Rosenallis

Rosenallis
Ros Fhionnghlaise
Town
Rosenallis

Location in Ireland

Coordinates: 53°08′N 7°24′W / 53.133°N 7.400°WCoordinates: 53°08′N 7°24′W / 53.133°N 7.400°W
Country Ireland
Province Leinster
County County Laois
Population (2006)
 • Urban 420
Time zone WET (UTC+0)
 • Summer (DST) IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Website www.rosenallis.com

Rosenallis (historically Rossinallis, from Irish: Ros Fhionnghlaise, meaning "wood of the clear stream")[1] is a village in north County Laois, Ireland. It is in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains on the R422 Mountmellick to Birr road.

The population of the area in 2002 was 440 persons which represented an 8.9% increase in population since 1996.[2] The population increased to 469 by 2011.[3]

Rosenallis is also important in the history of the Quaker movement, with William Edmundson, founder of the Quakers in Ireland, buried outside the village in the Friends graveyard. In 1837 Samuel Lewis described the area writing; "In the Slieve Bloom Mountains are quarries of a soft white sandstone, which hardens when exposed to the air, and is susceptible of a high polish; it is in great demand throughout the country for chimney-pieces and hearth-stones; a coarser kind is used for flagging. Another peculiarity of these mountains is the fertility of their northern side, which is interspersed with neat farm-houses and cultivated enclosures to its summit, while its southern side is mostly a heathy waste. Iron ore was formerly raised, but is not now. There is a large tract of bog in this district, affording an abundant supply of fuel. Tillage is more attended to than grazing: there are but few flocks of sheep. The chief crops are potatoes, wheat, barley and oats."[4]

The village has two churches (Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland) as well as a village primary school, community centre and small shops, the village once had two pubs, closest pubs are Clonaslee and Mountmellick. The secondary level schools serving the area are Clonaslee and Mountmellick.

Rosenallis GAA is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club.

Rosenallis AFC is the local soccer club. It plays home games at its grounds "Johnsgrove".

See also

References

  1. ↑ Placenames Database of Ireland (see archival records)
  2. ↑ http://www.laois.ie/media/Media,5151,en.pdf
  3. ↑ Census of Ireland 2011; Central Statistics Office
  4. ↑ A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland by Samuel Lewis, 1837