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Balbriggan - History

Below are some brief extracts from historical records of Balbriggan.

If you require more detailed local history, you can find it at The Balbriggan & District Historical Society Website.

  • The oldest known verified site in the area is in the townland of Bremore (from the Irish Big Hills) - situated on the coast just north of the town. According to its records, its name is derived from five mounds. Locally known as the Fairy Mounds, these mounds were surveyed in 1960 and have been identified as passage graves of the same era as Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth of the Boyne Valley (around 2500 BC).
  • Around 436 AD, St. Patrick baptized people in the River Delvin, near Balbriggan, (on the border between Counties Dublin and Meath), including his successor, St. Benignus.
  • Also in Bremore, around the year 600 AD, St. Molaga, a monk who originally came from Munster, founded a monsatery. St. Molaga was a bee keeper who introduced bees into the area, the town land of Lambeecher (The Church of the Beekeeper) still bearing test imony to him today. Legend tells that a swarm of bees followed St. Modhomnoc from Wales to Ireland, and St. Molaga then introduced them to Balbriggan.
  • The Annals tell us also that in 1014, after the Battle of Clontarf, the slain body of Brian Boru passed through Balbriggan on its way to be buried in Armagh.
  • In 1690, William of Orange set up camp in Balbriggan, after defeating James the Second in the Battle of the Boyne.
  • The population of Balbriggan in 1659 was 30. 26 were Irish and 4 were English. Compared to Balrothery, which had a population of 204, and Balscadden with 190, Balbriggan was far smaller. However, the population of Balbriggan now is over 9000, much larger than Balrothery or Balscadden. With the introduction of the new industrial developments in the weaving industries, and the new coach road which ran through Balbriggan, the town began to develop rapidly.
  • The expansion of the town has been well documented and owes much to the foresight and drive of the Hamilton family, who owned a large portion of the area. In 1763, Balbriggan Harbour was built by Baron Hamilton at a cost of £15,000, aided by a government grant of £1,500. In 1829, Reverend Hamilton built the inner dock, costing £3,000.
  • Secondly, Baron Hamilton, in 1780, established the Smyth and Company in the town, thus introducing weaving to Balbriggan. Smyco, as it was also known, was to become for 200 years, the biggest employer in the area. Its closure in 1980 was a devastating b low to Balbriggan's workforce. But for many years, Smyco was a household name not just in Ireland but worldwide. The quality garments they produced were much sought after, and a special loom in the factory made silk stockings for Queen Victoria throughout her reign. The success of Smyco led to a new word being introduced into the dictionary - Balbriggan's becoming a synonym for Long Johns.
  • Smyco won many prestigious awards at international trade exhibitions, such as the gold medal at the 1893 Great Chicago Exhibition, bearing testimony to the quality of their garments. Plaques commemorating these prizes can still be deciphered high on the outside walls of the factory. The company is also famous for being the second longest standing member of the Dublin Stock Exchange, the oldest being Guinness.
  • In 1795, Earl Fitzwilliam is reported to have landed in Balbriggan, in order to assume control of the Government of Ireland.
  • And in 1804, the Martello Tower, which overlooks the King's Strand, was built to ward off any attempted attack by Napoleon on Ireland. It was feared that Napoleon would attack Ireland to use it as a base for his invasion of England. The tower is 40 feet high with walls that are 8 feet thick. The entrance door is 10 feet up from the base of the tower.
  • With an expanding population, and a living in the area, Reverend George Hamilton of Hampton Hall began the construction of St. George's Church of Ireland Church in 1813. The work was completed in 1816 at a cost of £3081.
  • The further expansion of Balbriggan as an industrial town was guaranteed with the opening, in 1844, of the Dublin to Drogheda railway. The railway which had been started six years earlier in 1838, passed through the town, and opened up more direct contact with other commercial centres. The railway continues to play a very important role in the life of Balbriggan, taking a large commuting population to work north and south each day.
  • The War of Independence was a dark period in the history of Balbriggan as it was for many areas in Ireland. But the Sack of Balbriggan in September 1920 was a sad night for the town when the Black and Tans based in Gormanston Barracks sacked and burned 25 houses, the Deedes Templars Mill, and a small factory in the town.

This was in reprisal for the killing of Detective Inspector Peter Burke of the Royal Irish Constabulary (R.I.C.) Several people were arrested and two local men, Seamus Lawless and Sean Gibbons were bayoneted to death. A plaque on the bridge on Bridge Street commemorates the location and date of their death. A commission was later set up in the United States to investigate the outrages being committed, and money was raised in the USA to rebuild the areas of the town affected.