Does Blessington lake give anyone else the creeps ?

wexfordia

I have never liked it.I can remember when I was a kid we were staying down in Ardamine.There was a family next to us whose son had drowned in the lake.I always remember his mother speaking of his death.

iPlop

wexfordia wrote: »

I have never liked it.I can remember when I was a kid we were staying down in Ardamine.There was a family next to us whose son had drowned in the lake.I always remember his mother speaking of his death.

I can't say it has ever bothered me.I moved up to blessington a few years back from dublin and I love it ,but when I was a kid and we visited the area we always were told about many a child that had drown in the lakes

shinny

wexfordia wrote: »

I have never liked it.I can remember when I was a kid we were staying down in Ardamine.There was a family next to us whose son had drowned in the lake.I always remember his mother speaking of his death.

I'd say this is the main reason why it gives you the creeps

Insomniac_

Blessington gives me the creeps full stop get out while you can :O

djimi

I wouldnt say it gives me the creeps, but if you drive across that big bridge across the lake at night and roll down your windows and turn off your lights for a second it is very eerie; I think its the silence or something.

wexfordia

Insomniac_ wrote: »

Blessington gives me the creeps full stop get out while you can :O

So I take it you don't work in Blessington Tourist Office then ??

JJJJNR

yeah it is creepy in places, mate of mine has a house on the lake shore and its amazing there.. would love a spot like that..

Splendour

ALL lakes give me the creeps! Have no idea why...

Geansai Rua

I live near the lake and I love it..

bad2dabone

was fishing in a remote spot in blessington lake a fair few years back in the winter with a mate of mine. We had a fair walk back to the car through a forested area and we timed our return very badly, we ended up walking back through the forest near the lakeshore in the pitch darkness. Very Creepy indeed!

Great though

Knockieranlady

Blessington lake is very dangerous. It was created in 1942 with the flooding of the townland of ballinahown,
there are large holes in it and a strong current,
each summer you see lots of young Dublin lads jumping off the bridge any time there is any hot weather.
If they could see underneath the water they might think twice.
Several people have drowned there and there have been several suicides in it too.
All that said it is very beautiful and us locals are very proud if it. There was talk once of the ESB making a swimming area in it which would be great but nothing ever happened. Swimming in it as it is, is extremely dangerous

sagat2

Nearly drowned in it myself once upon a time. Is it true that if the water level is low trees that were submerged when the area was originally flooded break the surface of the water? Or is that a myth?

Knockieranlady

Yes, that is true. All the old fields ditches and trees are still there. The old St Boden's Well resurfaced a few years ago, a Mass was said there in the middle of the lake when the water was at an all time low. That was in the Lacken area of the lake

Coriolanus

Haven't seen it in years but you used to see the old church steeple when I was a kid.

Grew up in Lacken so it's never seemed creepy to me.

iregk

As a cyclist and resident of Blessington on a nice day it is one of the most stunning and visually pleasing cycling routes in the country. It doesn't give me the creeps it makes me look in awe and be thankful for where I live.

xSTORMx

Yes seriously... but then again the whole Poulaphouca area is known for it's ghosts and spirits...

Ash.J.Williams

A good friend drowned there, and not many old school locals would swim there, but overall i love it. Full of mystery. I read up on the submerged graveyard but it told me very little. Looks like there was a full thriving community around the burgage area long before blessington arrived.

Coriolanus

Blessington was tiny at the time. Barrage was very much the market town of the area at the time.

Riamfada

Lots of pre-famine villages along the Hollywood side and running into the Wicklow Gap. They are still fairly intact and give me the creeps.

Coriolanus

Grimes wrote: »

Lots of pre-famine villages along the Hollywood side and running into the Wicklow Gap. They are still fairly intact and give me the creeps.

I'll have to go for a snoop... Sounds interesting!

neelyohara

When I was younger I was freaked out a little by the buildings and such underneath it... I would imagine hands reaching up and grabbing my leg or something! :rolleyes:

The Wicklow People published a piece on "The Land Submerged by the Blessington Lakes: The Poulaphouca Survey" which was really interesting, it would be fantastic if anyone could find it. The pictures alone tell an amazing story.

WIZE

The House my Grandmother was born in is now under the lake
they blew up the house and the Bridge to make way for the new bridge

Ash.J.Williams

This is brilliant.


http://www.poulaphuca.com/contact.html


(the video)

neelyohara

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

This is brilliant.


http://www.poulaphuca.com/contact.html


(the video)

Fantastic! I'll have to wait until I get home to hear the sound... good job finding it!

