20191031

Ballycorus lead mines

I was getting the Free Travel itch again so set out as before to catch the 0710 bus from the bottom of the road. From its terminus in Dublin I caught the south going Luas green line almost to its end and did my walking bit which roughly followed the green track in my map being this route.

My walking track in colour red, 7.75 miles

I then returned by Luas from the Brides Glen (last) stop all the way to the most northerly station Broombridge where I caught a regular commuter train to Connolly from where I jumped on a waiting red Luas tram showing destination "Tallaght" on its head-up display. In due course it regrettably proved to be a Saggart tram so I had to disembark and retrace somewhat. From Tallaght I caught the next 65 bus to Blessington, which sadly terminated there so did not take me to the end of our road, so then ran / walked until I was kindly rescued by a neighbour and delivered to my door.

As usual you can enlarge my pictures below by clicking on them.

Pigeons at home - Taken from the bus on the way in

Celtic cross at Tulley Cross

Old Tully church


Major redevelopment stark contrast with the Old

The green Luas currently terminates at Brides Glen but there are plans to extend it further to Bray in which case it will doubtless use the viaduct (see below). Everywhere the Luas' tendrils grow new developments are spawned and, I understand, existing house prices rocket.


Pucks Castle

Puck's Castle

Ballycorus lead mines chimney

The lead mines chimney was, of course, the real reason for this trip. Who could resist such a landmark and the story behind it?



Where the flue used to join the chimney

Looking up

The Ballycorus lead mines and associated smelting centre further down the hill, in deference to health concerns routed its fumes via a stone flue (duct) to this chimney. The chimney used to be taller but the top section was removed more recently for safety's sake. Likewise the spiral stairs have been partly demolished near the bottom to prevent people like me killing themselves.

According to Wikipedia, the flue was about 2 km long and this length allowed lead to be precipitated on its inside surfaces from the smelting fumes. Operatives were given the task of scraping the lead deposits off the inside of the flue, and they promptly died young as a result so that the area became called "Death Valley". Such is the greed and stupidity of man. Similar stories have been told about must-haves such as mercury and asbestos. In time I wonder what stories will be told of must-have cell-phones?


Was the stone for the chimney or lead mined here?

Showing the construction of the flue

Inside the flue (what little of it remains)

So I walked through these sections

My way out

View South to Bray from Carrickgollogan hill

View to North

View inland

Carrickgollogan hill

The Rath of Rathmichael, chimney in the distance

The writing (in Gaelic) is etched on this plaque

That plaque was next to this iron bench

Location of Rath

Bride's Glen Viaduct

I could not resist crossing it

Distant developments at Brides Glen stop, from the viaduct



The green Luas line follows part of the course of the old Harcourt street railway line, for example it uses its viaduct over the river Dodder near Milltown. So I naturally thought that, if extended, it would cross the Bride's Glen viaduct. But an aerial view makes this seem unlikely...

Aerial view of alignment of Luas line and viaduct

Harcourt Street Station facade

The terminus station building in Harcourt Street still exists, as indeed does the building that errant locomotive crashed through in 1900 which so reminded me of the similar crash at Montparnasse as depicted in my favourite film Hugo in the clip below.



North of the city centre the green line utilises the old MGWR route to its Broadstone terminus and thus passes under two handy ready-made bridges under the busy North Circular and Cabra roads. The diagram below is a helpful (though historic) summary of the contorted rail routes in this area and converging on Connolly station.  And thus the green Luas ends adjacent to the Irish Rail Broombridge stop at which I shivered (there is no shelter) waiting for an overdue train to Connolly station.

The green Luas uses the old Broadstone route

Broombridge, where Luas, Irish Rail and Royal Canal meet

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