Kilbeggan: Difference between revisions
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'''Kilbeggan''' ({{irish place name|Cill Bheagáin|The church of Bécán}}) is a town located on the [[River Brosna]] in [[County Westmeath]], Ireland. The [[N6]] and [[N52]] roads intersect |
'''Kilbeggan''' ({{irish place name|Cill Bheagáin|The church of Bécán}}) is a town located on the [[River Brosna]] in [[County Westmeath]], Ireland. The [[N6]] and [[N52]] roads intersect just south of the town. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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==21st Century== |
==21st Century== |
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Today, the town serves as a service centre for the local farming community, hosts some light industry, and is seen increasingly as a Dublin commuter town, particularly since the extension of the [[M4 motorway (Republic of Ireland)|M4]] motorway west of the city. |
Today, the town serves as a service centre for the local farming community, hosts some light industry, and is seen increasingly as a Dublin commuter town, particularly since the extension of the [[M4 motorway (Republic of Ireland)|M4]] motorway west of the city. |
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Kilbeggan is chiefly famous for [[brusna distillery|Locke’s Distillery]], the oldest licenced distillery in the world, founded in 1750 and now a museum, and for its racecourse located just outside the town. |
Kilbeggan is chiefly famous for [[brusna distillery|Locke’s Distillery]], the oldest licenced distillery in the world, founded in 1750 and now a museum, and for its racecourse located just outside the town. |
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Revision as of 19:48, 1 March 2008
Kilbeggan (Irish: Cill Bheagáin, meaning 'The church of Bécán') is a town located on the River Brosna in County Westmeath, Ireland. The N6 and N52 roads intersect just south of the town.
History
The town's name means "the church of St Bécán", who founded a monastery here in the 6th century.[1] 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.[1] 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.[3]
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 harbour buildings are now in use as offices and workspace.
21st Century
Today, the town serves as a service centre for the local farming community, hosts some light industry, 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 1750 and now a museum, 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.
Around 4 kilometres south of the town, just across the county boundary with Offaly, is Durrow Abbey.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Lewis, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary Of Ireland. London, U.K. S Lewis and Company, 1837. Cite error: The named reference "multiple" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ http://cistercians.shef.ac.uk/abbeys/kilbeggan.php.
- ^ http://www.offalyhistory.com/content/reading_resources/neighbouring_counties/kilbeggan_1798.htm