Newtownmountkennedy

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Newtownmountkennedy
Baile an Chinnéidigh
Town
Coillte HQ in Newtownmountkennedy
Newtownmountkennedy
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°05′24″N 6°06′37″W / 53.090107°N 6.110287°W / 53.090107; -6.110287Coordinates: 53°05′24″N 6°06′37″W / 53.090107°N 6.110287°W / 53.090107; -6.110287
Country Ireland
Province Leinster
County County Wicklow
Elevation 82 m (269 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 2,410
 • Demonym Newtowner
Time zone WET (UTC+0)
 • Summer (DST) IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference O262062

Newtownmountkennedy (Irish: Baile an Chinnéidigh, meaning "Kennedy's town") is a small town in County Wicklow, Ireland. It developed within the historic townland of Ballygarny (Irish: Baile Ó gCearnaigh).[2] It acquired its present name in the mid-seventeenth-century, when Sir Robert Kennedy, M.P. for Kildare, made it his principal residence.[3] It is just off the N11 road to Wexford, just south of Kilpedder and south-west of Greystones. It is about 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Wicklow town, 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Bray and approximately 35 km (22 mi) from Dublin. The R772 regional road passes through the village. This was the main Dublin-Wexford route, the N11, but the village was bypassed by the new N11 dual carriageway in 1990.

The area is currently expanding rapidly and is a dormitory town for many workers commuting to Bray and Dublin.

The headquarters of Coillte, the Irish Forestry Board, are situated in the village forest. Newtownmountkennedy is in the Roman Catholic parish of Kilquade and one of the Kilquade parish's two chapels of ease is located in the village at the junction with the Roundwood Road.

Education

Newtownmountkennedy Primary School (formerly Catholic St. Joseph's Boys National School and St.Bridget's Girls National School) is located just west of the village. It was formerly split into three buildings, one for male students, and one for female students, while the third building was reserved for the Centre for Autism. The boys' school was known as St Joseph's, while the girls' was known as St Bridget's. In 2007, the two schools were merged, leaving the lower classes (Junior infants, Senior infants and First class) in the former girls' school,[4] while the remaining classes (Second class, Third class, Fourth class, Fifth class and Sixth class) took residence in the former boys' school.[5] The autism centre stayed in the third building. The name given to the new school is Newtownmountkennedy Primary School.

The majority of secondary school students travel to the nearby Coláiste Chroabh Abhann in the neighbouring village of Kilcoole.

Transport

The area is well served by bus services. Dublin Bus route 184 runs every half an hour connecting the town with Kilpedder, Greystones and Bray. Bus Eireann route 133 runs every hour off peak and up to every 15 minutes on peak connecting the town with Dublin, Bray and Wicklow.

The closest train stations are Greystones and Kilcoole. Greystones and the further, bigger Bray Daly station are accessible by route 184.

The nearest airport is Dublin Airport served by the 133 route and the nearest airfield is Newcastle Aerodrome.

The closet ferry ports are Dún Laoghaire or Dublin to the north and Rosslare Europort to the south.

Sports

Gaelic games

Newtown has a very proud and strong tradition of Gaelic Games. The Gaelic Athletic Association club of Newtown, known in Irish as Báile úi gCearnaigh, is one of the oldest clubs in the country, being founded in 1887. The club currently has two adult teams, one contesting the Senior League and Championship, one contesting the Junior A League and Championship.

There are also numerous underage teams, ranging from Minor (U-18) down to "Super Sevens" (U-8 and younger).

The club has numerous county championships to its name, but the most prestigious being the County Senior Championship, won on two occasions by Newtown. One in 1964, the other in 1975.

Newtown GAA Club[6] plays in the colours Black and White, leading to some fans to dub them "The Magpies", a name of which they are rightly proud having been called so for generations.

Football

Newtown has two football clubs, Newtown United and Newtown Juniors. Newtown Juniors are for players up until the age of 16. After that, they move on to the senior teams of Newtown United. Both teams use the same home ground, the Matt Kelly Community Grounds.

Golf

Druids Glen Golf Resort, which hosted the Irish open from 1996 to 1999, is located about a kilometre east from Newtown.[7] Druids Heath Golf Course, another championship course, is also located in Druids Glen. Glen Mill Golf Club is located to the south of the Newtown past Killadreenan.[8]

Economy

Coillte, the Irish Forestry operator, has its headquarters just north of the town. Coillte employers over 1,000 workers. French company Procap has its Northern European plant located in the town.[9]

Development

The Parkview Hotel opened in the village centre in March 2007. The hotel has 60 bedrooms and conference facilities.[10]

Ecologic received planning permission to build a data centre in Newtownmountkennedy, which was to have had an area of 1.1 million square feet (100,000 square metres).[11] This plan has been rejected by An Bord Pleanála.[12]

There is also a shopping center in the town, which includes a Dunnes Stores,[13] a pharmacy and a bookstore.

People

References

  1. ↑ "Newtownmountkennedy Legal Town Results". Central Statistics Office. 2011. 
  2. ↑ Placenames Database of Ireland
  3. ↑ Ball, F.Elrington History of Dublin 6 Volumes Alexander Thom and Co. 1902-1920 Vol.4 p. 78
  4. ↑ http://www.newtownprimary.net/1778.html
  5. ↑ http://www.newtownprimary.net/1804.html
  6. ↑ http://www.newtowngaa.ie
  7. ↑ Golfing Holidays Ireland, Golf Course Wicklow, Dublin Golf Break- Druids Glen Golf Resort
  8. ↑ http://www.glenmillgolfclub.ie/find.html
  9. ↑ http://procap.com/index.php/en/procap-plastic-caps-contact
  10. ↑ Parkview Hotel
  11. ↑ http://renewabledatacentres.com/index.html
  12. ↑ http://www.wicklownews.net/index.php/2011/03/planners-reject-1800-job-data-centre-proposal/
  13. ↑ http://www.dunnesstores.ie/page.php?pid=17
Places in County Wicklow
Towns
Villages

External links

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