Full title: Commemoration of Centenary of Death of Neil “Plunkett” Boyle 15 May 1923 – 15 May 2023 Knocknadruce, Valleymount, Co. Wicklow
Creator / Author: Pádraig O’Baoighill (translation by Maureen Phibbs)
Item Type / Page count: Booklet / 46p
When Published: 2023
Publisher / Place of Publication: Not Stated / Co. Wicklow?
About: Neil ‘Plunkett’ Boyle was born in County Donegal in 1898 and he reputedly became the last man to be killed in the Irish Civil War when he was shot at Knocknadruce, Valleymount in West Wicklow on 15th May, 1923. This booklet was published to commemorate the centenary of his death. Most of the content of this booklet is taken from the book ‘Óglach na Rosann’ by Pádraig O’Baoighill (1994). The original Irish text has been translated by Maureen Phibbs.
ID number(s): None
Chapters: [Foreword: Neil “Plunkett” Boyle in West Wicklow 1922-1923] — Dedication — Plunkett of the Hills (ballad) — 1916-1923 — Neil Boyle — Comdt. Neil “Plunkett” Boyle (ballad) / Dominic O’Kelly — Neil Boyle in West Wicklow — Dunlavin — Hempstown (Tinode) — Blessington — Valleymount — Commandant Tom Heavey’s Memories of Neil Boyle — The Killing of John Moore at Mooney’s Pub in Manor Kilbride — Kylebeg — Manor Kilbride — Lacken — Ballyknockan — Knocknadruce — Funeral of Neil “Plunkett” Boyle — Members of Plunkett’s Column — Timeline of Events in Irish History 1914-1949 — “Plunkett” O’Boyle (ballad) / Annie Timoney — Acknowledgements.
Full title: Recollections from Baltinglass Hospital
Creator / Author: None stated
Item Type / Page count: Booklet / 44p
When Published: 2000
Publisher / Place of Publication: Baltinglass Adult Learning Centre & Community Education / Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow]
About: This A4-size booklet was launched at a Christmas party for residents and day care regulars at Baltinglass Hospital in Decemer 2000. The local Adult Learning Centre had run a course which allowed residents and regulars to refresh their literacy and numeracy skills and this booklet reflects their stories and contributions. People from a wide area of West Wicklow are represented and each has their own unique short contribution, whether it be a memory, a story, a recipe, a joke or a poem. The booklet was not generally available outside the hospital, but copies may turn up at charity shops / jumble sales from time to time.
ID number(s): None
Contents: [Introduction 1] / Annette Mangan — [Introduction 2] / Dorothy Fox — [Introduction 3] / Evelyn Barry — Prayer for the Elderly
[Contributions] Mick Byrne Knockananna – Mattie Donegan Kiltegan – Lucy Goggins Cryhelp, Dunlavin – Seamus Dowling Blessington/Dunlavin – Kathleen Fleming Clough/Raheen, Baltinglass – Kathleen Kelly Castlesallagh, Donard – Peter O’Brien Dunlavin – Peter Burke Tuckmill/Carrigeen, Baltinglass – Lil Coogan Irongrange, Baltinglass – Johnny Donohue Tinoran, Baltinglas – Mrs. Kathleen Dillon – John Keogh Graigue, Kiltegan – Josie Salmon Tinahely/Baltinglass – Jimmy Devoy Blessington – John Whitty Moone – Dan Richardson Lacken – Jamess Graham Rathdangan – Jim Redmond — Chris Loughlin Stratford — Bridie Farrell Clough, Baltinglass – Andy Flood Grangecon – Phil Harney Granamore, Hollywood – Paddy Ryan Clonmel and Castledermot – Neil Clinton Blessington – Harriet McDonnell Tuckmill, Baltinglass – Maisie Andrews Weavers Square, Baltinglass – Kathleen Jones Baltinglass – Anne Nolan Stratford formerly Graigue, Kiltegan – Joan Kelly Blessington, Johnny Donohue Baltinglass, Josie Murphy Blessington – Beatitudes for friends of the aged [poem] / Esther Mary Walker (kindly given by Alice O’Connell Liscolman – Thought for you today [poem] / Anon — Money [poem] / T. Johnny — Joe Charles Barraderry, Kiltegan – Daisy O’Connor Kiltegan – Margaret McCann – Brigid Connaty – Mrs. Thornton.
