Balsitric

---

• Balsitric.
Close by is the townland of Balsitric. On a height here, about 20 years age, the McDermott family were carrying out improvements on their land, at the behest of the Department of Agriculture. During the course of these improvements the head of a cross turned up. This information is taken from Leo Swan’s lecture in the Community Hall. He goes on to say that he believes there is a Scandinavian influence here – Sitric being a Scandinavian name. Inismot was a Viking
stronghold and it is probable that there were a number of smaller territories under their control around the area, one of them being Balsitric. An earlier photograph, taken during Leo Swan’s aerial survey, shows a circular area in Balsitric where the cross head was found – just the head of a simple cross with a crucifixion design on it. A most interesting feature in this area was a break in the field fence, at a gateway, where the remains of an old paved roadway can be seen and could be traced originally, from quite a distance to here. There were only a handful of these roads, the most important being the Pilgrim Road to Glendalough. Again, this type of road dates back to an
earlier time.

---

Researched and Compiled by Kathleen McArdle, “Brookville”, Drumconrath. Source: Faith History of Drumconrath – Meath Hill.