Horseleap

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Horseleap
An Chapail
Location
Location of Horseleap
centerMap highlighting Horseleap
WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
53.4037° N 7.7285° W
Statistics
Province: Leinster
County: County Westmeath
Elevation: 128m
Population (2006)
De-Lacy's.. Mc-Geoghegan's Stalion?
De-Lacy's.. Mc-Geoghegan's Stalion?

Horseleap (Irish: An Chapail) is a town situated upon the Offaly, Westmeath county border in Ireland, on the M6, the main Dublin to Galway road. The village itself possesses a church, primary school, a garden centre, a pub, and a petrol station. Horseleap dates back to the 12th century steeped in Ui Neill, Geoghegan history. The Midland Great Western Railway once maintained a railway station here.

[edit] History

The origin's of Horseleap's name dates back to 1192. The Norman lord Brian Fitzgerald had been riding through the lands neighbouring his castle in Danore. He came across members of the Mac Geoghan clan who had long disputed De Lacy's claim to the lands. Following a dispute, De Lacy was forced to flee on horseback from the Mac Geoghans. On approaching his castle he discovered that the drawbridge was raised forcing De Lacy's horse to jump the castle's moate. De Lacey survived the jump and escaped almost certain death at the hands of the Mac Geoghan clan.

[edit] See also