Teach Seanbhábhún

Old Bawn House

Old Bawn House which has since been demolished. The chimneypiece belonging to Old Bawn House is now in the National Museum in Dublin.

Old Bawn House

Old Bawn House

Old Bawn House which has since been demolished. The chimneypiece belonging to Old Bawn House is now in the National Museum in Dublin.

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Bhí Teach Seanbhabhún ar ceann de na tithe ba thábhachtaí i ngleann na Dothra. Bhí sé suite in aice leis an Dothra, gar do Bhóthar an tSeanbhábhúin. Thóg Ard-Deagánach William Bulkeley, mac Ardeaspag Bhaile Átha Cliath, an teach sa bhliain 1635.

Deineadh damáiste don teach le linn éirí amach 1641, ach deisíodh go gairid ina dhiaidh sin é. Chónaigh daoine sa teach ar feadh na céadta bliain, ach fágadh faoi dheireadh ina fhothrach é. Bhí traidisiún sa chomharsanacht sa tsean-am: cothrom agus an lá a bhásaigh an t-Ard-déagánach Bulkeley, d'fheicfí cóiste bodhar á tharraingt ag seisreach chapall gan chloigeann. Bhíodh beirt phaisinéirí, agus beirt bhonnaire leo, sa chóiste agus é á thiomáint suas go dtí an teach. Mairg don té a stánfadh ar an gcóiste, afach, nó gheobhadh sé bás taobh istigh de bhliain agus lá.

Ghost of Old Bawn House

Close to the Old Bawn Road and the Dodder was situated one of the most important houses of the Dodder valley –- Old Bawn House. Archdeacon William Bulkeley, son of the Archbishop of Dublin, built the house in 1635.

During the rebellion of 1641 the house was damaged, but was restored soon after. The house continued to be lived in for many years, but was eventually demolished. There was a local tradition in the old neighbourhood of Old Bawn House: that each year on the anniversary of the death of Archdeacon Bulkeley, a coach drawn by six headless horses and containing two passengers attended by two footmen, drives up to the house.

However woe betide anyone who looks on the coach, for they will die within a year and a day - or so the story goes.