Kanturk
The Unity Stone
The heart beat is the river
Sky is imagination's face
We bridge all forever
Stars in universal space
Inscription on the lower plaque:
This Park was open by President Mary McAleese on July 7th 1998
Kanturk (Irish: Ceann Toirc = Boar's Head, also the town's emblem) is a town in the north west of County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. Kanturk is situated at the confluence of the rivers Allow and Dallow (also Dalua), streaming further on as tributaries into the Blackwater. It is about 50 km (30 miles) from Cork City, Blarney and Limerick City, and lies just north off the main N72 road, 15 km (9 miles) from Mallow and about 40 km (25 miles) from Killarney.
It is a small market town, which after many years with a static population has commenced to grow again. Apart from its creamery which produced casein from milk, a raw material for early plastics, its former knitwear facility now produces concrete flooring products. The town's schools include Coláiste Treasa and Scoil Mhuire (the school of Mary).
History
A significant historical site close to the town is Kanturk Castle, a fortified house built in 1609. Due to its architectural and historic importance, it is owned by An Taisce (National Trust for Ireland). Heritage tourists from the McAuliffe, O'Keeffe, O'Callaghan, Hartnett, Fitzpatrick, Sullivan, Walsh, O'Riordan, and McCarthy families can search for their roots in Kanturk. As families moved during wars and the plantations, some O'Neills, O'Donnells, and other families can date their roots in Kanturk since the Siege of Kinsale.
Amenities
The Kanturk Library in the Main Street offers a range of books for lending to adults and children, including books on tape. A selection of general reference books is also held, such as encyclopaedias and dictionaries. Also available for viewing in the library are: The Irish Examiner, Irish Times, Farmer's Journal and the Corkman. Internet access is available on one PC. Advance booking for this service is advisable. The library also organises cultural events.
Opening Hours of the library (tel: (029) 51384) are: Tuesday 1:00pm - 8:00pm, Wednesday - Saturday inclusive, 10:00am - 5:30pm. Closed every Monday and Saturdays of Bank Holiday weekends.
Sport
- Kanturk has a hurling team and a football team. The pitch is located in Kilroe.
- Kanturk has a rugby club, located just outside the town.
- An eighteen-hole golf course is located on the Mill Road, where milling used to take place.
- A new soccer pitch and facilities are now open and accommodate 6 teams from under 11s up to Junior level.
- Kanturk also has a vibrant trout fishing club which maintains the rivers that flow through the town. The Dalua from Newmarket flows into the Allow (Freemount River) in the centre of the town. A further mile south of the town the river Brogeen flows into the Allow. The Allow joins the river Blackwater; well know for its salmon fishing, a further 2 miles downstream at Leaders Bridge on the N72 Mallow to Killarney road. In recent years the club has undertaken major regeneration of its waters by installing a salmon pass in Kanturk Park and repairing the damage done in the previous decades aimed at flood prevention. The club has a distinguished history and is frequently represented on the international stage. In 2007, Kanturk Trout Anglers Association has senior, ladies and juvenile members on TAFI (Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland) world championship teams.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1831 | 1,349 | — |
| 1841 | 4,388 | +225.3% |
| 1851 | 3,131 | −28.6% |
| 1861 | 2,285 | −27.0% |
| 1871 | 1,964 | −14.0% |
| 1881 | 1,859 | −5.3% |
| 1891 | 1,689 | −9.1% |
| 1901 | 1,583 | −6.3% |
| 1911 | 1,518 | −4.1% |
| 1926 | 1,630 | +7.4% |
| 1936 | 1,555 | −4.6% |
| 1946 | 1,577 | +1.4% |
| 1951 | 1,632 | +3.5% |
| 1956 | 2,005 | +22.9% |
| 1961 | 1,985 | −1.0% |
| 1966 | 1,938 | −2.4% |
| 1971 | 2,063 | +6.4% |
| 1981 | 1,976 | −4.2% |
| 1986 | 1,870 | −5.4% |
| 1991 | 1,777 | −5.0% |
| 1996 | 1,666 | −6.2% |
| 2002 | 1,651 | −0.9% |
| 2006 | 1,915 | +16.0% |
| [1][2][3][4][5] </ref> - see footnote | ||
Transport
- Kanturk railway station opened on 1 April 1889, closed for passenger traffic on 27 January 1947 and finally closed altogether on 4 February 1963.[6].
Kanturk is however served by the nearby Banteer railway station.
People
Many people of note had their origins in the area, including:
- Thady Quill (1860-1932), historical rake.
- Patrick Guiney (1862-1913), nationalist MP. from 1910 to 1913
- D.D. Sheehan B.L. (1874-1948), labour activist and parliamentarian MP. from 1901 to 1918
- Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington (1877-1946), suffragette and author
- Pat O'Callaghan, Dr. (1905-1991), twice Olympic Gold Medal winner
- Pádraig A. Ó Síocháin S.C. (1905-1995), author and Irish language activist
- Edel Quinn (1907-1944), missionary worker declared Venerable in 1994
- Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair
See also
Notes
- ^ 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. (eds.). 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): pp. 473-488, doi:10.1111/j.1468-0289.1984.tb00344.x
{{citation}}:|issue=has extra text (help);|pages=has extra text (help);|volume=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=and|year=/|date=mismatch (help) - ^ "Kanturk station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 2007-10-16.