Ballydesmond
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Ballydesmond (Baile Deasumhan in Irish) is a rural village in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the Blackwater River, near its rising in Menganine, directly on the Cork-Kerry border. In Irish Baile Deasumhain, meaning town of the Desmond, was named after the legendary freedom fighter, the Earl of Desmond, who is believed to have taken refuge in the nearby hills.
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[edit] History
Ballydesmond boasts a history of a quite distinctive nature. Established as a model village, and named after the reigning British King, Kingwilliamstown was later renamed after the Irish War of Independence.
The Tureengarriffe ambush occurred near Ballydesmond, where a number of British army officers were killed during the Irish War of Independence by untrained members of the local flying column of the Irish Republican Army.
[edit] Local economy
Ballydesmond has a thriving local economy, dominated by the number two; two shops, three pubs, two funeral homes, two petrol stations, two quarries and a hairdresser. Ballydesmond has a population of about 850 people. A new pub and restaurant have been opened in the village, where there is also has a modern crech, Ballydesmond is also home to the international company - Munster Joinery, which employs over 1500 people from the locality.
[edit] Transport & communications
It is an ever expanding town on the main Cork-to-Tralee link, where the population is increasing in line with national trends. An eircom telecom exchange sits in the centre of the village. There is currently no broadband coverage in Ballydesmond. This is likely to change in 2009
[edit] Education
There are two primary schools in the district. Ballydesmond National School sits beside the local church. Foilogohig National School, or "Foyle" as it's locally known is in North Ballydesmond. There is also a creche is Ballydesmond.
[edit] Sport & culture
- Ballydesmond has a Gaelic football team which sports the colours of blue and yellow. The team which has not been successful in recent years within the Duhallow division at Junior A level, is equally representative of both sides of the border. Boasting a fine football pitch, the Nora Herlihy Park, unique in that it is one of only two Gaelic Athletic Association pitches named after women, the other being Countess Markevitcz in County Sligo. The soccer club Real Madrid also owns a plot of bog in the area. Ballydesmond also has a lovely handball court. Many of the children who have represented Ballydesmond in handball have gone on to win All-Irelands. Cork GAA footballer Donnacha O'Connor comes from Ballydesmond.
- It lies in the Sliabh Luachra area famed for its traditional Irish music and culture.
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