Irish Milestones information needed

force eleven

I wonder are there are publications or sites which detail the history and heritage of the Irish granite milestones which are still dotted around the country on our national roads? Many have been lost to time and road expansion I'm sure, but I know there are some still existing, but am unable to find a source or database. The UK have several sites dedicated to their own ones.

My own interest is from around Moate, I know there is one milestone painted white on the entrance to Moate on the old main Dublin-Galway road which must follow the original route, and there should be 2 others on the way in from Horseleap according to Taylor and Skinners 1777 Road Map of Ireland.But they seem to have gone sadly. I have also seen one on the roadside between Milltownpass and Rochfortbridge.

Anyone else share this interest in old roads and markers?

Bog Butter

http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/servicesa-z/heritage/

Why don't you contact Westmeath County Council.

fifilarue

I've seen that one in Moate and someone painted it last year!! There's a fantastic one on the bridge in Mountbelllew which is worth a look too. There was an article in Archaeology Ireland a couple of years ago on milestones. If I get a minute I will look up the reference for you. :P

force eleven

fifilarue wrote: »

I've seen that one in Moate and someone painted it last year!! There's a fantastic one on the bridge in Mountbelllew which is worth a look too. There was an article in Archaeology Ireland a couple of years ago on milestones. If I get a minute I will look up the reference for you. :P

That's right, and when you think about it, its been there for about 250 years or so - may have been moved of course at stage of course. I used to drive daily up and down to Dublin and I'd notice certain milestones - one in Tyrellspass in particular just past the castle on the Kilbeggan side (off to the left), which was probably the old route of the N4. They show the old Irish mile from one place to the other i.e Dublin/Athlone or Galway and are spaced 1.3 modern miles apart, so I used to see if they still existed. Very few do, or are visible and I wondered whatever happened those that are gone - are they hidden or buried? Or more likely destroyed through road widening or farming?
There is another one between Rochfortbridge and Milltownpass, that looks as if it was reset and cleaned,which is nice to see.

And finally, if you look at Taylor and Skinners Irish Road Map from 1783 - you can see the approx positions of each milestone - very interesting to look at.

Scarinae

My Dad would probably know, he is very interested in that sort of thing - many times as a child I was forced to wait impatiently in the car at the side of the road while Dad photographed a milestone/an old letterbox/a bridge. It is very possible he has photographs of ones from around Moate, I'll try to remember to ask him next time I am home

dade

i think i know of one in dublin Dublin, on the Malahide road near the Goblet pub.

it's on the same side of the road as the goblet just past it heading toward the city. it's outside St. Davids CBS, there's a bunch of houses there now but it should still be there i think the left part of the old wall intact when they built the houses. it has a mile market for teh GPO and Malahide on it if i remember right

dade

may be another one further north on the malahide road outside a house called Lime Hill just past campions pub

FunkyDa

dade wrote: »

i think i know of one in dublin Dublin, on the Malahide road near the Goblet pub.

it's on the same side of the road as the goblet just past it heading toward the city. it's outside St. Davids CBS, there's a bunch of houses there now but it should still be there i think the left part of the old wall intact when they built the houses. it has a mile market for teh GPO and Malahide on it if i remember right

Is this it?

fifilarue

great photo -clearly an upmarket version-any of the ones I have seen are carved stones.

opeldave

FunkyDa wrote: »

Is this it?

Thats it for definite spent far too many hours stuck in traffic there looking at it lol:mad:

There is another mile marker down the Malahide Rd where "Belcamp Lane" joins it.(Just past Darndale on your way out of Dublin)

Degsy

There's one on the howth road near the entrance to the Demesne,facing the shops.

fifilarue

Here's the milestone on the bridge over the Castlegar River on the northern side of Mountbellew, Co Galway. I took the photos on market day and was dodging speeding farmers with trailers packed full of sheep, so they don't really do the milestone justice. It's a beauty.