Avoca, County Wicklow
Encyclopedia
Avoca is a small town near Arklow
, in County Wicklow
, Ireland
. It is situated on the River Avoca
.
The Avoca area has been associated with its famous copper mines for many years and the valley has been immortalised by Thomas Moore
in the famous song The Meeting of the Waters
. The name of the song derives from the meeting of the Avonmore
and Avonbeg
rivers, about two miles from the village of Avoca. The song is said to have been written under a tree, the stump of which remains by the Meetings.
Avoca is also famous for its handweaving, with Avoca Handweavers
based there.
Avoca was once known as Newbridge. It subsequently became known as Ovoca, and then in Victorian times as Avoca. Ptolemy
mentions the river Obhoca on his early map of Ireland
. The official name of the village is now Avoca in English and Abhóca in Irish
. None of the other names are used today.
Avoca has been used as a filming location for several films and television series. The BBC
series Ballykissangel
was filmed there. In 1996, Avoca was one of the locations used in the film Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon
, and it was the setting for the comedy film Zonad
which had a general Irish release in 2010.
Copper mining is reported to have begun in the Avoca River valley around 1720 and it continued, with interruptions, until 1982. Earlier mining, perhaps dating back to the Bronze Age
, may have occurred. The East Avoca site, today, is composed mainly of a number of rock waste spoil heaps, abandoned quarries
(Cronebane and East Avoca open pits) and disused roads. The largest spoil heap, Mount Platt, was built up from waste rock excavated from Cronebane open pit. There was a mineral tramway built from the West Avoca mines, through the village (on the opposite side of the river) and on to Arklow Harbour. The route of most of this was subsumed into the Dublin-Rosslare railway line
, but an arch and a tunnel under the road from Rathdrum
to Avoca remains.
regional road
linking Rathnew
with Woodenbridge
. The village is served by Bus Éireann
route 133 from Dublin (66 km) and Wicklow
(21 km) to Arklow
(10 km), with two departures in each direction on Mondays to Saturdays and one each way on Sundays.
There is some local political pressure to secure reopening of Avoca railway station, from which passenger services were withdrawn on 3 March 1964, almost 101 years after its opening, on the Dublin-Rosslare railway line
, on 18 July 1863.
Arklow
Arklow , also known as Inbhear Dé from the Avonmore river's older name Abhainn Dé, is a historic town located in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. Founded by the Vikings in the ninth century, Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion...
, in County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is situated on the River Avoca
River Avoca
The Avoca is a river in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is contained completely within the county.The Avoca starts life as two rivers, the Avonmore and the Avonbeg...
.
The Avoca area has been associated with its famous copper mines for many years and the valley has been immortalised by Thomas Moore
Thomas Moore
Thomas Moore was an Irish poet, singer, songwriter, and entertainer, now best remembered for the lyrics of The Minstrel Boy and The Last Rose of Summer. He was responsible, with John Murray, for burning Lord Byron's memoirs after his death...
in the famous song The Meeting of the Waters
River Avoca
The Avoca is a river in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is contained completely within the county.The Avoca starts life as two rivers, the Avonmore and the Avonbeg...
. The name of the song derives from the meeting of the Avonmore
River Avonmore
The Avonmore River also known as Abhainn Dé flows from Lough Dan in the Wicklow Mountains west of Roundwood. It flows in a generally southerly direction for approximately before joining the Avonbeg at the Meeting of the Waters to form the River Avoca, which in turn discharges into the Irish Sea...
and Avonbeg
River Avonbeg
The Avonbeg River rises on the northern flank of Carmenbologue Mountain in the Wicklow Mountains and flows southeast into the valley of Glenmalure. It continues southeast through the villages of Greenan and Ballinaclash before joining the Avonmore at the Meeting of the Waters to form the River...
rivers, about two miles from the village of Avoca. The song is said to have been written under a tree, the stump of which remains by the Meetings.
Avoca is also famous for its handweaving, with Avoca Handweavers
Avoca Handweavers
Avoca Handweavers is a clothing manufacturing, retail and food business in Ireland. Started in Avoca, County Wicklow, it is the oldest working woollen mill in Ireland and one of the world's oldest manufacturering companies. It is also Ireland's oldest surviving business.The mill on the banks of...
based there.
