Dundalk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dundalk
Dún Dealgan
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Town
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Clockwise from top: Castle Roche, Clarke Station, St. Patrick's Church, The Marshes Shopping Centre, Market Square, Dundalk Institute of Technology
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Motto(s): | ||
Country | Ireland | |
Province | Leinster | |
County | County Louth | |
Inhabited | c. 3700 BC | |
Charter | 1189 AD | |
Area | ||
• Urban | 23.6 km2 (9.1 sq mi) | |
• Rural | 317.88 km2 (122.73 sq mi) | |
Population
(Census 2016)
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• Rank | 8th | |
• Urban | 39,004 | |
• Metro | 55,806 | |
Time zone | UTC±0 (WET) | |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (IST) | |
Eircode routing key |
A91
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Telephone area code | +353(0)42 | |
Irish Grid Reference | J048074 |
Dundalk ( DUN-daw(l)k; Irish: [Dún Dealgan] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)), meaning "the fort of Dealgan", (a Fir Bolg Chieftain) is the county town (the administrative centre) of County Louth, Ireland. The town is on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the east coast of Ireland. It is halfway between Dublin and Belfast, close to the border with Northern Ireland. It is the eighth largest urban area in Ireland, with a population of 39,004 as of the 2016 census.
Having been inhabited since the Neolithic period, Dundalk was established as a Norman stronghold in the 12th century following the Norman invasion of Ireland, and became the northernmost outpost of The Pale in the Late Middle Ages. The town came to be nicknamed the "Gap of the North" where the northernmost point of the province of Leinster meets the province of Ulster. The modern street layout dates from the early 18th century and owes its form to James Hamilton (later 1st Earl of Clanbrassil). The legends of the mythical warrior hero Cú Chulainn are set in the district and the motto on the town's coat of arms is Mé do rug Cú Chulainn cróga (Irish) "I gave birth to brave Cú Chulainn".
The town developed brewing, distilling, tobacco, textile, and engineering industries during the nineteenth century. It became prosperous and its population grew as it became an important manufacturing and trading centre—both as a hub on the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) network and with its maritime link to Liverpool from the Port of Dundalk. It later suffered from high unemployment and urban decay after these industries closed or scaled back operations both in the aftermath of the Partition of Ireland in 1921 and following the accession of Ireland to the European Economic Community in 1973. New industries have been established in the early part of the 21st century, including pharmaceutical, technology, financial services, and specialist foods.
There is one third-level education institute—Dundalk Institute of Technology. The largest theatre in the town, An Táin Arts Centre, is in the Town Hall, and the restored buildings of the nearby former Dundalk Distillery house both the County Museum Dundalk and the Louth County Library. Sporting clubs include Dundalk Football Club (who play at Oriel Park), Dundalk Rugby Club, Dundalk Golf Club, and several clubs competing in Gaelic games. Dundalk Stadium is a horse and greyhound racing venue and is Ireland's only all-weather horse racing track.
Contents
History
The Dundalk area has been inhabited since at least 3500 BC, in the Neolithic period. A tangible reminder of their presence can still be seen in the form of the Proleek Dolmen, the eroded remains of a megalithic tomb located in the Ballymascanlon area to the north of Dundalk. Celtic culture arrived in Ireland around 500 BC. According to the legendary historical accounts, the group settled in North Louth were known as the Conaille Muirtheimne and took their name from Conaill Carnagh, legendary chief of the Red Branch Knights of Ulster. Their land now forms upper and lower Dundalk.
Dundalk had been originally developed as an unwalled Sráid Bhaile (meaning village; translates literally as "Street Townland"). The streets passed along a gravel ridge which runs from the present day Bridge Street in the North, through Church Street to Clanbrassil Street to Earl Street, and finally to Dublin Street.
In 1169 the Normans arrived in Ireland and set about conquering large areas. By 1185 a Norman nobleman named Bertram de Verdun erected a manor house at Castletown Mount and subsequently obtained the town's charter in 1189. Another Norman family, the De Courcys, led by John de Courcy, settled in the Seatown area of Dundalk, the "Nova Villa de Dundalke". Both families assisted in the fortification of the town, building walls and other fortification in the style of a Norman fortress. The town of Dundalk was developed as it lay close to an easy bridging point over the Castletown River and as a frontier town, the northern limit of The Pale. In 1236 Bertram's granddaughter, Rohesia commissioned Castle Roche to fortify the region, and to offer protection from the Irish territory of Ulster.
The town was sacked in 1315, during the Bruce campaign. After taking possession of the town Edward Bruce proclaimed himself King of Ireland and remained here for nearly a whole year before his army was totally defeated and himself slain after being attacked by John de Birmingham.
Dundalk had been under Royalist (Ormondist) control for centuries, until 1647 when it became occupied by The Northern Parliamentary Army of Colonel George Monck.
