GREAT IRISH DRIVES THE WICKLOW MILITARY ROAD:THE MILITARY ROAD that traverses Wicklow from north to south owes its origin to the aftermath of the 1798 rebellion, writes BOB MONTGOMERY
General Charles Cornwall is best known for the part he played in the American War of Independence, where he scored a number of key victories before being trapped and famously forced to surrender at Yorktown by a force of Americans led by George Washington. It was a decisive victory that led effectively to the end of the War.
Thereafter, Cornwallis’s star faded for a time before in 1798 he was sent to Ireland as Lord Lieutenant. By the time he arrived here to take up his post, the 1798 rebellion was all but over with just localised pockets of Built in resistance remaining scattered throughout the country. Instead of fighting off a rebellion he found himself trying to contain the activities of local militia and yeomen intent on bloody revenge on the United Irishmen.
In spite of an amnesty for the United Irishmen, the spate of bloody killing – particularly in the Wicklow and Wexford areas – continued unabated.
It was against this background that the construction of a military road to allow the swift dispatch of troops into Wicklow was contemplated. By August 1800, construction work was ready to begin under the direction of a Scotsman, Alexander Taylor, who with Andrew Skinner had produced their Maps of the Roads of Irelandin 1777. To build the road Taylor was given 200 soldiers and permission to employ another 200 locals in its construction.
Today, the start of the road can be clearly seen at the Yellow House pub in Rathfarnham. The present building was constructed in the late 19th century and replaced another built in 1828. From there the new road went south past the old Millbrook Mill across the Ballyroan Road and on to Billy’s Bridge where it proceeded towards Killakee via Stocking Lane.
There it passed Mount Venus, site of a well-known hill climb venue in the 1950s and 1960s. To the west of the road atop the hill are the remains of the notorious Hellfire Club and to the east are Cruagh Wood and fine views back across the city. From there, the road climbs up out of the trees above Kilakee car park and onto the roof of the Wicklow Mountains.
This is now mountain terrain and you can imagine the difficulties caused by the extremes of climate Taylor’s workforce must have encountered here.
Shortly before a smaller road leaves the Military Road to head down to Glenasmole, is the Lemass Monument, marking the spot where the body of Noel Lemass, who was executed by Free State forces in 1923, was found. This is also the highest point of the Military Road, some 480m above sea level and also marks the border between counties Dublin and Wicklow.
From the Lemass Monument the road continues across the mountain landscapes as far as the junction with the Glencree road. Here a barracks was constructed which was completed in 1806. It has had a colourful history. First as an army garrison, then as a barracks for the Wicklow Constabulary, then as a base for the Ordnance Survey before becoming a Reformatory in 1859.
It was not until 1940 that the Reformatory finally closed, whereupon it became a reception centre run by the Irish Red Cross for young refugees from Germany and Poland.
Today, the building is a Reconciliation Centre for Peace with an exhibition area and a coffee shop and is well worth the short diversion from the Military road.
Close by is the German Military Cemetery where 134 Germans – mostly Luftwaffe aircrew – who died in Ireland during two world wars are buried.
It’s a special place, sensitively constructed on the site of an old quarry. Sad to say, here as well as throughout the route of the Military Road, there were signs of litter and house rubbish, indiscriminately dumped.
From Glencree, the Military Road continues across Sally Gap and starts to descend through terrain that is lined with trees towards the head of the Glenmacnass Valley with its spectacular waterfall before running down the valley to the picturesque village of Laragh where another barracks was constructed.
Having started construction of the road in 1800 this part of its construction was completed in early 1806 by Taylor and his mixed band of workers.