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{{Infobox Place Ireland |
{{Infobox Place Ireland |
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| gaeilge = Cill Orglan |
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Revision as of 10:44, 21 April 2010
Template:Infobox Place Ireland Killorglin (Cill Orglan in Irish) is a town on the Ring of Kerry, in County Kerry, Ireland. It is located on the river Laune, which boasts a rowing club and a new boathouse. The population of Killorglin is 1,539 (CSO 2000) although this expands considerably during Puck Fair due to visitors and returning emigrants.
Killorglin is a major activity centre for Kerry and has a number of tourist hostels on Dromin Hill and also has one of the last inn chains started by Charles Bianconi. It is right in the centre of the town, called the Bianconi and features his famous transportation painted on the sign and on the inn. The town hall is held to have been built with the help of Andrew Carnegie[1]. Among the businesses in Killorglin is FEXCO, which includes the operations center for the Prize Bond Company. Pharmaceutical firms such as Temmler and Astellas, precision tubes maker Schmitter (Ireland) Ltd. and specialist bolts manufacturer Simpson Strongtie/Liebig have small plants in the town.
Puck Fair
Every year, starting on 10 August, Killorglin holds the three-day Puck Fair, the oldest traditional fair in Ireland, and one of the oldest non-religious fairs in the world.
Puck goat
Every year a group of people go up into the mountains and catch a wild goat. This goat is brought back to the town and the Queen of Puck Fair (a girl from 6th class from the local primary schools - the queen changes every year) crowns the goat "King Puck". The goat is then put into a small cage on a high stand in the middle of the town. From this moment on the fair has started there is singing and dancing but mainly drinking. Pubs stay open until 3.00 AM although last call is at 02:30. On the opening day there is a horse fair and on the second day there is a cattle fair. In the main parking lot a company called Birds Bizarre has a collection of various portable rides and rollercoasters. The fair ends with a firework display which can be fully appreciated from the old iron railway bridge.
"Nobody really knows how it came about or when, said Jean Kearney, a spokeswoman for the festival, which is expected this year to attract more than 100,000 visitors for a marathon of music, drinking and dancing (but mostly drinking). It has been traced back to the 1600s, but some say it dates back to a festival held in pagan times. One of the most popular theory is that the event pays tribute to a wild goat that alerted the town to the advancing armies of military leader Oliver Cromwell in the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland of 1649-53 (although Cromwell himself, who left Ireland in May 1650, never reached as far west as Killorglin). Another is that it stems from the pagan Celtic festival of Lughnasa, when feasting and sacrifices marked the start of the harvest season, and that the goat is a pagan fertility symbol."
Puck fair history
Although there is no written evidence of when Puck Fair started, there are several legends about the fair.
It is thought that the fair started in pre-Christian times as a celebration for a good harvest. The goat may also represent the pagan god, Pan.
James VI of Scotland, I of England and Ireland granted legal status to the fair in 1603.
The other theory is when a clan called the roundheads occupied killorglin a goat ran down from the mountains and 'warned' the roundhead tribe that their enemies were approaching. This allowed the roundheads to prepare and eventually defeat their enemies. This explains why the goat is crowned.
People
The book Things My Mother Never Told Me by Blake Morrison (Vintage 2003 ISBN 0-09-944072-5) tells the story of the author's mother who was from Langford Street in Killorglin. She had left Ireland for England and put her past behind her. It was only after she died that her son went through a collection of old letters from the 1940s and pieced together her life from World War II-era courtship of a Yorkshire country doctor.
The writer Kieran Prendiville's family came from the town, and nearby Ballykissane provided the inspiration for the name of his television series Ballykissangel.
Former Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, Patrick O'Mahony, was born in the town.
Sport
- Laune Rangers is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club.
- Killorglin also boasts a 18 hole parkland course. Killorglin Golf Club
- Killorglin Rugby club's under 16 team won the West Munster Trophy in 2006 and went forward to compete in the final of the Munster Championship, which they lost. In 2008 the Under 18 squad won the West Munster Trophy against Tralee R.F.C..
Recent changes
Recent developments include:
- An expansion by the Killorglin-based financial services firm FEXCO resulting in two large sites in Killorglin.
- A sizeable mixed development of commercial, residential and public buildings. Aldi has now filled the large retail chain slot in the development.
- There has been some talk[by whom?] about re-introducing a railway line to Killorglin but such an undertaking would be very difficult and costly.
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Killorglin is twinned with:
See also
Notes
- ^ Thomas O'Donnell (MP), his statement quoted in The Irish People (newspaper) February 13. 1909, included in a report on Tower Model Village (co. Cork)
External links
