Ashbourne, in County Meath, owes its existence to two brothers who saw
a business opportunity in new roads, at a time when there were more
goods, people and wheeled vehicles on the move than ever before.
Richard and Frederick Bourne were granted a licence to build and maintain
roads in the region in 1816. They built a tolled road between Dublin and
Slane and opened a coaching inn and hotel at Killegland, which they now
called Ashbourne. Their new turnpike was the precursor of the old N2
road, which in turn is superseded by the new M2 motorway. It seems that
we are always building on the past.
