – Ballyward – Three Castles – Interview with the late Paddy Phibbs – Crosscoolharbour & Crosschapel – The Church of Our Mother of Mercy – The Sandpits – The Fair Day – Gobbit’s Picture House (The Cottage Cinema) / Neville Gyves – Blessington Bridge – Knockieran (Cnoc Iarainn-the hill of iron) & Dwyer’s Brook – Carrig and Rathnabo (Rath na Bo-enclosure of the cows) — Lacken — Lacken Schoolhouse – St. Boden’s Well – St. Boden’s Well [poem] / Martin Keogh – The Cillín – Templeboden (Teampall Buadáin) – Kylebeg/Kilbeg (Coill Beg-small wood) – Mullaghcleevaun Mountain (Clefed Hill) – Blackhill (Cnoc Dubh) – Ballyknockan Granite – Ballyknockan (Bhuaile an Chnocáin) – Ballyknockan, my home on the hill [poem] / Peter Keogh – Valleymount (An Chrois) – Humphreystown – Baltyboys-Bhuaile Buí – Dame Ninette de Valois – Quakers – Tulfarris (“Tulach Ferghuis”-Fergus’ Hill) – Baltyboys schoolhouse – Hollywood – Poulaphouca — Song of Poulaphouca [ballad] –Dance halls — Russborough House – Interview with the late Frances O’Donoghue – Russellstown House – Killmalum-Cill Moloma – The Dispensary – Burgage – The Burgage Road [poem] – Burgage Castle.

Blessington – Garda station – New school – Boys’ schoolhouse – Downshire Hotel – Downshire Agent’s House — St. Mary’s Churchyard and St. Mary’s Church of Ireland – Church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Sacrament – Downshire Monument – The Four Stone Tree – Court House / Market House built 1820s – St. Joseph’s Hall and the Band Hall – Some of the locals [Photo Gallery].

Sport – GAA – Soccer – Acknowledgements.

Extra #1: Includes well over five hundred black and white photographs or other illustrations.

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

Extra #3: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Black Day at Black Hill [2]

© The Producer

Full title: Berlin to Black Hill: a wartime tragedy in the Wicklow Mountains – a documentary film [DVD]

Creator / Author: Mark Goldsborough Wright, producer and director

Item Type: DVD (video disc)

Publisher: Goldsborough Productions in association with DOCUMENTARY 2 U

About: At about 4.30 in the morning of April 18th, 1941, an RAF Hampden bomber which was supposed to be returning from a bombing mission to Germany crashed east of Blessington at Blackhill, Lacken. This documentary film, narrated mainly by Patrick Long, tells the story of the events surrounding the tragic crash. All four crewmen perished and were buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Blessington following a funeral with full military honours provided by the Irish army.

Extra #1: The DVD was launched on 4^th November, 2015 with a public screening in Miley’s Pub, Blessington.

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this DVD.

Black Day at Blackhill

© The Publisher

Full title: The Last Flight of AD730: Hampden Bomber of No. 50 Squadron RAF

Creator / Author: Colin Hill

Item Type: Website / Publicly Accessible

Homepage  URL: http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/

When Viewed: Contents correct as of July 2014.

Publisher / Place of Publication: [The Dan Zone / Limerick]?

About: At about 4.30 in the morning of April 18th, 1941, an RAF Hampden bomber which was supposed to be on a bombing mission to Germany crashed east of Blessington at Blackhill, Lacken. All four crewmen perished. This account, by a brother of the pilot, was originally privately printed in Oxford in 2000, and attempts to piece together the events leading to the tragedy.

Contents: Foreword — What is known of last flight of AD730 — Background of the Hampden and its crews — The Operation of 17/18 April 1941 — How did AD730 come to reach Ireland — Appendices: 1. Operations on night of 17/18 April 1941 (Nos 44,50 & 83 Squadrons) — 2. Record of Hampden raids on Berlin — 3. Operational flights of P/O J.K. Hill — 4. Last letter of Sgt Lamb to his parents (16 April 1941) — 5. Fuller description of Hampden Bomber — 6. Sources and References.

Extra #1: Read the online chapters here.

Hat-Tip: To Dennis ‘Dan’ Burke for hosting this material online.

125 Years of Education in Blessington

© St. Mary’s

Full title: A History of St. Mary’s National School Blessington: 125th anniversary 1882 – 2007.

