Balbriggan & District Historical Society

History

A Short History of Balbriggan

The area around Balbriggan has almost certainly been populated since shortly after the first people arrived on these shores, but the town of Balbriggan is a relatively recent development. This town owes much to the largesse of the Hamilton family since the 18th century, and their willingness to invest in housing, industry and the development of the local harbour.

The population of the town and surrounding area remained relatively small having been effected by the famine and did not show significant growth until the late 1960s. Since then its continual expansion has been at a phenomenal rate.

Balbriggan 1641 - 1841
Unlike the neighbouring ancient manors of Balrothery, Balscadden and Bremore, the town of Balbriggan has a shorter almost meteoric history. Returned in the Civil Survey of 1656 as "The great farme of Balbriggen", belonging to Nicholas Barnewall of Turvey and as "The little farme of Balbriggin", belonging to Peter Barnewall of Tyrenure, Balbriggan was then no more than two townlands occupying 220 acres. The figures from the 1659 Census of the population reflect the contrast in size with the villages of Balrothery and Balscadden:

1659 Census

Irish English Total
Balbriggan: 26 4 30

Balrothery: 149 55 204

Balscadden: 167 23 190

Spelled variously as Ballybrygdyn, Ballybriggen, Balbriggen and Balbriggan the town's name is said by writer P.W. Joyce to be derived from "Baile Bhrecan: Brecan, a very usual personal name." Local tradition points to the Bracken stream as being a corruption of Breac-in (Small Trout) and a possible source of the town's placename. The present official spelling of Balbriggan is based on Baile - Brigh - In (The Town of the Small Hills). Balbriggan is indeed surrounded by several small hills such as Clonard Hill (Cluain Aird - High Meadow) and Bremore (Brigh - Mor: High Hill). Austin Cooper's description of the emerging town on the 9th June 1783 reads as follows: "Balbriggan is a small town situated in a small glin where the sea forms a little harbour - it is reckoned safe and is sheltered by a good pier. The town is resorted to in Summer time by several genteel people for the benefit of bathing. "

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The Building of the Harbour 1761 - 1765
The Barnewall "dynasty" was replaced by the powerful Hamilton family in the early 18th century. Baron Hamilton, with the aid of Parliamentary grants supervised the erection of a fine harbour wall, or mole, of 600 feet in length, thus affording safe anchorage for large vessels. The little port of Balbriggan very quickly prospered and apart from the development of a local fishing fleet, a sizeable trade grew up in the port where large quantities of corn and timber were exported and imports of slates, coal, culm and rock salt were unloaded at the busy quayside. We are fortunate in having a first hand account of the building of the harbour wall and of the success of the growing fishing industry. This account is provided by a traveller called Arthur Young who toured Ireland in the years 1776 to 1778. He actually visited Balbriggan on 19th July 1776 and the following is a snippet from his observations: "Got to Baron Hamilton's at Hampton, near Balbriggen, by breakfast. His house is new built and stands agreeably by a fine shore ... the population increases very fast and the country in every respect improves amazingly .... The Baron carried me to Balbriggen, a little sea port of his, which owes it's being and care to his attention. It subsists by its fishing boats which he builds; has 23 of them, each carrying 7 men, who are not paid wages, but divide the produce of their fishery." The author also went into great detail concerning the means by which the harbour wall was erected and was much impressed by what he saw and heard. The harbour was improved by the erection of a lighthouse in 1769 which was originally illuminated by candle power. The building of a northern jetty between 1826 and 1829 completed the job.

