Baltinglass
Encyclopedia
Baltinglass or Baltinglas is a town in south-west County Wicklow
, Ireland
. It is situated on the River Slaney
near the border with County Carlow
and County Kildare
, on the N81 road
. Its Irish name means "the way of Conglas", Conglas being a member of the mythological warrior collective, the Fianna
. A previous Irish-language name for the village, bringing to mind its monastic past, was Mainistir an Bhealaigh.
from the stone age
whose outer walls are finished in chalk not native to the area. On bright days is said to be visible from Kildare's Curragh
48 km (29.8 mi) away. To the north end of the village on the weir
of the River Slaney
lies the ruins of an ancient monastery that has had many additions over the centuries; the original church is said to date from around 700 A.D.
The medieval Viscounts Baltinglass
were from the Hiberno-Norman
Eustace family, who also founded Ballymore Eustace
.
The town centre mainly lies east of the river, along Main Street and ending at Market and Weavers Square. West of the river, the town is located around the N81/R747
crossroads, along Edward Street, Mill Street and Belan Street. Quinn's superstore is a landmark site on Mill Street to the North of the town.
The population of the town has grown considerably in recent years to its current population of 1,735 people and it is expected to reach 3,000 by the year 2016.
The town has a number of natural, archaeological and built heritage sites; such as, Baltinglass Hills, Baltinglass Abbey and St. Mary's Church, the River Slaney Special Area of conservation and a large amount of buildings of architectural and historical merit, many of which are located in the town centre. The town's rich and historic heritage makes a significant contribution to its distinct character.
Club has several pitches and teams. One of their early successes was the 1912 Junior title. In 1927 they won the Wicklow Senior Hurling title. 1958 saw Baltinglass win the Wicklow Senior Football Championship for the first time; they have won it several times since, most recently in 2007. In 1990 the club claimed the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
city runs once a week.
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 Slaney
River Slaney
The Slaney is a river in the southeast of Ireland. It rises on Lugnaquilla Mountain in the western Wicklow Mountains and flows west and then south through counties Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford, before entering St George's Channel in the Irish Sea at Wexford town...
near the border with County Carlow
County Carlow
County Carlow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Carlow, which lies on the River Barrow. Carlow County Council is the local authority for the county...
and 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...
, on the N81 road
N81 road
The N81 road is a national secondary road in Ireland, connecting the gates of Trinity College, Dublin to Tullow, County Carlow, north to south. The N81 continues past Tullow for another 8 km to terminate at the village of Closh, County Carlow, where it intersects the N80. The N81 is long...
. Its Irish name means "the way of Conglas", Conglas being a member of the mythological warrior collective, the Fianna
Fianna
Fianna were small, semi-independent warrior bands in Irish mythology and Scottish mythology, most notably in the stories of the Fenian Cycle, where they are led by Fionn mac Cumhaill....
. A previous Irish-language name for the village, bringing to mind its monastic past, was Mainistir an Bhealaigh.
History
The surrounding area is rich in archaeological and historical sites. On the highest point of the hill, north-east of the village, lies a passage gravePassage grave
thumb|250px|right|A simple passage tomb in [[Carrowmore]] near [[Sligo]] in IrelandA passage grave or passage tomb consists of a narrow passage made of large stones and one or multiple burial chambers covered in earth or stone. Megaliths are usually used in the construction of passage tombs, which...
from the stone age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
whose outer walls are finished in chalk not native to the area. On bright days is said to be visible from Kildare's Curragh
Curragh
The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge and Kildare. This area is well-known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the famous Japanese Gardens. Also...
48 km (29.8 mi) away. To the north end of the village on the weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
of the River Slaney
River Slaney
The Slaney is a river in the southeast of Ireland. It rises on Lugnaquilla Mountain in the western Wicklow Mountains and flows west and then south through counties Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford, before entering St George's Channel in the Irish Sea at Wexford town...
lies the ruins of an ancient monastery that has had many additions over the centuries; the original church is said to date from around 700 A.D.
The medieval Viscounts Baltinglass
Viscount Baltinglass
The title of Viscount Baltinglass was created twice in the Peerage of Ireland.The first creation was made on 29 June 1541 for Sir Thomas Eustace, who had been created Baron Kilcullen in September 1535. Both titles became extinct in 1585 on the death of the third viscount.The second creation was...
were from the Hiberno-Norman
Hiberno-Norman
The Hiberno-Normans are those Norman lords who settled in Ireland who admitted little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England, and who soon began to interact and intermarry with the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The term embraces both their origins as a distinct community with...
Eustace family, who also founded Ballymore Eustace
Ballymore Eustace
Ballymore Eustace is a small town situated in County Kildare in Ireland, although until 1836 it lay within a "pocket" of County Dublin...
.
The town centre mainly lies east of the river, along Main Street and ending at Market and Weavers Square. West of the river, the town is located around the N81/R747
R747 road
The R747 road is a regional road in Ireland running north-west/south-east from the M9 near Ballitore in County Kildare to Arklow in County Wicklow, a distance of .File:IMG_R747westward5075w.jpg|thumb|350px|left|The R747 road...
crossroads, along Edward Street, Mill Street and Belan Street. Quinn's superstore is a landmark site on Mill Street to the North of the town.
The population of the town has grown considerably in recent years to its current population of 1,735 people and it is expected to reach 3,000 by the year 2016.
Sport
The Baltinglass 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 has several pitches and teams. One of their early successes was the 1912 Junior title. In 1927 they won the Wicklow Senior Hurling title. 1958 saw Baltinglass win the Wicklow Senior Football Championship for the first time; they have won it several times since, most recently in 2007. In 1990 the club claimed the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...
Transport
Baltinglass railway station opened on 1 September 1885, was closed for passenger traffic on 27 January 1947, closed for goods traffic on 10 March 1947, and, finally, closed altogether on 1 April 1959. Bus services are available to Carlow via Rathvilly and Tullow, to Dublin three or four times daily. The service to WaterfordWaterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
city runs once a week.
People
- Nikki HayesNikki HayesNikki Hayes is a DJ on Spin 1038. She previously presented The All-Request Lunch on RTÉ 2fm. Hayes has also DJed in numerous clubs across Ireland. Hayes was strongly linked with Dundrum Town Centre and broadcasted from there regularly...
, former RTÉ 2fmRTÉ 2fmRTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
and current Spin 1038Spin 1038Spin 1038 is an Independent Local Radio station in Dublin, Ireland. It is owned by Denis O'Brien's Communicorp group and broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. Despite their name, they do not broadcast on the medium wave band , but on 103.8 FM...
DJ - Kevin O'BrienKevin O'BrienKevin O'Brien is an American actor who starred in movies and on television. His big role was in the 1982 horror movie Friday the 13th Part III and in the 1989 movie Warlock. He has made guest appearances on TV shows like Herman's Head, Quincy, CHiPs, and Knots Landing.-External links:...
, inter county GAA player. - Billy TimminsBilly TimminsBilly Timmins is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Wicklow constituency.Timmins was born in Baltinglass, County Wicklow. He was educated at Patrician College, Ballyfin, County Laois; and University College Galway where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in...
, Fine GaelFine GaelFine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
TDTeachta DálaA Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
.