Rothar Routes

Every local bike route I follow is more than just a cycle through landscapes—it’s a passage through time. As the wheels glide over quiet bóithríns, the echoes of history ride alongside me, whispering stories etched into the land. Place names, often taken for granted, sometimes unlock these stories, the Irish version often descriptive or recalling long-forgotten events, or maybe the legacy of those who came before us. Each name is a breadcrumb in the great narrative of our shared heritage, linking us to our ancestors ,our cultures – for we have many cultural influences, and traditions that shape the Ireland and localities we live in today.

Cycling through these routes is an act of remembrance, a way of reconnecting with the past while fully immersed in the present. It’s a chance to honour the lives, the struggles, and triumphs of our ancestors by acknowledging the cultural and historical significance of the ground beneath our tyres. These cycles remind me that history isn’t confined to textbooks or museums—it lives in the rivers, the forests, and hills that surround us. I find it energising to explore local routes, its good for my physical well-being but they create a curiosity in me that brings great satisfaction in remembering, recalling or researching those places I encounter and I am grateful that many people enjoy reading about these simple journeys across Carlow and beyond!

Saturday was a good day for the bike; dry and there was a wee bit of a stretch in the afternoon! During the week I tend to cycle at night and usually follow a couple of routes that I know are safe to cycle in the dark. So I look forward to heading in a different direction each weekend and I usually know not where I am headed for! I steered for Palatine village. I always recall my late father telling me about the attractive row of granite cottages, built for Burton’s workers in 1866. The story goes that the doors were all facing to the rear when originally built and that the street-facing door ways were only inserted later. This was done so that the Burtons did not have engage with their workers as they passed!

I had it in my head to head in the direction of Rathvilly and see where the road would take me after that. If I’m cycling to the north east of the county I avoid the main road as it’s not a safe road on the bike. With the spiders web of local roads, there are thankfully always other options, even though that more often than not this entails added kilometres. But sure isn’t that the whole point of cycling in the first place!

After going through Pal village I face the short but steep climb to Knocknacree Crossroads on the main Castledermot – Tullow Road followed by a nice descent towards Graney, site of the infamous ‘Graney Ambush in the War of Independence in 1922. The IRA attacked a convoy of the National Army here and 3 soldiers were killed with 5 badly wounded. Graney was also the site of a Nunnery founded by the Augustinians around 1200 AD until Henry VIII’s dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, granting the substantial lands to Sir A. St Leger.

These are ideal roads for the bike; good surfaces and not much traffic on them. I turned right in the direction of Rathvilly and soon passed by the impressive Beechy House Stud, owned by racehorse trainer Jim Bolger. It was once owned by Benjamin D’Israeli, uncle of the former British Prime Minister of the same. He gifted a sum of money to enable the construction of a school in Rathvilly, and the beautiful building at Bough is that old school. England’s tentacles are everywhere!

This is a great route to get to Rathvilly by bike – and possibly shorter than the main road, but thankfully not suitable for heavy traffic. I was in ‘Ráth Bhile’ sooner than I expected, crossing over the six arched Slaney bridge which was built in 1800 and is still in good condition despite the high volumes of traffic that have necessitated a set of traffic lights!. Apart from being fairly handy at the auld football, It’s one of Carlow’s prettiest and most historic villages, perched on the hilltop over looking the Slaney. Its ancient origins can be guessed at by its name – Ráth being a fort and Bile referring to a tree where ancient chieftains were inaugurated. Important places in ancient times and trees were revered. So much so that in Brehon Law they were classified in three groupings – scrub trees, common trees and chieftain trees. Chieftain trees included Ash, Oak, Yew, Holly, Pine and Apple. To cut a branch of one of these trees meant a fine of a yearling heifer and worse again if a tree was cut down – a fine of a milk cow! If those laws were still in existence there’d be a lot of livestock in the county pound!

The Moate at Rathvilly was the residence of one Crimthann Mac Énnai, an Uí Chinnsealiagh King of Leinster, between 443-483 and he was baptised here by no less a man than Saint Patrick himself! Nearby is Saint Patricks Well which I have covered previously.

I continued on in the direction of Hacketstown as far as Tombeagh Standing Stone, also known as ‘ The Giant’s Lift’. It’s an odd looking stone but it’s standing proud and undisturbed for hundreds or maybe thousands of years. The cycle down past Knocklishen – Cnoc Lisín Mór and Cnoc Lisín Beag (Hill of the great Ring Fort and Small Fort…). It’s a beautiful sweeping scene down to the Douglas river.

Tombeagh Standing Stone.

I next passed over Mountneil Bridge, which I think was blown up in the Black and Tan times and later replaced.

With the USA intent on banning ‘Ticknock’, I was determined to pay it a visit to check it out and I can confirm it is still open and welcoming of visitors!

I was now on the homeward loop, even if still going away from Carlow, entering into County Wicklow, where the lovely local laneways brought me over towards Aldborough Bridge which got me back over the Slaney. It’s another fine stone bridge which has a foundation soften on the upstream wall bearing the words ‘Aldborough Bridge 182…’ one of only 4 bridges over the Slaney with a a written foundation stone. There was a Reverend Paul Stratford who lived close by in Mountneil, one of the oldest residents of Aldborough. He was a man of such great faith that he prevented local people from trying to save his furniture when the big house went on fire, saying, ‘Never fly in the face of Heaven, my friends. When the Almighty resolved to burn my house, He most certainly intended to destroy my furniture. I am resigned – the Lord’s will be done”. His insurance company didn’t take the same view and refused to pay any portion of the damages, given his lack of interest in saving the property! (Great information in John Duffy’s book ‘River Slaney from source to sea’).

Not too much further on I crossed over a rail bridge, that once took traffic over the Sallins to Tullow rail line, which was built by the GSWR in 1886. The rail line is now defunct of course.

Railway Bridge.

The old railway line passed through here on its way to Tullow via Rathvilly (Station was where Halligans Funeral Home is now located).

I crossed over the Rathvilly Baltinglass road at the Yellowford Cross Roads making my way over via Bigstone, (covered previously), Corballis Hill and into Castledermot; three counties covered today – Carlow, Wicklow and Kildare and in home by Ballaghmoon and Oak Park. A tidy 62kms of wandering through time and space. Another great Saturday adventure!

Here’s a QR Code to the route: