Easky
Encyclopedia
Easkey or Easky is a coastal village on the R297 regional road
in County Sligo, Ireland. It is located on the Atlantic coast, 26 miles from Sligo
and 15 miles from Ballina, County Mayo
. The village name derives from the Gaelic term for fish ('iasc') and 'Iascaigh' literally means "abounding in fish," due to the Easkey River that lies adjacent to the village itself. Easkey, as a parish, was originally called "Imleach Iseal." The area is popular in terms of its highly attractive scenery and the village has attracted a wide variety of tourists interested in water sports such as surfing
, kayaking
and fishing. The village boasts many attractive walking routes around the river estuary and coastline (with splendid views of the Slieve League
and Benbulbin mountains) and through the local woods situated in the townland of Fortland. Geologists have become increasingly interested with the rugged coastline around Easkey, as it holds fossil structures that date back for millions of years.
, who were, themselves, a branch of the Uí Fiachrach
dynasty of Connachta
.
Easkey was originally named "Imleach Iseal/Isil" which means the "low imleach," or "land verging on the water." The first settlements in the area seem to have taken residence in Castletown, a townland that exists to the west of the present-day village.
In John O'Donovan's textbook "The Genealogies, Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach, commonly called O'Dowd's Country," it is documented that a man called Maoldubh, a son of Fiachra Ealgach (the son of King Daithi), was born and bred in Easkey and established a fort in the area called 'Dun Maoilduibh.'
In O'Donovan's book, Easkey is also mentioned through the following reference: "To Iasca, of the land of the white-blossomed apple-trees, Belongs the O'Mailduns of high renown." This is a reference to a powerful clan known – in modern parlance – as the O'Muldoon's, a surname that is virtually non-existent in the area today. They held the "mansion seat" in Castletown and were defenders of the area at large.
In Samuel Lewis
's 1837 publication of A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Easkey is described in the following words:
"EASKEY, a parish, in the barony of TYRERAGH, county of SLIGO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 11½ miles (N. N. E.) from Ballina, on the old road to Sligo; containing 6124 inhabitants, of which number, 289 are in the village. This parish is situated on the north-west coast, between the entrances to the bays of Sligo and Killala; it includes the Point of Kinesharrow, called also Rathlee Point, and comprises 12,977 statute acres, principally under an improving system of tillage; there is a large quantity of bog. Limestone, which abounds with fossils, is found on the sea shore: much seaweed is collected for manure. The village consists of one long street of 76 houses, and has petty sessions once a fortnight, a market on Wednesday for provisions, fairs on 3 June and 18 November, and is a chief constabulary police station; fairs are also held at Rosslee in July, and on 28 October. Fortland, pleasantly situated on the banks of the river Easkey, is the residence of R. Jones, Esq., proprietor of the salmon fishery here; Castletown, of T. Fenton, Esq., and Rathlee, of T. Jones, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Killala, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the rectory is appropriate to the see. The tithes amount to £586. 14. 5., equally divided between the bishop and the vicar. The glebe-house, on a glebe of nine acres, was built by a gift of £300, and a loan of £500 from the late Board of First Fruits
, in 1815. The church is a neat building with a square tower, erected by aid of a loan of £1342, from the same Board; the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £130 for its repair. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church, and contains a chapel. Here is also a place of worship for Baptists. About 600 children are educated in five public schools; and at Killenduff is a school supported by Col. Irwin, who built the school-house, and endowed it with three acres of land. In the village are the ruins of the old parish church; and there are considerable remains of the old castle of Rosslee, formerly belonging to the O'Dowds, and, on the opposite side of the river, the remains of another, on the lands of Castletown. There are several Danish forts, and on the lands of Townamodagh is a cromlech, seven feet high, and supported by four square pillars. The shores of the parish are bold and rocky, and abound with curiosities. At Alternan is a station, holy well, and saint's bed, named after St. Ernanus, and much frequented by pilgrims; the patron is held on the last Sunday in July. Near Fortland is a chalybeate spring."
chieftains of Tireragh (the barony of much of West Sligo). The castle was originally built for Oliver McDonnell who came to the area to marry an O'Dowd widow. A dominant landmark in West Sligo, the castle is situated adjacent to Easkey pier. Much of the original structure of the castle has been lost over time, yet the main body of the castle remains. It is 63 feet high, the highest part is known as the "Sailor's Bed."
. In 2007, over €100,000 was spent on the refurbishment and renovation of the building. However, in October 2010, the Courts Service of Ireland announced that Easkey Courthouse would no longer hold its monthly sessions. This announcement led to much anger in the local area, as the court served for much of West Sligo and people would now have to travel to Sligo Town, Tubbercurry
or Ballymote. Solicitors in Ballina, County Mayo
were also angered at the decision, pointing out that many people in West Sligo employed solicitors from this area. It is unknown whether or not Easkey Courthouse will ever open its doors again.
The parish of Easkey, including the townlands of Rathlee, Killeenduff and Owenbeg are littered with numerous forts and mounts which date back to ancient times.
In 1979, the Pro/Am Surfing World Championships came to Easkey. Various national surfing events continue to be held here.
In 1995 the Irish Surfing Association established its headquarters in the Easkey Surf and Information Centre on Main Street. The building, now known as "Easkey House" is located in the centre of Easkey village. It houses the headquarters of the Irish Surfing Association and there is also a restaurant in the building.
The popularity of Easkey as a surfing hot-spot was highlighted on the RTE
travel programme 'No Frontiers,' in the episode broadcast on 31 January 2010.
. In 2003, Easkey hosted the World Surf Kayaking Championships, which firmly put the area on the international circuit as a premier Surf Kayaking location. Inexperienced kayakers are not advised to enter the waters at Easkey as this can prove to be a danger to other water users, due to the powerful waves at these breaks.
and moves through bogland and various terrains before flowing past the village. Anglers from many parts of the West and North-West of Ireland are attracted to fishing there. Notable for fishing on the river is the former Republic of Ireland football manager Jack Charlton
. The acclaimed actor Sean Connery
has also been noted fishing on the river. The river gets a small run of Spring Salmon in April and May; Good numbers of grilse run on every flood from July through to the end of the season on 30 September. Most of the best fishing is owned and managed by the Fortland Fishery, but significant stretches of the river are open to the public.
was born in the Easkey townland of Killeenduff
, where his father was the local blacksmith. He draws on his experience growing up in the area, and ultimately being torn away from it as his father was forced to move in search of work, in his novel In the Wake of the Bagger. Another novel, Reflections in a Tar-Barrel is also set in the area. Harte also draws on Easkey, its people and mythologies, in many of his short stories.
The sculptor Fred Conlon
was born and grew up in Killeenduff
, Easkey.
Beside, Easkey House, at the kiosk, there is a sculpture called "The Time of Day", erected in the late 1980s. It is a sculpture of two men, one leaning on his bicycle and the other sitting down looking in the opposite direction. It conveys the sense of rural-life in the area, where locals would meet and discuss the trivial and not-so-trivial events of life.
The Pulitzer Prize
winning American poet William Morris Meredith, Jr.
resided in the Easkey area during his visit to County Sligo in the summer of 2006, for the W. B. Yeats International Summer School.
The mother of Irish playwrights Martin McDonagh
(director of the film In Bruges
) and John Michael McDonagh
(director of The Guard) comes from Easkey. In a recent interview, John Michael McDonagh
revealed that he has written a new script, a comedy-drama about a priest called 'Calvary' that Irish actor Brendan Gleeson
has signed up for. McDonagh stated that: "I've written it for a county called Sligo, and the reason it's there is there's a town called Easkey where my mother is from, and it's one of the Top 10 surfing scenes in the world because of the rips they get. I wanted again a widescreen backdrop, surfers, there's sort of a meditative quality about the sea rushing in." It is unconfirmed whether or not the drama will be filmed in the Easkey area.
churches, 2 butchers, a newly designed community centre, family and resource centre and indoor sports hall (located outside the village), pottery-shop and a hairdresser. A new History and Genealogy Centre will be opened in 2012 with plans to locate a new caravan and camping park also in place.
To the east of the village is the local vocational school, Colaiste Iascaigh. The parish of Easkey has 3 primary schools situated in the townlands of Rathlee, Killeenduff and Owenbeg. The main national school situated in the village was controversially closed due to lack of numbers. Local parents withdrew their children from the school due to the erection of a telephone mast beside the local Garda barracks. Ironically, some years after the closure, the building is now used as a pre-school.
with Easkey G.A.A. club being founded in 1886, just two years after the formation of the Gaelic Athletic Association
. The club is generally regarded as one of the strongest in County Sligo; however – after nearly 20 years – the club lost its Senior-championship status in 2009, after losing a relegation play-off to Shamrock Gaels; therefore the club played in the Intermediate championship in 2010. The club quickly regained its Senior-championship status after winning the 2010 County Sligo Intermediate Football Championship
, after defeating Drumcliffe/Rosses-Point, in Markievicz Park, on a scoreline of 0–13 to 1–8, securing their 4th title in the process. Easkey failed to maintain their Senior Championship status in 2011, therefore, they will compete in the Intermediate Championship once again in 2012. They hold 5 Sligo Senior Football Championship titles, the last arriving back in 1966, building on previous wins in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1941. They reached the 1999 Senior-Championship final, but were defeated by Tourlestrane. The club holds a strong tradition of club players representing the Senior Sligo G.A.A. team down through the decades. The captain of the 2007 Sligo team that won their first provincial Senior Connacht Championship for 32 years is Noel McGuire, a native of the parish and long-serving player on the Easkey team.
series Reeling in the Years
. In the 1986 episode, it was highlighted that the club had lost 15 players (a full-team) due to immigration to Britain and the USA.
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...
in County Sligo, Ireland. It is located on the Atlantic coast, 26 miles from 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...
and 15 miles from Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
. The village name derives from the Gaelic term for fish ('iasc') and 'Iascaigh' literally means "abounding in fish," due to the Easkey River that lies adjacent to the village itself. Easkey, as a parish, was originally called "Imleach Iseal." The area is popular in terms of its highly attractive scenery and the village has attracted a wide variety of tourists interested in water sports such as surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
and fishing. The village boasts many attractive walking routes around the river estuary and coastline (with splendid views of the Slieve League
Slieve League
Slieve League, sometimes Slieve Leag or Slieve Liag , is a mountain on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. At , it has Ireland's highest sea cliffs...
and Benbulbin mountains) and through the local woods situated in the townland of Fortland. Geologists have become increasingly interested with the rugged coastline around Easkey, as it holds fossil structures that date back for millions of years.
History of Easkey
The parish of Easkey is part of the barony of Tireragh. Tireragh translates as 'Tir-Fiachrach' in Irish, meaning "the land of Fiachra." This barony was founded by the Uí Fiachrach MuaidheUí Fiachrach Muaidhe
Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe were a branch of the Ui Fiachrach dynasty of the Connachta. They were centered in the Moy River valley of Co. Mayo. The Uí Fiachrach Muaide territory at its widest reach included the baronies of Erris and Tirawley in Co. Mayo, and the barony of Tireragh in Co. Sligo...
, who were, themselves, a branch of the Uí Fiachrach
Uí Fiachrach
The Uí Fiachrach were a dynasty who originated in, and whose descendants later ruled, the coicead or fifth of Connacht at different times from the mid-first millennium onwards. They claimed descent from Fiachrae, an older half-brother of Niall Noigiallach or Niall of the Nine Hostages...
dynasty of Connachta
Connachta
The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King Conn Cétchathach...
.
Easkey was originally named "Imleach Iseal/Isil" which means the "low imleach," or "land verging on the water." The first settlements in the area seem to have taken residence in Castletown, a townland that exists to the west of the present-day village.
In John O'Donovan's textbook "The Genealogies, Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach, commonly called O'Dowd's Country," it is documented that a man called Maoldubh, a son of Fiachra Ealgach (the son of King Daithi), was born and bred in Easkey and established a fort in the area called 'Dun Maoilduibh.'
