Enfield, County Meath
Encyclopedia
Enfield or Innfield is a town in south County Meath
, Ireland
, situated between Kilcock
and Kinnegad
and very close to the border with County Kildare
. It is located on the R148
regional road
, formerly the N4 national primary road
connecting Dublin to the West of Ireland and Sligo
.
Going back to Ancient Times, prior to and during the early part of the first millennium A.D., the Enfield area is believed to have been situated on one of the main roads to Tara, the coronation site and seat of the high Kings of Ireland from the 3rd Century until 1022. From the great heart and centre of the Irish Kingdom, five great arteries or roads radiated from Tara to the various parts of the country the Slighe(a way or path) Cualann, which ran toward the present County Wicklow, the Slighe Mor, the great Western road, which ran via Dublin to Galway, the Slighe Asail which ran near the present Mullingar, the Slighe Dala which ran southwest, and the Slighe Midluachra, the Northern road.
During Norman times (from 1169) under the Fitzgeralds, Earls of Kildare, a road was built from Maynooth Castle to Courtown House in Kilcock, to the Windmill on Cappagh Hill, to Cloncurry over to Johnstown House (now the Marriott Hotel and Spa), and from there on to Newcastle and Ballina House.
When the Stage Coach was used as a form of transport in Ireland, this road took a slightly different route to include the area that is now known as Enfield. The road between Dublin and Mullingar running through Enfield was built in 1735.
A livery stable and courtyard existed opposite the old postoffice building (now a Chinese Restaurant) at the East end of the town, to service people travelling on this road. Fresh teams of horses were available for hire at the livery stable when the coaches stopped at the postoffice. The building also provided some stopover accommodation. Some of the remains of the original livery courtyard can be seen today adjacent to the Centra supermarket and car park. These sites were protected once by the Office of Public Works but unfortunately have made way for redevelopment. The first postal deliveries by stage coach, in the area, occurred around 1740, during the time of Robert Fitzgerald, 19th Earl of Kildare.
In the 1790s, maps denote the site as "A New Inn", later "The New Inn" and eventually, Innfield. This derives from a mail-coach
inn
on the 18th century Dublin to Mullingar
coach route called 'The Royal Oak Inn' which is estimated to have been where the Bridge House Inn now stands. The Royal Canal
also passed through Innfield, and with the arrival of the Midland Great Western Railway
the name became Anglicised to Enfield. The name Innfield became Enfield towards the end of the 19th Century when a new postmaster came from Enfield, Middlesex and decided to use the same name for the area. The N4, the main road to the West from Dublin, passed through Enfield and plagued it with traffic problems. In December 2005 a new stretch of the M4 motorway opened and most traffic now bypasses the town. The section of the N4 which was bypassed has been redesignated as the R148.
The railway reached Enfield in 1847, when the Midland Great Western Railway
opened between Broadstone Station in Dublin and Enfield railway station
(opened on 28 June 1847). Upon the opening of the railway, canal boats ceased all passenger traffic between Dublin and Enfield, passengers travelling west using the train to Enfield and transferring to the canal in the town. The line was extended to Hill of Down
by the end of 1847 and to Mullingar in October 1848.
Even though rail travel was much quicker, the canal continued to carry traffic until the 1950s. Both the canal and the railway had stop over points in Enfield, and this contributed to the development of the area. It is only now, at the turn of the millennium, that the potential of the Canal for tourism and as a natural amenity is being realised. The Office of Public Works took charge of it in 1986 and subsequent investment and significant restoration means it has great prospects of becoming popular again as a means of leisurely transport
In 1877, a branch line from Nesbitt Junction (about 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Enfield) to Edenderry
was opened. The Edenderry branch line and Enfield station closed in 1963, although there had been no regular passenger service to Edenderry since 1931. Passenger services from Enfield resumed in 1988.
A lot of People, refer to Enfield as, Innfield the Proper name for Enfield, was Mofinrath, I grew up in the Portes House at station Yard, C.I.E. Enfield Co. Meath I know this to be fact, as the Orgional Address of my Family Home was Mofinrath Co. Meath. My Grandfather Michal Craven, was a Blacksmith and fixed horse drawen coaches, my Father Mr. Jimmy Craven Snr: was a Signal Man at Leixlip Co. Kildare, Kilcock, Co. Kildare, Enfield Co. Meath Moyvally Co. Kildare and at Hill of Down Co. Meath. He had bought the lease of our Home at Station Yard C.I.E. Enfield Co. Meath off C.I.E. in 1972 at 250 Year Lease documents I hold, clearly state that the Original name for Enfield, Co. Meath is in fact Mofinrath, Co. Meath not Innfield.
