Twelfth Collection of Articles on West Wicklow History

© Individual Contributors

Full title: Journal of the West Wicklow Historical Society: Number 12, 2023-24

Creator / Author: West Wicklow Historical Society & contributors, joint editors Chris Lawlor, Declan Keenan

Item Type / Page count: Journal (Complete issue) / 200p

When Published: 2023

Publisher / Place of Publication: West Wicklow Historical Society / Baltinglass (?), Co. Wicklow.

About: This twelveth publication of this biennial journal was launched in the Coimín Centre, Blessington on 9/11/2023. It includes perhaps the most diverse set of topics yet to appear in this journal. Full contents are listed below. The most extensive article in this issue runs to 24 pages. In it, Peter W. Halligan provides an enlightening account of the castles at Oldcourt and Three Castles. 

ID number(s): 0790-1739

Contents: Foreword from the Chairman / Paul Gorry — Donal McDonnell (1945-2022) — Secretary’s Synopsis / Cora Crampton — Noel Lyons (1942-2022) — Editor’s Preface / Chris Lawlor — Mapping the devolved Gaelic territories and districts of the O’Tooles / Declan Keenan — Migrant railway workers and local communities: a case study of Harristown station on the Sallins-Tullow branch line 1883-1951 / John O’Brien — Some observations on the Great famine in County Wicklow, c.1845-1850 / Gerald Cullen — Gentry, Brides and Lions / Maura Murphy Gibson — The man who wore a blue shirt in 1933: the Bass War in West Wicklow and Kildare / Declan O’Connor — A little bit of Bulgaria in Ireland: Pierce O’Mahony (1850-1930): politician and philanthropist / Brian McCabe — Dame Ninette de Valois (Edris Stannus) / Paul Tyrell — A 1792 Rental of the Lordship of Belan, Co. Kildare / Richard B. Lennon —Language Matters Revisited / Ita Roddy — Death from a Flat-Nosed Bullet in Blessington / James Scannell — A farming community: Hollywood in the early twentieth century / John Glennon — Sadhbh O’Byrne – glimpses of a Gaelic woman of sixteenth-century Ireland / Cora Crampton — The Manor of Blessington, created by Michael Boyle / Jim Corley — Revisiting the 1798 Dunlavin massacre for its 225th anniversary / Chris Lawlor — Balfe the Robber / Brendan Corrigan — A sociological interpretation of the Hillfort Capital – exploring Hughstown and Tinoran hillforts (part 1 of 3) / Mairéad Kelly — Charles Maule Drury (1848-1939) – collector of folklore / Paul Gorry — The castles of Oldcourt and Three Castles / Peter W. Halligan — ‘I say it as I think it’ : The life and controversial times of Rev. T. C. O’Connor, Rector of Donoughmore and Donard / Rosemary Raughter — Query / Peter W. Halligan.

Extra #1: Illustrated throughout with black & white photographs and maps.

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

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

Extra #4: Visit the West Wicklow Historical Society website

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.

Blessington Stones in Dublin

© The Publisher

Full title: Granite as a building material in Dublin in the early eighteenth century

Creator / Author: John Hussey

Item Type / Page count: Journal Article / 3p

Journal Information: History Ireland, Vol. 22, No. 6, pp. 18-20

When Published: November / December 2014

Publisher / Place of Publication: Wordwell Ltd. / Unit 9, 78 Furze Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

About: In this three-page article the author investigates when granite was first used as a building material in Dublin. He also traces the origin of this granite to the Woodend and Threecastles quarries in the Blessington area. Indeed the granite came to be referred to as ‘Blessington Stones’ in transactions of the time.

ID number(s): 0791-8224

Extra #1: includes photographs, an illustration and map.

Extra #2: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Extra #3: Read this article online via JSTOR. [Personal registration / conditions apply]. Alternatively, your local public library may provide free online access to this article.

Extra #4: Visit the magazine website at: http://www.historyireland.com/

Burgage Church History

© CKAS

Full title: Burgage, County Wicklow

Creator / Author: Very Rev. Myles V. Ronan

Item Type / Page count: Journal Article / 13p

Journal Information: Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society, Vol. XIII, No. 4, pp. 184-192

When Published: 1953

Publisher / Place of Publication: County Kildare Archaeological Society / Co. Kildare

About:   This article is an ecclesiastical history of Burgage. Anciently known as Domhnach-Imleach and associated with Saint Molomma, its church was one of the four principal churches of the Diocese of Glendalough. The article starts with the oldest existing mention of the church in 1179 and continues up to the 1730’s. It covers the holdings of the church, sets it in the context of the history of the period and describes the remaining ruins. Interestingly, the author sees the silver lining in the cloud of Henry VII’s suppresson of religious houses. He reasons that the inquisitions into their possessions gives us much more information about them than would otherwise have survived.

