| Athy Baile Átha Í |
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| Location | ||
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| Irish grid reference S680939 |
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| Statistics | ||
| Province: | Leinster | |
| County: | County Kildare | |
| Elevation: | 71 m | |
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Population (2006) |
7,942 | |
| Website: www.athy.ie | ||
Athy (pronounced /əˈθaɪ/[1] – (Irish: Baile Átha Í , meaning "Town of the ford of Ae") is a market town situated at the convergence of the River Barrow and the Grand Canal in County Kildare, Ireland, 72 kilometers southwest of Dublin.
Its population of 7,943 (2006 Census[2]) makes it the sixth largest town in Kildare and the 50th largest in the Republic of Ireland, with a growth rate of 31.3% since the 2002 census.
The town is named after a second century chieftain Ae, who is said to have been killed on the river crossing, thus giving the town its name "the town by Ae's ford".
From the first official records in 1813 (population 3,192) until 1891 (population 4,886) and again in 1926-46 and 1951-61 Athy was the largest town in Kildare. In 1837 the population was 4,494 [3].
Contents |
Location
The exact intersection of 7°00'00.00" west longtitude and 53°00'00.00" north latitude lies northwest of Athy near the Athy to Stradbally road (Google Map 53°n 7°w). Nearby settlements include Kildare Town, Kilcullen (Bridge), Monasterevan and Castledermot.
History
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | %± |
| 1813 | 3,192 | — |
| 1821 | 3,693 | 15.7% |
| 1831 | 4,494 | 21.7% |
| 1841 | 4,698 | 4.5% |
| 1851 | 3,873 | −17.6% |
| 1861 | 4,124 | 6.5% |
| 1871 | 4,510 | 9.4% |
| 1881 | 4,181 | −7.3% |
| 1891 | 4,886 | 16.9% |
| 1901 | 3,599 | −26.3% |
| 1911 | 3,535 | −1.8% |
| 1926 | 3,460 | −2.1% |
| 1936 | 3,628 | 4.9% |
| 1946 | 3,639 | 0.3% |
| 1951 | 3,752 | 3.1% |
| 1956 | 3,948 | 5.2% |
| 1961 | 3,842 | −2.7% |
| 1966 | 4,069 | 5.9% |
| 1971 | 4,654 | 14.4% |
| 1979 | 4,755 | 2.2% |
| 1981 | 5,565 | 17.0% |
| 1986 | 5,449 | −2.1% |
| 1991 | 5,204 | −4.5% |
| 1996 | 5,306 | 2.0% |
| 2002 | 6,058 | 14.2% |
| 2006 | 7,943 | 31.1% |
| [4][5][6][7][8] | ||
The town developed from a 12th century Anglo-Norman settlement to an important British military outpost on the border of the Pale.
The first town charter dates from the 16th century and the town hall was constructed in the early 18th century. The completion of the Grand Canal in 1791, linking here with the River Barrow, and the arrival of the railway in 1846, illustrate the importance of the town as a commercial centre under English rule . In fact, from early on in its history Athy was a garrison town loyal to the Crown. English garrisons stayed in the Military Barracks in Barrack Lane after the Crimean War and contributed greatly to the towns commerce. Home for centuries to English soldiers, Athy gave more volunteer soldiers to the Great War of 1914-18 than any other of similar size town in Ireland. Although many local historical pamphlets tend to focus more on nationalist historical events, these are not the sum of Athy's complete history, given its garrison past.
The town is twinned since 2003 with French town of Grandvilliers (département Oise-Picardy). The French twinning committee is named "La Balad'Irlandaise" . Towns official visits are each two years. Colleges are organising once a year students exchanges. Musicians from Athy often go to Grandvilliers.
Historical features
Of the many church ruins in Athy, St. Michael's is perhaps the most ancient. It was built in the fourteenth century. Some of the vestry and sidewalls have disappeared, but there is still some of the original church remaining. The dedication to St. Michael is derived from the St. Michael family who were lords of Athy and it is quite probable that it was this family who were the founders of the church.
White's Castle, a tower house built in 1417 by the Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare is now a private residence, and is said to be opening soon for public visits under its new owner[citation needed].
There is a market house dating from around 1780 in the town square, where, in 1798 "the first wooden triangle was set up on which the United Irishmen were spreadeagled and flogged by the militia".[9]
Athy was a host to the Gordon Bennet Cup race in 1903. This has also lead to the popular but unproven belief that it was the origin of British Racing Green colour for racecars.
Seven kilometers south of Athy is Levitstown (originally Lyvetiston), a hamlet along the diverted River Barrow with Levitstown Mill and Levitstown House, a country house. The village was the location of a well-known skirmish in the early sixteenth century between the followers of the Earl of Ormonde and those of the FitzGeralds, the Earls of Kildare, in which 17 men and women were slaughtered.[10]
Transport
The town is located on the N78 national secondary road where it crosses the R417 regional road.
