Cranmore, Sligo
Encyclopedia
Cranmore is a large local authority housing development in Sligo
, it is situated on the eastern side of Sligo
town. It is the largest housing estate in the west of Ireland with 511 houses, it was built in five phases from the early seventies to 1985. There are 246 houses owned by the local authority, a further 213 houses in private ownership and 52 houses built by the housing agency, Cluid. Cranmore is made up of 15 blocks of houses or "drives" as they are known locally, including Cranmore Place, Cranmore Drive, Cranmore Villas, O'Dwyer Court, Devins Drive, Geldof Drive, McNeill Drive, Langan Drive, Racecourse View (originally Banks Drive), Carroll Drive, Benson Drive, Yeats Drive, Collery Drive, John Fallon Drive and Joe McDonnell Drive.
The estate has 2 main access points with entrances from the Cranmore road to the north and Cleveragh road to the south, it also has walking entrances on Cranmore Place, Joe McDonnell Drive and Collery Drive.
(with 1,171). It has been over 30 years since the first houses were completed and in that time it has become one of the largest estates west of the Shannon.
These figures are based on the following: East Ward population (2006 Census): 5,334. Electorate [All those over the age of 18] of East Ward (2009 Register of Electors): 4,445 of which 941 are registered in Cranmore Estate.
There is a very active community based project, "Abbey Quarter Project". This projects provides resources for youth groups, maintains the green areas and the local football pitch, "Sean Fallon Park".
presence in the estate.
The estate has had 3 unsolved brutal murders in recent times including 2 men gunned down and the third attacked with a hatchet. Houses on the estate have been subject to gun attacks and there has been numerous drug seizures by Gardaí throughout the areas history.
which facilities include indoor basketball courts, running track and camogie pitch and Cranmore is located near the Sligo Racecourse and Sligo Sports Complex.
The Community Sport Development Officer has worked closely with the Cranmore Regeneration Project and the Resource House Project to develop new sport and recreation programmes for young people in the area.
Other groups include the Child Development Project, Cranmore Women's Group, Cranmore Youth Club, Cranmore Community Platform, Cranmore Senior Citizens Group and the Cranmore Community Playgroup.
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
, it is situated on the eastern side of Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
town. It is the largest housing estate in the west of Ireland with 511 houses, it was built in five phases from the early seventies to 1985. There are 246 houses owned by the local authority, a further 213 houses in private ownership and 52 houses built by the housing agency, Cluid. Cranmore is made up of 15 blocks of houses or "drives" as they are known locally, including Cranmore Place, Cranmore Drive, Cranmore Villas, O'Dwyer Court, Devins Drive, Geldof Drive, McNeill Drive, Langan Drive, Racecourse View (originally Banks Drive), Carroll Drive, Benson Drive, Yeats Drive, Collery Drive, John Fallon Drive and Joe McDonnell Drive.
The estate has 2 main access points with entrances from the Cranmore road to the north and Cleveragh road to the south, it also has walking entrances on Cranmore Place, Joe McDonnell Drive and Collery Drive.
Population
With approximately 440 occupied houses and a population of between 1,600 and 1,700, Cranmore is as large as county Sligo's second and third largest towns, the estate having a larger population than both Ballymote (with 1,229) and TubbercurryTubbercurry
Tubbercurry or Tobercurry is a town in County Sligo, Ireland. It lies at the foot of the Ox Mountains, on the N17 national primary road.Tubbercurry has a very active Tidy Towns Project which is setting out to transform the town's visual appearance...
(with 1,171). It has been over 30 years since the first houses were completed and in that time it has become one of the largest estates west of the Shannon.
These figures are based on the following: East Ward population (2006 Census): 5,334. Electorate [All those over the age of 18] of East Ward (2009 Register of Electors): 4,445 of which 941 are registered in Cranmore Estate.
There is a very active community based project, "Abbey Quarter Project". This projects provides resources for youth groups, maintains the green areas and the local football pitch, "Sean Fallon Park".
Crime
There has always been a small crime problem on the estate with car theft, muggings and breaking and entering the most common; this has led to the installation of 10 CCTV cameras funded by the rapid program located around the estate for crime prevention and there is often a Garda SíochánaGarda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
presence in the estate.
The estate has had 3 unsolved brutal murders in recent times including 2 men gunned down and the third attacked with a hatchet. Houses on the estate have been subject to gun attacks and there has been numerous drug seizures by Gardaí throughout the areas history.
Sport
The Cranmore area has 2 soccer pitches, Sean Fallon Park and Ray McSharry Park, which are home to local teams Abbey United, City United, City Gaels and the Sligo Leitrim League. There are also basketball and tennis courts, however these are in a dilapidated state. The area is next to the Mercy CollegeMercy College
Mercy College can refer to:* Mercy College of Northwest Ohio* Mercy College , Sydney, NSW* Mercy College , Ireland* Mercy College , Dobbs Ferry, NY* Mercy College , Western Australia...
which facilities include indoor basketball courts, running track and camogie pitch and Cranmore is located near the Sligo Racecourse and Sligo Sports Complex.
The Community Sport Development Officer has worked closely with the Cranmore Regeneration Project and the Resource House Project to develop new sport and recreation programmes for young people in the area.
Community
Cranmore has a strong community with many clubs and projects including the Cranmore Regeneration Project which was established because of significant concerns about the estate including inadequate quality of housing stock, early school leaving, increasing levels of anti-social behaviour, lack of adequate youth, sport, childcare facilities etc.Other groups include the Child Development Project, Cranmore Women's Group, Cranmore Youth Club, Cranmore Community Platform, Cranmore Senior Citizens Group and the Cranmore Community Playgroup.
Street Names
The street names within Cranmore have come about honouring both local and national figures which include- John Fallon (John Fallon Drive)who was a member of the local council and once was mayor of Sligo, his son Sean Fallon was a Celtic F.C.Celtic F.C.Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
legend. - William Butler YeatsWilliam Butler YeatsWilliam Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
(Yeats Drive) who was a famous IrishIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
poet and spent most of his childhood in Sligo. - Joe McDonnell (Joe McDonnell Drive) was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA), and who died in the 1981 Irish hunger strike1981 Irish hunger strikeThe 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
. - Bob GeldofBob GeldofRobert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
(Geldof Drive) is an Irish singer, songwriter, actor and political activist who organised Live AidLive AidLive Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
and Live 8Live 8Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...