ID number(s): 0332-0782

Extra #1: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Extra #2: Visit the County Kildare Archaeology Society website.

Extra #3: Search and access the content of Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society free of charge, courtesy of the Co. Kildare Archaeological Society and Kildare Library Services.

The Book of Blessington

© The Publisher

Full title: The Blessington Estate, 1667-1908

Creator / Author: Kathy Trant

Item Type / Page count: Book / 239p

When Published: 2004

Publisher / Place of Publication: Anvil Books / 45 Palmerston Road, Dublin 6.

About: The definitive history of the Blessington area from the mid-17th century to the beginning of the twentieth. It combines the story of the Boyle and Hill families of nobility with the eternal tension of the landlord and tenant relationship.  The author has researched the subject extensively and the highest levels of scholarship are evident. However, the book is very accessible and a recommended read for local historians.

ID number(s): 1901737519 / 9781901737516

Chapters: Foreword — The Struggle for Land — The Boyle Dynasty — The Downshire Connection — The Rebellion of 1798 — Bad Debts and Good Neighbours — Land Tenure and Agents — The Tenants — Rents and Arrears — The Landlord’s Role — The Famine Years — The Social Round — The Final Chapter — Epilogue — Appendix: List of tenants on the Blessington Estate, 1850 — Acknowledgements — Abbreviations — Notes and Sources — Notes on Illustrations — Bibliography.

Extra #1: includes 98 illustrations and images.

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication

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

Extra #4: Read a review of this book online via JSTOR. [Personal registration / conditions apply]. Alternatively, your local public library may provide free online access to this review.

Extra #5: For information, a review of this book was also published in the Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society, Volume 19 (3), 2004-5 pp568-570.

Blessington House No More

© JSTOR

Full title: The Building of the Mansion at Blessington, 1672

Creator / Author: Brian de Breffny

Item Type / Page count: Journal Article / 5p

Journal Information: The GPA Irish Arts Review Yearbook, pp. 73-77

When Published: 1988

Publisher / Place of Publication: Irish Arts Review / Dublin

About: In 1667, Archbishop Michael Boyle purchased the old Norman Lordship of The Three Castles and was granted a royal charter to establish the town of Blessington. He set about building a fine big house to be his residence. This article deals with the contract which was drawn up for the building of Blessington House and looks at the financial and construction aspects of what was a major project at the time. The mansion was destroyed during the rebellion of 1798.

ID number(s): 1649-217X / 0790-178X

Extra #1: includes black & white engraving plus elevation and ground plan.

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

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

Extra #4: Read this article online via JSTOR. [Personal registration / conditions apply]. Alternatively, your local public library may provide free online access to this article.

What Lies Beneath

© The Publisher

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.

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

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

Visitor’s Guide to Historic Sites

© The Publishers

Full title: A Guide to the Archaeology of County Wicklow

Creator / Author: Eoin Grogan and Tom Hillery

Item Type / Page count: Book / 59p

When Published: 1993

Publisher / Place of Publication: Wicklow County Tourism / County Buildings, Wicklow.

About: Wicklow has a wealth of archaeological sites and ancient monuments. This A4 size publication aims to interest the tourist in this aspect of our heritage. Many West Wicklow sites are included in this excellent and profusely illustrated introduction to the archaeology of Wicklow.

ID number(s): 0951975404

Chapters: The Neolithic: Passage tombs — Late Neolithic burial sites — Wedge tombs — The Early Bronze Age: Ceremonial circles — The Iron Age: hillforts — The Early Medieval Period: Ringforts — Glendalough — Bullauns, graveslabs and ogham stones — Early and later medieval churches — Viking and medieval towns — The Later Medieval Period: Monastic sites — Mottes, moated sites and castles — Anglo-Norman fortifications — Tower houses — Castles — Places of special interest — Archaeological trails — Suggested reading — Glossary — List of sites by townland — List of figures.

Extra #1: Contains plans of all the major sites, drawn by Sarah Cross

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

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

Liffey Valley Memories

© The Publishers

Full title: Memories of the Liffey Valley

Creator / Author: Liffey Valley Heritage Group

Item Type / Page count: Book / 92p

When Published: 1992

Publisher / Place of Publication: Blessington Community Enterprise Group / Blessington, Co. Wicklow

About: This book is a compilation of stories and recollections gathered together by the Liffey Valley Heritage Group during a six-month period in the early 1990s. The major event of the flooding of the valley in 1940 which permanently altered the landscape is recalled through the memories of some of the people most affected by it.

ID number(s): None

Chapters: A changing landscape — Placenames and history — Working the land — The home — Local industry — Healers and Holy wells –Weddings and wakes — Entertainment — The supernatural — Bibliography — Interviewees — Sponsors.

Extra #1: Contains many photographs and illustrations.

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

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