Road

Unlocated ancient road within townland, modern road may occupy line of anicent road. Described by Carrigan as 'The mail coach road from Dublin to Limerick passes through the one long street of which Borris consists. A little over a hundred years ago the old road, instead of running as at present, came on from Roscrea, through Ballaghmore (Ossory) to the old bridge of Munniamore and thence over the Nore bridge to the west end of Borris town; it then turned on to the left, between the town and the Nore, and thence by the north side of Derrin castle to Cashel; where part of it is still untouched between Cashel graveyard and the Brandybush Fort: and thence it continued to Rushall, Castletown, Mountrath & c. This appears to have been the original course of the ancient Pass from Tara to Munster referred to in Gaelic records as "Bealach mor in Osraidhe' (the Great Pass of Ossory), 'Slighe Dala (Dala's Road) and "Bealach mor Muighe Dala mheic Umoir' (the Great Pass of the Plain of Dala, son of Umor)" (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 129). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 17 December 2007