The Donard Road

G.N. Wright’s book ”A Guide to Co. Wicklow” mentions on two occasions the Donard Road and describes it’s location.

According to Wright, the Donard road linked Glenmalure and the Glen of Imaal via  Camenabologue.   In more recent times this has become known as Table Track.  Before 1800 it was one of the three passes by which the Wicklow Mountain chain could be accessed. The three passes were Sally Gap, Wicklow Gap and Camenabologue.  The building of the Military Road in the early 1800s  gave easier access to the three passes.

Camenabologue “pass of the bullocks”

Wright suggests that Donard Road passed between Table Mountain and Conavalla which placed Table Mountain in the location now called Camenabologue on the current Ordinance Survey Map.

In  “Alexander Taylor’s Road Works in Ireland 1780-1827”  written by Peter J. O’Keeffe the three passes across the Wicklow Mountains before the construction of the Military Road are listed as the Sally Gap,  the Wicklow Gap and “Kamanabollogue” (1).  So Kamanabollogue was considered a gap or a way. This would accord with the translation from the Gaelic meaning the “pass of the bullocks”.  In 1760 and 1834 cartographers called Jacob Nevill and Allen produced maps confirming this observation.  Allen’s map also shows Table Mountain on the south side of the pass.

(1) www.logainm.ie