Avoca was once known as Newbridge. It subsequently became known as Ovoca, and then in Victorian times as Avoca. Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
mentions the river Obhoca on his early map of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The official name of the village is now Avoca in English and Abhóca in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. None of the other names are used today.
Avoca has been used as a filming location for several films and television series. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series Ballykissangel
Ballykissangel
Ballykissangel is a BBC television drama set in Ireland, produced in-house by BBC Northern Ireland. The original story revolved around a young English Roman Catholic priest as he became part of a rural community. It ran for six series, which were first broadcast on BBC One in the UK from 1996 to 2001...
was filmed there. In 1996, Avoca was one of the locations used in the film Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon is a 1967 British science fiction comedy film directed by Don Sharp and produced by Harry Alan Towers...
, and it was the setting for the comedy film Zonad
Zonad
Zonad is a film by John Carney and Kieran Carney that premiered in July 2009 at the Galway Film Fleadh with the directors in attendance.The film went to general release in Ireland March 19, 2010.- Plot :...
which had a general Irish release in 2010.
Mining
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, may have occurred. The East Avoca site, today, is composed mainly of a number of rock waste spoil heaps, abandoned quarries
Quarries
Quarries - The "Royal Quarries" — not found in Scripture — is the namegiven to the vast caverns stretching far underneath the northern hill, Bezetha, on which Jerusalem is built. Out of these mammoth caverns stones, a hard limestone, have been quarried in ancient times for the buildings in the...
(Cronebane and East Avoca open pits) and disused roads. The largest spoil heap, Mount Platt, was built up from waste rock excavated from Cronebane open pit. There was a mineral tramway built from the West Avoca mines, through the village (on the opposite side of the river) and on to Arklow Harbour. The route of most of this was subsumed into the Dublin-Rosslare railway line
Dublin-Rosslare railway line
The Dublin-Rosslare railway line is a main rail route between Dublin Connolly station and Rosslare Europort, where it theoretically connects with ferry services to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. The line between Dublin and Greystones is electrified and forms the southern part of the DART...
, but an arch and a tunnel under the road from Rathdrum
Rathdrum
Rathdrum may refer to:* Rathdrum, Idaho, United States* Rathdrum, County Wicklow, Ireland...
to Avoca remains.
Transport
Avoca lies on the R752R752 road
The R752 road is a regional road in County Wicklow, Ireland. From its junction with the R772 in Rathnew on the outskirts of Wicklow Town it takes a generally south-westerly route to its junction with the R747 in the village of Woodenbridge, where it terminates....
regional road
Regional road
A regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...
linking Rathnew
Rathnew
Rathnew is a village of County Wicklow, Ireland. Located south of the capital Dublin along the N11 between Dublin and Wexford, it is the exit point for those wishing to visit the county town of Wicklow, situated to the East.-Education:...
with Woodenbridge
Woodenbridge
Woodenbridge is a small village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It lies between Arklow and Avoca, at the meeting of the Avoca, Aughrim and Goldmine rivers. The village is located at the junction of the R747 and R752 roads...
. The village is served by Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
route 133 from Dublin (66 km) and Wicklow
Wicklow
Wicklow) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island, it has a population of 10,070 according to the 2006 census. The town is situated to the east of the N11 route between Dublin and Wexford. Wicklow is also connected to the rail...
(21 km) to Arklow
Arklow
Arklow , also known as Inbhear Dé from the Avonmore river's older name Abhainn Dé, is a historic town located in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. Founded by the Vikings in the ninth century, Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion...
(10 km), with two departures in each direction on Mondays to Saturdays and one each way on Sundays.
There is some local political pressure to secure reopening of Avoca railway station, from which passenger services were withdrawn on 3 March 1964, almost 101 years after its opening, on the Dublin-Rosslare railway line
Dublin-Rosslare railway line
The Dublin-Rosslare railway line is a main rail route between Dublin Connolly station and Rosslare Europort, where it theoretically connects with ferry services to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. The line between Dublin and Greystones is electrified and forms the southern part of the DART...
, on 18 July 1863.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland