Inniskeen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Inishkeen Inis Caoin
Village
Inniskeen village centre
Inniskeen Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Ulster
County	County Monaghan
Elevation	57 m (187 ft)
Population  (2016)	273
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-1 (IST (WEST))

Inniskeen, officially Inishkeen (which means "peaceful island" in Irish), is a small village in County Monaghan, Ireland. It is very close to the borders of County Louth and County Armagh. The village is about 17 kilometers (11 miles) from Dundalk. It is also 11 kilometers (7 miles) from Carrickmacross and 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Crossmaglen.

History of Inniskeen

Inniskeen has been home to people since ancient times. This includes the late Neolithic (Stone Age) and Early Bronze Age. Archaeologists have found ancient rock carvings, called Petroglyphs, in nearby areas. These carvings date back to about 3000 BC. They show special patterns like circles and rings.

Archaeologists have studied these sites. They found items from the Stone Age all the way to early Christian times. This included ancient cooking places known as Fulachta Fiadh. Unlike places like Newgrange, these carvings are on natural rock, not on built monuments. A Bronze Age burial site was also found in Inniskeen.

Early Settlements and Monasteries

A monastery was started here in the 6th century by Saint Daigh MacCarell. Sadly, it was burned in 789. Vikings plundered it in 948, and it was burned again in 1166. Today, only the bottom part of its round tower remains.

In this area, many hilltops have hill forts. These forts and their underground tunnels, called souterrains, are from the late Iron Age or early Christian period. The local area was once part of the McMahon Clann territory.

Norman Arrival and Later Times

When the Normans arrived in the 13th century, they built a motte-and-bailey. This was a type of castle with a mound (motte) and a walled courtyard (bailey). The motte can still be seen today.

Later, the Augustinian monks built a new monastery here. A part of its wall still stands next to the graveyard. In the late 1500s, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, was given the land of Farney, which included Inniskeen. This land was later sold to the people living there in the 1880s.

In 1806, the first record of Hurling and Gaelic football in Inniskeen was made. Monaghan beat Louth in a match that is still remembered in an Irish poem.

Railway History

The Inniskeen railway station opened on April 1, 1851. It was part of the line from Dundalk to Enniskillen. It also connected to a line for Carrickmacross. The station stopped taking passengers in 1957 and closed completely in 1960.

Patrick Kavanagh Centre

The Patrick Kavanagh Centre celebrates the famous Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh. The Centre has exhibits that tell the story of Kavanagh's life and the history of the local area. It is located in what used to be St Mary's Roman Catholic church. This church was built in 1820. It stopped being used as a church in 1974 when a new one was built.

Patrick Kavanagh was baptized here as a baby. He went to Mass regularly and was an altar boy in this church when he was young. St Mary's Church is even mentioned in his books, like Tarry Flynn and The Green Fool.

Patrick Kavanagh is buried in the churchyard next to the Centre. His wife, Katherine Moloney Kavanagh, and his siblings, Peter, Anne, and Mary, are also buried there.

Kavanagh was born in Inniskeen in 1904. He is known as one of Ireland's greatest poets. The Centre honors his life, his writings, and his lasting impact. His poems often talk about universal ideas like love, beauty, nature, and God. These themes are timeless and continue to inspire readers of all ages.

Transport

Getting around Inniskeen is easy with local bus services. In July 2023, a new bus route, 171, started. It goes from Shercock to Dundalk, stopping in Carrickmacross and Inniskeen. This route uses an electric bus. Bus Éireann also has route 166, which connects the village to Dundalk and Carrickmacross.

Sports Clubs

Inniskeen has a strong tradition of sports, especially GAA games.

Inniskeen Grattans GAC

The local Gaelic Athletic Association club is called the Inniskeen Grattans. It was actually founded in 1883, even before the GAA itself started in 1884! Their team colors are red and green. In 2008, the club opened a new stadium.

The Inniskeen Grattans won the first County Championship in August 1888. They then played the Cavan champions in the first Ulster final. They won the replay, becoming the first-ever Ulster Senior Football champions. The club also won the Senior Championship Final in 1905, 1938, 1947, and 1948.

In 2005, they won the Monaghan and Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championships. In 2006, Inniskeen won the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship. They beat Caherlistrane GAC at Croke Park, which is a very big achievement!

Inniskeen Pitch & Putt

Inniskeen also has an 18-hole Pitch & Putt club. It is located right by the River Fane.

People from Inniskeen

Many interesting people have come from Inniskeen:

• Oliver Callan (born 1980) is a well-known satirist and comedian. He is famous for his show Callan's Kicks on RTÉ Radio 1.
• Patrick Kavanagh (1904–1967) was one of Ireland's most important poets of the 20th century. He was born and grew up in Inniskeen and is buried in the local graveyard.
• Peter Kavanagh (1916–2006) was Patrick's brother. He was a writer, scholar, and publisher. He helped collect and publish Patrick Kavanagh's works. He is also buried in Inniskeen graveyard.
• Heber MacMahon (1600–1650) was a Catholic Bishop. He was also a commander of the Catholic forces during a time of conflict in Ireland.
• William P. Quinn (1900–1978) was the first Commissioner of the Garda Síochána (Ireland's police force) to start as an ordinary officer and work his way up to the top job in 1965.

Images for kids

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  Round Tower, Inniskeen

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  Norman Motte, Candlefort, Inniskeen