Creator / Author: St. Mary’s National School

Item Type / Page count: Book / 159p

When Published: 2007

Publisher / Place of Publication: St. Mary’s National School/ Blessington, Co. Wicklow.

About: A book that is a commemoration of 125 years of teaching at the local primary school. It celebrates the history of the community as told through a compendium of short pieces brought to life by past and present pupils.

ID number(s):None

Contents: Chairman’s address – Principal’s address — Introduction – Forewords – Hedge schools / Larry McCorristine – The National School System / Larry McCorristine – Towards a new school: Blessington 1882 – Blessington Catholic Schools – A Lament for Allen View National School [ballad] / Pat ‘Phildy’ McGowan – An Interview with Mr. Frank Murphy – probably the oldest surviving pupil of St. Mary’s – “I learned nothing” / Frank Murphy – Pat Hanlon (aged 93 years), The Rundle, Knockieran – Bridie and Jane Tyrrell – “Worse than Purgatory” / Evelyn Hudson – “Never missed a day” / Tom Tyrell – The Blessington Tram [ballad] / Peter C. Grattan – Sheila Walsh, née Boylan, aged 82 years – Billy Crowley – an interview – The Teaching of Religion in the National School – Parish Priests of Blessington Parish – The Church of Our Mother of Mercy / Beth Halligan — The Church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Sacrament / Beth Halligan – Seamus Dowling: the man from Mill House – School in the 1940’s – From Blessington to Baghdad / Joe Halligan – Hampden Bomber Crash Site Blackhill 1941 – Annie Byrne née Geoghegan, Burgage – “The Good Old Days” / Pete Nolan – The Primary Certificate – My Memories of St. Mary’s N.S. 1948-1949 / Ron Charles née Veronica Bohan — Knitting and Sewing – She Taught Them All / Vincent Byrne – Mrs. Elizabeth O’Donnell / Manus O’Donnell – Sean Davin, Principal of St. Mary’s N.S. from 1968-1996 – Memories of St. Mary’s National School, Blessington / Theresa Torsney née Creighton — Memoirs of St. Mary’s / Rena Hennessy – Willie Sargent Remembers – Blessington National School Parents Association – Darren McHugh – Schooldays in the 1980’s / Larissa Nolan – Gemma Ashe (R.I.P.) – Comórtas / Ciaran Duffy – Christy Casey – New Principal – Christy Casey (R.I.P.) – an appreciation – Lisa Frederick-Dunne (R.I.P) – Gerry Brown, Principal of St. Mary’s N.S., Blessington 1999-2007 – German in St. Mary’s 1995-2003 / Iris Rouse – Remembering St. Mary’s National School, Blessington 1995 to 2003 / Ellen Bytyqi, Naseem Nolan & Macha O’Donnell – Sport in St. Mary’s National School, Blessington / Lisa Smith – Turning the Sod / Gerry Brown – 125^th Anniversary Mass and Unveiling of Commemorative Stone — St. Mary’s National School, Blessington, Co. Wicklow – List of teachers – Epilogue.

Extra #1: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

Extra #2: Contains dozens of black and white photographs, mainly of local people.

Census of Dunlavin

Full title: Townlands / Streets in Dunlavin (Wicklow)

Creator / Author: National Archives of Ireland

Item Type: Website / Publicly Accessible

Homepage  URL: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/

When Viewed: Contents correct as of October 2013.

Publisher / Place of Publication: National Archives of Ireland / Bishop Street, Dublin 8.

About: The Census returns for the Dunlavin District Electoral Division arranged alphabetically by townland. The 1901 census was taken on 31st March 1901. The 1911 census was taken on 2nd April 1911.

Contents: Blackhill — Boherboy –Brewershill –Decoy — Dunlavin Lower — Dunlavin Town — Dunlavin Upper — Forristeen — Knockandort — Knocknagull — Loughmogue Lower — Loughmogue Upper — Lugatryna — Milltown — Plezica — Rathbawn — Toberbeg — Tornant Lower — Tornant Upper — Uppertown.

Extra #1: Browse the 1901 Census for Dunlavin DED

Extra #2: Browse the 1911 Census for Dunlavin DED

A First Valleymount Compendium

© The Publisher

Full title: Valleymount – Facets of our Local History. Part One

Creator / Author: Fr. Richard Cantwell (editor) & contributors.

Item Type / Page count: Magazine (Complete issue) / 65p

When Published: Christmas 1990

Publisher / Place of Publication: Parish of Valleymount / Valleymount, Co. Wicklow.

