Blennerville
Encyclopedia
Blennerville is a small village and suburb of Tralee, County Kerry
, Ireland
. It is approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) west of the town centre on the N86 road
to Dingle
, where the River Lee enters Tralee Bay
. The village was formerly Tralee's port, and is connected to the town centre by a ship canal
. Part of Blennerville electoral division
falls within the area of Tralee Town Council, and at the 2006 census had a population of 157. The remaining portion, outside the town boundaries, had a 2006 population of 554.
from Tralee towards the south, before his capture and execution in 1583.
A bridge was built at the site in 1751, and in 1783 Sir Rowland Blennerhassett renamed it Blennerville after his family. The Blennerville Windmill
was built in 1800, but had fallen into ruins by 1846.
A pier at Fenit
, on the north side of Tralee Bay was opened in 1880, replacing Blennerville as Tralee's port. The village went into decline, and the windmill finally closed sometime in the 1880s. It was purchased by the Tralee Urban District Council in 1981 and was restored. It is now used as a tourist attraction. Blennerville Bridge was strengthened and enlarged in 1996. Blennerville National School was built in 1932, and according to its website has an enrolment of 168 students.
club called St. Patricks, Blennerville. The club was founded in 1929. Emigration took its toll on the team and it ceased to operate on a competitive level. The team dissolved in 1957, but reformed in 1963.
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, 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 approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) west of the town centre on the N86 road
N86 road (Ireland)
The N86 road is a national secondary road in County Kerry, Ireland. It runs from Tralee to Dingle and passes though Annascaul and Lispole en route. It is in length. It has, in recent years, seen significant improvements to certain stretches of road....
to Dingle
Dingle
Dingle is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about 49 kilometres southwest of Tralee and 71 kilometres northwest of Killarney....
, where the River Lee enters Tralee Bay
Tralee Bay
Tralee Bay is located in on the west coast of County Kerry, Ireland. It is situated between Kerry Head on the north side and the Maharees on the west and extends eastwards as far as the bridge at Blennerville. Several small rivers feed into the bay through the town of Tralee...
. The village was formerly Tralee's port, and is connected to the town centre by a ship canal
Ship canal
A ship canal is a canal especially constructed to carry ocean-going ships, as opposed to barges. Ship canals can be enlarged barge canals, canalized or channelized rivers, or canals especially constructed from the start to accommodate ships....
. Part of Blennerville electoral division
District Electoral Division
A district electoral division is a former name given to a low-level territorial division in Ireland. In 1994, both district electoral divisions and wards were renamed as electoral divisions...
falls within the area of Tralee Town Council, and at the 2006 census had a population of 157. The remaining portion, outside the town boundaries, had a 2006 population of 554.
History
Blennerville was originally called (anglicised as Cahermoraun or Cahirmoreaun),Originally published and it has been speculated that it was the ancient site of the Tramore ford, the only escape route afforded to the 15th Earl of DesmondGerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond
Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond was an Irish nobleman and leader of the Desmond Rebellions of 1579.-Life:...
from Tralee towards the south, before his capture and execution in 1583.
A bridge was built at the site in 1751, and in 1783 Sir Rowland Blennerhassett renamed it Blennerville after his family. The Blennerville Windmill
Blennerville Windmill
Blennerville Windmill is a tower mill in Blennerville, Co. Kerry. It was built by Sir Rowland Blennerhassett in 1800 but by 1846 had fallen into ruins. In 1981 the Tralee Urban Council purchased the windmill and has developed it as a tourist attraction....
was built in 1800, but had fallen into ruins by 1846.
A pier at Fenit
Fenit
Fenit is a small village in County Kerry, Ireland, located on north side of Tralee Bay about west of Tralee town, just south of the Shannon Estuary. The bay is enclosed from the Atlantic by the Maharee spit which extends northwards from the Dingle peninsula...
, on the north side of Tralee Bay was opened in 1880, replacing Blennerville as Tralee's port. The village went into decline, and the windmill finally closed sometime in the 1880s. It was purchased by the Tralee Urban District Council in 1981 and was restored. It is now used as a tourist attraction. Blennerville Bridge was strengthened and enlarged in 1996. Blennerville National School was built in 1932, and according to its website has an enrolment of 168 students.
Sport
Blennerville has a GAAGaelic 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 St. Patricks, Blennerville. The club was founded in 1929. Emigration took its toll on the team and it ceased to operate on a competitive level. The team dissolved in 1957, but reformed in 1963.
See also
- List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland
- List of windmills in Ireland
- TrughanacmyTrughanacmyTrughanacmy is a barony in County Kerry, Ireland. The barony is an obsolescent administrative area, having ceased to have any government function since the enactment of the Local Government Act 1898.In 1881 the barony had an area of .-Name:...