“Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints!”
Welcome to the Killinthomas forest recreation area
In May we paid (another) visit to Killinthomas Wood which lies just outside Rathangan in County Kildare. While this forest recreation area woods are managed by Coillte it is evident that there is great local pride in the woodland, and while there were many visitors strolling around the various woodland paths the ethos of Leave No Trace was immediately apparent. The quote from Chief Seattle above is apt …. but to help the memory along I did take a few photos….
Wild Garlic in Killinthomas WoodWild Garlic in Killinthomas Wood
The various formal trails and paths through the wood bring you to areas with an abundance of plants peeping out from the forest floor. The various walks are nicely signposted, starting at the car park and clearly visible at the various junctions throughout the forest – facilitating options of short, medium or slightly longer “looped walks” – always it would appear leading you back to the car-park.
Fallen Trees left to decompose naturally in Killinthomas WoodFallen Trees left to decompose naturally
Some of the tree species noted were beech, oak, ash, birch, scots-pine along with hazel and holly, when trees fall, (in the main) they are left to decompose naturally – what a boon to insects, ground nesting birds and other forest wildlife, the natural biodiversity amongst the trees is left to regenerate in a relatively undisturbed environment.
Natural Wood Sculpture on the forest floor – Killinthomas WoodBluebell in Killinthomas Wood
On the day we visited the forest floor was carpeted in bluebells (coinnle corra), the singular aroma of wild garlic wafted through the air, the sound of birdsong, and a few butterflies (féileacán) and bumblebees (bumbgóg) moved from flower to flower probably harvesting the nectar in the bluebell.
Bluebells in Killinthomas WoodBluebells / Coinnle corra in amongst the trees in Killinthomas Wood
Emily Bronte wrote of the Bluebell:
“The Bluebell is the sweetest flower That waves in summer air: Its blossoms have the mightiest power To soothe my spirit’s care.”
Fallen Trees form interesting shapes in Killinthomas WoodTree-stumps become host to mosses
I noted wood-sorrel (seamsóg) and a few clusters of primrose (sabhaircín) here and there, but the primrose is not as abundant as I would have expected for the month of May, it’s a plant which is becoming harder to find in the wild having being almost eliminated from hedgerows surrounding cultivated fields.
Primroses (Sabhaircín) in Killinthomas WoodWood-sorrel / Seamsóg is abundant in Killinthomas Wood
Then there are the cones which have fallen from the trees, neatly arranged in clusters on tree-stumps.
Pine cones which have fallen from the trees, neatly arranged on a tree-stump.Pine cones which have fallen from the trees, neatly arranged on a tree-stump.
“A sense of curiosity is nature’s original school of education.”
Smiley Blanton
We walk past them many times, never once stopping to have a real look at some of the items which adorn our footpaths, walls and roadside locations. Why are they there, what was their function (if they no longer have an obvious one), when were they put there and how did they survive the building boom and road building / widening programmes this country experienced in the late 1900’s and early 2000’s. Sadly some items of historic and cultural interest did not survive, and were removed and cast aside probably in dumps or may even have been scrapped – hopefully some are being stored in a Council Yard awaiting reinstatement at some future date.
Some (but by no means all) of the items listed below have no practical function in this the 21st century, but they were essential and performed a critical function in the past, they may have provided water for the community, or in the case of the cut benchmark were of critical importance in the first ordinance surveys carried out in Ireland.
The next time you pass something on the side of the road take a second look, think how that item or structure contributed to the community in the past, and try to ensure that these items of street furniture remain part of the landscape for many years to come.
Cut Benchmarks
Example of a “Cut Benchmark” in Newbridge, Co. Kildare
The photograph shows one of the more common forms of Ordinance Survey “cut benchmarks”; the benchmark indicated the height of a particular point above sea-level (then determined at Poolbeg Lighthouse). These are quite common and can be seen in many places around the country. As can be seen from the photograph the benchmark was formed by carving a horizontal bar into a brick or stone (often found on what were considered “permanent” structures such as building walls, bridges etc.), an arrow was carved underneath the centre of the horizontal bar. The shape of the benchmark is not unlike a “crow’s foot”. The height value was gauged from the centre point of the horizontal bar.