Historical population | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Pop. | ±% |
1821 | 9,256 | — |
1831 | 10,078 | +8.9% |
1841 | 10,782 | +7.0% |
1851 | 9,842 | −8.7% |
1861 | 10,360 | +5.3% |
1871 | 11,327 | +9.3% |
1881 | 11,913 | +5.2% |
1891 | 12,449 | +4.5% |
1901 | 13,076 | +5.0% |
1911 | 13,128 | +0.4% |
1926 | 13,996 | +6.6% |
1936 | 14,684 | +4.9% |
1946 | 18,562 | +26.4% |
1951 | 19,678 | +6.0% |
1956 | 21,687 | +10.2% |
1961 | 21,228 | −2.1% |
1966 | 21,678 | +2.1% |
1971 | 23,816 | +9.9% |
1981 | 29,135 | +22.3% |
1986 | 30,608 | +5.1% |
1991 | 30,061 | −1.8% |
1996 | 30,195 | +0.4% |
2002 | 32,505 | +7.7% |
2006 | 35,090 | +8.0% |
2011 | 37,816 | +7.8% |
2016 | 39,667 | +4.9% |
The modern town of Dundalk largely owes its form to Lord Limerick (James Hamilton, later 1st Earl of Clanbrassil) in the 17th century. He commissioned the construction of streets leading to the town centre; his ideas came from many visits to Europe. In addition to the demolition of the old walls and castles, he had new roads laid out eastwards of the principal streets. The most important of these new roads connected a newly laid down Market Square, which still survives, with a linen and cambric factory at its eastern end, adjacent to what was once an army cavalry and artillery barracks (now Aiken Barracks).
In the 19th century the town grew in importance and many industries were set up in the local area, including a large distillery. This development was helped considerably by the opening of railways, the expansion of the docks area or 'Quay' and the setting up of a board of commissioners to run the town.
The partition of Ireland in May 1921 turned Dundalk into a border town and the Dublin–Belfast main line into an international railway. The Irish Free State opened customs and immigration facilities at Dundalk to check goods and passengers crossing the border by train. The Irish Civil War of 1922–23 saw a number of confrontations in Dundalk. The local Fourth Northern Division of the Irish Republican Army under Frank Aiken, who took over Dundalk barracks after the British left, tried to stay neutral but 300 of them were detained by the National Army in August 1922. However, a raid on Dundalk Gaol freed Aiken and over 100 other anti-treaty prisoners; two weeks later he retook Dundalk barracks and captured its garrison before freeing the remaining republican prisoners there. Aiken did not try to hold the town, however, and before withdrawing he called for a truce in a meeting in the centre of Dundalk. The 49 Infantry Battalion and 58 Infantry Battalion of the National Army were based in Dundalk along with No.8 armoured locomotive and two fully armoured cars of their Railway Protection Corps.
For several decades after the end of the Civil War, Dundalk continued to function as a market town, a regional centre, and a centre of administration and manufacturing. Its position close to the border gave it considerable significance during the "Troubles" of Northern Ireland. Many people were sympathetic to the cause of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and Sinn Féin. It was in this period that Dundalk earned the nickname 'El Paso', after the Texan border town of the same name on the border with Mexico.
On 1 September 1973, the 27 Infantry Battalion of the Irish Army was established with its Headquarters in Dundalk barracks, renamed Aiken Barracks in 1986 in honour of Frank Aiken.
Dundalk suffered economically when Irish membership of the European Economic Community in the 1970s exposed local manufacturers to foreign competition that they were ill equipped to cope with. Today many international companies have factories in Dundalk, from food processing to high-tech computer components. Harp Lager, a beer produced by Diageo, is brewed in the Great Northern Brewery, Dundalk.
The Earls of Roden had property interests in Dundalk for over three centuries, and at an auction in July 2006 the 10th Earl sold his freehold of the town, including ground rents, mineral rights, manorial rights, the reversion of leases and the freehold of highways, common land, and the fair green. Included in the sale were many documents, such as a large 18th century estate map. The buyer was undisclosed.
Battles
- 248 - Battle fought at Faughart by Cormac Ulfada, High King of Ireland against Storno (Starno), king of Lochlin
- 732 - Battle fought at Faughart by Hugh Allain, king of Ireland against the Ulaid
- 851 – Battle at Dundalk Bay between the Fingall (Norwegian) and Dubhgall (Danish) Vikings takes place
- 877 - Gregory, King of Scotland took Dundalk en route to Dublin
- 1318 – Battle of Dundalk (Battle of Faughart) fought on 14 October 1318 between a Hiberno-Norman force led by John de Bermingham, 1st Earl of Louth and Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick and a Scots-Irish army commanded by Edward Bruce, brother of Robert Bruce, King of Scotland.
- 1483 - Traghbally-of-Dundalk plundered and burned by Hugh Oge ally of Con O'Donnell
- 1566 - O'Neill besieged the town with 4,000 footmen and 700 horsemen
- 1688 - Brothers Malcolm and Archibald MacNeill, officers of William III land in Dundalk and defeat the Celtic MacScanlons in the Battle of Ballymascanlon
- 1689 - Schomberg's English, Dutch and French army camped to the north of the town record 6,000 deaths due to fever, scurvy, and ague
- 1941 - On 24 July the town was bombed by the Luftwaffe with no casualties.
- 1971 - The Battle of Courtbane - on Sunday 29 August 1801 a British army patrol consisting of two armoured Ferret Scout cars crossed the Irish border into Co. Louth near the village of Courtbane close to Dundalk. When attempting to retreat back angry locals blocked their way and set one of the vehicles on fire. While this was happening an IRA unit arrived on the scene and after an exchange of gunfire a British soldier was killed and another one was wounded.
