The Military Road

During the 1798 Rebellion, many houses on landed estates were burned to the ground, including the original Derrybawn House. In reaction to this, work began on the Military Road in 1800 to help the British military prevent any further uprisings.

The Military Road largely followed a north-to-south axis from from Rathfarnham to the South Wicklow. Five barracks were built at strategic locations close to where the Military Road intersected existingmountain walking trails on an east-to-west axis, such as the path from Glendalough to Hollywood.

The Military Barracks in Laragh was completed by 1804 and the Military Road had reached here by 1806. The increased activity led to the gradual development of Laragh as a village and to the eventual decline of nearby Brockagh village.