Ballyman Glen, Carrickgollogan, Ballycorus, Tully, and Bride's Glen

CHAPTER VI

Ballyman Glen, Carrickgollogan, Ballycorus, Tully, and Bride’s Glen

Leaving Bray Station, we walk up the Quinsborough Road, cross Bray bridge into Little Bray, and after about half a mile, turn up the road on the left, presently entering the village of Old Connaught, where may be seen the ruin of an ancient church overgrown with ivy and elder trees. The name of the locality is properly Old Conna, but the only instance in which this form has been preserved is the name, Old Conna Hill, a modem residence about three-quarters of a mile to the north of the village.

Early in the 16th century the lands of Old Connaught came into possession of the Walsh family of Shanganagh, who maintained a residence on the site of the present Old Connaught House until after the Treaty of Limerick, when they finally severed their connection with the locality and went abroad.

As we reach the higher portion of the road above Old Connaught, a stile will be seen on the left, from which a pathway leads down to the secluded glen of Ballyman or Glenmunder watered by a little stream that rises in the Scalp and here forms the boundary between the counties of Dublin and Wicklow. This glen is well wooded, and on portions of its southern slopes may be seen in the springtime such a wonderful profusion of primroses that their pale, delicate tint quite dominates the colouring of the banks on which they grow. At the bottom of the glen, not far from the stream, is the ruin of a very ancient church, dating probably from a period not later than the 12th century. Only the eastern portion of the building remains, enveloped in a luxuriant growth of ivy, and the eastern and southern windows exhibit marks indicating that they were at one time protected by upright bars, while traces of concentric carving may be seen on the southern one. A few old t0rnbstones, scarcely recognisable as such, lie scattered around the ruins.

Not far from the church, and situated on the banks of the 5tream, though almost entirely concealed by the wild tangle of brushwood, is St. Kevin’s holy well, still honoured by the observance of the old custom of tying rags and ribbons to the adjacent bushes. This well enjoys a high reputation among the people in the neighbourhood for its curative qualities, the fame of which has extended through the surrounding districts, whence persons come occasionally to take away some of the water for use in affections of the eyes.

Retracing our steps to the road, we continue along it, until, at a distance of nearly a mile from Old Connaught, we meet a narrow lane on the right, the enclosing banks and hedges of which are so high as to shut out all view, the foliage in places meeting overhead. After about half-a-mile, the lane sweeping to the right, affords a view of the rounded rocky “hump” of Carrickgollogan (popularly corrupted into “Katty Gollagher”), and just at this point two cottages will be seen on the right, opposite which is a gateway opening in on the mountainside, where a marble slab, bearing an inscription to that effect, has been placed by some friends to commemorate a Dr. Alcock. By a short, steep ascent through the bracken and heather we arrive at the cairn which marks the top, 912 feet high, from which a fine view is obtained of Bray, Howth, Dalkey, and Killiney, the vale of Shanganagh, and Bray Head and town. Between the observer and the sea will be seen Loughlinstown, looking very closely built from this point, like the towns of medieval times, which were built within as small an area as possible, so as to reduce the circuit of the enclosing wall. To the westward will be seen the wooded hill of Barnaslingan, forming the eastern side of the Scalp, beyond that the Two and Three Rock Mountains, and south of these the higher Wicklow hills - War Hill, Douce, and Duff Hill. Having finished our observations from the top, we may make our way towards the tall chimney, which is such a conspicuous feature on the hill and gives it an individuality by which it can be readily identified at a distance. A descent from the summit, equally steep as that by which we reached it, conducts us to the wilds of fern and heather beneath, intersected by pathways in various directions.

The chimney is about 80 feet high, terminating a flue nearly a mile in length, which is carried up the whole way from the Ballycorus Lead Works in the valley below. A winding flight of stone steps ascends for about two-thirds of the height of the structure. These works were established about ninety years ago, at which time sufficient ore was found on the spot, supplemented by that taken from the company’s mines at Glendalough, to keep a large staff of workmen constantly employed.

Dr. (afterwards Sir Robert) Kane, in his *Industrial Resources of Ireland *(1844), “states that ‘the dressed ore’ (from the Luganure Mine at Glendalough) is brought in cars to the company’s smelting works at Ballycorus, where it is worked up along with ores from other sources by processes to which I shall, after a little, return.

“The lead mine situated on the hill of Ballycorus, contains two lead veins, which at the surface are nearly parallel, and cross the junction of the granite and mica slate, which takes place at its summit. In the workings these veins have been found sometimes to diverge, and at others to coalesce, and were then in every case found to contain valuable bunches of ore. These veins have latterly, however, become unproductive, and although s6me limited explorations are still carried on by the Mining Company, this mine cannot be reckoned as being at the present time in action. In its vicinity are situated the Mining Company’s smelting works to which all their lead ores are brought for the purpose of their reduction and manufacture.”

At the present time a considerable business is carried on by the company at their works, where the ore is smelted and converted into ingots, the silver separated and refined, and litharge, red lead and shot manufactured. The flue, which was remodelled and extended about 50 years ago, at the cost of about £10,000, is a unique structure, in Ireland at least, and is stated to be one of the best constructed of its kind in the United Kingdom. One of the various purposes it serves is the carrying off and depositing of all poisonous products, delivering the almost purified vapour at an altitude of nearly 900 feet above sea level, thereby relieving the works and neighbourhood of the usual deleterious effects resulting from lead smelting. The deposits, chiefly in the form of sulphate of lead, are removed periodically by workmen with barrows, after the flue has been thoroughly ventilated by opening the various doors, &c.