Killing the pig – Bridie Hanaffin – Betty Norton Griffinstown, Grangecon – Going to school – Christmas – Keeping the faith / Breda Daly, Mary Behan Blessington – Ruth Finlay Davidstown, Donard – Winnie Moore Woodfield Cross, Baltinglass – Richard Kelly Knockananna – Pierce Collins Manor Kilbride – Molly O’Reilly Hollywood – Kathleen Cullen Whitestown, Stratford – Tommy Tipper – Molly Byrne Knockananna – Blood, Sweat and no Tears – Jim Carroll Blessington – John Kearney Dunlavin.
[In Remembrance] The late Mary Murray R.I.P. – The late Jimmy Cullen R.I.P. – The late Joe Garrett R.I.P. – The late Chrissie Healy R.I.P.
Extra #1: Includes black and white photographs of some of the contributors.
Extra #2: In the following year, another similar booklet was produced under the title ‘Further Recollections from Baltinglass Hospital’.
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.
Full title: Journal of the West Wicklow Historical Society: Number 11, 2021-22
Creator / Author: West Wicklow Historical Society & contributors, joint editors Chris Lawlor, Donal McDonnell
Item Type / Page count: Journal (Complete issue) / 168p
When Published: 2021
Publisher / Place of Publication: West Wicklow Historical Society / Baltinglass (?), Co. Wicklow.
About: This is the eleventh publication of the now biennial journal. It includes a very broad set of topics indeed. Subjects covered include: The O’Tooles in the 16th century, Ladies’ Day in Punchestown, A Wicklow man in India, The seasonal movement of livestock in the Wicklow mountains, A murder from 1916 and A traditional recipe for oatmeal biscuits, to name but a few. The most extensive article in this issue is by Cora Crampton. Running to 26 pages it tells of John & Jennie Wyse Power, a real-life couple who featured in Joyce’s Ulysses.
ID number(s): 0790-1739
Contents: Foreword from the Chairman / John A. O’Toole — Ramblings of the Secretary / Donal McDonnell — Editor’s Preface / Chris Lawlor — Ladies’ Day at Punchestown: 150 years of Festival Fashion / Dr. Emma Lyons — The O’Tooles of Imail in the sixteenth-century / Brendan Corrigan — ‘Home Rule is throwing many a shadow now’: Wicklow women, Unionism and the Women’s Declaration of 1912 / Rosemary Raughter — ‘A Celt, A Catholic and a Peasant’- A Wicklow man in India / Andrew Keating — John and Jennie Wyse Power – the real-life couple featured in James Joyce’s Ulysses / Cora Crampton — The Rev. Ogle Moore of Manor Kilbride / Jim Corley — The beautiful woman in the long red cloak / Ita Roddy — Winter-transhumance routes between the Wicklow Mountains and the surrounding lowlands / John Hussey — Murder Most Foul / Maura Murphy Gibson – Some aspects of County Wicklow’s railway history / James Scannell — Back to Burgage / Niamh McCabe & Brian McCabe — The Irish language influence in West Wicklow placenames / John Glennon — Oatmeal biscuits / Sarah Gillespie — Divided loyalties in Kildare: truce, treaty and drift to Civil War / Michael Murphy —Baltinglass Bridewell and Courthouse [Part Two] / Chris Lawlor.
Extra #1: Illustrated throughout with black & white photographs, maps, drawings and graphs.
