Bandon, County Cork facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bandon Droichead na Bandan
Town
Oliver Plunkett Street
Motto(s):  Latin: Auxilio Dei Parva Crescunt "With the help of God small things grow"
Bandon Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	Cork
Area
• Urban	4.1 km2 (1.6 sq mi)
Elevation	30 m (100 ft)
Population  (2022)
• Town	8,196
• Density	1,999.0/km2 (5,177/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC±0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (IST)
Eircode routing key	P72
Telephone area code	+353(0)23
Irish Grid Reference	W488551

Bandon is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It sits on the River Bandon, nestled between two hills. The town's name in Irish, Droichead na Bandan, means 'Bridge of the Bandon'. This name refers to how the town began as a place where people could cross the river.

In 2004, Bandon celebrated its 400th birthday! People sometimes call Bandon the "Gateway to West Cork". In 2022, about 8,196 people lived there. Bandon is part of the Cork South-West area, which has three seats in the Irish parliament.

History of Bandon

Bandon was founded in 1604 during a time called the Plantation of Munster. This was when English settlers came to live in parts of Ireland. Phane Beecher's son, Henry Beecher, along with other English settlers like John Shipward, helped create the town.

At first, only Protestants were allowed to live in the town. There was even a rule saying "That no Roman Catholic be permitted to reside in the town". A protective wall surrounded the town for about a mile. A famous saying on the gates of Bandon was "Entrance to Jew, Turk or Atheist; any man except a Papist". Someone famously wrote below it: "The man who wrote this wrote it well, for the same thing is writ on the gates of hell."

Buildings grew on both sides of the river, and bridges were built to connect them. Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork, helped the town grow a lot. Christ Church, Kilbrogan, is the oldest church in Bandon. It is also the oldest Protestant church built for its purpose in Ireland.

In 1689, Bandon was a place where Jacobite and Williamite forces clashed during the War of the Two Kings. Protestant residents rose up and forced out the Irish Army. But a larger force soon arrived and took the town back.

Sir John Moore, a British Army leader, was governor of Bandon in 1798. He later died in battle in Spain in 1809.

Bandon's Growth and Changes

In the 1800s, Bandon became an important industrial center. It had breweries, tanneries, distilleries, and mills for corn and cotton. The Allman's Distillery, which is now closed, once made over 600,000 gallons of whiskey each year!

The Industrial Revolution and the arrival of railways changed the area a lot. Local weaving businesses found it hard to compete with cheaper, mass-produced goods. St Peter's Church was built in 1847. Bandon Town Hall was finished in 1862.

Major General Arthur Ernest Percival was in charge of the British army in Bandon from 1920 to 1921. This was during the Irish War of Independence. He later led British troops in Singapore who surrendered to Japanese forces in 1942. In 1945, he was invited to witness the end of Second World War in Tokyo.

Irish leader Michael Collins was killed in an ambush near Béal na Bláth. This spot is about 9.6 kilometers (6 miles) outside Bandon.

During the Irish War of Independence, Castle Bernard, the home of Lord Bandon, was also burned down.

Twin City

Bandon has a special "twin city" connection with Bandon, Oregon in the United States. This American city was founded in 1873 by Lord George Bennet. He was from Bandon, Ireland, and named the new city after his hometown. He is also known for bringing a plant called gorse to the US, which caused some problems for the environment there.

Transport in Bandon

Bandon is about 27 kilometers (17 miles) southwest of Cork City. It is located on the N71 national road. You can get to Bandon by Bus Éireann bus services from Cork City. The closest airport is Cork Airport.

Sports in Bandon

Bandon has many sports clubs for young people to join:

• Bandon Rugby Football Club was the first winner of the Munster Senior Rugby Cup in 1886.
• Bandon Association Football Club has a men's senior team that plays in a top league.
• Bandon GAA is a Gaelic sports club.
• Bandon AC is an athletics club for track and field sports.
• The town also has several martial arts clubs, including karate, taekwondo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
• Bandon Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course located on the grounds of Castle Bernard.

Education in Bandon

Bandon has four secondary schools for students.

• Bandon Grammar School is a boarding school that charges fees and has a Church of Ireland background.
• The other schools are Hamilton High School, St. Brogan's College, and Coláiste na Toirbhirte.
• Bandon Grammar School and St. Brogan's College are for both boys and girls.
• Hamilton High School is for boys only.
• Coláiste na Toirbhirte is for girls only.

Famous People from Bandon

Many interesting people have come from or are connected to Bandon:

• Graham Norton, a famous BBC chat show host, lived in Bandon and went to Bandon Grammar School. His mother still lives there.
• Nicholas Brady, a poet known for his work on the Psalms, was born in Bandon in 1659.
• George Bennett was born in Bandon in 1822. He wrote a book called 'History of Bandon' and founded the town of Bandon, Oregon.
• Sir Richard Cox, who became Lord Chancellor of Ireland, was born in Bandon in 1650.
• Conor Hourihane, a professional footballer, plays as a midfielder for Aston Villa F.C..

Images for kids

• 

  Bandon Town Hall

• 

  Main Street, Bandon, around 1900

See also

In Spanish: Bandon (Cork) para niños