- 1975 - The Dundalk Christmas Bombing - on 19 December 1975 a car bomb killed 2 and injured 15
Coat of arms
A bend between six martlets forms the coat of arms. The bend and martlets are derived from the family of Thomas de Furnivall who obtained a large part of the land and property of Dundalk and district in about 1309 by marriage to Joan de Verdon daughter of Theobald de Verdon (an Anglo-Norman family). Three of these martlets, in reversed tinctures, form the arms of Dundalk FC. The ermine boar supporter is derived from the arms of the Ó hAnluain (O'Hanlon) family, Kings of Airthir.
Geography
Landscape
Situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay, the town is close to the border with Northern Ireland (3.5 km direct point-to-point aerial transit path border to border) and equidistant from Dublin and Belfast.
Climate
Similar to much of northwest Europe, Dundalk experiences a maritime climate, sheltered by the Cooley and Mourne Mountains to the North, and undulating hills to the West and South, the town experiences cool winters, mild summers, and a lack of temperature extremes.
Climate data for Dundalk (2013-2015 averages) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 14 (57) |
15 (59) |
16 (61) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
30 (86) |
29 (84) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
22 (72) |
17 (63) |
16 (61) |
30 (86) |
Average high °C (°F) | 12 (54) |
11 (52) |
12 (54) |
14 (57) |
17 (63) |
20 (68) |
23 (73) |
18 (64) |
17 (63) |
17 (63) |
12 (54) |
13 (55) |
15.5 (59.9) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.0 (42.8) |
6.0 (42.8) |
8.0 (46.4) |
11.0 (51.8) |
12.0 (53.6) |
16.0 (60.8) |
18.0 (64.4) |
15.0 (59.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
11.0 (51.8) |
8.0 (46.4) |
7.0 (44.6) |
11.2 (52.2) |
Average low °C (°F) | 0.0 (32.0) |
1.0 (33.8) |
3.0 (37.4) |
8.0 (46.4) |
11.0 (51.8) |
13.0 (55.4) |
14.0 (57.2) |
12.0 (53.6) |
13.0 (55.4) |
7.0 (44.6) |
4.0 (39.2) |
0.0 (32.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
Record low °C (°F) | −4.0 (24.8) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
2.0 (35.6) |
7.0 (44.6) |
7.0 (44.6) |
5.0 (41.0) |
7.0 (44.6) |
2.0 (35.6) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
Source: Dundalk ILOUTHDU4 Private Weather System, |
Demography
Dundalk is the eighth largest urban area in Ireland and the third largest town (behind Drogheda and Swords), with a population of 39,004 as of the 2016 census. Dundalk is the biggest town in Louth, however, because approximately 15% of the population of Drogheda is in County Meath. The population density of the census town of Dundalk was measured at 1,651 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,280/sq mi) in 2016.
Population statistics
Historical population | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Pop. | ±% |
1821 | 9,256 | — |
1831 | 10,078 | +8.9% |
1841 | 10,782 | +7.0% |
1851 | 9,842 | −8.7% |
1861 | 10,360 | +5.3% |
1871 | 11,327 | +9.3% |
1881 | 11,913 | +5.2% |
1891 | 12,449 | +4.5% |
1901 | 13,076 | +5.0% |
1911 | 13,128 | +0.4% |
1926 | 13,996 | +6.6% |
1936 | 14,684 | +4.9% |
1946 | 18,562 | +26.4% |
1951 | 19,678 | +6.0% |
1956 | 21,687 | +10.2% |
1961 | 21,228 | −2.1% |
1966 | 21,678 | +2.1% |
1971 | 23,816 | +9.9% |
1981 | 29,135 | +22.3% |
1986 | 30,695 | +5.4% |
1991 | 30,061 | −2.1% |
1996 | 30,195 | +0.4% |
2002 | 32,505 | +7.7% |
2006 | 35,090 | +8.0% |
2011 | 37,816 | +7.8% |
2016 | 39,004 | +3.1% |
- Population by place of birth
Location | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|
Ireland | 28,095 | 29,114 | 29,430 |
UK | 3,488 | 3,839 | 3,791 |
Poland | 252 | 555 | 602 |
Lithuania | 421 | 633 | 657 |
Rest of EU | 692 | 1,119 | 1,508 |
Rest of World | 1,804 | 2,269 | 2,652 |
- Population by ethnic or cultural background
Ethnicity or culture | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|
White Irish | 29,840 | 30,645 | 29,872 |
White Irish Traveller | 325 | 441 | 535 |
Other White | 1,802 | 2,987 | 3,572 |
Black or Black Irish | 1,276 | 1,669 | 1,785 |
Asian or Asian Irish | 372 | 687 | 988 |
Other | 380 | 389 | 682 |
Not stated | 757 | 711 | 1,206 |
- Population by religion
Religion | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|
Roman Catholic | 30,677 | 31,790 | 30,187 |
Other stated religions | 2,472 | 3,350 | 4,248 |
No religion | 1,158 | 1,971 | 3,331 |
Not stated | 778 | 705 | 1,238 |
- Population by principal economic status
Economic status | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|
At work | 14,301 | 12,875 | 14,312 |
Looking for first regular job | 424 | 412 | 463 |
Unemployed | 1,892 | 4,238 | 3,308 |
Student | 2,985 | 3,747 | 3,842 |
Looking after home / family | 3,036 | 2,634 | 2,453 |
Retired | 3,204 | 3,903 | 4,332 |
Unable to work | 1,483 | 1,536 | 1,552 |
Other | 95 | 121 | 112 |
Language
The first language of the majority of 'white Irish' residents of Dundalk is English (a.k.a. Hiberno-English). Approximately 4% of the population speak the Irish language on a daily basis outside of the education system. The Omeath area in Cooley, within the municipal district, was a small Gaeltacht area, with the last speaker of a 'Louth Irish' dialect dying in 1960.
