Kilbeggan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kilbeggan Cill Bheagáin |
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WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
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| Irish grid reference N330357 |
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| Statistics | ||
| Province: | Leinster | |
| County: | County Westmeath | |
| Dáil Éireann: | Westmeath | |
| European Parliament: | East | |
| Population (2006) - Town: - Environs: |
997 included above |
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Kilbeggan (Irish: Cill Bheagáin, meaning The church of Bécán) is a town in County Westmeath, Ireland.
It is situated on the River Brosna, and surrounded by the gently rolling Esker Riada, an esker that stretches across the Irish midlands, left by retreating glaciers at the end of the last ice age. The N6 and N52 roads intersect just south of the town.
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[edit] History
The town's name means "the church of St Bécán", who founded a monastery here in the 6th century. In time the monastery fell into disuse and disrepair. However, it was rebuilt by the Dalton family and lived in by Cistercian monks from Mellifont Abbey.[1] After its dissolution, the monastery again fell into ruin and, together with its lands, was granted to the Lambart family. Its ruins were replaced by a Protestant church in the 18th century.[2]
A ford crossing the River Brosna at Kilbeggan was the site, in 972, of a battle between the Danes and the Irish.[3] More recently an uprising, led by the United Irishmen, took place in the town, as part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 against British domination of Ireland.[4]
A branch of the Grand Canal, between Dublin and the River Shannon, served the town, opening in 1835. It was closed in the 1960s and the basin is now dry. The harbour buildings, however, have survived and are now in use as offices and workspace.
[edit] 21st Century
Today, the town serves as a service centre for the local farming community; hosts some light industry, including sand and gravel extraction in the surrounding area; and is seen increasingly as a Dublin commuter town, particularly since the extension of the M4 motorway west of the city.
Kilbeggan is chiefly famous for Locke's Distillery, the oldest licenced distillery in the world, founded in 1757; and for its racecourse located just outside the town.
Kilbeggan is home to Mercy Secondary School, which is situated on the Dublin Road. The Mercy Convent is located at the school.
Durrow Abbey is located around 4 kilometres south of the town, just across the county boundary with Offaly.
[edit] Gallery
 Locke's Distillery |
 Mercy Convent |
 Canal basin |
 Church at Newtownlow |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Lewis, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary Of Ireland. London, U.K. S Lewis and Company, 1837.
- ^ http://cistercians.shef.ac.uk/abbeys/kilbeggan.php.
- ^ As 1
- ^ http://www.offalyhistory.com/content/reading_resources/neighbouring_counties/kilbeggan_1798.htm
[edit] External links
