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Wicklow before it became a county

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  • 02-07-2023 3:59pm
    #1
    dublincc2
    Registered Users Posts: 374 ✭✭


    I know that Wicklow became a county in 1606 when what was then South County Dublin and parts of County Carlow joined together as one unit. Much of the territory especially the mountains was controlled by tribes such as the O’Byrnes.

    What I have not been able to find out is the exact boundaries of Co. Dublin and Carlow before Wicklow was created. How far south was the county boundary of Dublin when Wicklow was a part of it? I know that County Carlow stretched out to Arklow through Shilelagh but is there anything more specific in terms of boundaries?

    Here is the only map that exists from the time, made in 1610, it’s a very rough outline but no detail on the boundaries of the time:


    IMG_1127.jpeg




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    #2
    Furze99
    Registered Users Posts: 11,212 ✭✭✭✭Furze99


    Dunno which but do know the baronies were/are important divisions that predate the counties. Most counties contain a number of baronies, though sometimes the borders can cross, by & large the county boundaries follow the barony boundaries. So that's likely the case here - look at the baronies that make up Dublin, Wicklow & Carlow.



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    #3
    dublincc2
    Registered Users Posts: 374 ✭✭dublincc2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120795688#Comment_120795688

    That is the case for Rathdown which was split between Dublin and Wicklow, but the remainder of the baronies weren’t created until after 1606.



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    #4
    Furze99
    Registered Users Posts: 11,212 ✭✭✭✭Furze99


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120796984#Comment_120796984

    Are you sure about that? Worth reading some of Paul Mac Cotters work on mediaeval Ireland where he traces the baronies to 'Norman' times and that they in turn reflect older pre-existing territories.



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    #5
    Peregrinus
    Registered Users Posts: 26,511 ✭✭✭✭Peregrinus


    Boundaries weren't necessarily well-defined in the sixteenth century. Most of what was to become Wicklow was simply not under the control of the government in Dublin; it was trackless bog. It therefore didn't really matter exactly where the border lay. North of the bog highland you were in Dublin; south of them you were in Carlow; that was all that really mattered. Nobody bothered to define an exact boundary between Dublin and Carlow with any precision because, basically, there was no need.



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