Places of interest
Places of interest in North Louth within 15 km of Dundalk.
Place | Description | Location | Image |
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County Museum Dundalk | The county museum documenting the history of County Louth. | 54°0′16.79″N 6°23′49.75″W / 54.0046639°N 6.3971528°W | |
St. Patrick's Church | The site was acquired in 1834 with the building completed in 1847, but was in use from 1842. | 54°0′13.94″N 6°23′56.8″W / 54.0038722°N 6.399111°W | |
St. Nicholas' Church (Roman Catholic) | The site was levelled and the foundations cleared out in February 1859, dedication of the Church was in August 1860. Contains a shrine to the local born St. Bridget. | 54°0′35.03″N 6°24′9.1″W / 54.0097306°N 6.402528°W | |
St Joseph's Redemptorist Church | The community of Redemptorists, or missionary priests, settled here in 1876. Contains a relic of St. Gerard Majella. | 54°0′15.2″N 6°23′21.8″W / 54.004222°N 6.389389°W | |
Parish Church of Saint Nicholas (Anglican Church of Ireland) | Known locally as the Green Church due to its green copper spire. Contains epitaph erected to the memory of Scotland's National Bard, Robert Burns and whose sister Agnes Burns/Galt and her husband William Galt who built Stephenstown Pond are buried here. | 54°0′30.53″N 6°24′5.81″W / 54.0084806°N 6.4016139°W | |
Priory of St Malachy, Dominican chapel | The 'Carlingford Dominicans' official foundation in Dundalk was in 1777 | 54°0′1.69″N 6°24′31.09″W / 54.0004694°N 6.4086361°W | |
Saint Brigid's Shrine | 54°3′11.3″N 6°23′53.24″W / 54.053139°N 6.3981222°W | ||
St Brigid's Well | Holy Well dedicated to St. Brigid | 54°3′6.09″N 6°23′2.06″W / 54.0516917°N 6.3839056°W | |
St Bridget's Church, Kilcurry | Holds a relic of St Bridget - a fragment of her skull was brought here in 1905 by Sister Mary Agnes of the Dundalk Convent of Mercy | 54°2′33.57″N 6°25′31.99″W / 54.0426583°N 6.4255528°W | |
Castle Roche | Norman castle, the seat of the De Verdun family, who built the castle in 1236 AD. | 54°2′47″N 6°29′18″W / 54.04639°N 6.48833°W | |
Proleek Dolmen | One of the finest examples of its kind in Ireland | 54°2′13.86″N 6°20′53.75″W / 54.0371833°N 6.3482639°W | |
Proleek Wedge Tomb | 54°2′12.84″N 6°20′49.88″W / 54.0369000°N 6.3471889°W | ||
Franciscan friary | Founded 1246 | 54°0′22.51″N 6°23′37.92″W / 54.0062528°N 6.3938667°W | |
Windmill Tower | An eight-storey windmill-tower, built around 1800. | 54°0′21.14″N 6°23′21.22″W / 54.0058722°N 6.3892278°W | |
Our Lady's Well / Ladywell | Pattern takes place here on 15 August, during the feast of the assumption. | 53°59′36.91″N 6°24′8.23″W / 53.9935861°N 6.4022861°W | |
Cloghafarmore (Cuchulains / Cú Chulainn Stone) | Standing stone on which Cú Chulainn tied himself to after his battle with Lugaid in order to die on his feet, facing his enemies. | 53°58′28″N 6°27′58″W / 53.974484°N 6.465991°W | |
Dromiskin Round Tower & High Crosses | Founded by a disciple of St Patrick, Lughaidh (unknown - 515AD) | 53°55′19.24″N 6°23′53.55″W / 53.9220111°N 6.3982083°W | |
Cú Chulainn Castle / Dun Dealgan Castle / Castletown Motte / Byrne's Folly | Built in the late 11th century by Bertram de Verdun, a later addition was the castellated house known as 'Byrne's Folly' built in 1780 by a local pirate named Patrick Byrne. | 54°0′49.77″N 6°25′48.82″W / 54.0138250°N 6.4302278°W | |
Magic Hill | A place where the layout of the surrounding land produces the optical illusion that a very slight downhill slope appears to be an uphill slope. Thus, a car left out of gear will appear to be rolling uphill against gravity. | 54°1′19.6″N 6°17′31.86″W / 54.022111°N 6.2921833°W | |
Long Woman's Grave or "The Cairn of Cauthleen" | The grave of a Spanish noble woman, Cauthleen, who married Lorcan O’Hanlon, the youngest son of the "Cean" or Chieftain of Omeath. Her grave is known as the "Lug Bhan Fada" (long woman’s hollow). | 54°3′40.63″N 6°16′28.85″W / 54.0612861°N 6.2746806°W | |
Rockmarshall Court Tomb | 14 metres long cairn. | 54°0′33″N 6°17′5″W / 54.00917°N 6.28472°W | |
