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Valleymount (Irish: Móin an Bhealaigh or An Chrois)[1] is a small village in western County Wicklow, Ireland.
The name 'Valleymount' does not appear before 1839.[2] Previously, the village was known as 'the Cross of Ballymore' or simply 'the Cross', with 'cross' referring to land belonging to the church.
[3]
Vallymount is located approximately 32km from Dublin city centre.
Valleymount is at an average elevation of 198m above sea level and is situated on the R758regional road. The village is on a land spit created by the flooding of the River Liffey and its primary tributary the King's River in the late-1930s and early-1940s for the Poulaphouca Dam project. The Poulaphouca project now supplies water to the Greater Dublin Area, and electricity to the ESB national grid.
It is serviced by the Dublin Bus 65 route which connects to Dublin twice daily (Mon - Fri).
The Valleymount Spur of St Kevin's Way, the pilgrim route to the ancient monastery site at Glendalough runs through Valleymount village. Another spur runs from the nearby village of Hollywood to Glendalough.
The townlands in the area of Valleymount include: Ballyknockan, (The) Togher, Monamuck, Valleymount (or Cross), Humphrystown, Lockstown Upper, Lockstown Lower, Baltyboys Upper, Baltyboys Lower, Rathballylong, Annacarney, Blackditches Upper, Blackditches Lower, Carrigacurra, Lugnagroagh, Tulfarris, Granabeg Upper, Granabeg Lower, Knocknadruce and Knocknadruce Upper. Nearby (to the NE) is the 'lost' townland of Ballinahown which was completely flooded by the Poulaphouca project in the late-1930s and early-1940s
Built heritage
St. Joseph's Church
St. Joseph's church
The most notable building is St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Built in 1803, to which a porch extension was added around 1835, the 'Mexican style' of the church is attributed to design ideas brought home by Irish emigrants returning from New Mexico, and adapting the style to the local area.[4] The church features stained glass windows by Harry Clarke, a leading figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement and art students from Dublin's Art colleges sometimes visit the church to see the windows.[citation needed]
Star Inn
The pub was established around 1836, and changed owners. The current proprietor took over the family business in 1985 and refurbished the premises in 1996. The Inn is apparently named after the Morning Star that could be seen from the entrance.[5]
Other notable buildings
Valleymount House is a stone building that was the village's one and only shop and post office until it closed in 2006.[citation needed]
The village also used to have its own forge which was active until the 1980s.[citation needed]
There is a prehistoric sweathouse in the townland of Annacarney near Valleymount.[6]
Sports
Honours won by Valleymount GAA club include the Intermediate Football Championship (1952,1964,1978,1989), Junior Football "A" Championship (1963,1998,2020), Minor Football Championship (1951), Junior Hurling Championship (1988), and Intermediate Hurling Championship (1989).[7]
^"Saint Joseph's Catholic Church, Valleymount, County Wicklow". buildingsorireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 1 November 2018. built in 1803, but with distinctive pinnacled front façade and porch added c.1835. The [..] front façade and porch are said to have been designed either by a former priest inspired by churches he saw on a visit to Malta, or by parishioners who had visited New Mexico