County Meath
County Meath 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 ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath 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,...
, situated between Kilcock
Kilcock
Kilcock or Killcock is a town and townland in the north of County Kildare, Ireland, on the border with County Meath. Kilcock is a dormitory town for many of those who work in Dublin...
and Kinnegad
Kinnegad
Kinnegad or Kinagad is a town in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is near the border with County Meath, at the junction of the N6 and the N4 - two of Ireland's main east-west roads...
and very close to the border with County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare 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 Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
. It is located on the R148
R148 road
The R148 road is one of Ireland's regional roads which was classified following the opening of a by-passed national primary road.The section of the old N4 which has been by-passed by the M4 motorway was reclassified R148. The R148 runs from Dublin to Kinnegad in County Westmeath.The road is long...
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...
, formerly the N4 national primary road
National primary road
A national primary road is a road classification in the Republic of Ireland. National primary roads form the major routes between the major urban centres. There are over 2,700km of national primary roads. This category of road has the prefix "N" followed by one or two digits...
connecting Dublin to the West of Ireland and Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
.
Local history
Enfield's phased growth is paralleled with the various phases of transport history throughout south County Meath.Going back to Ancient Times, prior to and during the early part of the first millennium A.D., the Enfield area is believed to have been situated on one of the main roads to Tara, the coronation site and seat of the high Kings of Ireland from the 3rd Century until 1022. From the great heart and centre of the Irish Kingdom, five great arteries or roads radiated from Tara to the various parts of the country the Slighe(a way or path) Cualann, which ran toward the present County Wicklow, the Slighe Mor, the great Western road, which ran via Dublin to Galway, the Slighe Asail which ran near the present Mullingar, the Slighe Dala which ran southwest, and the Slighe Midluachra, the Northern road.
During Norman times (from 1169) under the Fitzgeralds, Earls of Kildare, a road was built from Maynooth Castle to Courtown House in Kilcock, to the Windmill on Cappagh Hill, to Cloncurry over to Johnstown House (now the Marriott Hotel and Spa), and from there on to Newcastle and Ballina House.
When the Stage Coach was used as a form of transport in Ireland, this road took a slightly different route to include the area that is now known as Enfield. The road between Dublin and Mullingar running through Enfield was built in 1735.
A livery stable and courtyard existed opposite the old postoffice building (now a Chinese Restaurant) at the East end of the town, to service people travelling on this road. Fresh teams of horses were available for hire at the livery stable when the coaches stopped at the postoffice. The building also provided some stopover accommodation. Some of the remains of the original livery courtyard can be seen today adjacent to the Centra supermarket and car park. These sites were protected once by the Office of Public Works but unfortunately have made way for redevelopment. The first postal deliveries by stage coach, in the area, occurred around 1740, during the time of Robert Fitzgerald, 19th Earl of Kildare.
In the 1790s, maps denote the site as "A New Inn", later "The New Inn" and eventually, Innfield. This derives from a mail-coach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
on the 18th century Dublin to Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
coach route called 'The Royal Oak Inn' which is estimated to have been where the Bridge House Inn now stands. The Royal Canal
Royal Canal of Ireland
The Royal Canal is a canal originally built for freight and passenger transportation from the River Liffey at Dublin to the River Shannon at Cloondara in County Longford in Ireland. It fell into disrepair, but since has been restored for navigation...
also passed through Innfield, and with the arrival of the Midland Great Western Railway
Midland Great Western Railway
The Midland Great Western Railway was the third largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland. It was incorporated in 1845 and absorbed into the Great Southern Railway in 1924. It served part of Leinster, County Cavan in Ulster and much of Connaught...
the name became Anglicised to Enfield. The name Innfield became Enfield towards the end of the 19th Century when a new postmaster came from Enfield, Middlesex and decided to use the same name for the area. The N4, the main road to the West from Dublin, passed through Enfield and plagued it with traffic problems. In December 2005 a new stretch of the M4 motorway opened and most traffic now bypasses the town. The section of the N4 which was bypassed has been redesignated as the R148.