Dunmahon Castle | Ruins of four storeys tower-house with vault over ground floor. In 1659 it was the residence of Henry Townley. | 53°57′27.48″N 6°25′19.4″W / 53.9576333°N 6.422056°W | |
Haynestown castle | 3-storey square tower house with corner turrets | 53°57′36.47″N 6°24′40.85″W / 53.9601306°N 6.4113472°W | |
Milltown Castle | 15th century Norman keep about 55 feet high built by the Gernon family. | 53°55′58.77″N 6°25′34.23″W / 53.9329917°N 6.4261750°W | |
Knockabbey Castle and Gardens | Originally built in 1399, the historical water gardens originally date from the 11th century. | 53°55′47.61″N 6°35′7.01″W / 53.9298917°N 6.5852806°W | |
Louth Hall Castle | Ruins originally built in the 14th century in gothic design, it was later extended in the 18th and 19th century in Georgian design. Home of the Plunkett family, Lords of Louth | 53°54′44.01″N 6°33′11.56″W / 53.9122250°N 6.5532111°W | |
Roodstown Castle | Dates from the 15th century, features two turrets. | 53°52′20.11″N 6°29′12.07″W / 53.8722528°N 6.4866861°W | |
Aghnaskeagh Cairn and Portal Tomb | 54°3′40.59″N 6°21′28.6″W / 54.0612750°N 6.357944°W | ||
Faughart Round Tower | Remains of a monastery founded by St Moninna in the 5th century. | 54°3′6.11″N 6°23′4.18″W / 54.0516972°N 6.3844944°W | |
Grave of Edward Bruce | Proclaimed High King of Ireland before he was killed in the battle of Faughart in 1318 | 54°3′6.11″N 6°23′4.18″W / 54.0516972°N 6.3844944°W | |
Faughart Motte | 54°3′8.07″N 6°23′9.67″W / 54.0522417°N 6.3860194°W | ||
Kilwirra Church, Templetown | St Mary's Church at Templetown, associated with the Knights Templar founded in 1118 by Hugh de Payens. | 53°59′10.33″N 6°9′18.51″W / 53.9862028°N 6.1551417°W | |
Lady Well, Templetown | 53°59′14.74″N 6°9′10.79″W / 53.9874278°N 6.1529972°W | ||
Ardee Castle | The largest fortified medieval Tower House in Ireland or Britain, founded by Roger de Peppard in 1207, the current building was built in the 15th century by John St. Ledger. James II used it as his headquarters for a month prior to the Battle of the Boyne. | 53°51′18.43″N 6°32′19.7″W / 53.8551194°N 6.538806°W | |
Hatch's Castle, Ardee | Medieval Tower House | 53°51′24.99″N 6°32′22.22″W / 53.8569417°N 6.5395056°W | |
Kildemock Church 'The Jumping Church' | 14th century Church built on the site of the Church of Deomog (Cill Deomog), under the control of the Knights Templar until 1540. | 53°50′8.96″N 6°31′14.28″W / 53.8358222°N 6.5206333°W | |
St Mary's Priory | Augustinian Priory stands on the site where St Mochta established a monastery in 528 CE. | 53°57′11.68″N 6°32′38.97″W / 53.9532444°N 6.5441583°W | |
St Mochta's House | 12th Century Church/Oratory. | 53°57′12.33″N 6°32′43.36″W / 53.9534250°N 6.5453778°W | |
St James' Well | 54°1′11.03″N 6°8′38.83″W / 54.0197306°N 6.1441194°W | ||
Liberties of Carlingford | Medieval Head Carving | 54°2′31.47″N 6°11′13.81″W / 54.0420750°N 6.1871694°W | |
The Mint of Carlingford | Mint established in 1467 | 54°2′25.06″N 6°11′11.02″W / 54.0402944°N 6.1863944°W | |
Tallanstown Motte | 53°55′15.12″N 6°32′59.53″W / 53.9208667°N 6.5498694°W | ||
Dominican Priory of Carlingford | Founded by Richard de Burgh in 1305 | 54°2′17.33″N 6°11′4.13″W / 54.0381472°N 6.1844806°W | |
King John's Castle (Carlingford) | Commissioned by Hugh de Lacy before 1186, the castle owes its name to King John (Richard the Lionheart's brother) who visited Carlingford in 1210. | 54°2′35.7″N 6°11′12.3″W / 54.043250°N 6.186750°W | |
Carlingford Lough | A glacial fjord that forms part of the border between Northern Ireland to the north and Ireland to the south. On its northern shore is County Down and on its southern shore is County Louth. At its extreme interior angle (the northwest corner) it is fed by the Newry River and the Newry Canal. | 54°2′35.7″N 6°11′12.3″W / 54.043250°N 6.186750°W | |
Ravensdale Forest, Ravensdale, County Louth | 54°03′08″N 6°20′23″W / 54.05222°N 6.33972°W |
Arts and festivals
Dundalk has two photography clubs – Dundalk Photographic Society and the Tain Photographic Club. In 2010 Dundalk Photographic Society won the FIAP Photography Club World Cup.
