Carrickmacross
Encyclopedia
Carrickmacross or Carrickmacros is a town
in County Monaghan
, Ireland
. The town and environs had a population of 4,387 according to the 2006 census, making it the second largest town in the county. The town won the prestigious European Entente Florale
Silver Medal Award. It is a market town which developed around a Castle built by the Earl of Essex
in 1630
. The Convent of the St. Louis Nun
s now stands on the original castle site. The local Gaelic football
and Hurling
club is Carrickmacross Emmets
.
The Nuns were largely responsible for the revival of lace-making skills in the region and the Carrickmacross Lace Co-operative has been instrumental in keeping the tradition alive today. This lace may be purchased at The Gallery Centre where demonstrations of this skill can be given by prior request.
The town was formerly situated on the N2 Dublin-Derry National Route. It is now bypassed.
It is situated approximately 1 hour from both Dublin and Belfast
.
Primary schools
St.Josephs, which is situated near St. Macartans Villas is an all boys school, it was run by the Patrician Brothers but they no longer run the school.
Bunscoil Lughaidh Naofa which is in Cloughvalley is an all girls school, was run by the St. Louis nuns who came to Carrickmacross in 1888.
Scoil Rois is the Gaelscoil in Carrickmacross. It is a mixed school who recently had a new school built situated across from Bunscoil Lughaidh Naofa having moved from the Convent Avenue.
Secondary schools
The Patrician High School (PHS for short) is one of three secondary schools in Carrickmacross. It was set up by the Patrician Brothers. It was situated next to the Church on O'Neills street, the building is now the scout hall.In 1970 they moved to Rockdaniel Rd but have more recently had a €4,000,000 extension. They have constantly produced great football teams through the years. It has approximately 350 pupils in attendance.
Inver College: Inver College called the TEC by students and townspeople due to its being a technological school, is a mixed school situated on the Castleblayney
Rd. It has approximately 600 students from all surrounding parishes of the town. They recently open a new GAA pitch which was officially open with a Dublin v Monaghan Senior Friendly match. Inver College won the U16 VEC GAA County Championship for the second consecutive year in January 2011.
St. Louis Convent: The St. Louis Convent is an all girls secondary school set up by the St.Louis nuns in the 19th century. The school was set up in honour of St. Louis (Louis IX of France
). The motto of the school is Ut Sint Unum which is Latin, meaning 'that they may be one'. These words were spoken by Our Lord at the Last Supper (John 17:21).
There are five stages of the story of the Sisters of St.Louis in Ireland:
Fleur-de-Lys is the emblem of the French Royal House of Bourbon
and St. Louis, their main Patron belonged to it. The French words Dieu le Veult, means 'God wills it' and was the battle cry of the Crusaders. Louis IX (St. Louis) led a crusade
to the Holy land
in the 13th century. The sword signifies the Crusades, but is positioned to show the cross-like shape of the hilt. The Crown of Thorns
was believed to have been found by Louis and brought back to France. The Tower is part of the coat of arms of Monaghan town, where the first Irish St. Louis convent was established in 1859. The red hand represents the Red Hand of Ulster
, an ancient symbol of the province, in which Monaghan town is situated. It is situated on the Convent Avenue.
with Carrickmacross:
and two each from Sinn Féin
, Fianna Fáil
and the Green Party
. It forms part of the five seat Carrickmacross Local Electoral Area for elections for Monaghan County Council.
In February 2010 the town council voted 5:4 to remove a page signed by the Israel
i ambassador from the town's visitors' book in response to the siege of Gaza and the illegal use of Irish passports by agents of Mossad
in the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in County Monaghan
County Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan 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,...
. The town and environs had a population of 4,387 according to the 2006 census, making it the second largest town in the county. The town won the prestigious European Entente Florale
Entente Florale
The Entente Florale is an international horticultural competition established to recognise municipalities and villages in Europe for excellence in horticultural displays. Trophies are presented annually by tourist boards and horticultural societies of European countries...
Silver Medal Award. It is a market town which developed around a Castle built by the Earl of Essex
Earl of Essex
Earl of Essex is a title that has been held by several families and individuals. The earldom was first created in the 12th century for Geoffrey II de Mandeville . Upon the death of the third earl in 1189, the title became dormant or extinct...
in 1630
1630 in Ireland
-Deaths:*James "Spanish" Blake, spy.*Lughaidh Ó Cléirigh , cousin of Mícheál Ó Cléirigh who, with his son Cacrigcriche Ó Cléirigh , one of Mícheál's co-workers, is also famous as an Irish historian....
. The Convent of the St. Louis Nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s now stands on the original castle site. The local Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and Hurling
Hurling
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...
club is Carrickmacross Emmets
Carrickmacross Emmets
Carrickmacross Emmets is a Gaelic football and hurling club from Carrickmacross in County Monaghan in Ireland. The club was founded in 1903. The club participates in Monaghan competitions. The club has won the Monaghan Senior Football Championship seven times and have come runner-up six times...
.
The Nuns were largely responsible for the revival of lace-making skills in the region and the Carrickmacross Lace Co-operative has been instrumental in keeping the tradition alive today. This lace may be purchased at The Gallery Centre where demonstrations of this skill can be given by prior request.
Places of interest
- One of the most imposing buildings in the town is the Roman CatholicRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
church which was completed in 1866. Of particular significance in the church are the ten beautiful stained-glass windows which were designed by the renowned artist Harry ClarkeHarry ClarkeHarry Clarke was an Irish stained glass artist and book illustrator. Born in Dublin, he was a leading figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement.- History :...
in 1925.
- Magheross Church, located on the outskirts of the town, is of historical interest.
- Other buildings of note include the Courthouse and the restored Poor Law Union Workhouse.
- Grave of Patrick ByrnePatrick Byrne (musician)Patrick Byrne was the last noted exponent in Ireland of the historical Gaelic harp and the first Irish traditional musician to be photographed....
(1794–1863) who was the last major exponent of the Gaelic harp and the first Irish traditional musician ever photographed.
Transport
Carrickmacross railway station opened on 31 July 1886, closed for passenger traffic on 10 March 1947, and finally closed altogether on 1 January 1960.The town was formerly situated on the N2 Dublin-Derry National Route. It is now bypassed.
It is situated approximately 1 hour from both Dublin and Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
Education
There are three primary schools in Carrickmacross.Primary schools
St.Josephs, which is situated near St. Macartans Villas is an all boys school, it was run by the Patrician Brothers but they no longer run the school.
Bunscoil Lughaidh Naofa which is in Cloughvalley is an all girls school, was run by the St. Louis nuns who came to Carrickmacross in 1888.
Scoil Rois is the Gaelscoil in Carrickmacross. It is a mixed school who recently had a new school built situated across from Bunscoil Lughaidh Naofa having moved from the Convent Avenue.
Secondary schools
The Patrician High School (PHS for short) is one of three secondary schools in Carrickmacross. It was set up by the Patrician Brothers. It was situated next to the Church on O'Neills street, the building is now the scout hall.In 1970 they moved to Rockdaniel Rd but have more recently had a €4,000,000 extension. They have constantly produced great football teams through the years. It has approximately 350 pupils in attendance.
Inver College: Inver College called the TEC by students and townspeople due to its being a technological school, is a mixed school situated on the Castleblayney
Castleblayney
Castleblayney or Castleblaney is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town has a population of about 3,000.Castleblayney lies near the border with County Armagh and is on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry...
Rd. It has approximately 600 students from all surrounding parishes of the town. They recently open a new GAA pitch which was officially open with a Dublin v Monaghan Senior Friendly match. Inver College won the U16 VEC GAA County Championship for the second consecutive year in January 2011.
St. Louis Convent: The St. Louis Convent is an all girls secondary school set up by the St.Louis nuns in the 19th century. The school was set up in honour of St. Louis (Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
). The motto of the school is Ut Sint Unum which is Latin, meaning 'that they may be one'. These words were spoken by Our Lord at the Last Supper (John 17:21).