Transport
The Royal Canal construction began in Dublin in 1790 and this signaled the end of the stage coach era, as the canals were a cheaper and more efficient means of transport. The stretch from Dublin to Mullingar opened as a trade route around 1807 and the canal eventually reached the Shannon in 1817, though the company was heavily in debt. The decision by the Duke of Leinster to build a spur from the canal to his country residence, at Carton House, was one of the contributing factors which finally broke the company.The railway reached Enfield in 1847, when the Midland Great Western Railway
Midland Great Western Railway
The Midland Great Western Railway was the third largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland. It was incorporated in 1845 and absorbed into the Great Southern Railway in 1924. It served part of Leinster, County Cavan in Ulster and much of Connaught...
opened between Broadstone Station in Dublin and Enfield railway station
Enfield (County Meath) railway station
Enfield railway station serves the town of Enfield in County Meath, Ireland. A water tower exists at the Mullingar end of the station, still used by occasional steam trains. There is also a passing loop. Although no stations now exist between here and Mullingar, a passing loop remains in use at...
(opened on 28 June 1847). Upon the opening of the railway, canal boats ceased all passenger traffic between Dublin and Enfield, passengers travelling west using the train to Enfield and transferring to the canal in the town. The line was extended to Hill of Down
Hill of Down
Hill of Down is a townland in County Meath located on the Royal Canal. There was also a railway station on the line between Dublin and Galway/Sligo. There is a shop and post office at Hill of Down.The shop also has a pub and all of these are located next to the bridge over the canal . St. Columba,...
by the end of 1847 and to Mullingar in October 1848.
Even though rail travel was much quicker, the canal continued to carry traffic until the 1950s. Both the canal and the railway had stop over points in Enfield, and this contributed to the development of the area. It is only now, at the turn of the millennium, that the potential of the Canal for tourism and as a natural amenity is being realised. The Office of Public Works took charge of it in 1986 and subsequent investment and significant restoration means it has great prospects of becoming popular again as a means of leisurely transport
In 1877, a branch line from Nesbitt Junction (about 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Enfield) to Edenderry
Edenderry, County Offaly
Edenderry is a town in the north of County Offaly, Ireland. It is near the borders with Counties Kildare, Meath and Westmeath. The Grand Canal passes immediately south of the town through the Bog of Allen and there is a short spur to the town centre....
was opened. The Edenderry branch line and Enfield station closed in 1963, although there had been no regular passenger service to Edenderry since 1931. Passenger services from Enfield resumed in 1988.
A lot of People, refer to Enfield as, Innfield the Proper name for Enfield, was Mofinrath, I grew up in the Portes House at station Yard, C.I.E. Enfield Co. Meath I know this to be fact, as the Orgional Address of my Family Home was Mofinrath Co. Meath. My Grandfather Michal Craven, was a Blacksmith and fixed horse drawen coaches, my Father Mr. Jimmy Craven Snr: was a Signal Man at Leixlip Co. Kildare, Kilcock, Co. Kildare, Enfield Co. Meath Moyvally Co. Kildare and at Hill of Down Co. Meath. He had bought the lease of our Home at Station Yard C.I.E. Enfield Co. Meath off C.I.E. in 1972 at 250 Year Lease documents I hold, clearly state that the Original name for Enfield, Co. Meath is in fact Mofinrath, Co. Meath not Innfield.
Local attractions
- There is a newly created amenity park along with a small harbour and slipway at the Royal Canal on the western side of the town.
- Enfield is also well catered for people who like to have a drink with several pubs along the Main St. These include Flatterys, The Midland Bar, Enfield House Hotel, and The Bridge House.
- Enfield also has its own micro-brewery, The Celtic Brew company which produces the award winning Finians Lager.
Sport
- Enfield is also surrounded by some of Ireland'sRepublic of IrelandIreland , 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,...
finest Golf courses, most notably, The Rathcore Golf and Country Club. - The town is home to Na Fianna Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic AssociationThe 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. - Angling is a popular past-time in Enfield
Entertainment
- Enfield is home to the Enfield Revue Society, a non-profit music, song, dance and comedy production staged annually in the Enfield area. The purpose of Enfield Revue is to explore local talent with the aim of providing quality entertainment to the community.
- The Marriott Johnstown House Hotel & Spa is set on 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) of stunning parkland landscape in Enfield, County Meath. This 126 bedroom, luxury four star hotel is developed around a magnificent 1750's Georgian Rural Residence, featuring The Pavilion Restaurant, Atrium Brasserie and Coach House Bar. Including a state of the art Gym and extensive conference facilities.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland.