Rathmore

I often wonder why the majority of people who go for a run in their cars during the weekend seem to make straight for the most…

I often wonder why the majority of people who go for a run in their cars during the weekend seem to make straight for the most frequented main roads, such as the Stillorgan road. Given my choice of a motor route recently, I chose the road to Blessington, and rejoiced to find that most of the way we had the road to ourselves. Yet nothing more delightful could be found than the views of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains which stretch in a continuous line along the lefthand side of the road. By the way, a slight deviation will bring one to the little hamlet of Rathmore, which derives its name from a great rath or dun which was once situated here, though it was nearly destroyed by road-menders taking material for the roads from it. Some very interesting remains were discovered here some thirty years ago. In a subterranean chamber, lined with slabs of green limestone, about twenty feet below the surface, a complete skeleton was found with its feet pointing east. But most interesting of all was the discovery of a quantity of wood ashes from the fires of some pre-historic inhabitants, which were as fresh and recognisable as if they had been extinguished the day before instead of two thousand years ago.

The Irish Times, May 7th, 1929.