| Kilgarvan Cill Garbháin
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|---|---|
| — Town — | |
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Kilgarvan
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Kerry |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Urban | 164 |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | W007733 |
| Website | www.kilgarvan.info |
Kilgarvan (Irish: Cill Garbháin, meaning "church of St. Garbhan"[1] 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.
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Kilgarvan was the site of the Battle of Callan in 1261 which reduced Norman power in Ireland for almost 300 years. The battle site is located in the townland of Callan (pronounced Collon).
Nearby the town are the ruins of Ardtully Castle. This house, built in castle style by Sir Richard Orpen in 1847, replaced a number of earlier structures, dating as far back as 1215. It was associated with a number of families including Carew, McCarthy, Dillon, Babbington and Conway. Only ruins remain as it was burned down in 1921. Directions on how to find the Castle are painted on the wall of a house on Kilgaravan Main Street.
Kilgarvan has seen property development during recent years, probably to meet housing demand from those seeking an alternative to higher prices in nearby towns.[2] Four new housing estates were built around the village in recent times.
The population of Kilgarvan decreased from 175 in 1996 to 156 in 2002. 2006 saw an increase to 164.[3].
Kilgarvan has no local industry.[3]
Kilgarvan's sewage treatment plant was constructed in 1936, near the Roughty River[4].
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[5].
Kilgarvan is home to a Coillte Millennium Forest[6] at Rossacroo-na-loo.
Kilgarvan is home to a Motor Museum with a collection of vintage and classic cars[7].
Kilgarvan is centrally located between Kenmare and Killarney. Kilgarvan expects to see the introduction of broadband access in 2009 at the earliest[8]. Kilgarvan does not have a public car park or public toilets[3][9]. The roadway through the village forms part of the R569 regional road from Kenmare to Poulgorm Bridge.
Gaelic games, including Hurling and Gaelic football, are played in Kilgarvan; with Kilgarvan GAA fielding several teams in a season[10][11][12][13]. 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[14]. Kilgarvan continued in the Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship in 2008 and reached the Munster final becoming the first Kerry hurling team ever to do so[15][16]. Kilgarvan has its own GAA pitch and facilities including an all weather training track and dressing rooms, extensive drainage work was carried out on the pitch in 2008[17].
The Annual Kilgarvan Show is held on the Sunday of the August Bank Holiday Weekend. The show has been held in the Fussa Townland since 2007, having previously been held in the local GAA grounds. Recent wet summers in Ireland have seen many shows cancelled and Kilgarvan Show had to be rescheduled in 2007 as a result of the wet weather.
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.[18]. When these turbines are fully completed, Kilgarvan will be home to the largest onshore wind turbine project in Ireland[19].
A famous former resident was New York Labour leader Michael J. Quill, founder of the Transport Workers Union of America.
Máirín Quill a former politician who served as a TD and Senator for the Progressive Democrats is originally from Kilgarvan[20].
Sir Richard Orpen lived in Kilgarvan during the 19th century and was a grandfather of the famous painter Sir William Orpen and a brother of Dr. Charles Orpen who founded the institute for the deaf and mute at Glasnevin, Dublin[21].
Kilgarvan is the home of the Healy-Rae family which includes former TD Jackie Healy-Rae and his two sons, Councillor Danny Healy-Rae[22] and Michael Healy-Rae TD.[23]
Kilgarvan was 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.
Bus Éireann operates bus services through Kilgarvan as part of its varied routes[24][25]. Killarney Train station is the closest rail link to Kilgarvan. The closest airports to Kilgarvan are Kerry Airport which is 30 miles (48 km) away and Cork Airport which is 54 miles (87 km) away. Further away are Shannon Airport which is 104 miles (168 km) away and Dublin Airport which is 204 miles (328 km) away.
Kilgarvan railway station opened on 4 September 1893 and closed on 1 February 1960[26].