Coriolanus

neelyohara wrote: »

When I was younger I was freaked out a little by the buildings and such underneath it... I would imagine hands reaching up and grabbing my leg or something! :rolleyes:

The Wicklow People published a piece on "The Land Submerged by the Blessington Lakes: The Poulaphouca Survey" which was really interesting, it would be fantastic if anyone could find it. The pictures alone tell an amazing story.

Could ring them. If they even have a rough date it could be found in the micro film.

super_furry

Tell you what does scare me, this place. Rough as arses.

Ash.J.Williams

super_furry wrote: »

Tell you what does scare me, this place. Rough as arses.

ha ha ...it's not locals it's "lads from tallaght"

Coriolanus

Pity the oconnors sold it.

iPlop

Hennesy's or the west are far better ,you're right about the Lakes though.At least the indian above is decent

iregk

The lakes is pretty much everyone barred from all other pubs in Blessington and the 65 gang from Tallaght. Wouldn't go near the place if you told me it was a free bar all night. Actually last time I was there it was O'Connors.

iPlop

iregk wrote: »

The lakes is pretty much everyone barred from all other pubs in Blessington and the 65 gang from Tallaght. Wouldn't go near the place if you told me it was a free bar all night. Actually last time I was there it was O'Connors.

Me too it's a kip alright

sharkbite1983

at the weekend its a kip, during the week the lounge is grand, doesnt get busy & has darts & pool table.

The bar is always great craic, I play alot of darts in there.
I moved up from dublin a few years ago on my own, didnt know anyone in the village, now ive made dozens of friends & had some of the funniest night out in the Lakes!

Guinness69

A cousin of mine drowned in it years ago he was a toddler . He drowned with a lot of people around.

sharkbite1983

Sorry to hear that Guinness. The sad reality is that lake has claimed a lot of lives over the years. I know of at least 2 in the last 4 years, & at least 10 altogether.

Back to the original point of it looking spooky, the buildings from the old village are poking up from the water. Its the first time the lake has been this low since the 70's.

Coming from Dublin, go half way through the village, take the left at the AIB bank, and there's a little slip road down to your right. Park there at the gate, and keep heading down the path. Its a little overgrown, but its only a small 2 minute stroll.

The "church steeple" is a myth, the exposed ruins was actually an old mill house. Its eerie to see these ruins & know that's the 1st time they've seen light in nearly 40 years.

WIZE

sharkbite1983 wrote: »

Sorry to hear that Guinness. The sad reality is that lake has claimed a lot of lives over the years. I know of at least 2 in the last 4 years, & at least 10 altogether.

Back to the original point of it looking spooky, the buildings from the old village are poking up from the water. Its the first time the lake has been this low since the 70's.

Coming from Dublin, go half way through the village, take the left at the AIB bank, and there's a little slip road down to your right. Park there at the gate, and keep heading down the path. Its a little overgrown, but its only a small 2 minute stroll.

The "church steeple" is a myth, the exposed ruins was actually an old mill house. Its eerie to see these ruins & know that's the 1st time they've seen light in nearly 40 years.

was the mill house at the bridge

Guinness69

It must be very low to see the buildings. Got a lot of rain today. I had a kid and his friend fishing there today both 13 years old on their own. Was worried sick thinking about them. I must have phoned them 20 times checking on them. They are fishing mad and good swimmers . Safe around water but still I had the heebeegeebys lol if thats how you spell it. Anyway got them home safe and sound. They got a lift there and their mother collected them. Actually knowing they were going there today was got me to this board.

arctictree

We heard lots of stories when kids about how the lakes had big holes in them and people drowning.

All these stories seemed to be from people who couldn't swim. Surley, if you fell in and can swim, then you should be allright?

Ash.J.Williams

arctictree wrote: »

We heard lots of stories when kids about how the lakes had big holes in them and people drowning.

All these stories seemed to be from people who couldn't swim. Surley, if you fell in and can swim, then you should be allright?

The lake has some big traps that remain a mystery as those who have fallen victim have not come back to explain..
Thick quicksand like mud traps are one possibility..

sharkbite1983

arctictree wrote: »

We heard lots of stories when kids about how the lakes had big holes in them and people drowning.

All these stories seemed to be from people who couldn't swim. Surely, if you fell in and can swim, then you should be allright?

A friend of mine pulled 2 bodies out of that lake. 1 was suicide, 1 was a drunk that fell off the bridge.

Another victim who lived up in Lacken, dived off a boat, not realizing there was a big bank of land a few feet under the water, broke his neck.
I think his brother also drowned in the lake, tragic stuff altogether.

