Roads in Our Parish.

In History, Our Parish by Pete Coghlan B.A. by admin

Roads in Our Parish.

We know that in ancient Ireland and even down to Cromwellian Times, Ireland was fairly densely covered with forests. Which as someone said, had “like a magic cloak sheltered the Gael in every century”. And even as late as 1720 our Kerry Poet, Aoghan O’Ráthaille sorrowing about the disappearance of our woods wrote: “Is dith creach bhur gcoille ar feochadh” (Woe, your woods are withering away).

Yet, as useful as those woods were, they were not without disadvantages and one inconvenience was that they made travel and communication difficult.

In early days we had no roads or bridges, but just pathways through the woods generally leading to fords in the rivers where people could easily cross. And thus it is that we have the Irish word “Áth” (Ford) incorporated in the names of many of our towns – Áth – luain (Athlone), Áthi (Athy), Baile átha Cliath (Dublin) etc.

In our parish the only big river we had some well known fords:

  1. At Laune Bridge (Beaufort).
  2. In Kelly’s ford to the north of Gurrane House.
  3. Gortnascarry Ford.

Of those Kelly’s Ford was best known and even down to modern times people used that way of crossing the Laune in summertime when the river was low.

In early days the pathway to Kelly’s ford was marked by a number of “Gallans”, huge stones erected at intervals to point out the pathway.

The “Gallan” in this case was in Christy Coffey’s field just east of Gurrane House, but now demolished. The second is in John Moriarty’s field beside the road beyond the Grotto. The third and the highest is due south of Cullina National School in Jimmy Sullivan’s field. The fourth is due south in Jimmy Coffey’s field, just south of the Board of Works.

All those huge “gallans” point in a straight line northwards towards Kelly’s Ford along by the “gallans” and on through Dirra West of Strickeen mountain and emerging on the Gap of Dunloe Road beside John Moriarty’s St. Patrick’s Cottage.

The Gap of Dunloe Road was not used before 1750 as a thoroughfare, even for pedestrians as it was considered too hazardous with overhanging rocks and boulders on the route.

When regular or as they are sometimes called, macadamised roads were introduced in the parish it was easy to understand from the contours of the countryside what direction they should take, East or West.

We have three main roads running east to West in the Parish with several junction roads. The oldest road in the main Beaufort village, Churchtown, Meanus Road made sometime before 1800.

Further south is the Coolmagort, Cullina, Carnahone, Keelohane, and Shanacloon and Kilgobnet road.

Along the foot of the mountain runs the Board of Works Road from Scully’s Cross, Ballagh, Gortbee, and Ballyledder Road to Glencar.

 

 

 

 

 

The junction roads are:

 

  • Laune Bridge, Coolmagort Cross, Scully’s Cross and Gap of Dunloe.
  • Grotto Cross – Coglan’s Cross.
  • Leaba na bó Cross to Leary’s Cross.
  • Churchtown Cross – Giddagh Bridge.
  • Cros na gCuloch – Giddagh Bridge
  • Meanus Cross – Brookhill – Kilgobnet.
  • Carnahone Cross – Kissane’s Cross- – Coolcumisk Alohert.
  • Meara’s Cross – Gortboy National School – Mealis.
  • Shanacloon Cross – Gerah.
  • Sweeney’s Cross – Shanavalla – Ballyledder.

 

 

In 1939 the first tarmacadam was used on our roads from Laune Bridge to Churchtown.

It was many years before any more was done – in 1948 from Meanus Cross to Kilgobnet National School.