At the entrance to Blessington Lakes Golf Course in Boystown is a restored Quaker burial ground. The Lakeside Heritage Trail features it as Stop 4; its map indicates that the Lakeside Heritage Trail is suitable for walking. This brings together a specific local history and a marked trail stop, while the Neolithic finds and architectural history offer further ways to explore the area.

Archaeology at Poulaphuca Reservoir

The site of the Neolithic house lies on a gently sloping hillside overlooking the King’s River. The shoreline beside the house is normally submerged by Poulaphuca Reservoir and only becomes visible when the water level falls. The visibility of this shoreline therefore depends on a specific condition. The excavation of the Neolithic house uncovered further sherds of Neolithic pottery, a flint axe and other stone tools, including a Bann flake made of flint. The river view describes the site’s location; the water-level dependence, by contrast, concerns the visibility of the shoreline. This offers two distinct perspectives on the landscape and Boystown’s archaeological history.

Architecture and personal history

Baltiboys House was built in the late 18th century as a two-storey late Georgian house with a five-bay façade. In Ireland, Baltiboys House is considered a building of regional significance. Baltyboys House, which is privately owned, was the home of Elisabeth Smith. She wrote one of the most comprehensive contemporary accounts of everyday life and of domestic, local, national and international events during the Famine. Smith was also the great-grandmother of Ninette de Valois, founder of the London Royal Ballet. The architectural description and Smith’s account thus offer different ways of approaching the house’s history: built heritage on the one hand, and social and contemporary history on the other.

Boystown in the Heritage Project

Boystown is one of the places featured in the Blessington Lakeside Heritage Project. This visitor-focused online resource brings together information about the nature, history, folklore and cultural heritage of this part of northwest Wicklow. It broadens the view from individual historic and archaeological sites to the region’s landscape and traditions.

County Wicklow: further cultural and natural themes

At the regional level, County Wicklow offers further distinct perspectives. Saint Kevin founded Glendalough as a monastery in the 6th century. The remains of the Monastic City include a round tower, numerous medieval stone churches and decorated crosses. Wicklow Mountains National Park covers 20,000 hectares and is an important recreational area for locals and tourists; the Wicklow Way was Ireland’s first waymarked long-distance walking trail.

Gardens also contribute to County Wicklow’s variety of attractions. Mount Usher Gardens in the village of Ashford extend over 22 acres along the River Vartry and are an example of Robinsonian-style planting. In 1996, a 21-hectare section of the former demesne at Kilmacurragh became part of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland. Rhododendron Week is held there every April; check the dates before travelling. These regional examples complement Boystown’s local history with distinct points of interest in County Wicklow.

Discover more destinations: Rathnew, Kilcoole, Blessington, Bray, Woodenbridge, Enniskerry, Tinahely, Newtownmountkennedy

For the regional travel overview: County Wicklow.