I believe the main reason its so dangerous is because of the dam gates. The water under the surface moves 2 or 3 times faster than the surface. If you pop your head under for a minute, you dont know where you'll end up, or if you'll be able to resurface.

Also, there gas pockets in the marshy ground at the bottom. You could be swimming along the bottom, & suddenly be sucked into the vacuum where the ground releases the air, and sucks you in.

Sounds like something from a sci-fi.
All that a side, its a beautiful area, I for one am so so happy I moved up there. Great pubs, fishing, hiking, etc. & only ten mins from dublin.

sharkbite1983

WIZE wrote: »

was the mill house at the bridge

Before the bridge, closer to the village.
I think its called May's Bay.
After turning at the AIB, the slip down to the right is just after the health bord office. Before Super Valu car park or the bridge.

Ash.J.Williams

sharkbite1983 wrote: »

Before the bridge, closer to the village.
I think its called May's Bay.
After turning at the AIB, the slip down to the right is just after the health bord office. Before Super Valu car park or the bridge.

Millbank it's called..a popular place in the memories of Blesso peoples youth! Not so sure if the young folk still hang around there these days, they have street corners now!!

ah,sure

Great pictures of pre-Lake days down in the Avon Ri, was down there last night.
I've lived in Blesso since 97 yet never swam in it.

ah,sure

Yeah we did some drinking down the Millbank.... then Dempseys lane

chuck eastwood

God my mis spent youth was all about the mill bank and Dempseys lane. Funny you should talk about the dangers of the lake. I knew a couple of people who lost there lives in the lake. I live about a hundred yards from it. Tonight a local gaurd was swept away by flood waters while directing traffic away from the danger. The guy was off duty. The news is only a couple of hours old and i hope to god its wrong. You can f%$k with the local's, f&%k with the pubs but dont **** with the lake

sharkbite1983

chuck eastwood wrote: »

God my mis spent youth was all about the mill bank and Dempseys lane. Funny you should talk about the dangers of the lake. I knew a couple of people who lost there lives in the lake. I live about a hundred yards from it. Tonight a local gaurd was swept away by flood waters while directing traffic away from the danger. The guy was off duty. The news is only a couple of hours old and i hope to god its wrong. You can f%$k with the local's, f&%k with the pubs but dont **** with the lake

I'm afraid it's true. He was directing traffic off ballysmutton bridge when it happened, god help him. Im not sure if the new bridge is still standing. Seeing as the old one was washed away a couple of years ago.

ah,sure

sharkbite1983 wrote: »

chuck eastwood wrote: »

God my mis spent youth was all about the mill bank and Dempseys lane. Funny you should talk about the dangers of the lake. I knew a couple of people who lost there lives in the lake. I live about a hundred yards from it. Tonight a local gaurd was swept away by flood waters while directing traffic away from the danger. The guy was off duty. The news is only a couple of hours old and i hope to god its wrong. You can f%$k with the local's, f&%k with the pubs but dont **** with the lake

I'm afraid it's true. He was directing traffic off ballysmutton bridge when it happened, god help him. Im not sure if the new bridge is still standing. Seeing as the old one was washed away a couple of years ago.

praying tonight. I know the lad... No body found yet.

chuck eastwood

I dont know him but friends do. It's tragic. Hope to god he's just stuck somewhere. waiting up to here from the lads. I think there a good few out looking now.

vampire of kilmainham

i bet there are plenty of ghost stories about that lake

Jackonthebox

I always found the idea of it creepy and spooky.. For me its because even though it looks stunning it is Man made and artifcial. It hides to the naked eye what lies beneath and that means things like the village of Ballyhown, where people lived untill they were relocated before they flooded the land after building Poulaphouca Dam. The village is completely submerged but the roof tops have been seen when the waters have lowered. Now.. THAT! scares the ****e out of me!.. Reminds me of the film Deliverance.

Ash.J.Williams

just to add to the creepiness..at the "castle" ruin on the burgage lake shore, there was once a graveyard..all the bodies were dug up and reinterred in burgage cemetary....who's to say one or two were left behind?

Imagine how creepy the carts of dug up coffins were heading up the hill to the "new" graveyard"

on another note...lots of people swimming there at the weekend....not a good idea

Jackonthebox

Thanks for that I wont be able to sleep tonight now! I think I remember a group of lads from Whitehall in Dublin drowned after going for a midnight dip with drink on them about 20 odd years ago.. it took a while to find them..I couldnt think of a creepier way to go. To be in darkness in an underwater graveyard that reclaims its dead..Thats a Stephen King novel,thats what thats like..