Howth - its Hills and Wilds

CHAPTER XXXII

Howth - its Hills and Wilds

The Howth road and the circuit of the hill have been described in the previous chapter, and it now remains but to deal with some wilder and less frequented Portions of the peninsula, which are outside the range of the ordinary excursion. We start by taking a return ticket on the tram to Sutton cross roads, whence we follow the hill tram line for about three quarters of a mile, and then turn to the right, keeping along the shore throughout. As we leave the cross roads, Carrickmore, Dun Hill, and Shelmartin look very high and precipitous - the last being prettily variegated by bright green fields along its lower slopes. Near St. Finton’s Terrace, some fifty years ago, there were extensive manganese and lime works, from which dolomite or magnesian limestone was exported to England, where the magnesia was separated from the lime and convened into various valuable products. Black oxide of manganese was also found abundantly for some time, but soon became worked out.

Along the shore road we pass a number of pretty houses and villas, the builders, no doubt, having been attracted by the sheltered position, facing the sunny south-west, and protected by the hill from the harsh easterly winds of spring. The westerly gales, however, blow at times here with considerable violence, and as a result the sea undermined the road to such an extent that it has become necessary in places to have it embanked.

The road ends at the Coastguard Station, and we now take the pathway skirting the shore, presently passing a Martello tower in a dilapidated condition, situated on a point of rock overhanging the sea. Immediately beyond this we cross a stile, and thence keep to the right by a narrow track around “The Red Rock,” where in summer time may be observed some splendid colour effects, the bright yellow of the furze blossom mingling with the delicate green of its foliage, while interspersed among the red and yellow tints of the rocks are purple patches of heather. The pathway at length conducts us to the very water’s edge, passing a little cove and boathouse, beyond which it crosses a low grassy tract, and at length reaches a stile and iron gate. Ascending again, over the rocks, and rounding Drumleck Point, we come into view of an old wire foot-bridge on the right, constructed many years ago for bathing purposes. The Ordnance Survey mark on their 6-inch Map the site of a castle at Drumleck Point, but no tradition in regard to it has ever been traced, and it is doubtful if it ever existed. Between Drumleck Point and The Needles is a cave, which some antiquarians claim to have identified as one of the hiding places of Dermot and Grania. We next pass the group of detached jagged rocks known as “The Needles,” and a short distance further, the pathway conducts us to a field, on the opposite side of which will be seen a notice-board bearing the words “public right of way.” Following the route indicated on the notice, we reach a well-defined path passing through a tract of bracken, and ultimately leading us out on the neck of the Bailey promontory. From this point we make our way along the steep road leading to the summit station of the hill tramway, where we cross the line beside the station, and turn to the left along a narrow by-road. Keeping still to the left, we at length leave the road near a gateway on the right, and enter a delightful wilderness of furze, bracken, heather, and sward, over which on the left rises a precipitous height, surmounted by a carn called “The Cross,” where a cross stood down to 100 years ago. On the summit of Carrickbrack Hill adjoining, are the remains of another carn of considerable size. Keeping to the right in the little defile, after a short ascent we reach the summit of Black Linn, 560 feet high, the highest point of Howth - a distinction commonly, but erroneously, ascribed to Shelmartin, which, though it does not look it, is really 10 feet lower. Between “The Cross” and Black Linn, and extending therefrom in a westerly direction, is a heather-clad tract, known as Blackheath, traversed by a path, along which we may make our way to Shelmartin.

The view from Black Linn includes an unbroken view of the sea from Wicklow Head, with its three lighthouses on the south, to the point of land at the extremity of the long village of Rush on the north. Southward will be observed Bray Head, Greystones, the two Sugar Loaves, Dalkey, Killiney, Kingstown and the long range of familiar heights extending westward until lost in the haze and smoke of the city, while on clear days may be discerned the blue profile of the mountains of Wales. Looking towards the city, the hill with the sham summit intercepting the view of Clontarf is Shelmartin, and to the right of that is the rocky height called Dun Hill, formerly a semaphore signal station. Between us and the harbour are the lower elevations known as the Loughoreen Hills, and under the western side of the hill is an undulating tract bearing the strange name of the Ben of Howth. Between Black Linn and Shelmartin is a slightly rising ground known as Knocknabohil.