Athy is connected to the Irish rail network via the Dublin–Waterford main line. Athy railway station opened on 4 August 1846 and closed for goods traffic on 6 September 1976.[11] There is a disused siding to the Tegral Slate factory. This is all that is left of the former branch to Wolfhill colliery. This side line was built by the United Kingdom government in 1918 due to wartime shortage of coal in Ireland. The concrete bridge over the River Barrow on this branch is one of the earliest concrete railway under bridges in Ireland.
Places of interest
- Crom-a-Boo Bridge
- Kilkea Castle
- White's Castle
Amenities
Athy is at the confluence of the River Barrow and Grand Canal, which are amenities for Athy and enable a number of sporting and natural pursuits.
Athy Heritage Centre
Athy contains the only permanent exhibition on Ernest Shackleton, who was born not far from Athy in Kilkea House. The exhibit is housed in the Athy Heritage Centre, which has a collection of artifacts from Athy's past as well as some interesting articles from Shackleton's expeditions. Among the most impressive is a scale model of the Endurance. Each year the Centre arranges and hosts the Shackleton Autumn School, with speakers from around the world to speak on different aspects of Antarctica and Shackleton's life in particular.
Rehabilitation
Cuan Mhuire Athy also has Cuan Mhuire one of the biggest alcohol, drug and gambling recovery centres in the country near the town. This Charity was started here in 1965 by Sr Consilio who came to join the Sisters of Mercy in 1959. The Cuan Mhuire charity has since spread from Athy to elsewhere in Ireland.
Communications
Athy has few local media outlets. Local news can only be found in county-wide publications and radio stations. However, attempts are under way to establish a network of local programme makers and podcasters [2]. Many locals have worked in the national media from award winning writer and broadcaster John MacKenna to Newstalk morning presenter Ger Gilroy. Athy native Olivia Doyle is a well-known journalist and was News Editor at the Sunday Tribune up to 2007 when she became Arts Editor of the weekly national newspaper. Another Athy person who works for the same newspaper is the author and sports writer Ewan MacKenna, who ghost-wrote an acclaimed biography of the Armagh gaelic footballer Oisin McConville. Athy native Bill Hughes is a respected international film maker.
People
- Philip Crosthwaite (December 27, 1825–February 19, 1903) was an early settler of San Diego, California and Rosarito, Baja California. Fought and wounded in the Mexican War. Became the mayor of San Diego.
- John Minihan who was Samuel Beckett's official photographer, and was originally from Athy, took a series of world famous photographs of the town. Beginning in the early sixties this body of work showed the changes in the town from that time.
- Jack Wall is the local TD for the town. Athy has a tradition of returning a Labour Party candidate.
- Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh famously referred to Athy in his poem "Lines written on a Seat on the Grand Canal, Dublin", as a "far-flung town". The town is also recalled in the well-known folk songs "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye", "Lannigans Ball" and "We're on the Road to Sweet Athy". Among Athy's many famous inhabitants are Liam O'Flynn of Planxty, the award winning writer John MacKenna, the singer Jack L, You're A Star finalists The Sullivan Brothers and musician Robbie Robinson.
- Johnny Marr - Influential musician, with Morrisey formed the Smiths, his parents were born in the Athy area, his mother from Castledermot and his father from Kilkea
- James Joyce's novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man contains a character named Athy, who was named after the town.
- Ernest Shackleton, polar explorer was born in Kilkea near Athy.
- Johanna Lyons is a contemporary artist living in Athy, she mainly paints images of native Americans
Sport
- Athy GAA, celebrating a long and proud tradition
- Athy Golf Club [3]
- TriATHY - Ireland's Fastest Triathlon [4]
- Athy Rugby Club, founded in 1880 and five time winner of the Provincial Towns Cup
- Inland Waterways Association - North Barrow Branch [5]
- Athy Tennis Club
- Athy Town AFC (Association Football Club)
- Athy also has coarse fishing on the Grand Canal and the River Barrow.
See also
- List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Kildare)
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Market Houses in Ireland
- Duke of Leinster
Athy is one of the few Irish Towns to have its own American Football team - the Athy Badgers.
Further reading
- A Short History of Athy (1999) by Frank Taaffe, published by Athy Heritage Company Limited
References
- ^ Athy. (2001). In Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary[1]. Retrieved February 17, 2007. The dictionary does not use IPA notation, but the pronunciation given, \ə-ˈthī\, is apparently equivalent to IPA /əˈθaɪ/.
- ^ - Table 5 – Population of Towns ordered by county and size
- ^ Entry for Athy in Lewis Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)
- ^ Census for post 1821 figures.
- ^ http://www.histpop.org
- ^ http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/census
- ^ 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.
- ^ Mokyr, Joel; O Grada, Cormac (November), "New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700-1850", The Economic History Review Volume 37 (Issue 4): 473-488, doi:, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120035880/abstract
- ^ Blue Guide, Ireland (9th edition) Brian Lawlor ISBN 0-7136-6130-5 p270
- ^ The Earls of Kildare and Their Ancestors, from 1057 to 1773, Marquis of Kildare, Hodges, Smith & Co., Dublin, 1858
- ^ "Athy station". Railscot - Irish Railways. http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
External links
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