Rian Bo Phadraig

Situated on the S-facing slope of the Knockmealdown Mountains. The ‘Rian Bo Phadraig’ is the surviving remnant of a roadway which traditionally connected Cashel and Lismore. Smith (1746, 355-7) describes it as a double-ditch thought to extend from Cashel to Ardmore by way of Lismore, and it is described as the road from Lismore to Ardfinnan on Scalé maps (NLI: ms. 7217, 1, 34), dated 1773. Its course has been traced by Power (1905), and within Co. Waterford it extended in a straight line from a pass on the summit of the Knockmealdown Mountains to St Carthage’s monastery at Lismore (W021-019002-). The only surviving section in Co. Waterford extends from the Clongeen-Cappoquin road at the foothills of the mountains, through Reanabarna and Knockannanagh townlands, to the summit of the pass (L c. 3km), from where it continues in Co. Tipperary (TS091-001----). It is visible as a stream-bed or as a sunken roadway (Wth 3m; max. D 1m). It appears to be overlain by the boundary (WA011-007----). Power, Rev. P. (1905) The Rian bó Phadruig (the ancient highway of the Decies) JRSAI 35, 110-29. Smith, C. (1746) The history of the town and county of Waterford. W. Wilson. Dublin. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 02 November 2011