Does Blessington lake give anyone else the creeps ?

Ash.J.Williams

Some of the people who were displaced didn't leave willingly, and the compensation paid to them to vacate their property was pittance, so angry grave dwelling zombies are a possiblity.

westwicklow

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Some of the people who were displaced didn't leave willingly....

Part of my Grandfather's farm was flooded and it's now such a strange sensation with the regular realisation that I boat over his "meadows"!

Some of the [older] people in the area were totally against their hard earned, hard got, hard worked, inherited, family homes and land being flooded, where they called home, where they lived, worked, fought, farmed, where they fed their families, cut their meadows and turf, struggling along, side by side with their multi-generational families, neighbours, friends and foes.

So many were to be physically dragged out of their humble homes, kicking and screaming in a terror of revolt and revulsion as the ESB's rising water inched up the river, the valley, up the fields, the roads, up the yards, the doorsteps, up the stairs...covering up every witness to the real world of so many innocents - people wailing aloud and wanting to go down with everything their lives, their livelihood's had ever offered them... witnessed by priests, ministers, police, even the army were involved in blowing up some of the original buildings etc.

It's hard to imagine now the extent of the disruption to every living man, woman and child, every animal, every possession and, goodness me, even the dead were disinterred by eerie moonlight, following the repositioning of St. Boathin’s Celtic Cross (now called St. Mark’s Cross), as in the foreground of the men digging with their shovels and spades in near darkness, the horses to move the bodies, the wailing and praying, coffins cracking open in the night, incense burning to stop the stench, liberal sprinklings of holy water... behind them the cold, murky lake-water relentlessly crept up higher and higher... but, not every body was saved from submergence.... human bones have been found washed up, offered up by the lapping of the lake - it doesn’t want the living or the dead!

In the end, our people just had to get out and stay out, moved out and moved on.... it wasn't easy then and it's still not easy, not ever easy, the not forgotten, not washed away by the waves of water or the waves of time.....

Oh and as we still say around here: "the water's the Sheriff!!"

Ash.J.Williams

westwicklow wrote: »

Part of my Grandfather's farm was flooded and it's now such a strange sensation with the regular realisation that I boat over his "meadows"!

Some of the [older] people in the area were totally against their hard earned, hard got, hard worked, inherited, family homes and land being flooded, where they called home, where they lived, worked, fought, farmed, where they fed their families, cut their meadows and turf, struggling along, side by side with their multi-generational families, neighbours, friends and foes.

So many were to be physically dragged out of their humble homes, kicking and screaming in a terror of revolt and revulsion as the ESB's rising water inched up the river, the valley, up the fields, the roads, up the yards, the doorsteps, up the stairs...covering up every witness to the real world of so many innocents - people wailing aloud and wanting to go down with everything their lives, their livelihood's had ever offered them... witnessed by priests, ministers, police, even the army were involved in blowing up some of the original buildings etc.

It's hard to imagine now the extent of the disruption to every living man, woman and child, every animal, every possession and, goodness me, even the dead were disinterred by eerie moonlight, following the repositioning of St. Boathin’s Celtic Cross (now called St. Mark’s Cross), as in the foreground of the men digging with their shovels and spades in near darkness, the horses to move the bodies, the wailing and praying, coffins cracking open in the night, incense burning to stop the stench, liberal sprinklings of holy water... behind them the cold, murky lake-water relentlessly crept up higher and higher... but, not every body was saved from submergence.... human bones have been found washed up, offered up by the lapping of the lake - it doesn’t want the living or the dead!

In the end, our people just had to get out and stay out, moved out and moved on.... it wasn't easy then and it's still not easy, not ever easy, the not forgotten, not washed away byu othe waves of water or the waves of time.....

Oh and as we still say around here: "the water's the Sheriff!!"

That's possibly the best description I've ever read about this topic. I've often been tempted to go and view the survey that was carried out prior to the flooding, it's in a Dublin library. I doubt they did a great job. Ive often thought some of the bodies would have been simply left behind. Your description backs up that assumption. I think there is an audio record from eye witnesses, I think rte played it in the 80s. Mrs twyford is a name I recall from it.

Rock fan

I heard there is hairy fish at the bottom of it !

westwicklow

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

That's possibly the best description I've ever read about this topic.... Mrs twyford is a name I recall from it.

Thank you for your compliment and yes, the Twyford family name still remains in the area. Bet they have interesting family history stories!

WIZE

My Grandmother was born is this house

I believe her Maiden name was Moore

westwicklow

Fantastic photograph WIZE, it's great to see how things were for people once upon a time.... not so long ago.

Ash.J.Williams

WIZE wrote: »

My Grandmother was born is this house

I believe her Maiden name was Moore

amazing pic, and least one of those buildings at the mill and most of the bridge supports are still there (under water) they were revealed back in the 80's during a hot summer. The army tried to blow them up but failed. Last year we had a little bit of roof visible..I've often wondered what it would be like if they drained it for a week or two, although I believe the lake is critical for dublin water.

ps
I've also wondered what the impact would be if the dam burst! That would be one for the CGI experts!! Bye bye ballymore maybe??