Dundalk has a vibrant music environment.
- The Fr. McNally Chamber Orchestra created in April 2010. It is a string chamber orchestra made of violins, violas, double basses and cellos and has 29 members.
- The Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland (CBOI) which is one of Ireland's primary youth orchestras. It is based in the Dundalk Institute of Technology and maintains a membership of 160 young musicians between the ages of 12 and 24 years. The CBOI was established in 1995 shortly after the implementation of the Peace Process and is recognised internationally and one of Ireland's flagship peace initiatives. The CBOI tours regularly to Europe and America and has sold out such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, New York and Chicago Symphony Hall.
- The Clermont Chorale. It was formed in 2003 and has 30 members, drawn from all parts of County Louth. Its repertoire includes music from the 17th to the 21st century, across many styles and genres.
- Dundalk School of Music. Created in February 2010, it aims to provide education in music for all age groups in many disciplines.
- Historic Dundalk Gaol is the home of The Oriel Centre – a regional centre for Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann. The Oriel Centre Dundalk Gaol. opened in Oct 2010 and focuses on the promotion of Traditional Irish music, song dance and the Irish language.
TransportShippingDundalk Port is a cargo import and export facility. There is no passenger traffic. Shipping services to Liverpool were provided from 1837 by the Dundalk Steam Packet Company. It took over its rivals to become the Dundalk and Newry Steam Packet Company, which shipped cargo, live animals and passengers. It was forced to go into liquidation and allow itself to be taken over by B&I in 1926 following a series of strikes. B&I maintained the Dundalk to Liverpool route as a weekly service until 1968. RailwayDundalk is the first station on the southern side of the border along the Belfast–Dublin line. The first railway links arrived when the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway opened a line from Quay Street to Castleblayney in 1849, and by 1860 the company operated a route northwest to Derry. The line to Quay Street was extended to Newry and Greenore by the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway, owned by the London and North Western Railway, who operated a hotel in Greenore and from where a ferry service operated to Holyhead. It was opened between Greenore and Dundalk in 1873, and extended to Newry in 1876. Also in 1849, the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway opened its first station in Dundalk. Following a series of mergers, both the Dublin and Belfast and Dundalk and Enniskillen lines were incorporated into the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) in 1876. After partition, the G.N.R. had a border running through its network, with lines crisscrossing it several times, and the Northern Ireland government wanted to close many of the lines in favour of bus transport. By the 1950s, the G.N.R. company had ceased to be profitable and Dundalk saw its secondary routes closed—first the line to Greenore and Newry in 1951, and then the line to Derry in 1957. The G.N.R. was nationalised on both sides of the border in 1953, and the company was finally dissolved in 1958. The closure of the G.N.R. left Dundalk with only one operational line—the Dublin–Belfast "Enterprise" service (as well as Commuter services to and from Dublin). The G.N.R. built the current Dundalk railway station in 1894. It was renamed Clarke Station in 1966, in commemoration of Tom Clarke, one of the executed leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916. It houses a small museum in the old first-class waiting room, and has been called, "the finest station on the main Dublin–Belfast line". It was used as a filming location for the Walt Disney Pictures film, Disenchanted in May 2021. BusDundalk's Bus Station is operated by Bus Éireann and is located on the Long Walk near the town centre. The company runs a town service—Route 174. The company also operates routes from Dundalk to Dublin, Galway, Newry, Clones, Cavan, and towns in between. The Dundalk-Blackrock route was one of very few bus routes not compulsorily purchased by CIÉ under the Transport Acts of 1932 and 1933. It has been operated by Halpenny Travel since 1920. RoadThe M1–N1/A1 connects Dundalk to Dublin and Belfast. Exits 16, 17, and 18 service Dundalk South, Dundalk Centre and Dundalk North, respectively. The National Secondary Road N52 from Nenagh, County Tipperary travels through the junction for Exit 16 on the M1, runs through the east side of the town, and terminates at the junction for Exit 18 of the M1. The N53 from Castleblayney, County Monaghan, which crosses the border twice, terminates at the junction for Exit 17 on the M1. The R173, which starts and finishes at the junction for Exit 18 of the M1, connects the town to the Cooley peninsula. The R171 connects the town to Ardee, the R177 and A29 connect the town to Armagh, and the R178 connects the town to Virginia, County Cavan via Carrickmacross, Shercock, and Bailieborough. Twinning / sister citiesDundalk is twinned with the following places:
NamesakesWorld towns named after Dundalk:
Areas: Roads:
