Much of community life in this part of Wicklow is still impacted by the former Coolattin Estate and the legacy of the Fitzwilliam family. They were regarded as good landlords when poor treatment of tenants was common. The Great Irish Famine, 1845-1852, led to massive population loss across Ireland, impacting the poorest the most. Irish landlords responded in a variety of ways. Between 1847-1856, the 5th Earl Fitzwilliam paid 6,000 of his tenants to emigrate to Canada. Although this was a lifeline for some of the poorest tenants, they would never return to Ireland.
Many Canadians visit each year to trace their family history. Luckily, detailed records provide us information to help as well as provide insight about life on Coolattin Estate. The Fitzwilliam family remained owners of the estate until the 1970s. Coolattin House is now privately owned by a passionate group of people who are working to protect this magnificent building.
Nearby Shillelagh was the main town for the estate, although Coolattin village is closer to the estate’s former entrance. Shillelagh was designed to provide an attractive entry point to the estate with its neat, stone built houses and village green. The town is famed as the home of the traditional Shillelagh stick and the stick makers shop is in the centre of the town. Recently, the local community has done much work to improve the town through the installation of sculptures and the creation of a heritage trail.