Calverstown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Calverstown
Baile an Chalbhaigh
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Village
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 Calverstown
Location in Ireland
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| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Kildare |
| Elevation | 106 m (348 ft) |
| Population
(2016)
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699 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | N802041 |
Calverstown (Irish: Baile an Chalbhaigh) is a small village in County Kildare, Ireland. It is about 6 kilometers (4 miles) south of Kilcullen. It is also about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the towns of Athy, Kildare, Naas, and Newbridge.
Calverstown is an old village. It is near important historical places like Dún Ailinne and Old Kilcullen. A stream runs through the village, with another to the south. In 2016, Calverstown had a population of 699 people.
Contents
Exploring Calverstown's Past
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Calverstown has been known by its name since the early medieval period. One of the first mentions of the area was in 1212. It was called "Philip of Calves land" in Latin. The Irish name Baile an Chalbhaigh was later changed to names like Ballinchalwey in English.
The name of the village likely comes from a family called "le Veele" or "Calf." Walter le Veele, who was also known as Calf, became the Bishop of Kildare in 1299. He bought the land where Calverstown is located. After he died, his family continued to own the land.
Old records from the 1500s also mention Calverstown. In 1656, a survey noted that Calverstown had 760 acres of land. It also had a castle and a stone quarry. The Dixon family owned the land until about 1730. Then, it passed to the Borrowes Baronets family.
The village's layout and how the land is used have not changed much in over 250 years. A map from 1752 shows it looked very similar to today. The area is mostly made up of well-kept farmland.
The ruins of Calverstown Castle are south of the village. This castle was a manor house built in the early 1600s. It also included parts of an even older tower house.
Famous Battles Nearby
Two important battles happened near Calverstown. In 738, the Battle of Uchbad took place at Ballyshannon. In this battle, Aed Allin won against the Laigin. This victory helped Kildare control the kingship of Leinster for almost 300 years.
Another battle happened in 1642. James Butler, the Earl of Ormond, defeated Richard Butler, Lord Mountgarret. This victory was very important to the English. The place where this battle happened is now called Battlemount.
In the early 1200s, an Augustinian Abbey was founded in Kilrush. This abbey was started by William Marshall, the Earl of Pembroke. It continued to exist until the 1540s when many monasteries were closed.
Birth of Motor Racing in Ireland
On July 2, 1903, a very important car race began near Calverstown. It was the Gordon Bennett Cup. This was the first international motor race ever held in Great Britain or Ireland.
The race was held in Ireland because car racing was not allowed on public roads in Britain. Local laws were changed to allow the race in County Kildare. The roads there were very straight, which was good for safety.
To honor Ireland, the British team chose to race in "Shamrock green." This color later became famous as British racing green. The race route was long, about 328 miles (528 km). It went through towns like Kilcullen, Kildare, Athy, and Carlow.
The race started at the Ballyshannon cross-roads, near Calverstown. The winner was a Belgian racer named Camille Jenatzy, driving a Mercedes car.
Well-Known People from Calverstown
- Veronica Burns (1914 – 1998) was a museum curator from Ireland. She was born in Calverstown.
- Robert Dixon (1685-1732) was an Irish lawyer, judge, and politician.
- Ruby Walsh is a famous jockey who lives in Calverstown with his family.
See also
In Spanish: Calverstown para niños