Full title: Blessington now and then, here and there: a dip into some of the historical background of Blessington, its people and its surroundings
Creator / Author: Blessington Local and Family History Society (compilers)
Item Type / Page count: Book / 84pp
When Published: 2002
Publisher / Place of Publication: Blessington Local and Family History Society / [Blessington, Co. Wicklow]
About: A profusely-illustrated collection of mostly short pieces highlighting various aspects of the history of the Blessington area and its hinterlands. The old photographs reproduced here are a particular delight. The most substantial article in the book runs to 12 pages on the subject of Russborough House.
ID number(s): None
Contents: Blessington : What’s in a name / Maureen Phibbs — The Downshires and their Blessington Estate / Kathy Trant — Blessington 1824-2002: from Pigot’s and Slater’s Directories and the 1901 Census — The Blacksmith — Churches: Blessington and Manor Kilbride / Elizabeth Halligan — The Girls of Kilbride School 1933 [photograph] — Russborough House / Crena McGee — A Nursery Maid Remembers / May Tyrell — Kilbride Camp: a short history / Peter Reynolds — From Pennybog to Shankill / Elizabeth (Lizzie) Eustace — Dublin to Blessington Steam Tram / Aidan Cruise — Blessington Garda Síochána / Peter Reynolds — The Horseshoe Hall at Poulaphouca / Tom O’Rourke Snr. — Band Hall Blessington — The First Picture Shows / Billy Gobbett — Brass and Reed Band c.1950[ photograph] — Three centuries / Bridget McEvoy — Fife and drum band 1904 [photograph] — Blessington Mart / Ned Doyle — Donard School 1919 [photograph] — The Blessington Horseshow / Ned Doyle — Blessington No.1 School 1937 [photograph] — Lime kilns / Aidan Cruise — A Walk Around Blessington / Aidan Cruise — Other publications about the local area.
Extra #1: Illustrated throughout with several black & white photographs.
Publisher / Place of Publication: Alexander Thom and Sons for Her Majesty’s Stationary Office / 87 & 88 Abbey Street, Dublin.
Parent Publication [book]: County of Wicklow: valuation of the several tenements comprising that portion of the Union of Naas situate in the county above named / Richard Griffith, General Valuation Office / 27pp
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 Kilbride in North West Wicklow, part of the area covered by the Poor Law Union of Naas in Co. Kildare.
Publisher / Place of Publication: Sara Editions / The Lodge, Cronybyrne, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow.
About: This book is listed as being No.1 in the Irish Historic Villages Series of 2013. It would seem to be an alternative edition of a similarly-titled publication first issued by Wicklow County Council in 2011. It is a full-colour A4 sized book which traces the development of villages in County Wicklow between 700 – 1900, explaining how history, the natural environment and the buildings make them what they are today.
ID number(s): None
Contents: The Wicklow Village — Monastic settlements — Estate villages — The Picturesque — Chapel villages — Legacy — Catalogue of villages.
Extra #1: Includes colour photographs on every page.
Full title: Beneath the Poulaphuca reservoir: the 1939 Poulaphuca survey of the lands flooded by the Liffey reservoir scheme
Creator / Author: Christiaan Corlett (editor)
Item Type / Page count: Book / 352p
When Published: 2008
Publisher / Place of Publication: Stationery Office, Dublin.
About: A handsome and comprehensive presentation of the results of a survey that took place in 1939 of the lands that were soon to be flooded forever to create the Poulaphuca Reservoir. The editor brings to light for the first time the maps, photographs, folklore and recollections of an area now submerged.
ID number(s): 0755776062 / 9780755776061
Chapters: Preface — Introducion — Poulaphuca area — Origins of the Liffey Reservoir Scheme — The Poulaphuca Survey — Significance of the survey — Conclusion — Editor’s Note — The Survey: Areas A to G — Appendix1: Archaeological investigations — Appendix 2: Acquisitions by the National Museum of Ireland — Appendix 3: Burgage Graveyard — Appendix 4: Burgage Burial Register — Appendix 5: Sources of the material collected during the Poulaphuca Survey — Appendix 6: An account of the Irish Army engineers blowing up Blessington Bridge — Index.
Extra #1: includes many photographs, maps and illustrations.
West Wicklow Bookshelf 