School: Blessington (1)

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   “Work which is now in progress on the new new reservoir at Poulaphouca...”

   

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   to the memory of the Archbishop - who was an ancestor of the Lords Blessington- commemorating his benefaction to the village and its inhabitants.
   On the construction of the Dublin, Baltinglass and Carlow coach road Blessington became greatly enhanced in prosperity and importance. During the early part of the last century the great bridge designed by Nimmo was built over the Liffey at Poulaphouca to supersede the old horse pass bridge about half a mile to the north east, made in early times to supersede the Ford of the Horse Pass.
   The inhabitants were incorporated by Royal Charter in the reign of Charles II. We are told that the Archbishop was authorised by the Charter to appoint a Recorder, Town Clerk, and numerous other civic funtionaries.
   Their salaries were a heavy strain on the revenues of the municipality. This town and borough, old records tell us, were represented by two members in the Irish Parliament.
   The Marquis of Downshire suffered serious loss in the 1798 Rising through the burning of his magnificent mansion, which was situated with its demesne and deer park a little to the west of the village.
   The house was never rebuilt, and the ruins can still be seen. The church during the 1798 troubles was used as barracks for a garrison temporarily maintained in the locality.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. place-space-environment
      1. local lore, place-lore (~10,595)

   Language

   English

   Location

   Blessington, Co. Wicklow

   Collector

   Frances Gyves

   Gender

   Unknown

   Address

   Blessington, Co. Wicklow