About: Available for the princely sum of 50p, this is the first of four miscellanies which gathers together local history material that was first published separately in various issues of the Valleymount Parish News.  It covers areas such as Lacken, Baltyboys, Poulaphuca and Valleymount and contains a roughly 50/50 mix of church history and secular history. It is a photocopied rather than printed publication and the price and quality of reproduction reflects this.

ID number(s): None

Contents: Cover drawing: The Church — Introduction / Fr. Richard Cantwell  — Church Windows [Our four stained glass windows from the Harry Clarke studios / Fr. Richard Cantwell  – Place Names [Names of townships etc in our Parish of Valleymount] — Death of Fr. Jones [Parish Priest killed in accident] — Recipes: 19^th Century [taken from old Valleymount Register 1844-59] — Building Agreement 1862 – Blackditches Church / Fr. Richard Cantwell — Blackditches: its history and its pastors / T. M. O’Reilly — Parish Priests of Valleymount (formerly Baltyboys or Blackditches) — Guide: to Tourists and Sportsmen visiting Blessington and its Environs / T. M. O’Reilly – Advertisements of an earlier age — Tithe Applotment List 1834 / Fr. Richard Cantwell — Stations across the King’s River 1834 / Fr. Richard Cantwell — Tombstones in Baltyboys Cemetery / Brian J. Cantwell — Ballyknockan Brass and Reed Band / Kay Byrne — Lease of former Presbytery, Valleymount / Fr. Richard Cantwell — Fr. Francis O’Loughlin — Ballyknockan Granite Quarries / Mary McEvoy and Annie McEvoy – Plane crash Blackhill, 1941 / Peter Garry [?] – Lacken Church / Fr. Richard Cantwell – Baptismal Font in Lacken Church / Fr. Richard Cantwell – Baptismal Font in Valleymount Church – Lease of Lacken Church / Fr. Richard Cantwell – Parish Visitation: Blackditches and Lacken 1840 / Fr. Richard Cantwell – Lacken / Mrs. White – Presentation to Mrs Easie Gallagher / Fr. Richard Cantwell – Dedication of Lacken Church to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 1882 – The Hollywood Stone / Aiden O’Sullivan – Quaker burial ground in Baltyboys / Fr. Richard Cantwell – Rude stone monument at Lacken / Fr. Richard Cantwell – The excavation of a relig at Ballyknockan – Two ringforts submerged at Ballyknockan – Poulaphuca reservoir / Fr. Richard Cantwell – Murder at Butterhill – Presentation to Fr. Heffernan – Fr. Finney’s affairs – Items from ‘Leinster Leader’.

Extra #1: Contains illustrations and reproduction photographs throughout the text.

Extra #2: Link to the full text of this magazine via this page at blessington.jimdo.com.

**UPDATE** September 2022: This ebook does not appear to be currently available to read online.

Households in Dunlavin Parish in middle of 19th century

Full title: Parish of Dunlavin

Creator / Author: Richard Griffith

Item Type / Page count: Book Chapter / eDoc / 10p

When Published: 1854

Publisher / Place of Publication: Alexander Thom and Sons for Her Majesty’s Stationary Office / 87 Abbey Street, Dublin.

Parent Publication [book]: County of Wicklow: valuation of the several tenements comprising that portion of the Union of Baltinglass situate in the county above named / Richard Griffith, General Valuation Office / 106pp

About: The property tax system of 1850’s Ireland, otherwise known as Griffiths Valuation. It was the first major attempt at valuing property. This section lists householders in the Parish of Dunlavin, part of the area covered by the Poor Law Union of Baltinglass in West Wicklow.

ID number(s): None

Contents: Annalecky — Blackhill — Boherboy — Brewershill — Cowpasture — Decoy — Dunlavin Lower — Dunlavin Upper — Town of Dunlavin — Forristeen — Knockandort — Knocknagull — Lorrug — Loughmouge Lower — Loughmouge Upper — Lugatryna — Merginstown — Merginstown Demesne — Merginstown Glen — Milltown — Plezica — Rathbawn — Toberbeg — Tornant Lower — Tornant Upper — Uppertown — Ballylea.

Extra #1: Read the entries for  Griffiths Valuation Dunlavin Parish (pdf file).

Extra #2: Search Griffiths Valuation and link to contemporary maps at AskAboutIreland.ie

Extra #3: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

Extra #4: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide