Caragh
Encyclopedia
Caragh or Carragh is a village in County Kildare
, Ireland
. It is located on the R409
regional road
between the River Liffey
and the Grand Canal approximately 4 km north-west of Naas
. The village is also 8 km from Clane
and 15 km from Newbridge
.
Caragh is also the name of the parish that includes the village itself, surrounding townlands and Prosperous
village, about 3 km north-west from the village.
The main features in the village are a large Roman Catholic church (Our Lady & St. Joseph), a shop, a pub, a national primary school and Mondello
motor racing circuit (approx. 1.5 km from village centre). As of March 2010, the church and school in the village are undergoing extensive redevelopment.
Kildare County Council, OSI and other government bodies and agencies use the spelling "Carragh". This spelling is used only on official maps, planning notices and other official documents.
The village is situated in the northern half of County Kildare approximately 3 km north-west of junction 10 of the M7 motorway
. The Liffey flows adjacent to the village. There is a single traffic lane bridge crossing the Liffey approaching Caragh on the R409 from the south. A local historian claims that it is the oldest bridge still in existence on the entire course of the river.
The Bog of Allen
, a peatland region that covers large parts of central Ireland, borders the village.
The Dublin to Cork railway line runs through the village, but there is no railway station. The Grand Canal also runs past Caragh, and nearby is the Leinster Aqueduct where the Grand Canal crosses over the river Liffey.
The village forms part of the Kildare South Dáil constituency for national elections. For County Council elections, Caragh is within the Naas Local Electoral Area of Kildare County Council.
Caragh village has seen many new building developments in recent years. In 2006 the population was 751 people, compared to 242 in 2002. There are 221 houses in the village proper. The historical populations to the right are the census figures for the Electoral Division of Caragh.
clubs in Caragh, and a Ladies Football team. The football club is Raheens, and its grounds are located at Tom Lawlor Park, approximately 0.5 km from the village. The grounds consist of one floodlit pitch and purpose-built dressing rooms. The local community hall of Caragh is situated adjacent to the pitch which is also used for indoor training during winter. See also: Caragh GAA
. There is a ladies football team, known as Robert Emmets, which is made up of people from Raheens and Sallins, and which trains in both Caragh and Sallins. They have been set up in the past few years. The local hurling club is Éire Óg/Corrchoill. This club is an amalgamation of the two former clubs associated with the two villages Prosperous
and Caragh. The club has new grounds for underage teams at Donore.
Soccer - The football team in Caragh is called Caragh Celtic F.C. and they play their home games at a pitch in Donore. The grounds are very basic with no formal club house or dressing rooms.
Other sports and amenities - There is a fishing club in Caragh and they meet at the Liffey Bridge and on the Osberstown Road towards Sallins. There is also some recreational fishing on the Grand Canal. A couple of times each year there is a cross-country hunt which uses the land around the area of Caragh. They meet at Digby Bridge on the Grand Canal.
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...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It is located on the R409
R409 road
The R409 road is a regional road in Ireland that passes through the village of Caragh in County Kildare. It starts at Naas and travels north-west through Caragh village, passes Mondello Park race-track and ends at the intersection with the R403 road. The route is long.-References:* – Department of...
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...
between the River Liffey
River Liffey
The Liffey is a river in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. The river supplies much of Dublin's water, and a range of recreational opportunities.-Name:The river was previously named An Ruirthech,...
and the Grand Canal approximately 4 km north-west of Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
. The village is also 8 km from Clane
Clane
Clane is a town on the River Liffey and in the barony of Clane in County Kildare, Ireland, from Dublin.Its population of 4,968 makes it the eighth largest town in Kildare and the 78th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
and 15 km from Newbridge
Newbridge, County Kildare
The earliest known mention of Newbridge was by traveller and bookseller John Dunton in 1698, though he does not refer to any settlement other than at Ballymany....
.
Caragh is also the name of the parish that includes the village itself, surrounding townlands and Prosperous
Prosperous, County Kildare
Prosperous is a village in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is within the townland of Curryhills, at the junction of the R403 and R408 regional roads, about from Dublin. Its population of 1,939 makes it the 14th largest town in County Kildare....
village, about 3 km north-west from the village.