In O'Donovan's book, Easkey is also mentioned through the following reference: "To Iasca, of the land of the white-blossomed apple-trees, Belongs the O'Mailduns of high renown." This is a reference to a powerful clan known – in modern parlance – as the O'Muldoon's, a surname that is virtually non-existent in the area today. They held the "mansion seat" in Castletown and were defenders of the area at large.
In Samuel Lewis
Samuel Lewis
Samuel Lewis was the editor and publisher of topographical dictionaries and maps of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The aim of the texts was to give in 'a condensed form', a faithful and impartial description of each place. The firm of Samuel Lewis and Co. was based in London....
's 1837 publication of A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Easkey is described in the following words:
"EASKEY, a parish, in the barony of TYRERAGH, county of SLIGO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 11½ miles (N. N. E.) from Ballina, on the old road to Sligo; containing 6124 inhabitants, of which number, 289 are in the village. This parish is situated on the north-west coast, between the entrances to the bays of Sligo and Killala; it includes the Point of Kinesharrow, called also Rathlee Point, and comprises 12,977 statute acres, principally under an improving system of tillage; there is a large quantity of bog. Limestone, which abounds with fossils, is found on the sea shore: much seaweed is collected for manure. The village consists of one long street of 76 houses, and has petty sessions once a fortnight, a market on Wednesday for provisions, fairs on 3 June and 18 November, and is a chief constabulary police station; fairs are also held at Rosslee in July, and on 28 October. Fortland, pleasantly situated on the banks of the river Easkey, is the residence of R. Jones, Esq., proprietor of the salmon fishery here; Castletown, of T. Fenton, Esq., and Rathlee, of T. Jones, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Killala, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the rectory is appropriate to the see. The tithes amount to £586. 14. 5., equally divided between the bishop and the vicar. The glebe-house, on a glebe of nine acres, was built by a gift of £300, and a loan of £500 from the late Board of First Fruits
Board of First Fruits
The Board of First Fruits was an institution of the Church of Ireland that was established in 1711 by Anne, Queen of Great Britain in order to build and improve churches and glebe houses in Ireland. This was funded from taxes collected on clerical incomes which were in turn funded by tithes...
, in 1815. The church is a neat building with a square tower, erected by aid of a loan of £1342, from the same Board; the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £130 for its repair. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church, and contains a chapel. Here is also a place of worship for Baptists. About 600 children are educated in five public schools; and at Killenduff is a school supported by Col. Irwin, who built the school-house, and endowed it with three acres of land. In the village are the ruins of the old parish church; and there are considerable remains of the old castle of Rosslee, formerly belonging to the O'Dowds, and, on the opposite side of the river, the remains of another, on the lands of Castletown. There are several Danish forts, and on the lands of Townamodagh is a cromlech, seven feet high, and supported by four square pillars. The shores of the parish are bold and rocky, and abound with curiosities. At Alternan is a station, holy well, and saint's bed, named after St. Ernanus, and much frequented by pilgrims; the patron is held on the last Sunday in July. Near Fortland is a chalybeate spring."
O'Dowd Castle
Built in 1207, the castle became home to the O'DowdO'Dowd
O'Dowd is an uncommon Irish surname. Many modern variants of the O'Dowd surname exist. The prefix has been widely retained, O'Dowd being more usual than Dowd. Other modern variants are Dawdy, Dowdy, O'Dowda and Dowds, with Doody and Duddy, found around Killarney, where a branch of the Connacht...
chieftains of Tireragh (the barony of much of West Sligo). The castle was originally built for Oliver McDonnell who came to the area to marry an O'Dowd widow. A dominant landmark in West Sligo, the castle is situated adjacent to Easkey pier. Much of the original structure of the castle has been lost over time, yet the main body of the castle remains. It is 63 feet high, the highest part is known as the "Sailor's Bed."
