Castletown, County Laois
Encyclopedia
Castletown is a small village and also a parish in County Laois
in Ireland
.
Castletown is known as “The Tidiest Village in Laois”. Chairman of the Tidy Towns committee is Seán Fleming, TD. Not only is Castletown the Tidiest Village in Laois but in 1998, Castletown were just four points behind the national winner. They won the overall Irish Tidy Towns Competition
in 2002.
According to an extract from a Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, by Samuel Lewis, London, 1837, Castletown was "a village in the Parish of Offerlane, barony of Upper Ossory, Queen’s county, and province of Leinster
, 1 3/4 miles (S.by W.) from Mountrath
; containing 367 inhabitants. It takes its name from an ancient castle, occupying a commanding situation on the bank of the River Nore
, and which, in the early part of the 16th century, was garrisoned by Sir Oliver Norris, son-in-law of the Earl of Ormonde, with a view to curb the power of the Fitzpatricks, to whom it was afterwards relinquished." The extract continues “the village is pleasantly situated on the river Nore, and on the road from Dublin to Limerick
, it contains 59 houses, many of which are good residences, and the whole has an appearance of neatness and respectability”.
.
The nearest secondary school is the newly opened Mountrath Community School
club called Castletown GAA
, while another club in the parish is called Slieve Bloom GAA
.
County Laois
County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
in 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,...
.
Castletown is known as “The Tidiest Village in Laois”. Chairman of the Tidy Towns committee is Seán Fleming, TD. Not only is Castletown the Tidiest Village in Laois but in 1998, Castletown were just four points behind the national winner. They won the overall Irish Tidy Towns Competition
Irish Tidy Towns Competition
Tidy Towns is an annual competition, first held in 1958, organised by the Irish Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in order to honour the tidiest and most attractive cities, towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland...
in 2002.
History
The older Irish name for the town was Baile Chaisleáin Ua bhFoirchealláin (meaning "castle-town of Uí Fhoirchealláin"). This has been anglicised as Ballycashlan-Offerillan and Ballycaslane-Offeralane. Uí Fhoirchealláin is the name of the parish and was added to distinguish it from another Castletown.According to an extract from a Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, by Samuel Lewis, London, 1837, Castletown was "a village in the Parish of Offerlane, barony of Upper Ossory, Queen’s county, and province of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
, 1 3/4 miles (S.by W.) from Mountrath
Mountrath
Mountrath is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. Bypassed by the M7 motorway in 2010, the town lies on the R445 midway between Dublin and Limerick, exactly 96.5 km from both cities.In 2006 it had a population of 1,435...
; containing 367 inhabitants. It takes its name from an ancient castle, occupying a commanding situation on the bank of the River Nore
River Nore
The River Nore is a long river located in south-east of Ireland. Along with the River Suir and River Barrow, it is one of the constituent rivers of the group known as the Three Sisters. The river drains approximately of Leinster. The river rises in the Devil's Bit Mountain, North Tipperary...
, and which, in the early part of the 16th century, was garrisoned by Sir Oliver Norris, son-in-law of the Earl of Ormonde, with a view to curb the power of the Fitzpatricks, to whom it was afterwards relinquished." The extract continues “the village is pleasantly situated on the river Nore, and on the road from Dublin to Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, it contains 59 houses, many of which are good residences, and the whole has an appearance of neatness and respectability”.
Places of interest
Gash Gardens and the De La Salle Brothers monastery which has been in the village since 18811881 in Ireland
-Events:*16 January - The lowest temperature ever recorded in Ireland, -19.1C at Markree, County Sligo.*3 February - Arrest of Michael Davitt.*William Ewart Gladstone's second Land Act secures the three"f"s ....
.
Education
There are three national schools in the parish - Castletown Primary School, Paddock National School and Rushall National School.The nearest secondary school is the newly opened Mountrath Community School
Sport
Castletown has a gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
club called Castletown GAA
Castletown GAA
Castletown GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association hurling club in County Laois, Ireland.The club colours are blue and white.The current Castletown club was founded in 1974 and has won a total of 8 Laois Senior Hurling Championship titles since 1995....
, while another club in the parish is called Slieve Bloom GAA
Slieve Bloom GAA
Slieve Bloom GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association hurling club in County Laois, Ireland.- Overview :The club was founded in 1947 and the club colours are orange and white....
.
Transport
- A new bridge was built in 19721972 in Ireland-Events:*January 22 - Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Patrick Hillery, sign the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities....
which relieved previously serious traffic congestion in the village. - Mountrath and Castletown railway station opened on 1 September 1848, closed for goods traffic on 3 November 1975 and finally closed altogether on 6 September 1976.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland