Killorglin
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| Killorglin Cill Orglan |
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WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
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| Irish grid reference V774965 |
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| Province: | Munster | |
| County: | County Kerry | |
| Population (2000) | 1,539 | |
Killorglin (Cill Orglan in Irish) is a town on the Ring of Kerry, in County Kerry, Ireland. It is located on the river Laune, which boasts a rowing club and a new boathouse. The population of Killorglin is 1359 (CSO 2002) although this expands considerably during Puck Fair due to visitors and returning emigrants.
Killorglin is a major activity centre for Kerry and has a number of tourist hostels on Dromin Hill and also has one of the last inn chains started by Charles Bianconi. It is right in the centre of the town, called the Bianconi and features his famous transportation painted on the sign and on the inn. The town hall is held to have been built with the help of Andrew Carnegie[1]. Among the businesses in Killorglin is FEXCO, which includes the operations center for the Prize Bond Company.
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[edit] Puck Fair
Every year, starting on 10th of August, Killorglin holds the three-day Puck Fair, one of the oldest fairs in Ireland.
[edit] Puck goat
Every year a group of people go up into the mountains and catch a wild goat. This goat is brought back to the town and a young person crowns the goat "King Puck". The goat is then put into a small cage on a high stand in the middle of the town. From this moment on the fair has started there is singing and dancing. Pubs stay open until 3 AM and there is serious drinking. On the opening day there is a horse fair and on the second day there is a cattle fair. There is a funfair in the fair field. The fair ends with a firework display.
"Nobody really knows how it came about or when, said Jean Kearney, a spokeswoman for the festival, which is expected this year to attract more than 100,000 visitors for a marathon of music, drinking and dancing. It has been traced back to the 1600s, but some say it dates back to a festival held in pagan times. One of the most popular theory is that the event pays tribute to a wild goat that alerted the town to the advancing armies of military leader Oliver Cromwell in the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland of 1649-53 (although Cromwell himself, who left Ireland in May 1650, never reached as far west as Killorglin). Another is that it stems from the pagan Celtic festival of Lughnasa, when feasting and sacrifices marked the start of the harvest season, and that the goat is a pagan fertility symbol."
[edit] Puck fair history
Although there is no written evidence of when Puck Fair started, there are several legends about the fair, which only goes to show how popular and traditional the fair is and has always been. Due to the English being in Ireland for so long, most of the traditional Irish fairs have been lost, for example Whipping the Herring in the nearby city of Cork has been lost but is gradually being resurrected by Cork City Council. One legend says that the "Roundheads" from the Kilgobnet area were planning to attack the Killorglin folk. The Roundheads tried to catch some goats up in the hills but the goats were too fast and escaped. One male goat got separated from the herd and fled down to Killorglin where he alerted the villagers to the raid. The villagers, having a chance to prepare their defences, won the battle. King Puck is always to be celebrated on that anniversary.
It is thought that the fair started in pre-Christian times as a celebration for a good harvest. The goat may also represent the pagan god, Pan.
James VI of Scotland, I of England and Ireland granted legal status to the fair in 1603. There is another piece of written evidence from the 17th century which states that Jenkins Conway, the local landlord, had the right to collect a sum for every animal brought to the fair. This indicates that the fair was well under way by this time.
[edit] People
The acclaimed book Things My Mother Never Told Me by Blake Morrison (Vintage 2003 ISBN 0-09-944072-5) tells the story of the author's mother who was from Langford Street in Killorglin. She had left Ireland for England and put her past behind her. It was only after she died that her son went through a collection of old letters from the 1940s and pieced together her life from World War II-era courtship to Yorkshire country doctor.
The writer Kieran Prendiville's family came from the town, and nearby Ballykissane provided the inspiration for the name of his television series Ballykissangel.
Former Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, Patrick O'Mahony, was born in the town.
[edit] Sport
- Laune Rangers is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club.Killorglin also boasts a magnificant 18 hole parkland course(www.killorglingolf.ie).There are 18 holes with excellent scenery no matter where you look.
[edit] Recent changes
Recent developments include:
- An expansion by the Killorglin-based financial services firm Fexco resulting in two large sites in Killorglin.
- A sizeable mixed development of commercial, residential and public buildings where a large retail chain such as Lidl or Tesco has been rumoured to be planning a presence.
- There has been some talk about re-introducing a railway line to Killorglin but such an undertaking would be very difficult and costly.
[edit] Twinning
Killorglin is twinned with the town of Plouha in France.
[edit] See also
- Charles Bianconi
- Ring of Kerry
- Tralee
- Killarney
- River Laune
- List of towns in the Republic of Ireland
[edit] Notes
- ^ Thomas O'Donnell (MP), his statement quoted in The Irish People (newspaper) February 13. 1909, included in a report on Tower Model Village (co. Cork)