EconomyIndustryLinen was the first industry established in Dundalk in the mid 18th century, but the cambric and damask businesses had failed by the end of the century, with the factories becoming derelict. It would be the next century before new industries established themselves: mills, tanneries, a foundry, a distillery, and breweries. During James Hamilton's improvements to the town during the 18th century, the Port of Dundalk was established and became the eighth largest in Ireland in terms of exports. The latter half of the nineteenth century saw the population of Dundalk increase by 30% (despite the population of Ireland as a whole dropping in the same period) as the town's industries thrived prior to the partition of Ireland. The Malcolm Brown & Co. Dundalk Distillery was established c.1780 at Roden Place and operated successfully throughout the 19th century. Brewing was also a key industry in the town, with eight breweries in operation by the end of the 1830s. The famine of the 1840s left just two breweries in operation, which merged to become the Macardle Moore & Co. brewery at Cambricville. The Great Northern Brewery opened later, in 1896. The Dundalk Iron Works was established in 1821 and by the end of the century had expanded to become a leading employer in the town under the ownership of A.E. Manisty. The P.J. Carroll tobacco factory, started on a small scale in the 1820s, grew throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) works established in 1881 became the "backbone of the town". The town's industries suffered after partition and again from the Anglo-Irish trade war. The imposition of tariffs and duties in April 1923 and the establishment of customs checks on the border affected exports and trade with the Newry district, which was now in a different jurisdiction. The distillery, which the Distillers Company of Scotland had acquired in 1912, was the first major Dundalk industry to close. It reopened temporarily, before it was closed permanently in 1926. The Dundalk Iron Works, also known as A.E. Manisty & Co., went into liquidation in 1928. Protectionism gave the town's industries breathing space, and by 1950 they had recovered from the effects of partition and the trade war. The two breweries were successful, the Dundalk Linen Company was expanding for the first time in decades, and there were 1,800 people working in shoe manufacturing in three factories—Rawson's, Halliday's and Connolly's. 2,000 jobs were by this point dependant on the railway works and 500 jobs were dependent on the Carroll's tobacco factory. The town was also a thriving commercial centre, as the increase in bus traffic brought shoppers in from a wide radius. This was a peak period, however. The Northern Ireland government's decision to close many of the G.N.R. lines north of the border made the company nonviable, and it was dissolved in 1958. With it went the works in Dundalk. It was replaced by Dundalk Engineering Works Ltd (DEW)—a government-backed initiative to keep the 980 remaining workers in employment. Against that backdrop, Clarks, who had formed a partnership with Halliday's and would take full control of the company in 1971, demanded in 1959 that the town's Athletic Grounds be sold to them for a new factory, or they would pull out of the town altogether. Afraid of the potential loss of 900 jobs, the council agreed to the sale, over considerable opposition. Carroll's also continued to expand and modernise, opening a new factory on the Dublin Road in 1970, which was designed by Ronnie Tallon of Michael Scott & Partners, which subsequently won architectural awards for its design. As late as 1969, the town was still in a position to boast of its industrial prowess, with the engineering companies at the DEW prospering. The pressures of trade liberalisation introduced by Ireland's accession to the EEC in 1973 caused many of them to falter during the 1970s and 1980s. The most at-risk industry proved to be shoe manufacturing. Rawson's had already gone into liquidation in 1967 after the factory was destroyed by fire, with the loss of 500 jobs. Lower-cost imports made the Clark's factory unprofitable and after years of cutbacks it closed in 1985 with the loss of the remaining 370 jobs. Also closing permanently in 1985 was the Weyenberg Shoe Company factory, which had opened in 1969 and hired many ex-Rawson workers but had never reached full productivity. Only the smallest of the manufacturers—Connolly's, re-branded as Blackthorn—managed to stay in business by specialising its products. It eventually closed in 2001. 1985 proved to be the nadir, also seeing the closure of the Engineering Works. By this stage unemployment in the town had reached 26%, and would reach 27.9% by 1991. Pleas to government for assistance were unsuccessful. The town was slow to benefit from the Celtic Tiger economy that saw an economic boom in Ireland from the mid-1990s and seemed to stagnate with more closures and job losses. In addition to the surviving breweries and Carroll's, the ECCO (Electronics Components Company Overseas) factory opened by General Electric in 1966 had become the town's leading employer in the 1970s, employing around 1,500 people at its peak with many thousands more working in companies providing goods and services to it. It, too, succumbed to competition and following a long period of decline, closed in 2006. Diageo decided to close both of the town's breweries—Cambricville in 2001, then the Great Northern in 2013 after a decade-long wind down. Also after a long decline, the Carroll's factory closed in 2005. By 2012, the town was being painted as one of Ireland's "most deprived areas" after the global downturn following the Financial crisis of 2007–2008. Indigenous industry started to recover, with the Great Northern Brewery being reopened as 'the Great Northern Distillery' in 2015 by John Teeling, who had established the Cooley Distillery. Locally-driven initiatives led to a flurry of Foreign Direct Investment announcements in the latter half of the 2010s, particularly in the technology and pharmaceutical sectors. TourismHistorically, the border region has not seen the same level of tourism as Dublin or the Atlantic coast regions of Ireland, which was primarily the result of the Troubles and an associated lack of marketing. This began to change in the mid-1990s because of the start of the Northern Ireland peace process, and the increase in government investment in tourism made possible by the 'Celtic Tiger' period of economic expansion. The area has since seen a