Blessington Lakeside
A trip around the Blessington Lakeside Heritage Trail is a journey through the social history of north west Wicklow, as it visits sites of religious and economic importance as well as shining a light on population change and migration.
The trail begins in Blessington, a town littered with historical interest. Sites worth visiting include the Credit Union Building, the Downshire monument, St Mary’s Church of Ireland and the Horseshoe Arch. Nearby, Russborough House, the Palladian mansion built in the 1740s for the First Earl of Milltown, stands overlooking the lakes.
The next port of call is Baltyboys. The privately owned Baltyboys House was the home of Elisabeth Smith, author of a fascinating account of daily life during the Great Famine and the great-grandmother of Ninette de Valois, founder of the London Royal Ballet.
The Quakers lived in the area from the 17th century, working mainly in the wool industry, and the restored Quaker Graveyard at Boystown is the next stop along the trail before heading to a constant reminder of significant local unheaval in the last century.
Valleymount Bridge was built after the valley was flooded in 1940 as part of the Poulaphouca Reservoir Scheme. Eighty homesteads, 300 farms, the village of Ballinahown and over 5,500 acres of farmland were lost under the lakes.
The village of Valleymount itself plays host to an old schoolhouse, a sweathouse and a very distinctive church built in 1803 in a Mexican style. The church contains beautiful Harry Clarke stained glass windows.
The trail then travels onwards to Ballyknockan Quarry, followed by the village of Ballyknockan. The quarry is a reminder of Ballyknockan’s long history with stonecutting, which has been practiced the area since 1824. Local granite was used to build many of Dublin’s most famous buildings and is also very much in evidence in the nearby village, where many of the homes are built from local stone. The village also contains some unique buildings, such as the barn cinema, and commands stunning views over the lakes.
The next stop on the trail is Templeboden, a townland named after Bishop Boden, whose grave and crumbling small church are located in the local graveyard. A cillin, or burial place for unbaptised local children, has also been identified.
Ballynultagh, its cairns, ballaun stone and deserted village are the next destination. The isolated village survived, without electricity, until its last resident died in the early 2000s.
The final stop before heading back to Blessington is Lacken, where many buildings are constructed of local granite while the old schoolhouse was built by Elisabeth Smith of Baltyboys House in the 1880s.
The Blessington Lakeside Heritage Trail passes through areas of incredible scenic beauty, with plenty of opportunities for bird-watching, walking and other outdoor pursuits.