The Split Rock
On the R297, heading towards Sligo in the townland of Kileenduff lies the Ice Age boulder known locally as the "Split Rock." Local legend holds that the rock was split as a result of an argument between two giants on the Slieve Gamph mountains (Ox Mountains), one of whom was Fionn MacCumhaill. It is said that the rock will close if one walks through the rock 3 times.Easkey Abbey
Unusually, the centre of the village is dominated by the structure of the Old Abbey and graveyard which dates back to Medieval times. The graveyard was in use up until Roslea cemetery opened in 1888 and holds some uniquely designed tombstones.Easkey Bridge
The bridge provides access to the main village from the Sligo side of the area. It was built in 1847 after the old bridge was washed away in a storm in 1844. It contains the Bullance stone, which is built into the bridge wall and is a symbolic drinking trough, which qualified the village to hold a "Fair Day". The water is reputedly a cure for skin infections. Hangings took place at the bridge in the 19th century. A similar type bridge is located south of the village in the local woods. This is known as "Fortland Bridge."Easkey Courthouse
In the townland of Aderavoher, opposite the local vocational school, is the location of Easkey Courthouse. It came into existence during the Irish Famine and is one of Easkey's most historical buildings. Indeed, at the start of the 20th century, the County Sligo court held its sessions here. The building was attacked during the Irish Civil WarIrish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
. In 2007, over €100,000 was spent on the refurbishment and renovation of the building. However, in October 2010, the Courts Service of Ireland announced that Easkey Courthouse would no longer hold its monthly sessions. This announcement led to much anger in the local area, as the court served for much of West Sligo and people would now have to travel to Sligo Town, Tubbercurry
Tubbercurry
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...
or Ballymote. Solicitors in Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
were also angered at the decision, pointing out that many people in West Sligo employed solicitors from this area. It is unknown whether or not Easkey Courthouse will ever open its doors again.
The parish of Easkey, including the townlands of Rathlee, Killeenduff and Owenbeg are littered with numerous forts and mounts which date back to ancient times.
Surfing
Surfing is an extremely popular attraction in Easkey. The village is widely known as one of the finest surfing areas in the world. What makes Easkey renowned is that it has two reef breaks, the left just by the river mouth (known as "Easkey left"), and the right to the east of the castle (known as "Easkey right"). The waves in Easkey break over rocks rather than on sand which makes the waves more attractive to surfers because they are hollowed and faster than beach breaks. The surfing area in Easkey faces in such a way that the prevailing winds, which are south-westerly, are offshore.In 1979, the Pro/Am Surfing World Championships came to Easkey. Various national surfing events continue to be held here.
In 1995 the Irish Surfing Association established its headquarters in the Easkey Surf and Information Centre on Main Street. The building, now known as "Easkey House" is located in the centre of Easkey village. It houses the headquarters of the Irish Surfing Association and there is also a restaurant in the building.
The popularity of Easkey as a surfing hot-spot was highlighted on the RTE
RTE
RTÉ 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...
travel programme 'No Frontiers,' in the episode broadcast on 31 January 2010.
Kayaking
The Easkey River has proven to be a popular river for kayaking and canoeingCanoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
. In 2003, Easkey hosted the World Surf Kayaking Championships, which firmly put the area on the international circuit as a premier Surf Kayaking location. Inexperienced kayakers are not advised to enter the waters at Easkey as this can prove to be a danger to other water users, due to the powerful waves at these breaks.
Fishing
The Easkey River is a highly attractive river for fishing of salmon and trout. The river rises in Lough Easkey in the Ox MountainsOx Mountains
The Ox Mountains are a mountain range in County Sligo on the west coast of Ireland. They are also known as 'St Patrick's Mountain after St. Patrick, as he laboured much on it, raised churches on its slopes, and left his name to some of its wells, as for instance that of Dromard' . The highest peak...
and moves through bogland and various terrains before flowing past the village. Anglers from many parts of the West and North-West of Ireland are attracted to fishing there. Notable for fishing on the river is the former Republic of Ireland football manager Jack Charlton
Jack Charlton
John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...
. The acclaimed actor Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
has also been noted fishing on the river. The river gets a small run of Spring Salmon in April and May; Good numbers of grilse run on every flood from July through to the end of the season on 30 September. Most of the best fishing is owned and managed by the Fortland Fishery, but significant stretches of the river are open to the public.
Culture
Jack Harte (Irish writer)Jack Harte (Irish writer)
Jack Harte is an Irish short story writer and novelist. He founded the Irish Writers’ Union and the Irish Writers’ Centre. He is the author of the novel Reflections in a Tar-Barrel.- Background :...
was born in the Easkey townland of Killeenduff
Killeenduff
Killeenduff is a townland within the boundaries of the Roman Catholic parish of Easky, County Sligo in Ireland. Located about a mile from the village of Easky, it's home to the Split Rock...
, where his father was the local blacksmith. He draws on his experience growing up in the area, and ultimately being torn away from it as his father was forced to move in search of work, in his novel In the Wake of the Bagger. Another novel, Reflections in a Tar-Barrel is also set in the area. Harte also draws on Easkey, its people and mythologies, in many of his short stories.
The sculptor Fred Conlon
Fred Conlon
Fred Conlon was an Irish sculptor.Born in Killeenduff, Easky, County Sligo, where he was schooled, Conlon won a five year scholarship to the National College of Art and Design in 1960. Domhnail O'Murchadha, assistant Professor of Sculpture, encouraged him to complete a Sculpture Diploma...
was born and grew up in Killeenduff
Killeenduff
Killeenduff is a townland within the boundaries of the Roman Catholic parish of Easky, County Sligo in Ireland. Located about a mile from the village of Easky, it's home to the Split Rock...
, Easkey.
Beside, Easkey House, at the kiosk, there is a sculpture called "The Time of Day", erected in the late 1980s. It is a sculpture of two men, one leaning on his bicycle and the other sitting down looking in the opposite direction. It conveys the sense of rural-life in the area, where locals would meet and discuss the trivial and not-so-trivial events of life.
The Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning American poet William Morris Meredith, Jr.
William Morris Meredith, Jr.
William Morris Meredith, Jr. was an American poet and educator. He was Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1978 to 1980.-Early years:...
resided in the Easkey area during his visit to County Sligo in the summer of 2006, for the W. B. Yeats International Summer School.
The mother of Irish playwrights Martin McDonagh
Martin McDonagh
Martin McDonagh is an Irish-British playwright, filmmaker, and screenwriter. Although he has lived in London his entire life, he is considered one of the most important living Irish playwrights.-Life:...
(director of the film In Bruges
In Bruges
In Bruges is a 2008 black comedy crime film written and directed by Martin McDonagh. The film stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two hitmen in hiding, with Ralph Fiennes as their gangster boss. The film takes place—and was filmed—within the Belgian city of Bruges. In Bruges was...
) and John Michael McDonagh
John Michael McDonagh
John Michael McDonagh is a British-Irish film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed The Guard. His brother is the playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh.-Films:In Little White Lies, Georgie Hobbs wrote:-As Writer:...
(director of The Guard) comes from Easkey. In a recent interview, John Michael McDonagh
John Michael McDonagh
John Michael McDonagh is a British-Irish film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed The Guard. His brother is the playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh.-Films:In Little White Lies, Georgie Hobbs wrote:-As Writer:...
revealed that he has written a new script, a comedy-drama about a priest called 'Calvary' that Irish actor Brendan Gleeson
Brendan Gleeson
Brendan Gleeson is an Irish actor. His best-known films include Braveheart, Gangs of New York, In Bruges, 28 Days Later, the Harry Potter films, The Guard and the role of Michael Collins in The Treaty...
has signed up for. McDonagh stated that: "I've written it for a county called Sligo, and the reason it's there is there's a town called Easkey where my mother is from, and it's one of the Top 10 surfing scenes in the world because of the rips they get. I wanted again a widescreen backdrop, surfers, there's sort of a meditative quality about the sea rushing in." It is unconfirmed whether or not the drama will be filmed in the Easkey area.
