Oylegate

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oylegate or Oilgate (Irish: Maolán na nGabhar meaning the grazing of the goats, or, the older name, Bearna na hAille meaning the gap in the hill), is a small village in Ireland, located about half way between Wexford and Enniscorthy towns, in County Wexford. It has a population of 324 (2006 census)^[1]

The plaque on the wall of Oylegate National School, showing the generally accepted local spelling.

The road sign leading into Oilgate, showing "official" spelling.

1 Name
2 Community and amenities
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Name

The name is usually spelled as Oilgate and this spelling can be found on road signs entering the village and is the common spelling used on maps and by the Central Statistics Office. However, the spelling Oylegate is found on a plaque on the wall of the village national school dated 1929, and some locals spell it as such.

[edit] Community and amenities

The village's patron saint is Saint David, after whom the town's Roman Catholic church is named. It has an adjoining cemetery. There is a "blessed well and shrine" named Saint David's in nearby Ballinaslaney. (A village approximately 5 kilometres northeast called Glenbrien is the half parish of Oylegate.)

The village has a National school, two public houses (Mernagh's and The Slaney Inn), an Art Gallery (local artist John Kehoe), a combined post office/shop, a petrol station, and a small retail park, including a flooring and tile store.

Oylegate Garda (police) Station is staffed by a sergeant and Garda.

Gaelic games (hurling, camogie, Gaelic football) are played in the local GAA complex, home to the Oylegate-Glenbrien teams.