growth in visitor numbers, with 172,000 foreign and 179,000 domestic visitors to Louth recorded in 2017. The Dundalk / North Louth region is marketed as part of the 'Ireland's Ancient East' campaign. The 'ancient east' encompasses Ireland's coast from the border with Northern Ireland at Carlingford Lough to Kinsale in County Cork; inland as far as the River Shannon. In contrast to the Wild Atlantic Way, which focuses on landscape, the 'Ireland's Ancient East' campaign is more focused on history and heritage. Louth is marketed as the 'Land of Legends', a campaign which also refers to a "rich and ancient history and heritage" and seeks to increase the number of visitors to the region "by capitalising on Co Louth's unique location within Ireland's Ancient East, as the hub for the Boyne Valley and the Cooley, Mourne and Gullion Regions". SportDundalk Football Club is a professional association football club. The club competes in the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top tier of Irish football. The club was founded in 1903 as Dundalk G.N.R., the works-team of the Great Northern Railway. They were a junior club until they joined the Leinster Senior League in 1922–23. They were then elected to the Free State League (which later became the League of Ireland) in 1926–27. The club has played at Oriel Park since moving from its original home at the Dundalk Athletic Grounds in 1936. Gaelic football clubs in the town include Dundalk Gaels GFC, Seán O'Mahony's GFC, Clan na Gael, Na Piarsaigh, Dowdallshill and Dundalk Young Irelands. Young Irelands (representing Louth) contested the first All-Ireland football final in 1888, losing to the Commercials club, representing Limerick. The two hurling clubs in the town are Knockbridge GAA and Naomh Moninne H.C., who are the leading club in Louth with 22 county titles as of 2020. A founding member of Naomh Moninne, Father Pól Mac Sheáin, introduced the All-Ireland Poc Fada Championship in 1960. Dundalk R.F.C. is an amateur Irish Rugby football club who compete in Division 1A of the Leinster League. The club first formed in 1877 and became founder members of the Provincial Towns Union, which then merged into what became the Northern Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. They moved to their present home ground at Mill Road in 1967. The Dundalk Racecourse was reopened as Dundalk Stadium in 2007 and now holds both horse racing and greyhound racing meetings. It is Ireland's first all-weather horse racing track. The stadium also hosts the Dundalk International greyhound race. Golf was first played in Dundalk when a nine-hole course was laid out at Deer Park in 1893. The Dundalk Golf Club was founded in December 1904 at Deer Park, then moved to its present location in Blackrock in 1922. The current layout was designed by Peter Alliss and completed in 1980. The Ballymascanlon Hotel also has a parkland course. Greenore Golf Club (which is within the municipal district) was opened in October 1896 by the London and North Western Railway company, who owned a hotel in Greenore and the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway. The members bought the club when the railway company closed the line and pulled out of Ireland. The modern course layout was designed by Eddie Hackett. Dundalk has several game angling waters including the Dee, Glyde, Fane, Ballymascanlan and Castletown rivers. All of these rivers flow into the Irish sea at Dundalk Bay. These rivers contain good stocks of wild brown trout as well as salmon and sea trout. There is a Salmon Anglers Association and a Brown Trout Anglers Association. Sea Angling is available in several locations in the wider Municipal District and there is also a Sea Angling Club. The Dundalk Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club was established in 1913. It is located at the Ramparts in the town centre. The club has nine tennis courts, two Olympic-standard badminton courts and two squash courts. A Dundalk and District Snooker League has been active since the 1940s. It was re-branded as the Dundalk Snooker League in 2010 and plays in the Commercial Club in the town centre. The amateur boxing club, Dealgan ABC, was founded in 1938. The current Dundalk Cricket Club was established in 2009. They play in Hiney Park, the former Dundalk F.C. training ground. There are several athletics clubs, including St. Gerards A.C., St. Peter's A.C, Dun Dealgan A.C. and Blackrock A.C., and a triathlon club (Setanta Triathlon Club). Cuchulainn Cycling Club was formed in 1935. The Louth Mavericks American Football Club is based in Dundalk and was established in 2012. They play in AFI Division 1, train at DKIT, and play their matches at Dundalk Rugby Club. EducationPrimary schoolsPrimary schools in Dundalk include some Irish language-medium schools (Gaelscoileanna) like Gaelscoil Dhún Dealgan. There are approximately 20 English-medium national schools in the area, the largest of which include Muire na nGael National School (also known as Bay Estate National School) and Saint Joseph's National School, which (as of early 2020) had an enrollment of over 670 and 570 pupils respectively. Secondary schoolsSecondary schools in the town include Coláiste Lú (an Irish medium secondary school or Gaelcholáiste), De la Salle College, Dundalk Grammar School, St. Mary's College (also known as the Marist), O'Fiaich College, Coláiste Rís, St. Vincent's Secondary School, St. Louis Secondary School, and Coláiste Chú Chulainn. Tertiary educationDundalk Institute of Technology (abbreviated to DkIT) is the focal point for higher education and research on the Belfast-Dublin corridor, serving the North Leinster, South Ulster region. It was established in 1970 as the Regional Technical College, offering primarily technician and apprenticeship courses. The Ó Fiaich Institute of Further Education also offers further education courses. Images for kids
See alsoIn Spanish: Dundalk para niños |