The main features in the village are a large Roman Catholic church (Our Lady & St. Joseph), a shop, a pub, a national primary school and Mondello
Mondello Park
Mondello Park is Ireland's only international motorsport venue located in Caragh, County Kildare off the R409 regional road. It is owned by Martin Birrane, and in the past hosted the Irish round of the British Superbike Championship, Pickup Truck Racing and international GT and rallycross events...
motor racing circuit (approx. 1.5 km from village centre). As of March 2010, the church and school in the village are undergoing extensive redevelopment.
Kildare County Council, OSI and other government bodies and agencies use the spelling "Carragh". This spelling is used only on official maps, planning notices and other official documents.
Geography and demographics
M7 motorway (Republic of Ireland)
The M7 motorway is a motorway in Ireland. The motorway runs continuously from the outskirts of Naas in County Kildare to Rossbrien on the outskirts of Limerick City. The M7 forms part of the Dublin to Limerick N7 national primary road. The section of the motorway bypassing Naas, an 8 km...
. The Liffey flows adjacent to the village. There is a single traffic lane bridge crossing the Liffey approaching Caragh on the R409 from the south. A local historian claims that it is the oldest bridge still in existence on the entire course of the river.
The Bog of Allen
Bog of Allen
The Bog of Allen is a large raised bog in the centre of Ireland between the rivers Liffey and Shannon.The bog's 958 square kilometers stretch into County Offaly, County Meath, County Kildare, County Laois, and County Westmeath. Peat is mechanically harvested on a large scale by Bórd na Móna,...
, a peatland region that covers large parts of central Ireland, borders the village.
The Dublin to Cork railway line runs through the village, but there is no railway station. The Grand Canal also runs past Caragh, and nearby is the Leinster Aqueduct where the Grand Canal crosses over the river Liffey.
The village forms part of the Kildare South Dáil constituency for national elections. For County Council elections, Caragh is within the Naas Local Electoral Area of Kildare County Council.
Caragh village has seen many new building developments in recent years. In 2006 the population was 751 people, compared to 242 in 2002. There are 221 houses in the village proper. The historical populations to the right are the census figures for the Electoral Division of Caragh.
Sport and amenities
Gaelic sports - There are two 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...
clubs in Caragh, and a Ladies Football team. The football club is Raheens, and its grounds are located at Tom Lawlor Park, approximately 0.5 km from the village. The grounds consist of one floodlit pitch and purpose-built dressing rooms. The local community hall of Caragh is situated adjacent to the pitch which is also used for indoor training during winter. See also: Caragh GAA
Caragh GAA
Caragh is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Prosperous, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, winner of three county senior football championships and the only club to play in five successive county finals, club of the year 1978 and home club of Larry Stanley, All Ireland medalist in 1919,...
. There is a ladies football team, known as Robert Emmets, which is made up of people from Raheens and Sallins, and which trains in both Caragh and Sallins. They have been set up in the past few years. The local hurling club is Éire Óg/Corrchoill. This club is an amalgamation of the two former clubs associated with the two villages Prosperous
Prosperous
Prosperous is the second album by Irish folk musician Christy Moore, released in 1972. His first album, Paddy On The Road was recorded by Dominic Behan in 1969 and has long been out of print...
and Caragh. The club has new grounds for underage teams at Donore.
Soccer - The football team in Caragh is called Caragh Celtic F.C. and they play their home games at a pitch in Donore. The grounds are very basic with no formal club house or dressing rooms.
Other sports and amenities - There is a fishing club in Caragh and they meet at the Liffey Bridge and on the Osberstown Road towards Sallins. There is also some recreational fishing on the Grand Canal. A couple of times each year there is a cross-country hunt which uses the land around the area of Caragh. They meet at Digby Bridge on the Grand Canal.
Notable people from Caragh
- Sean Power - member of Fianna FáilFianna FáilFianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
and TD for the Kildare South Dáil constituency. - Paddy PowerPaddy Power (politician)Patrick Power is a former Irish Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála and Minister of the Haughey era. He served as Minister for Fisheries and Forestry from 1979 to June 1981 and Minister for Defence in the Government of March to December 1982...
- member of Fianna FáilFianna FáilFianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
and a former Irish Government Minister and TD for the KildareKildare (Dáil Éireann constituency)Kildare was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1923 to 1937 and from 1948 to 1997...
Dáil constituency.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland