Bruff

Bruff
An Brú
Town
Bruff

Location in Ireland

Coordinates: 52°28′37″N 8°33′00″W / 52.477°N 8.55°WCoordinates: 52°28′37″N 8°33′00″W / 52.477°N 8.55°W
Country Ireland
Province Munster
County County Limerick
Population (2006 [1])
 • Urban 724
 • Rural 1,977
Time zone WET (UTC+0)
 • Summer (DST) IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference R647369

Bruff (Irish: Brú na nDeise) is a town in east County Limerick, in the midwest of Ireland, located on the old Limerick–Cork road (R512). The town lies on the Morning Star river, with two bridges in the town itself. The horse-shoe lake of Lough Gur is nearby.

History

Historical artifacts around the area date back to the Stone Age, with various buildings up to the early Christian still extant. Bruff is the hometown of American missionary and bishop John Joseph Hogan. In the sixteenth century it was granted to the Standish family from whom it passed by inheritance to the Hartstonge Baronets, and ultimately to the Earl of Limerick.

The town suffered heavy fighting in the Battle of Killmallock during the Irish Civil War. Near the Catholic Church, there is a large statue of Sean Wall, commander of the East Limerick Irish Republican Army and chairman of Limerick County Council until his death on May 6, 1921 during the War of Independence.

The former seat of the O'Grady family, Kilballyowen, is near Bruff.

It is also reputed that former US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was a descendant of the Fitzgeralds of Bruff.[2] Caroline Kennedy, the daughter, of former US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy visited the town in May 2013 with her husband and son.

Sport

The town's sporting background is evident in the town's active Gaelic Athletic Association Club, Pitch & Putt club, Hockey Club, soccer club, and rugby union. Bruff R.F.C. is the home club of Irish International player John Hayes. Bruff is also the home to Limerick FC's Kirby O'Sullivan Sports, Social and Business Park.

Development and economy

Bruff town has been classified as a satellite town of Limerick City. Major expansion for the town is planned with a new development plan by Limerick County Council in the final design stages.

Ard Scoil Mhuire, the only secondary school in the town, has been closed down.

Tourism

Bruff has an active Cultural and Arts Society which organises an Annual Summer Festival. The Bruff festival has been held since its inception in 2006. It includes the Morning Star Rose Competition and the Morning Star Escort Competition (since 2008). The Sean Wall Committee organise a "Bloomsday in Bruff" festival every year on 16 June.[3]

A notable attraction is the number of murals that have been painted on the walls of buildings in the town over the last few decades.

There are four pubs (one with a restaurant), a restaurant The Old Bakehouse, a Eurospar, a Centra, a pharmacy, a B&B and a Post Office in the town. It is also home to a Chinese restaurant, the Lantern.

Bruff is located near the edges of the Ballyhoura Fáilte tourist area.

Accommodation in the town is provided in what used to be the old AIB Bank, known as "The Old Bank", an historic 4* banking town house.[4] and in the imposing building which had served as the Garda station in the town.

People

See also

References

External links