Ash.J.Williams

Rock fan wrote: »

I heard there is hairy fish at the bottom of it !

yes "crike" half pike half crocodile, vicious little feckers

westwicklow

It's my understanding that the primary function of flooding our valley was to supply water to Dublin City. Electricity generation was a secondary function.

NobodyImportant

You would think that the ESB might do a bit more with the lake. Like create a beach area and ensure the shore is safe for 50 metres out or something. Maybe put a small visitors centre and get together original photos, documents, video clips and map out the lake and what used to be there. Are we the only ones interested in all this? I'm fascinated by it.

Ash.J.Williams

NobodyImportant wrote: »

You would think that the ESB might do a bit more with the lake. Like create a beach area and ensure the shore is safe for 50 metres out or something. Maybe put a small visitors centre and get together original photos, documents, video clips and map out the lake and what used to be there. Are we the only ones interested in all this? I'm fascinated by it.

I have a book at home brought out by the ESB, it's very big but lacks something! I'd like to know a lot more about the reactions of the locals (i really should ask them) I know there is still bitterness amongst the older generation.

JupiterKid

The Blessington Lakes are indeed beautiful...and in such a great setting - it's kind of hard to believe that they are man-made, so perfect is their setting.

It's been over 70 years since the lakes were created - that must mean that the pre-lakes landscape will soon pass out of living memory.

Ash.J.Williams

it was a lake previous to it's flooding too lets not forget, back in the iceage!

BarryD

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

I have a book at home brought out by the ESB, it's very big but lacks something! I'd like to know a lot more about the reactions of the locals (i really should ask them) I know there is still bitterness amongst the older generation.

Do you mean 'Beneath the Poulaphuca Reservoir' by Chris Corlett. This one http://www.wordwellbooks.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=1369&category_id=1&flypage=flypage.tpl&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=9

Pretty comprehensive history of the flooding and surveys of the houses and families affected, the politics etc. It was controversial at the time and spurred a survey of the landscape and farms about to be lost. Of course, this type of survey would have been very unlikely to have been carried out in normal circumstances. Anybody with family who lived in the flooded areas and/or an interest in the topic should acquire this book. I picked up my copy a few years ago in the Blessington Bookstore.

NobodyImportant

SO with this hot weather and lack of rain, will we see things appearing from the deep again? Can locals confirm if the levels are dropping?

MarkY91

NobodyImportant wrote: »

SO with this hot weather and lack of rain, will we see things appearing from the deep again? Can locals confirm if the levels are dropping?

read the whole thread just there and was gona ask that myself lol. be nice if someone took some photos

Ash.J.Williams

NobodyImportant wrote: »

SO with this hot weather and lack of rain, will we see things appearing from the deep again? Can locals confirm if the levels are dropping?

I just saw a few "islands" on the baltiboys side...will look out for the mill, but it's possibly too early yet

although i did hear locally that the weather was warm enough that BOOBIES were visable...yes I believe skanger ladies were walking around without their tops on ...jeeeaysus!!

NobodyImportant

Boobies eh?

We still have another few weeks i guess by the looks of things for the levels to drop.

NobodyImportant

No proper rain to speak of for at least another week. I want to see mill's, bridges, roads, graves and all kindsa creepy crap appearing from the deep.

I bet with low levels and still water, you can probably look down from a boat and see some stuff?

I'm going to leave my tap on full blast and single handidly empty that reservoir.

Ash.J.Williams

NobodyImportant wrote: »

No proper rain to speak of for at least another week. I want to see mill's, bridges, roads, graves and all kindsa creepy crap appearing from the deep.

I bet with low levels and still water, you can probably look down from a boat and see some stuff?

I'm going to leave my tap on full blast and single handidly empty that reservoir.

an army diver here on one of the blessington threads said it's very dark under there! I'll have a look for the millhouse on saturday, that's about all you'd see. Over in ballyknocken a bog may reveal it'self..some old roads etc....If i remember correctly the greatest sight would be old bridges....particularly at Knockeran....not sure if the burgage bridges were fully demolished...from what i've seen there should be a big crossroads down by the castle, but i'm sure it was demolished..

NobodyImportant

Some rain due this week, but probably only enough to meet demand, so it might not rise/fall. Here's to another 3 weeks without rain and we can walk across it soon

westwicklow

But that would mean the 65-gang would have no water at home... awwwwww!

Ash.J.Williams

here's the view under the lake at Knockeran bridge! Just the pillars of the bridge would be still in tact due to a failed explosion!
http://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/bitstream/10599/10490/3/wm_Blessington%20Bridge%20%26%20Old%20Mill%20House.jpg

myrzopyrzo

my best friend Lorraine drowned there (today) in 1976 age 11. I never forgot .