Muinebeag

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Muinebeag
Bagenalstown
Coat of arms of Muinebeag
Uimhir gan choisc
"The Irrepressible Number"
Location
Location of Muinebeag
centerMap highlighting Muinebeag
Irish grid reference
S683609
Statistics
Province: Leinster
County: County Carlow
Elevation: 40 m
Population (2002)
 - Town:
 - Environs:
 
2,540 
649

Muinebeag, also spelt Muine Bheag (meaning Small Thicket), or Bagenalstown is a town in County Carlow, Ireland. The area is between the midlands of Ireland and the southeast. The county town of Carlow is to the north of Muine Bheag. The town is the second largest in the county.

Contents

[edit] Name

The English name "Bagenalstown" is more commonly used, but "Muinebeag" is the official name of the town while the variation "Muine Bheag" is more commonly used, and is often used in speech as "Muinebeg". Iarnród Éireann train services always use the written timetable station of "Muine Bheag", whilst the spoken announcements on trains are usually for "Bagenalstown". The name Muinebeag comes from the Irish for a small thicket of thorns. The motto on the town's Coat of Arms is "The Irrepressible Number" and its Irish equivalent, Uimhir gan choisc, represent "9", which is the number of town councillors.

[edit] History

The English name came from Lord Bagenal. Bagenal based the town on Versailles in France, and the town's Courthouse resembles that of Versailles. Bagenal built the town on the River Barrow to allow for trade and access to the town. Bagenal originally wanted the town to be called "New Versailles". It was built in the 18th century.

[edit] Places of interest

  • Ballyloughan Castle is situated near Muinebeag and comprises a twin-towered gatehouse and the hall and foundations of one of the corner towers of a large castle dating from approximately 1300.[1]
  • Ballymoon Castle is situated 3 km (2 mi) east of Muinebeag, and is thought to date from the 13th century.[2]

[edit] Sport

[edit] Gaelic Sports

Bagnalstown have been winners of the Carlow Senior Hurling Championship on four occasions. 1928, 1929, 1930 and 1931.

[edit] Cricket

Bagnalstown has had a long and prestigious tradition in cricket when the local Bagenalstown Cricket Club was first formed in 1842 by the local millers which is still used close to McGrath Park today. The logo for the club is a grinding wheel which was used in early milling which represents the long tradition of cricket in Muine Beag over the generations.

[edit] People

[edit] Transport

[edit] Twinning

The town was twinned with the town of Pont-Péan, France in 1999. The twinning charter is written in Irish, English and French, and it commits the two towns to "developing social, economic, cultural, touristic, and sporting links" between the two communities. Muine Bheag hosts a floral festival every August, and visitors from far and wide come to visit it.

[edit] See also


[edit] References

  1. ^ Ballyloughan Castle. Carlow Tourism - Castles. Retrieved on 2007-12-09.
  2. ^ Ballymoon Castle, County Carlow. Irelands Eye.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-10.
  3. ^ Donaldson, William Rogues, Villians and Eccentrics: An A-Z of Roguish Britons Through the Ages pp 38-9, Phoenix, London, 2002
  4. ^ Bagnelstown station. Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved on 2007-08-30.

[edit] External links