Keshcarrigan
| Keshcarrigan Ceis Charraigín | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
  Keshcarrigan Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 54°01′04″N 7°56′36″W / 54.0178°N 7.9433°WCoordinates: 54°01′04″N 7°56′36″W / 54.0178°N 7.9433°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Leitrim |
| Elevation | 56 m (184 ft) |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | H037076 |
Keshcarrigan (Irish: Ceis Charraigín, meaning "Kesh, or causeway, near the little rock")[1] is a village in County Leitrim, Ireland. The village is situated on the Shannon-Erne Waterway and the R209 road near Lough Scur and Sheebeg (Sí Beag), an ancient pagan burial site overlooking Lough Scur to the north and Kesh Lake to the south. Keshcarrigan features in the writing of the famous novelist John McGahern.
History
The village of Keshcarrigan probably originates from ancient "lake dweller" human settlements of nearby Lough Scur and, in recent centuries, industry associated with Reynolds manor. In 1798, the French Army under General Humbert passed through on the way to eventual defeat at the Battle of Ballinamuck. Through at least the 19th and 20th centuries, an impressive eleven fairs were held at Keshcarrigan annually- 1 January, 1 February, 17 March, 1 May, 24 June, 24 June (or 29th), 1 August (or 2nd), 21 September, 8 October (or 19th), 1 November, and 21 December.[2][3]. These fair days are no longer extant, although the fair green in the centre of the village has been redeveloped into a small park. In the 21st century, alternative Saint Patricks Day parades were held at Keshcarrigan, with fun themes and formats including an invisible parade (marshaled by (an invisible) Pamela Anderson), an indoor parade (in Gertie's pub), and a walking backwards parade.
About 1 km west of Keshcarrigan on the road to Carrick-on-Shannon there is a collapsed dolmen overlooking Lough Scur. Medieval ruins of Castle John and Jail Island are located near the village, at Lough Scur. In 1854 a Bronze Age gold artifact which became known as the 'Keshcarrigan Bowl' was discovered in the waterways between Lough Scur and Lough Marrave, north of the village.
Demographics
In the 2011 census the Keshcarrigan area had 472 residents (from 270 in 2001). The village has experienced dramatic changes in the 21st century with over 100 new houses being built mainly as a result of a controversial government tax incentive scheme (Section 23).
Amenities & Sport
A small park on the shores of Kesh Lake is dedicated to the memory of Mychal Judge, chaplain of the New York Fire Department and the first recorded victim of the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. Fr Judge's ancestral home was opposite the park.
The main local sports club is Kiltubrid GAA. The senior mens team were Leitrim Senior Champions in 2005 and the senior womens team in 2015 & 2016. The latter also went on to contest Connacht finals in both those years.
There are a number of popular angling centres near Kesh of which the main ones are
People
- Traditional singer Eleanor Shanley is a native of the village.
- Famous author John McGahern lived about 3 km away at Laura (Rowan) Lough.
- Victor Costello, Ireland rugby international, was a former resident.
See also
References and notes
Notes
Citations
- ↑ logainm.ie, pp. 29311.
- ↑ Longman 1819, pp. 405.
- ↑ Watsons 1830.
Primary sources
Secondary sources
- Longman (2011) [1819]. Traveller's New Guide Through Ireland, Containing a New and Accurate Description of the Roads (digitized from original in Lyon Public Library ed.). Longman.
- Watsons (1830). The Gentleman's and citizen's almanack ... for the year (PDF). Dublin, Printed for S. Watson [etc.]
A list of houses estates
Laheen estate was once owned by a Lord Jones who was Chief Lieutenant of the area in 1911 National archives census.
Letterfine House was built between the 1790s to 1820.
External links
- townlands.ie. "Keshcarrigan Townland, Co. Leitrim".
- logainm.ie. "Ceis Charraigín".