“Sea level was defined to be the low water of spring tide at Poolbeg Lighthouse in Dublin Bay on the 8th April 1837. This reference point remained in use until it was superseded in 1970 by a point mean sea level at Malin Head, Co. Donegal, which is 2.7 m higher”. (#1)
There are a number of examples of old cast-iron water pumps (now disused) around the town, dating to a time when there was no mains water supply that most of us take for granted in these modern times. Some of the pumps are stamped with the manufacturer’s name “Glenfield and Kennedy – Kilmarnock”
There is however an interesting link to modern times as one of the principles of this company (Glenfield and Kennedy – Kilmarnock) a Thomas Kennedy invented and patented the first “accurate device for measuring water consumption” (#2) which ultimately led to the ability to charge for water consumption.
According to the Buildings of Ireland website these water hydrants are “of some historical and technical interest, dating to a period before mains water supply when a communal source of clean drinking water was deemed sufficient. The survival of the water hydrant in its original location is of importance – elsewhere removed and re-instated as ornamental features…….survives as a reminder of early cast-iron work. The water hydrant is attractively sited on the side of the road and is of artistic importance, having been conceived as an aesthetic, as well as functional, piece.” (#3)
Cast-Iron Water Pumps. Reg. No. 11818012
There are a number of similar (although not all of the same design) water pumps around the town and although they are now superfluous to our needs, they survive as attractive pieces of street furniture, and as testament to those days when water had to be collected in churns and buckets and transported to the kitchen……now its conveniently available at the turn of a tap.
The Watering Gates
Although construction of the British Cavalry Barracks in Newbridge commenced circa 1813, the formal structure of the walls we now refer to as the “Watering Gates” does not appear to exist in 1859.
A View of the Watering Gates in Newbridge
However an outline of the current “watering gates” are marked alongside a ford and are seen to be in existence in 1871, the ford at this point of the river presumably once lead to the site of the original “RC Chapel” which was located just opposite the Watering Gates at the end of Chapel Lane.
One of the stone pillars at the Watering Gates adjacent the River Liffey in Newbridge
The original purpose of the Watering Gates was to provide an area where horses from the nearby cavalry barracks were brought to drink along the banks of the River Liffey.
A road once led from the barrack stables through an archway of the barracks central tower (now demolished), eastwards between the Barracks parade grounds to the Liffey. The horses were led through the watering gates, allowed to drink, and then lead back to their stables.
The photograph shows one of the relatively ornate pillars which marked the entrance to the Watering Gates.
Old Walls
Remaining Walls of the Cavalry Barracks, Newbridge
Old stone walls exist in and around Newbridge, some may have been built in the 1800’s in conjunction with the Cavalry Barracks, others will predate that construction work.
Old Walls – Wildlife Havens, Newbridge
While most people know that hedgerows act as corridors for the movement of wildlife and also provide nesting areas for birds, older stone walls are also important for wildlife – they tend to support insects, in winter they support mosses and lichens, then during the summer months they can support many species of wildflowers. Old walls such as the one in the photograph should not be disturbed, but left in their natural state.
Guard Stones
Guard Stone located @ junction of John’s Street, & Eyre Street, Newbridge
A number of Guard Stones remain in Newbridge, although I suspect there were many more in bygone years. They were developed during the era of horse-drawn carriages and were positioned at the base of building walls at street corners to prevent damage to buildings by cornering carriages. The stones were sloped to guide carriage wheels back onto the roadway should the carriage take the corner too sharply. Sometimes guard stones were also positioned at gateways (arches) to prevent damage to the stonework structure of the gate / arch.
Guard Stone located on Main Street (@ Brophy Farrell’s) (Damaged)
The surviving Guard Stones in Newbridge are positioned mainly on building corners where minor streets meet the Main Street, and are small but important historical features of the streetscape. The fear is that when re-development occurs that no provision for conservation and replacement of the Guard Stone will be included in planning conditions, and the stones will be discarded with other concrete rubble from the building work.
Post Boxes
Traditional Post Box Main Street Newbridge Co. Kildare (Possibly Edward V11 era)
How aesthetically pleasing the older post-boxes are, much more attractive street furniture than the new style rectangular boxes perched on the top of a steel pole. This post-box located on Main Street Newbridge has been freshly painted (fair play to An Post), however the fear is that these old style post-boxes will disappear from the streetscape in the name of progress.
As far as I can determine the photograph shows an Edward VII Post Box (Green), which means that it would have been erected between 1901 and 1910 [Edward V11 (born 1841) was King from 22nd January 1901 until 6th May 1910]. ( #4)
Some Street Features Are Gone:
Water Pump @Dan Byrnes Crossroads 1987
This photograph was taken in 1987 at Dan Byrne’s Crossroads, the pump has since been removed and is no longer a feature at this crossroads….I remember it sometime later painted in distinct Mayo colours – wonder where it ended up? (The Yield Right of Way sign has since been replaced by traffic lights).
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