The Building of the Mills in 1780's
Balbriggan was given an enormous boost in the early 1780's when two large cotton mills were built. These mills were powered by the sophisticated manmade mill race and were the equal of any contemporary mills in England. The first of the mills, the Lower Mill, was promoted by George Hamilton of Hampton but was soon sold to Messrs. Comerford and O'Brien. The second mill, the Upper Mill, was supervised by Joseph Smyth and was in production by 1783. Evidence of this exciting industrial innovation comes to us courtesy of several witnesses. One such witness was Rev. William Bruce who journeyed to Balbriggan on August 27th 1789 and left the following account: "August 27th, left Dublin at 2.30, cash in hand £ 18-7-6. Stopped at the Man-Of-War, fed Trooper, 2p. Arrived in Balbriggan half past seven .... August 28th: Rose at six, walked through the town which has an appearance of great prosperity, all the machinery in the town belongs to O'Brien and Comerford... " Further evidence of this increased prosperity was provided by an article which appeared in the "Dublin Chronicle " on August 18th 1791. The article began: "Balbriggan Franchises: Monday, August 15th being the day appointed for the perambulation of the Franchises of Balbriggan, the several manufacturers who have settled in that rapidly expanding town, assembled in their respective bodies to exhibit the splendour of trade and the comforts of industry." The pageant was divided into six bodies, the tailors, smiths, weavers, butchers, brewers and spinners and concluded the next day with an address from Captain French of Lowther Lodge. Samuel Lewis, author of "A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland", 1837, added to the picture of commercial success when he stated "More than 300 persons are employed in these factories, to which are attached blue dye works; and in the town and neighbourhood are 942 hand looms employed in the weaving department.

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The principle articles made at present are checks, jeans, calicoes and fustians." Lewis mentioned also a large corn store on the quay, extensive salt works and a tanyard in the town. A Market House, at Market Green, was erected in 1811 and large quantities of corn were shipped to Liverpool and Dublin. Fair days were held on 29th April and 29th September, mostly for cattle. However, the imposition of tariffs and taxes can have an immediate effect on even the most successful of enterprises. Thus, while Balbriggan harbour could employ 863 men in the year 1829, Samuel Lewis could relate in 1837 that: "The fishery, since the withdrawing of the bounty, has very much diminished: there are at present only 10 wherries or small fishing boats belonging to the port." John Dalton could tell us in 1838 that: "Balbriggan has been a very thriving place, but, by the decline of the cotton factories, the withdrawing of the fishery bounties, and the diversion of the great northern road, the advantages .... have been considerably impeded."

All was not rosy in this economic boom town of Balbriggan and surrounds. In common with most towns in the Industrial Revolution, child labour was exploited. Rev. William Bruce, in his description of the factory belonging to O'Brien and Comerford, mentioned that one hundred children were employed there. While employment was offered to a percentage of the populace, there was always a substantial degree of poverty evident.

The returns of the 1841 Census are revealing in this regard.

Table 1 Population

Table 2 Families/Houses

Table 3 Physical Wants

Number of Persons

Table 4 Education

Number of Persons

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A glance at Table 4 reveals that 45% of the population over five years of age could neither read nor write.

While the market and industrial town of Balbriggan fared comparatively well the people living in the rural regions were not so fortunate. The Poor Law Act of 31st July 1838 led to the setting up of 130 Workhouses or Unions throughout Ireland for the relief of those in greatest need.
A meeting to discuss the possibility of building a Workhouse in the vicinity of Balbriggan was held in the Market House in December 1838. Present at that historic meeting were virtually all of the prominent landowners and clergy. Chaired by James Hans Hamilton of Sheephill, the meeting heard harrowing firsthand accounts from Rev. John Smyth, P.P., of instances of deprivation and destitution in the neighbourhood.

He revealed to the meeting details of poverty-stricken women and children wandering into Balbriggan in search of food and clothing and of their eventual demise. Praising some of the landowners for their humane treatment of aged employees, Fr. Smyth singled out the Honourable and Reverend Mr. Taylor of Ardgillan and Rev. Mr. Fenton, the Protestant clergyman in Balbriggan. Fr.Smyth concluded by referring to the "not unreasonable apprehensions " felt by "the poor of the kingdom" at the state of the potato market. These fears were to be justified just a few years later with the advent of the dreaded blight affecting the entire potato crop in the years 1845 to 1847.

Correspondence between Fr. Smyth and Archbishop Murray dated 28th November 1845 reveals the true extent of the unfolding drama. Fr. Smyth writes: "In reply to your Grace's enquiry, regarding the state of the potato crop in this district: I regret to say, that it is extremely unfavourable and forebodes the most melancholy and fearful consequences. I have conversed frequently with many intelligent persons on this all important subject; and from all I heard and from what I have seen, and know myself, I may state that in all this district, there is not at this moment, more than a fourth of the potato crop safe from disease....
The poor labourers and cottiers will not have as much potatoes as will bring them to the end of the year and what is then to become of them, where will they get the money to buy meal for their faminishing families; their only resource will be the poorhouses."

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©Jim Walsh