The shaft of the mine runs westward from the chimney, under the adjoining wood, where considerable quantities of native silver were found when the mine was started. The shot tower a conspicuous object in the valley, is a handsome and substantial structure, having a spiral stairs within, terminating in an artistic iron verandah on the outside, nearly 100 feet from the ground, overlooking the adjoining pond, water-wheel, machinery, and shot premises, while in the immediate vicinity are a number of cottages, built for the employees of the company.

On leaving the chimney, by heading towards Loughlinstown, we can again reach the narrow lane we had previously left, presently observing on our right the square fortified dwelling known as Puck’s Castle, constructed with great strength and solidity, and still in excellent preservation. It has three entrances, two of which appear to be modern; the northern side is dashed, and the whole edifice bears evidence of many minor alterations carried out after it had ceased to be used for its original purpose, the brickwork fireplace in particular, on the eastern wall, presenting a distinctly modern appearance. This castle is one of the many buildings credited by popular tradition with having afforded shelter to King James for a night during his flight southwards after the Battle of the Boyne.

From here a short journey across the fields in an easterly direction conducts us to the ruins at Rathmichael, consisting of the remains of a church and the stump of a round tower, the latter, locally known as “The Skull Hole,” being a receptacle, as the name suggests, for skulls and bones from the adjoining burial ground. These ruins stand on the slopes of Carrickgollogan, almost in the centre of a large caher or rath, doubtless the original Rathmichael, while on an adjoining eminence are the remains of a similar enclosure. Their situation is most picturesque overlooking the hills of Dalkey, Killiney and Ballybrack, and the blue waters of Killiney Bay. The ruins are maintained in excellent order, showing, perhaps, rather obvious evidences of repair, and are approached by an ancient roadway exhibiting traces of paving, and known as Rathmichael lane.

Continuing our journey by this lane until we reach the main road at the head of Bride’s Glen, a sharp descent conducts us to that romantic wooded defile, doubtless deriving its name from St. Brigid or Bride, to whom the adjacent church at Tully was dedicated. Although in the 18th century this glen was called Cherrywood Glen, and as such is referred to in “The Kilruddery Hunt,” this name is probably one of comparatively modern origin, which has been discarded in favour of the original one. The name of Cherrywood, however, still remains as the designation of a modern residence at the lower end of the glen. The slopes are thickly planted with larches, Scotch firs, limes, and Spanish chestnut trees, and among them may be seen a few old cherry trees - remnants, perhaps, of the original cherry wood which gave name to the glen. Beneath the shade of the trees a fresh green sward slopes down to the Loughlinstown river, and, as we approach the village of Loughlinstown, the railway is carried across the valley by an imposing stone viaduct, built before iron bridges had come generally into vogue for such purposes.

From Bride’s Glen the return home can be made by Shankill Station, three-quarters of a mile distant, but a much more interesting and picturesque route is to return from Carrickmines Station, visiting on the way the ancient church and cross of Tully, and thence walking by Carrickmines golf links to the station. If this latter is desired, we turn back from Bride’s Glen, ascending the hill and taking the first turn to the right at a place called Hearnsford or Heronford, whence a short sharp rise conducts us to an iron gate and stile opening on to a pathway across the furze and heather. On approaching the venerable ruins of Tully, the cross will be seen on a high pedestal standing in the middle of the road, which was formerly on a level with the base of the plinth.

A few paces from the cross is the church, darkly shaded by trees and presenting little appearance of intrusion. Tully was anciently known as Tullaghna-Nespuc or the Hill of the Bishops, and a legend relates how seven of these holy men went from this establishment to pay a visit to St. Brigid at Kildare. The cross on the road is that commonly known as the Celtic pattern – *i.e., *a cross within a circle, and is of plain design, with little attempt at decoration, while that in the adjoining field is of the Maltese pattern, very tall, and embellished with rude carving, though much more dilapidated than the other, the right arm being missing. The carving consists of a full length figure in high relief, in the conventional attitude of a saint. Both crosses are supposed to date from about the eighth or ninth century.

In the churchyard is a monumental stone curiously inscribed with three sets of concentric circles, and almost identical in pattern with that of similar stones in Rathmichael churchyard. These stones have been rather a puzzle to antiquarians, being conjectured by some to be of early Christian origin, and by others to be of Pagan origin converted to Christian purposes.

Having seen these interesting relics, it will be necessary to turn back a short distance along the road, and indeed it is advisable for those not familiar with the locality, to inquire at the adjoining farmhouse for the track across the fields by the golf links to Carrickmines Station. The distance from Bride’s Glen to Carrickmines Station is about two miles.

The comparatively short circuit described in this chapter, about seven miles, including the ascent of Carrickgollogan, is, of course, practicable only to pedestrians but cyclists desirous of following it as closely as possible, should proceed to Little Bray3 thence to Old Connaught, and by the lane skirting Carrickgollogan to Puck’s Castle, Laughanstown, Tully Church and Cross, Cabinteely, and home by the Bray road. Many portions of these lanes are, however, too rough for cycling, and must be walked.

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