A very ancient Celtic town of Howth was believed by Dr. Petrie and the Rev. J. F. Shearman to have existed in the Cross Garvey field, close to the Ben of Howth.

Following the path across Blackheath, we at length reach Shelmartin, which presented a dismal spectacle for some years after it was burnt in 1905, looking as bare and arid as a desert. From its summit one sees to the northward the precipitous height overhanging the demesne, known as Carrickmore, to the left of which is the isthmus, so low and narrow that it looks from here as if the sea could easily wash over it. It has been stated, though without any reliable authority, that King Criffan, who died at Duncriffan, now the Bailey promontory, in the year 9 A.D., is buried under the cam on the summit of Shelmartin.

Descending the hill, we may make our way towards the cottage on the northern side, until we meet the path skirting the rocky height of Dun Hill, by which we can return to Howth town either by taking the first turn to the left, or conntinuing the pathway through a picturesque tract of gorse and heather until a wooden gate is seen on the left leading into a wood. From this point a field-path conducts us to the old Lighthouse road, leading by Balglass Hill into the town, or if desired, the tram can be taken to the railway station.

As some of the visitors to Howth may be disposed to cross over to Ireland’s Eye, a brief account of that island will not be out of place in this chapter. It was originally called Irish-Ereann - i.e., Eria’s Island, Eria being a woman’s name. This in time became confounded with Erin, and the name of the island then successively assumed the forms of “Erin’s Ey” (“Ey” a Danish word, meaning an island), “Ireland’s Ey,” and lastly “Ireland’s Eye,” in which meaningless designation not a vestige of the ancient name has survived.

Rabbits are found on the island, and, in ancient times it was noted for a fine breed of goshawks, which used to build their nests on its rocks. These were highly valued in the olden time, when falconry was a royal sport, and every nobleman and gentleman kept his hawks.

The ruin of St. Nessan’s Church on Ireland’s Eye may be fitly described as an antiquarian forgery. It was an interesting ruin in 1843, when it was sketched by the late Mr. Wakeman, but soon afterwards, it was restored without any regard to its former condition or appearance, and, as a result, it is now almost impossible to identify it with the sketches of Petrie and Wakeman. It cannot even be said that the materials of the modern ruin are those of the old church, as portions which had long previously disappeared were reproduced in the restored edition. It is stated by Petrie that the doorway of the original structure was taken down in order to utilise the stones in building the Catholic Church at Howth.

St. Nessan’s Church, owing to its exposed position, was in early times constantly pillaged by Danish and English marauders, and it is recorded that Irghalach, King of Bregia, was slain in one of these attacks. It is not, therefore, Surprising that, as the original ecclesiastic establishment of Howth, it was for security transferred to the mainland in 1235, from which date the church on Ireland’s Eye was probably allowed to fall into decay.

There cannot, however, have been any permanent monastic establishment here, as there are no indications of foundations near the church, and any stone building would have left some traces after it, seeing that the island has not been inhabited since the abandonment of the church, and has scarcely been disturbed by tillage operations.

The wild beauty of the island will amply repay one for the trouble of visiting it; the most interesting portion being the eastern side, where the detached rocks are of great size and fantastic shapes, and hollowed out by the action of the sea into numerous caves. On this side also is the scene of the now almost forgotten Kirwan murder - a terrible tragedy of the last century.

The view from the heights comprises, to the south - the hill, harbour, and town of Howth, with the castle embosomed in its wood; to the right of these, the Isthmus of Sutton; and then, in succession, Baldoyle, Portmarnock, and to the northward the fertile tract of Fingal; while across the city haze may be discerned the rounded forms of the Dublin mountains, their summits outlined in picturesque profile, and their bases indistinct and blurred by the smoke of the Metropolis.

In the preparation of this article the following authorities have been consulted:- The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries for 1895, containing articles on “Howth” by Mr. Robert Cochrane and the Rev. C. T. M’Cready; “A Day at Howth,” by the late Mr. Huband Smith; Dalton’s History of the County Dublin; Wakeman’s Old Dublin; Irish Names of Places; and some articles in The Dublin Penny Journal and The Irish Penny Magazine.

The circuit described in this chapter entails a walk of between six and seven miles, which may be reduced by taking the tram back from the Summit.