ByRoute 4.1 Co. Wicklow (W) // Co. Kilkenny
Donard (Co. Wicklow / West)
Donard is a tranquil village at the foot of Table Mountain, with two churches, two puba nad two shops.
Donard is believed to take its name from Domnacha Arda – “the church of the high field”, which is thought to refer to the ruin atop nearby Church Mountain.
Donard House, built c.1830 for the Marquess of Waterford‘s land agent, is reached by a long avenue through lovely parkland grounds. It is available for holiday rentals.
The Chrysalis Holistic Centre, run by Ann Maria Dunne, occupies an elegant old country house with beautiful grounds, including a Zen Garden with purpose-built hermitages.
The Castleruddery Stone Circle near Donard is a particularly fine specimen, featuring a pair of sizeable white quartz portal stones.
Donard is quite near Stratford-on-Slaney on ByRoute 5.
The Glen of Imaal
The Glen of Imaal (pronounced Ee-mahl) is widely regarded as the most impressive of all Wicklow’s valleys. The best view of the Glen is from the Donard – Davidstown road.
Lugnaquilla in winter.
Fenton’s Pub is the start and/or finish of several popular approaches to Lugnaquilla.
Excursionists should bear in mind that the Glen has been used since 1900 as an artillery range by both British and Irish military forces, so should watch out for warning signs and unexploded shells. The nearby Army Information Centre provides free maps.
The gruelling Ring of Imaal Marathon is organised biennially by An Oigé, who also run the regular Imaal Walking Festival. The Glen also has a challenging Equestrian Trail.
The Glen of Imaal Terrier is a sturdy local purebred, aka “the turnspit dog” for its agility on the treadmill traditionally used to turn meat roasting over the fire, and regular champion of the Teastas Mór and Teastas Misneac contests requiring terriers to prove their gameness in unearthing badgers.
Derrynamuck, at the top of a grassy lane off the road between Donard and Rathdangan, overlooked by Kaedeen Mountain, is the site of a traditional whitewashed thatched dwelling built with local stone, popularly known as the Dwyer-McAllister Cottage. It was here that, having held out long after the 1798 Rebellion had failed, Michael Dwyer and Sam McAllister (originally a Loyalist smallholder from Roundwood) fought a gun battle with encircling British troops in 1799; McAllister died when he drew enemy fire to allow Dwyer to escape over the snow-covered mountains into the wilderness, where he survived for a remarkably long time. The cottage was later destroyed by fire and lay in ruins for almost 150 years. It was restored to its original form as a monument in 1948 and again extensively repaired in 1992.
Derrynamuck is within striking distance of Aghavannagh on ByRoute 3.
Rathdangan & Kiltegan (Co. Wicklow / West)
Rathdangan is where the Missionary Order of St. Patrick, aka the Kiltegan Fathers, train their African recruits.
Jas. Byrne’s pub is a friendly old-fashioned place for a good pint.
Rathdangan is quite close to Aghavannagh on ByRoute 3.
Kiltegan is a pretty estate village.
William Hume (d.1815), MP for County Wicklow, lived in a fortified C18th house when in 1803 he negotiated the surrender of Michael Dwyer, who emigrated voluntarily with his family to Australia, where he became a constable.
Humewood Castle
Humewood Castle was built on the site of the old house by his grandson William Wentworth Fitzwilliam Hume Dick (1805 – 1892), also MP for County Wicklow, who in 1867 commissioned “an occasional resort in the summer recess or the shooting season”. The architect, the London-based William White, got a bit carried away, resulting in the famous lawsuit Kimberley v. White & Dick, won by the plaintiff builder.
Hume Dick’s granddaughter referred to the 60,000ft2 house as “a family mansion not above the average size.” Humewood remained in the family until the death of the last descendant in 1992.
Restored by German-born Renata Coleman, a passionate polo player, the castle and lodge provided accommodation costing over €11,000 per day. Guests included pop singers such as the Spice Girls and Hollywood (USA) actors actors Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, John Travolta and Winona Ryder.
Having purchased the property in 2007 for €25m, the development company Lalco embarked on a €250m project to build a large hotel next to the mansion and lodges in the estate grounds, an indoor golf facility, an 18 hole golf course, tennis courts and other outdoor pursuit amenities, all in order to create what it calls “an integrated tourist destination“.
The Church of Ireland Rector of Kiltegan is the Reverend Lady Stella Durand.
Knockannana village is near the source of the Derry River, famous for its brown trout.
Rathdangan, Kiltegan, and Knockanannana are all within easy reach of Hacketstown (Co. Carlow) on ByRoute 5.
Moyne, once a picturesque hamlet with a prosperous Church of Ireland congregation and even a Congregationalist minister, dwindled in population over many years, but is now growing again. It commands superb views of the Blackstairs Mountains.
The 1st Baron Moyne was Walter Guinness, a member of the wealthy brewing family with extensive property nearby. A British politician, he achieved notorietywhen he was assassinated in Jerusalem by Zionist fanatics in 1944. The 2nd Baron and Diana Mosley were the parents of Desmond Guinness of Leixlip Castle. The title remains extant.
Moyne is connected to Askanagap on ByRoute 3.