Local townlands
The parish of Easkey contains a numerous amount of localised townland-names. They are (in alphabetical order): Aderavoher, Alternan Park, Ballybeg, Ballycummin, Ballymeeny, Ballymeeny (Armstrong), Ballymeeny (or Hillas or Carrownabinna), Ballymeeny (Jones), Booakaun (Browne), Bookaun (Tottenham), Bunowna, Caltragh, Carrowmacbryan, Carrownrod, Carrownrush, Carrowpadden, Castletown, Cloonagleavragh, Cloonagleavragh Park, Cooga, Curraghnagap, Easky Town, Finned, Fortland, Keadues, Killeenduff, Kilmacurkan, Lenadoon, Monereagh, Old-Grange, Owenbeg, Owenykeevaun or Tawnamaddoo, Rathlee, Rathmeel, Shannonspark East, Shannonspark West and Shraheens.Local Surnames
Some local surnames that are strongly associated with Easkey are: Rolston, Flannelly, Kilcullen, Feeney, Scott, Burns, Taylor, Connolly, Keaveney, Hanley, Cavanagh, Weir, Kelly, Harte, McGuire, Calpin, Boland, Devaney, Conlon, O'Dowd amongst many more.Local amenities
The village itself has a cafe, take-away, 2 pubs, 2 shops, a post-office, Roman Catholic and Church of IrelandChurch of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
churches, 2 butchers, a newly designed community centre, family and resource centre and indoor sports hall (located outside the village), pottery-shop and a hairdresser. A new History and Genealogy Centre will be opened in 2012 with plans to locate a new caravan and camping park also in place.
To the east of the village is the local vocational school, Colaiste Iascaigh. The parish of Easkey has 3 primary schools situated in the townlands of Rathlee, Killeenduff and Owenbeg. The main national school situated in the village was controversially closed due to lack of numbers. Local parents withdrew their children from the school due to the erection of a telephone mast beside the local Garda barracks. Ironically, some years after the closure, the building is now used as a pre-school.
Gaelic football
The parish holds a very strong tradition in Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with Easkey G.A.A. club being founded in 1886, just two years after the formation of the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic 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...
. The club is generally regarded as one of the strongest in County Sligo; however – after nearly 20 years – the club lost its Senior-championship status in 2009, after losing a relegation play-off to Shamrock Gaels; therefore the club played in the Intermediate championship in 2010. The club quickly regained its Senior-championship status after winning the 2010 County Sligo Intermediate Football Championship
Sligo Intermediate Football Championship
The Sligo Intermediate Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the middle-level Sligo clubs. The winners of the Sligo Intermediate Championship qualify to represent the county in the Connacht Intermediate Club Football Championship and in turn, go on...
, after defeating Drumcliffe/Rosses-Point, in Markievicz Park, on a scoreline of 0–13 to 1–8, securing their 4th title in the process. Easkey failed to maintain their Senior Championship status in 2011, therefore, they will compete in the Intermediate Championship once again in 2012. They hold 5 Sligo Senior Football Championship titles, the last arriving back in 1966, building on previous wins in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1941. They reached the 1999 Senior-Championship final, but were defeated by Tourlestrane. The club holds a strong tradition of club players representing the Senior Sligo G.A.A. team down through the decades. The captain of the 2007 Sligo team that won their first provincial Senior Connacht Championship for 32 years is Noel McGuire, a native of the parish and long-serving player on the Easkey team.
Munster rugby connection
The grandmother of South-African born Munster ex-player and current team manager, Shaun Payne, was born in Easkey. Even though he was never capped, this qualified Payne to play for Ireland, as he holds an Irish passport because of this connection.'Reeling in the Years'
Easkey G.A.A. was the focus of a segment of the popular RTERTE
RTÉ 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...
series Reeling in the Years
Reeling In The Years
Reeling in the Years is a historical documentary series broadcast in Ireland by RTÉ. Each episode, approximately 25 minutes long, looks back at the news and events of a particular year, from 1962 to 2009. The programme uses news archive footage, along with subtitles as the means of narration, to...
. In the 1986 episode, it was highlighted that the club had lost 15 players (a full-team) due to immigration to Britain and the USA.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland.