Templemore

Templemore An Teampall Mór
—  Town  —
Main Street Templemore 2010
Templemore Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 52°48′N 7°50′W
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	North Tipperary
Population (2011)
• Total	1,943
Irish Grid Reference	S104720
Website	www.templemore.ie

Templemore (Irish: An Teampall Mór, meaning "The Big Church") is a town in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty. It is part of the Roman Catholic parish of Templemore, Clonmore and Killea. The 2011 Census results show the towns population decreased by 13.8% from 2,255 in 2006 to 1,943 in 2011.

Location and access

Templemore is the fourth largest town in North Tipperary. It is located in the mid-east of North Tipperary. The main artery of the town is the N62 National route which originates in the centre of Ireland at Athlone and terminates at the main Dublin-Cork motorway (the M8). In between it connects the town with Roscrea to the north and with Thurles to the south. To the east, the R433 connects the town to the M8 / N8 at a more northerly point via the villages of Clonmore & Errill and the town of Rathdowney. Alternatively, the motorway may be accessed via the village of Templetouhy. To the west, the R501, tracking the Devil's Bit mountain range, goes to Borrisoleigh. Templemore is on the Dublin-Cork railway line operated by Iarnród Éireann. There are direct trains to and from stations like Dublin (8 trains avg), Thurles (9 trains avg) Cork(7 trains avg) daily.

History

Ancient history

The ancient territory of Éile obtained its name from pre-historic inhabitants called the Eli, about whom little is known beyond what may be gathered from legends and traditions. The extent of Éile varied throughout the centuries with the rise and fall of the tribes in occupation. Before the 5th century A.D. the details of its history which can be gleaned from surviving records and literature are exceedingly meagre, obscure and confusing. During this century however Éile appears to have reached its greatest extent, stretching from Croghan Bri Eli (Croghan Hill in Offaly) to just south of Cashel (in Corca Eathrach Eli). The southern part of this territory embraced the baronies of Eliogarty and Ikerrin, a great part of the modern barony of Middle Third, the territory of Ileagh and a portion of the present barony of Kilnamanagh Upper.

By the 8th century, the territory of Ancient Éile had broken up into a number of petty kingdoms: the O’Carroll occupied the northern portion, the O’Spillanes held Ileagh, the Eóganacht Chaisil had annexed Middle Third.

The ancient name of the district on which the town now stands was 'Tuatha Corca Teine.' Teine was supposed to have been the son of the King of Connacht, arriving in the district shortly after St Patrick. Monastic settlements were located at the site of Teine's fort, Land of the Monks (Irish: Farran na Manna). A holy man named Silean is reputed to have accompanied St Patrick and to have established a monastery in the area. There is no townland called Templemore. The townland on which the town is built is Kiltillane (Irish: Cill tSilean), meaning Saint Sheelan's Church.

Feudal period

The Big Church or Templemore Abbey
West entrance. April 2011.

With the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, a powerful Norman family - the Butlers - became the new overlords. Early in the 14th century, they were raised to the Earldom of Ormond. As the holders of the County Palatine of Tipperary, they were entitled to appoint sheriffs, judges and to certain classes of revenue that would normally have been due to the Crown. This privilege was withdrawn in 1715. The family donated a small piece of land to the Abbey of St Thomas in Dublin, and about 1200 a large Abbey was built with a moated graveyard, the remains of which are still to be seen in Templemore Demesne, commonly known as the "Town Park". The Blackcastle, as it is locally known, was built in the Town Park in 1450 by James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond. This building and its manor lands were occupied by the Butlers and were later leased to the families of Purcell of Loughmore (Loughmoe) and Morris of Knocka.

The O’Fogarty clan held what is now the barony of Eliogarty, while to the north of them, at least some time later, were O’Meaghers of Ikerrin. The River Nore, at its position between Roscrea and Templemore, although just a small stream at this point, is usually taken as the southern limit of Ely O'Carroll territory.

Carden family

Black Castle Town Park 2007

Around 1695 the Butlers sold extensive lands to an English family called Carden from Cheshire, who settled in the area and also located at Barnane and Fishmoyne. Over the next 200 years, this family was to play a significant part in the history of Templemore and district.

Following the burning of the Blackcastle, Carden built a new estate. He built a mansion known as the Priory on the edge of the town. The architecture of the Priory was in the style of the Elizabethan era. The Priory was surrounded by a demesne which had a formal garden with paved paths around an artificial lake. Quoting from a contemporary newspaper commentary of 1861, when the Priory was still under construction:

The noble Gothic pile of finely chiselled limestone, with its battlements, turrets, buttresses and extensive façade, and spacious arched doorway; the architraves of grouped columns, retreating to the depth of several feet, convey to the mind an idea of architectural grandeur seldom associated with the country residences of our gentry.

There were extensive gardens and a lot of money was spent on them:

The house itself consists of sixty rooms, and the sum of, we understand £20,000 in round numbers, has been expended so far upon the building, - Upon entering the grand hall, through the massive oaken doorway, replete with medieval decorations, the visitor finds that ‘The Priory’ has been erected in a style of magnificence not very generally met with – it is floored en mosaique, in walnut and oak; the peculiar grotesque spirit of the Gothic style is not permitted to run riot through the rich oak carving, while that more beautiful element, tracery enters largely into the interior ornamentation – the oak painted ceiling richly stuccoed and the polished armour shields an banners that hang around with the erect figures in full suits of armour; the wide staircase in massive oak – the great doorways leading to the drawing –room at one side and to the library at the other – the rich and mellow light that comes through the beautiful stained glass window that forms the upper portion of the Gothic entrance, and through the lancet shaped sashes – all this bespeak a profuse liberality and taste of order.

The Cardens also kept the ruins of the old church and graveyard, but merely as conversational pieces, which was typical of that time. At the entrance on the Borrisoleigh Road is the gate keeper's lodge. After 1860, the Priory was re-named the Abbey.

Lewis' directory of 1837 lists the principal landowners in the locality at the time: " Lloydsborough is the seat of J. Lloyd, Esq.; part of the demesne is in Killea, though the mansion is in the parish of Templemore; it is a handsome residence in a well-planted demesne. The other principal seats are Woodville Lodge, the residence of D. J. Webb, Esq.; Belleville, of the Hon. C. J. K. Monck; and Eastwood, of T. Bennett, Esq.".

McCan Barracks

Originally call "Richmond barracks". Sir John Carden (second baronet, Templemore) donated a 17-acre (69,000 m²) site and also supplied the adjoining 40 acres (160,000 m²) for training and recreation. The barracks consisted of 2 squares, surrounded by company lines, stores, married quarters, officer's mess, military prison, church and hospital. Completely surrounded by a high wall, with protective/defensive posts at each corner, it had accommodation for 25 officers, married quarters for 48 other ranks, and 767 unmarried personnel. A total of 36 hospital beds and 15 guardroom cells were located within the complex as well as stabling for 27 officers horses. The surrounding area was quickly developed, with names such as Talavera Place, Vinemara Mall, and Regent Bridge, reminding all and sundry of the ongoing wars with which the barracks had become associated.

Since February 1964, the barracks has been the site of the Garda Síochána College, the centre for training Ireland's police force.

War of Independence

In August 1920, buildings in Templemore were burned down by Crown Forces or Black and Tans in reprisal for the killing of District Inspector Wilson of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The reprisals were brought to a sudden end by the occurrence of the so-called Templemore miracles: a number of holy statues in the locality purportedly began to bleed spontaneously. This caused Templemore to become a pilgrim town for a short time. Dan Breen - a famous Tipperary IRA freedom fighter, and later a Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary - said he always knew these 'miracles' to have been a nonsense but they did attract many sincere pilgrims at the time. Another IRA ambush nearby the following month caused the pilgrims to make a hasty exit and normal (war-time) conditions prevailed in Templemore once more.

Templemore today

Townlands in the civil parish

There are 38 townlands in the civil parish of Templemore. The bulk of the town of Templemore lies in the townland of Kiltillane which has the River Suir as its eastern boundary. Townlands in the north-western parts of the parish are situated in the barony of Ikerrin. From north to south they are Killough, Clontaaffe, Craiguedarg, Curraduff and Graiguebeg. This can be readily verified from the O.S.I.'s historical map of the barony. The townland of Killawardy is mainly in the civil parish of Killea. Adjacent to it, but in the parish of Templemore and the barony of Eliogarty, is a townland of the same name.

Townland (English)	Townland (Irish)	Acres	Barony	Poor Law Union
Adamstown	Baile Ádaim	&10000000000000289000000289	Eliogarty	Thurles
Ballycahill	Baile Uí Chathail	&100000000000010280000001,028	Eliogarty	Thurles
Ballyheen	Béal Átha Hín	&10000000000000156000000156	Eliogarty	Thurles
Barnalascaw	Bearna Leathscátha	&1000000000000001800000018	Eliogarty	Thurles
Belleville	Belleville	&1000000000000003200000032	Eliogarty	Thurles
Borrisbeg	An Bhuiríos Bheag	&10000000000000488000000488	Eliogarty	Thurles
Butlerslodge	Lóiste an Bhuitléaraigh	&1000000000000002000000020	Eliogarty	Thurles
Clontaaffe	Cluain Tífe	&10000000000000462000000462	Ikerrin	Roscrea
Craiguedarg	An Ghráig Dhearg	&1000000000000008200000082	Ikerrin	Roscrea
Culleenagh	An Choillíneach	&10000000000000162000000162	Eliogarty	Thurles
Curraduff	An Currach Dubh	&10000000000000175000000175	Ikerrin	Roscrea
Eastwood	An Choill Thoir	&10000000000000225000000225	Eliogarty	Thurles
Farranacahill	Fearann Ó gCathail	&1000000000000007900000079	Eliogarty	Thurles
Farranaderry	Fearann Doire	&10000000000000172000000172	Eliogarty	Thurles
Forest	An Seisceann	&10000000000000199000000199	Eliogarty	Thurles
Graiguebeg	An Ghráig Bheag	&1000000000000003700000037	Ikerrin	Roscrea
Greenwood	An Choill Ghlas	&1000000000000004000000040	Eliogarty	Thurles
Ivyhall	Halla an Eidhneáin	&1000000000000007400000074	Eliogarty	Thurles
Jockeyhall	Halla an Mharcaigh	&1000000000000004200000042	Eliogarty	Thurles
Kilclareen	Cill Chléirín	&10000000000000156000000156	Eliogarty	Thurles
Killawardy	Coill an Bhardaigh	&10000000000000101000000101	Ikerrin	Roscrea
Killough	Cill Eochaidh	&10000000000000849000000849	Ikerrin	Roscrea
Kiltillane	Cill tSiolláin	&10000000000000506000000506	Eliogarty	Thurles
Kiltilliha	Cill Tuilithe	&10000000000000195000000195	Eliogarty	Thurles
Knockanroe	An Cnocán Rua	&10000000000000760000000760	Eliogarty	Thurles
Kylebeg	An Choill Bheag	&1000000000000001700000017	Eliogarty	Thurles
Lisnaviddoge North	Lios na bhFeadóg Thuaidh	&1000000000000008900000089	Eliogarty	Thurles
Lisnaviddoge South	Lios na bhFeadóg Theas	&1000000000000005900000059	Eliogarty	Thurles
Lloydsborough	Gort Ruáin	&10000000000000322000000322	Eliogarty	Thurles
Manna North	Mana Thuaidh	&10000000000000131000000131	Eliogarty	Thurles
Manna South	Mana Theas	&10000000000000225000000225	Eliogarty	Thurles
Oldtown	An Seanbhaile	&10000000000000354000000354	Eliogarty	Thurles
Priory Demesne	Diméin na Prióireachta	&10000000000000288000000288	Eliogarty	Thurles
Rossnamanniff Lower	Ros na mBanbh Íochtarach	&1000000000000005500000055	Eliogarty	Thurles
Rossnamanniff Upper	Ros na mBanbh Uachtarach	&1000000000000004400000044	Eliogarty	Thurles
Sandymount	Cnocán na Gainimhe	&1000000000000005000000050	Eliogarty	Thurles
Templemore Demesne	Diméin an Teampaill Mhóir	&10000000000000386000000386	Eliogarty	Thurles
Woodville	Woodville	&1000000000000008300000083	Eliogarty	Thurles

Amenities and features

The most notable landmark in the district is the Devil's Bit mountain range. It is a popular excursion for people to visit the Rock and cross at the summit.

On the Roscrea road there is a cluster of buildings associated with the Church of Ireland community. The most significant of these is St. Mary's Church which is the principal church serving the Church of Ireland community in Templemore, Thurles and Kilfithmone. The church originally stood in front of one of the entrances to the Abbey's parkland. When the estates locally known as The Park were built in the late 1950s, the entrance gates and avenue were removed by the town council. The church, along with St Mary’s School, the Rectory, adjacent cottage and lodge, were built in 1789 on land donated by Sir John Craven Carden. It was solemnly consecrated by the Archbishop of Cashel His Grace, Charles Agar in 1794. The clock tower is now beautifully restored and is floodlit as part of a millennium project.

At the nearby village of Loughmore is the historic Loughmoe Castle. The local area is quite scenic and there are expansive views from the Devil's Bit mountain close by.

Town Hall, Main Street

Mary Street
April 2010

The market square with its Town Hall in the centre of the town is reputed locally to be the widest in either Ireland or Britain. It backs on to an extensive wooded Town Park and lake. The Georgian architecture (dating from 19th century) with its three storey houses on the main street, was directed by Sir John Carden (2nd Baronet, Templemore).

There is a large cattle mart on Bank Street which opens on Thursdays. In addition the town has a number of small industries.

Town Council

Under the provisions of the Local Government Act 2001, the former Urban District Council was renamed the Town Council. The members of the Town Council as at 2010 are:

• Joe Bourke, (Non-Party)
• Maura Byrne, (Fine Gael)
• Mick Connell, (Fianna Fáil)
• Martin Fogarty, (Non-Party)
• Lily O'Brien, (Fine Gael)
• Jim O'Shea, Mayor (Fianna Fáil)
• Michael Ryan, (Fine Gael)
• Marcus Wilson, (Fianna Fáil)
• Valerie Young, (Non-Party)

Education

• St. Colmcille's Primary School for boys, under the ethos of the Catholic Church. Formerly run by the Christian Brothers.
• St. Joseph's Primary School for girls, under the ethos of the Catholic Church. Run by the Sisters of Mercy.
• St. Mary's National School, under the ethos of the Church of Ireland.
• Our Lady's Secondary School (co-educational), under the ethos of the Catholic Church. It was formed when the Sisters of Mercy Convent (a day and boarding school) merged with the Christian Brothers secondary school in 1986.
• St Sheelan's College, which has a more vocational focus. In 2003, it ceased second level teaching and is now a FETAC and HETAC college of further education offering over 30 different courses.
• Garda Siochana College, the education and training college of the Garda Síochána (Irish police). It is located at McCan Barracks.

Sport

Gaelic games

The local Gaelic Athletic Association club, J.K. Brackens GAA, formed in 1991 when clubs from Clonmore, Killea and Templemore merged. It is named after Joseph Kevin Bracken, one of the founders of the GAA, who came from Templemore. His son, Brendan Bracken, 1st Viscount Bracken was a member of Winston Churchill's government in the United Kingdom during World War II, was born in Templemore. The other WWII connection is that of William Joyce (a.k.a. Lord Haw-Haw). According to local lore, he lived off the Main Street during the War of Independence and was run out of the town by the old IRA for informing on their activities to crown forces.

Soccer

The local soccer/association football club is Blackcastle United FC. The club is named after the Black Castle which is located in Templemore Town Park.

Golf

There is a nine hole golf course located at close to the Garda Síochána College just off the Thurles road. Lakeside Pitch-and-Putt club is located beside the lake in the Town Park. It is affiliated to the Pitch and Putt Union of Ireland.

Angling

Coarse fishing is available in the lake in the town park. Tenders have been submitted for the "Templemore Lake Restoration and Management Study" (30/10/2009) due to concerns about the rising levels of phosphates in the lake's sediments.

International relations

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Republic of Ireland

Templemore is twinned with the village of Prémilhat in France and Potenza Picena in Italy.

See also

• List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland
• List of civil parishes of North Tipperary
• List of Market Houses in Ireland
• Charles Joseph Kelly Monck, 3rd Viscount Monck. A street in the town was formerly named after him.

External links

• Tipperary Mountain Trekking Centre
• Templemore Town Council website
• Placenames Database of Ireland
• Local website of Templemore Town

Notes

1. Putting the barony in its historico-geographical context.
   Barony - an old administrative division. Eliogarty - one of 14 baronies in the old county, between Ikerrin to the north (whose chief town is Roscrea), Kilnamanagh Upper to the west (whose chief town is Borrisoleigh) and Middle Third to the south (whose chief town is Cashel).
2. Explanation for the use of "North Tipperary" instead of "County Tipperary".
   Following the abolition of the former county - Tipperary - as an administrative division in 1898, the county of North Tipperary was created. This is still the legal status of the county. See also County Tipperary for further history on the topic.