Tynagh
Encyclopedia
Tynagh is a village and parish in south-east County Galway
in Ireland
.
of Lecarrow, one mile east of the village, now named a Billew Burial Ground, the word BNillew derived from Bileadha, plural
of bile, denoting a sacred tree.
The element Eachach refers to Lugh
(also known as Daghda), the supreme deity of the pagan Irish. He is cited as the father of the founder of the church, Brandubh of Tynagh
. This suggests that Tynagh was originally a cult centre for the festival of Lughnasa, later Christianised by Brandubh, who was cited as Lugh's son, thus betraying its true origins.
. Its kings and lords were the Maddan
family.
Situated between the towns of Loughrea
(15 km) and Portumna
(13 km), the place is probably best known for the Tynagh mines which opened in the 1960s and were an important source of lead and zinc
concentrates at that time. For almost twenty years Irish Base Metals Tynagh Ltd was a major source of employment for east Galway. This all changed in 1981, however, when the mines closed with the loss of 350 jobs.
In 2004, after lying dormant for over twenty years, part of the site was redeveloped for industrial use with Sperrin Galvanisers (Ireland) Ltd opening a steel galvanising plant, and Tynagh Energy Ltd a combined cycle
gas turbine
(CCGT) power plant, the first in Galway.
links. Between 1920 and 1929 no club in Galway went as long unbeaten in senior hurling. Also during period, Tynagh had no fewer than six members on the Galway team that won the All-Ireland
in 1923, another unrivalled county record.
, the former prime minister of Australia, visited Tynagh in 1992 while tracing his ancestry, and found that he was related to a Paul Molloy from Tynagh.
The grandfather (Michael Lyons) of another past Prime minister of Australia, Joseph Lyons
, emigrated to Australia from Tynagh.
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
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,...
.
Origin of the name
Recorded as Tyneaach (1565), Teacneaghe (1543), Theaneac (1541), its current name is a contraction of Teach nEachach, 'Eochu's house'. In medieval Irish sources it is referred to as Teach nEachach, or 'the house of Eochu'. It was originally associated with the townlandTownland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Lecarrow, one mile east of the village, now named a Billew Burial Ground, the word BNillew derived from Bileadha, plural
Plural
In linguistics, plurality or [a] plural is a concept of quantity representing a value of more-than-one. Typically applied to nouns, a plural word or marker is used to distinguish a value other than the default quantity of a noun, which is typically one...
of bile, denoting a sacred tree.
The element Eachach refers to Lugh
Lugh
Lug or Lugh is an Irish deity represented in mythological texts as a hero and High King of the distant past. He is known by the epithets Lámhfhada , for his skill with a spear or sling, Ildánach , Samhildánach , Lonnbeimnech and Macnia , and by the...
(also known as Daghda), the supreme deity of the pagan Irish. He is cited as the father of the founder of the church, Brandubh of Tynagh
Brandubh of Tynagh
Brandubh of Tynagh, fl. c. 500 A.D., Irish missionary.Brandubh is listed the Irish genealogies as Brandamh Tighe nEathach m. Eachach m. Ainmireach m. Aengusa m. Lomáin ....
. This suggests that Tynagh was originally a cult centre for the festival of Lughnasa, later Christianised by Brandubh, who was cited as Lugh's son, thus betraying its true origins.
Geographic area and notable industry
From about the 8th or 9th century up to the 17th century, the name of the area it was situated within was Síol AnmchadhaSíol Anmchadha
Síol Anmchadha was a sub-kingdom or lordship of Hy-Many, and ruled by an off-shoot of the Ui Maine called the Síol Anmchadha , from whom the territory took its name....
. Its kings and lords were the Maddan
Maddan
Maddan was a legendary king of the Britons as accounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He was the son of King Locrinus and Queen Gwendolen, who both ruled Britain separately....
family.
Situated between the towns of Loughrea
Loughrea
Loughrea is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains.The town expanded in recent years as it increasingly becomes a commuter town for the city of Galway.- Name :...
(15 km) and Portumna
Portumna
Portumna is a market town in the south-east of County Galway, Ireland, on the border with County Tipperary. The town is located to the west of the point where the River Shannon enters Lough Derg. This historic crossing point over the River Shannon between counties Tipperary and Galway has a long...
(13 km), the place is probably best known for the Tynagh mines which opened in the 1960s and were an important source of lead and zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
concentrates at that time. For almost twenty years Irish Base Metals Tynagh Ltd was a major source of employment for east Galway. This all changed in 1981, however, when the mines closed with the loss of 350 jobs.
In 2004, after lying dormant for over twenty years, part of the site was redeveloped for industrial use with Sperrin Galvanisers (Ireland) Ltd opening a steel galvanising plant, and Tynagh Energy Ltd a combined cycle
Combined cycle
In electric power generation a combined cycle is an assembly of heat engines that work in tandem off the same source of heat, converting it into mechanical energy, which in turn usually drives electrical generators...
gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
(CCGT) power plant, the first in Galway.
Sports
Tynagh has very strong hurlingHurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
links. Between 1920 and 1929 no club in Galway went as long unbeaten in senior hurling. Also during period, Tynagh had no fewer than six members on the Galway team that won the All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
in 1923, another unrivalled county record.
International links
Paul KeatingPaul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
, the former prime minister of Australia, visited Tynagh in 1992 while tracing his ancestry, and found that he was related to a Paul Molloy from Tynagh.
The grandfather (Michael Lyons) of another past Prime minister of Australia, Joseph Lyons
Joseph Lyons
Joseph Aloysius Lyons, CH was an Australian politician. He was Labor Premier of Tasmania from 1923 to 1928 and a Minister in the James Scullin government from 1929 until his resignation from the Labor Party in March 1931...
, emigrated to Australia from Tynagh.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland