Kilgarvan

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Kilgarvan Cill Garbháin
Location
WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 51°54′15″N 9°26′12″W / 51.904036, -9.436569
Irish grid reference W007733
Statistics
Province:	Munster
County:	County Kerry
Population (2006)	997
Website: www.kilgarvan.info

Kilgarvan (Irish: Cill Garbháin, meaning "church of St. Garbhan") is a small village in County Kerry, Ireland. It is situated on the banks of the Roughty River which flows into Kenmare Bay. By car, the village is a ten minute trip from Kenmare, and thirty minutes from Killarney.

Contents 1 Housing development 2 Amenities 3 Sport 4 Events 5 Energy 6 People 7 Film 8 Transport 9 References

[edit] Housing development

Kilgarvan is undergoing much property development which has begun since 2000 but has accelerated since. To date four new estates have been built:

• Healy-Rae Park, located adjacent to the Mace supermarket
• Amelio Mews, located to the east of the village
• Lime Woods, located to the rear of the Mace supermarket & Post office
• Suiomh Alainn, located on Railway Road to the north of the village adjacent to the National School. Currently under construction

This property boom has helped increase Kilgarvan's population to the brink of 1,000, One-off housing in the outlying townlands has also increased considerably. Kilgarvan commands high house prices due to its central location and idyllic setting, prices in Kilgarvan have also mirrored the national trend of rapid increases since 2002 as part of the Irish Property Bubble.

Kilgarvan has no permanent fixed industry.^[1]

Kilgarvan's sewage treatment plant was constructed in 1936, near the Roughty River.^[2] Kilgarvan is on a waiting list for a new sewerage treatment plant; a site investigation is currently being carried out as a part of the overall project.^{[citation needed]} According to the Kerry County Council, the lack of sufficient sewage treatment will be "a constraint on development in the village" until a new plant is completed.^[3]. A new Sewerage treatment plant is currently planned for Kilgarvan, with phase one expected to begin in late 2008.^[4]

[edit] Amenities

Kilgarvan is centrally located between Kenmare and Killarney. Kilgarvan lacks Broadband access, severely hindering business and education, and Kilgarvan will not see the introduction of Broadband until 2009 at the earliest^[5]. Littering has become an increasing problem as has parking. Kilgarvan does not have a public car park nor does it have public toilets^[6][7]. Street Lighting is provided in parts of the village and the existing pavements are set to be improved in the coming years. The roadway through the village forms part of the R569 regional road from Kenmare to Poulgorm Bridge. The village road was improved at the start of 2008, with a dangerous turn widened in the centre of the Village by the old Graveyard, this has helped reduce traffic jams in the Village.

[edit] Sport

Kilgarvan has a great community spirit and sport plays a large part of community life, Gaelic games are very popular in Kilgarvan^[8] and both Hurling and Gaelic football are played; with Kilgarvan fielding several teams in a season. Kilgarvan are currently Intermediate Hurling Champions of Kerry^[9]. Kilgarvan retained its Intermediate title in 2007 and made history by becoming the first Kerry Hurling team to win a Munster Club hurling game at any level in over forty years of trying^[10]. Kilgarvan boasts its own GAA Pitch and facilities including an all weather training track and dressing rooms.

[edit] Events

The Annual Kilgarvan Show is held annually on the Sunday of the August Bank Holiday Weekend. The show normally attracts an attendance of 2,000 to 3,000 people. 2007 saw the show held in the Fussa Townland for the first time, the show was previously held in the local GAA grounds. Kilgarvan show was due to be held on Sunday, August 5, 2007^[11]. The show however was postponed due to bad weather and a waterlogged venue. Kilgarvan show was rescheduled and went ahead as planned on Saturday, August 25, 2007.

[edit] Energy

A considerable number of wind turbines have been built in the Parish of Kilgarvan, all concentrated in the Incheese/top of Coom area close to the County bounds with Cork. Some claim that the turbines have caused disruption to television reception in Kilgarvan.^[12]. When these turbines are fully completed Kilgarvan will be home to the largest Onshore Wind turbines in Ireland^[13].

[edit] People

A famous former resident was New York Labour leader Michael J. Quill, founder of the Transport Workers Union of America. Kilgarvan is also the home of Jackie Healy-Rae, TD.

[edit] Film

Kilgarvan featured in The Wind That Shakes the Barley which was shot primarily in Cork but featured a part filmed in Muing Mhór (Meeng Voor) near the top of Borlin in Kilgarvan. It featured breathtaking scenery of the Rusheen valley in the background and a booley house where the renegade guerrillas took rest, food and shelter from its occupants before executing two of their captives and continuing on their journey.

[edit] Transport

Bus Éireann operates bus services through Kilgarvan as part of its varied routes^[14].

Kilgarvan railway station opened on 4 September 1893 and closed on 1 February 1960.^[15].

[edit] References