Courtown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Courtown
Baile na Cúirte
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Village
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Courtown centre
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 Courtown
Location in Ireland
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| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Wexford |
| Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Population
(2022)
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| • Total | 4,365 |
| (Urban area as defined by the 2022 census) | |
| Irish Grid Reference | T196562 |
Courtown (Irish: Baile na Cúirte) is a village located in County Wexford, Ireland. It was built after Lord Courtown decided to create a harbour. This happened during the Great Famine, a time of great hunger in Ireland between 1839 and 1846. The new harbour helped the local economy, and a small village grew around it. Fishing was the main way people made a living.
Courtown is on the R742 regional road, about 6 km south-east of Gorey. It sits right on the Irish Sea coast. In recent years, especially during the "Celtic Tiger" period (a time of fast economic growth in Ireland), Courtown has grown a lot. It has now joined up with the nearby village of Riverchapel. Because of this growth, the population has more than tripled since 2006, reaching 4,365 people in 2022.
Contents
What is Courtown Like?
The name Courtown first referred to a piece of land in North Wexford. This land is about 4 kilometres east of Gorey town. In the 1700s and 1800s, it was where Lord Courtown lived. His big house, Courtown House, was taken down in 1962.
You can still see the remains of his private church and cemetery in the area. Today, this spot is home to the Courtown Golf Club and Kiltennel Church.
Growth and Development
In the late 1900s and early 2000s, a lot of building happened in Courtown. This was especially true in Riverchapel, which is just south of Courtown Harbour. Many new housing estates were built. These homes are now where people live who travel to Dublin for work.
Even though Courtown itself is smaller, the official population count includes Courtown, Riverchapel, and Ardamine together. In 2006, this area had 1,421 people. By the 2022 census, the population had grown to 4,365.
Fun Things to Do in Courtown
Courtown has many places to visit and things to do. You can find 'The Dinky Take-Away' there, which was once voted as having the "best chips in Ireland" on a radio show! There are also shops selling sweets and ice cream, plus hair salons.
For fun activities, Courtown offers crazy golf, amusement rides, and ten-pin bowling. There is also a golf course, a lovely beach, and a forest park to explore. Courtown is also home to a RNLI lifeboat station. This station has a Class D inshore lifeboat ready to help people in trouble at sea.
Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) is a special charity based in Courtown. They work to save, help get better, and then release sick or injured seals back into the wild.
Getting Around Courtown
There is a bus service that runs once a day, except on Sundays, to and from Gorey. It leaves in the morning and comes back in the afternoon.
On Mondays and Saturdays, Bus Éireann route 379 goes to Gorey and then continues to Wexford through Curracloe. Route 879 runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Wednesdays, a different bus service called the Rural Roadrunner, run by Wexford Local Development, provides transport.
The closest train station is Gorey railway station, which is about 7 kilometres away.
Courtown for Tourists
Because Courtown is a harbour and seaside village, many tourists visit during the summer months. These busy months are usually from May to August. If you visit, you can find places to stay like bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, and caravan and holiday parks.
History of Courtown
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1841 | 248 | — |
| 1851 | 607 | +144.8% |
| 1861 | 480 | −20.9% |
| 1871 | 613 | +27.7% |
| 1881 | 512 | −16.5% |
| 1891 | 438 | −14.5% |
| 1901 | 462 | +5.5% |
| 1911 | 414 | −10.4% |
| 1926 | 344 | −16.9% |
| 1936 | 316 | −8.1% |
| 1946 | 294 | −7.0% |
| 1951 | 257 | −12.6% |
| 1956 | 411 | +59.9% |
| 1961 | 396 | −3.6% |
| 1966 | 421 | +6.3% |
| 1971 | 291 | −30.9% |
| 1981 | 337 | +15.8% |
| 1986 | 317 | −5.9% |
| 1991 | 343 | +8.2% |
| 1996 | 364 | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 502 | +37.9% |
| 2006 | 1,421 | +183.1% |
| 2011 | 2,857 | +101.1% |
| 2016 | 3,591 | +25.7% |
| 2022 | 4,365 | +21.6% |
The name 'Courtown' has been around since 1278. However, the harbour itself was not built until the mid-1800s. Lord Courtown had it built to help during the Great Famine. It cost £25,000 to finish.
Courtown was already known for its beautiful beaches. But with the new harbour, it became a very popular place to visit. People from Dublin and the middle of Ireland often came to enjoy the village and its beaches. Its popularity as a summer holiday spot for people from Dublin grew even more after 1863. This was when the railway line from Dublin reached nearby Gorey.
Images for kids
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The main attraction during historical times was Courtown Harbour
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Courtown Harbour
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See also
In Spanish: Courtown (Wexford) para niños
