Julianstown
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| Julianstown Baile Iúiliáin |
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WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
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| Irish grid reference O162714 |
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| Statistics | ||
| Province: | Leinster | |
| County: | County Meath | |
| Elevation: | Sea level | |
| Population (2006) | 618 | |
| Website: www.julianstown.com | ||
Julianstown (Baile Iúiliáin in Irish) is a village in County Meath, Ireland. It is located near Drogheda on the R132 regional road not far from the Mosney Camp. In 1641, the battle of Julianstown was fought here during the Irish Rebellion of 1641
Julianstown is situated on the River Nanny which flows into the sea at Laytown, about 3 km away. It has a strong community with both Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland churches, a school, post office, hotel, and pub.
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[edit] Origins
Julianstown is significant in that it contains a bridge across the river Nanny on the road between Dublin and Belfast. One of the earliest mentions of Julianstown commemorates the Battle of Julianstown in 1641, which took place near the bridge. Indeed there is a commemorative plaque on the bridge erected by Billy Butlin in the 1960s
Julianstown was the seat of the Moore family who lived in Julianstown house and occupied the land that now contains the townland of Julianstown West. Taylor and Skinner’s 1783 Road Map of Ireland refers to the Moore seat and also shows the Church of Ireland Church which still stands today. There is little evidence of any other inhabitation at that time. Taylor and Skinner also show the milestone in the centre of the village marking 20 Irish miles to Dublin. This milestone can still be seen today. There is further mention of William Moore in Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837).
The Moores leased the land from Anglo-Irish landlords, including Anna Disney, the wife of Brabazon William Disney, Dean of Armagh. The land on which the present village sits was leased to Francis and Mary Thornburgh (nee Moore) in 1763 by William Moore. In the lease the land was described as
….. all that dwelling house offices orchard and garden thereunto adjoining known by the name of the Blackhorse Head Inn situate near Julianstown Bridge aforesaid together with the piece of parcel of ground opposite said house containing by common estimation 300 feet in length and 73 feet in depth more or less formerly known by the name of the Malt House bounded on the East by the Turnpike Road and on the North by the said William Moore’s ground adjoining the lands called the Corroge with two cabins or tenements standing thereon all of which lands and premises are situate in the Barony of Duleek and County of Meath.
The land was further subleased to Colonel Charles Pepper of nearby Ballygarth Castle in 1801. In 1856 Pepper made his lease perpetual under legislation of the time and around 1889 built the cottages that can be seen in the village today.
The village became inhabited in the early 19th century and in 1869 a forge was established by Bartholomew Tiernan on land adjacent to the Nanny River, some of his metalwork, commissioned for the cottages can still be seen to this day in Julianstown. Indeed in the past Julianstown had a Dispensary, Courthouse, telephone exchange, a shop, a quarry, a lime kiln and a Garda Barracks. Nowadays most of these are gone, with only a pub, hotel and post office remaining.
[edit] Julianstown Traffic
Julianstown has chronic levels of traffic. More than 22,000 vehicles per day go through the village. At peak times there are aver 1750 vehicles per hour, and in the morning rush hour traffic levels exceed those on the M1 motorway which Meath County Council maintains is a bypass for Julianstown. Indeed traffic in Julianstown is at two thirds the motorway level. The local authority has only recently installed traffic lights, which help greatly whilst crossing the busy road.
Recently the local authority published a noise map which shows traffic noise in the village exceeding levels which cause harm to human health and which impair the learning capacity of children.
[edit] Julianstown Today
Julianstown, in line with much of Eastern Ireland and Bettystown in particular has become a popular location for commuters to Dublin, Drogheda and Dundalk. This has resulted in a large influx in new housing developments to the north and south fringes of the village. The construction of a new sewage treatment works near the Old Kiln to address the increased demand was vehemently opposed by local residents, who felt that the aesthetics of the village would be affected. The treatment works were however completed in late 2004.
The R132 was until recently the main Dublin to Belfast road and it runs through the centre of Julianstown. Despite the completion of the M1 motorway the volume of traffic on the R132 has continued to increase. Traffic lights have recently been installed in the village.
The village shop ceased trading in 1995.
After more than a century the village post office was closed due to the retirement of the post mistress, although the contract was advertised on three occasions there has been no interest in the operation of a post office in the village.
Continuing the decline of Julianstown, the Old Mill Hotel was closed and put up for sale in mid 2007. Shortly before it was sold it was destroyed by fire. There was another fire in the thatch of the Julianstown Inn on Sunday April 20 2008. Thankfully the fire was quickly brought under control, and the damage to the pub was not extensive. The bar reopened several days later but the lounge remains closed.
Some people have asked: "what's going on?"
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Link to Julianstown Website
- Traffic Volumes in Julianstown
- Entry in Lewis Topographical Dictionary of Ireland
[edit] Photos
 An old lime kiln near the town. |
 View of the River Nanny |
 Brightly painted houses in Julianstown |
 Ballygarth Castle |
 River Nanny from Sonairte |
 Julianstown Inn Fire |
 Julianstown Inn Fire |
 Old Mill Hotel gutted by fire |
 Old Mill Hotel gutted by fire |
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