Courtown

Courtown
Baile na Cúirte
Village

Courtown centre
Courtown

Location in Ireland

Coordinates: 52°38′42″N 6°13′44″W / 52.645°N 6.229°WCoordinates: 52°38′42″N 6°13′44″W / 52.645°N 6.229°W
Country Ireland
Province Leinster
County County Wexford
Elevation 6 m (20 ft)
Population (2006)[1]
 • Total 1,421
Irish Grid Reference T196562
Courtown Harbour

Courtown (Irish: Baile na Cúirte, meaning "homestead of the court"), is a townland in North Wexford, 4 kilometres east of Gorey town. The townland was home to the seat of Lord Courtown during the 18th and 19th centuries, but Courtown House was demolished in 1962. The remains of his private church and cemetery can still be seen in the townland. Today it is home to Courtown Golf Club and Kiltennel Church. The townland is usually confused with Courtown Harbour, a nearby village which developed after Lord Courtown ordered the construction of a Harbour during the Famine years, 1839-1846. The economic boost of the new harbour led to a small village developing with fishing been the primary economy of the village. Courtown Harbour is situated on the Irish Sea coast and with the recent development during the "Celtic Tiger" years, has merged into the adjoining village of Riverchapel. It lies on the R742 regional road.

Both villages have many caravan parks and holiday homes. In recent years significant urbanisation has taken place, especially in the Riverchapel area, just south of Courtown Harbour. Large housing estates are now home to commuters working in Dublin. While the population of Courtown Harbour remains quite small, the Census combines the area of Courtown Harbour, Riverchapel and Ardamine into one. As of the 2006 Census the population of this area was 1421.

Courtown Harbour is home to 'The Dinky Take-Away', serving the "best chips in Ireland", as voted on Marty Whelan's morning show on the 2FM radio station.

The town features crazy golf, amusement rides, ten-pin bowling, a golf course, as well as a beach and forest park. Courtown Harbour is also home to a Class D RNLI inshore lifeboat.

History

The name 'Courtown' dates back to 1278 [7] but the harbour was not built until the mid 1800s as a response by Lord Courtown to the Great Famine, and cost £25,000 to complete. Courtown was by then already well known for its beaches, but the presence of the harbour made it popular as a fashionable destination, with people from Dublin and the midlands frequenting the village and beaches. Its popularity as a summer holiday resort for Dublin people increased after 1863, when the railway line from Dublin reached nearby Gorey.

Transport

Bus

There is a bus once a day (not Sundays) to and from Gorey, departing in the morning and returning in the afternoon. On Mondays and Saturdays Bus Éireann route 379 operates and continues to Wexford via Curracloe.[8] Route 879 operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays the service is provided by the Rural Roadrunner bus operated by Wexford Local Development.[9]

Rail

The nearest station is Gorey railway station, around 7 kilometres distant.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Census 2006 – Volume 1 – Population Classified by Area" (PDF). Central Statistics Office Census 2006 Reports. Central Statistics Office Ireland. April 2007. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
  2. ↑ Census for post 1821 figures.
  3. ↑ http://www.histpop.org
  4. ↑ http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/census
  5. ↑ Lee, JJ (1981). "On the accuracy of the Pre-famine Irish censuses". In Goldstrom, J. M.; Clarkson, L. A. Irish Population, Economy, and Society: Essays in Honour of the Late K. H. Connell. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press.
  6. ↑ Mokyr, Joel; O Grada, Cormac (November 1984). "New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700-1850". The Economic History Review. Volume 37 (4): 473–488. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0289.1984.tb00344.x.
  7. ↑ http://www.courtownharbour.com/
  8. ↑ http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1209047152-Table-379.pdf
  9. ↑ http://www.journeyplanner.transportforireland.ie

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Courtown.