There are five stages of the story of the Sisters of St.Louis in Ireland:
Fleur-de-Lys is the emblem of the French Royal House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
and St. Louis, their main Patron belonged to it. The French words Dieu le Veult, means 'God wills it' and was the battle cry of the Crusaders. Louis IX (St. Louis) led a crusade
Seventh Crusade
The Seventh Crusade was a crusade led by Louis IX of France from 1248 to 1254. Approximately 800,000 bezants were paid in ransom for King Louis who, along with thousands of his troops, was captured and defeated by the Egyptian army led by the Ayyubid Sultan Turanshah supported by the Bahariyya...
to the Holy land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
in the 13th century. The sword signifies the Crusades, but is positioned to show the cross-like shape of the hilt. The Crown of Thorns
Crown of Thorns
In Christianity, the Crown of Thorns, one of the instruments of the Passion, was woven of thorn branches and placed on Jesus Christ before his crucifixion...
was believed to have been found by Louis and brought back to France. The Tower is part of the coat of arms of Monaghan town, where the first Irish St. Louis convent was established in 1859. The red hand represents the Red Hand of Ulster
Red Hand of Ulster
The Red Hand of Ulster is a symbol used in heraldry to denote the Irish province of Ulster. It is less commonly known as the Red Hand of O'Neill. Its origins are said to be attributed to the mythical Irish figure Labraid Lámh Dhearg , and appear in other mythical tales passed down from generation...
, an ancient symbol of the province, in which Monaghan town is situated. It is situated on the Convent Avenue.
People
- Comedian and actor Ardal O'HanlonArdal O'HanlonArdal O'Hanlon is an Irish comedian and actor, best known for his roles in television sitcoms as Father Dougal McGuire in Father Ted and George Sunday in My Hero.-Early life:...
- Former Ceann ComhairleCeann ComhairleThe Ceann Comhairle is the chairman of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election...
Rory O'HanlonRory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Cavan–Monaghan constituency from 1977 until 2011, and also served in a range of cabinet positions and as Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann.... - Indie-rock band The FlawsThe FlawsThe Flaws are an Irish Choice Music Prize-nominated, Meteor Award nominated indie-rock quartet, hailing from Carrickmacross in County Monaghan and Dundalk in County Louth...
- Classical Crossover group SephiraSephiraSephira is an Irish band comprising sisters Joyce and Ruth O'Leary, who both play the violin and provide vocals. They released their debut album Believe in 2006...
- RTÉRTERTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
Weatherman Gerry Murphy - Association football player Barry ConlonBarry ConlonBarry John Conlon is an Irish footballer who plays as a striker and is currently without a club.Conlon's career started with Queens Park Rangers but he moved to Manchester City before he had played a game. He made his Football League debut with City...
Twin towns — sister cities
The following place is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Carrickmacross:
- Carhaix, Brittany
BrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
Governance and politics
Carrickmacross town council elects 9 members and is responsible for the provision of local services. At the last local elections in 2009 three members were elected from Fine GaelFine Gael
Fine 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...
and two each from Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna 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 the Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
. It forms part of the five seat Carrickmacross Local Electoral Area for elections for Monaghan County Council.
In February 2010 the town council voted 5:4 to remove a page signed by the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i ambassador from the town's visitors' book in response to the siege of Gaza and the illegal use of Irish passports by agents of Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
in the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Mahmoud Abdel Rauf al-Mabhouh was a senior Hamas military commander and one of the founders of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military affiliate of Hamas...
.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
External links
- Patrician High School, Carrickmacross
- Carrickmacross.ie
- Carrickmacross Scout Group
- Carrickmacross Cycling Club
- History Monaghan County Council
- Carrickmacross Baptist Church
- Carrickmacross Chamber of Commerce
- Carrickmacross Workhouse
- Sephira
- An Lochrann Linn Brass and Reed Band
- CarrickGazette.ie Online Newspaper
- Carrickmacross Comhaltas