Baltinglass

Baltinglass, historically known as Baltinglas, is a town in south-west County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on the River Slaney near the border with County Carlow and County Kildare, on the N81 road. Its Irish name means "the way of Conglas", Conglas being a member of the mythological warrior collective, the Fianna. A previous Irish-language name for the village, bringing to mind its monastic past, was Mainistir an Bhealaigh.HistoryThe surrounding area is rich in archaeological and historical sites. On the highest point of the hill, north-east of the village, lies a passage grave from the stone age whose outer walls are finished in chalk not native to the area. On bright days is said to be visible from Kildare's Curragh 48km away. To the north end of the village on the weir of the River Slaney lies the ruins of an ancient monastery, Baltinglass Abbey, that has had many additions over the centuries; the original church is said to date from around 700 A.D.The medieval Viscounts Baltinglass were from the Hiberno-Norman Eustace family, who also founded Ballymore Eustace. Their estates passed to their cousin Sir Maurice Eustace, Lord Chancellor of Ireland 1660-1665. Sir Maurice did much to promote the development of the town, building a church, a school and a bridge, and encouraging new settlers.