Kiltimagh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kiltimagh Irish: Coillte Mach Kiltamagh
Town
Main street
Kiltimagh Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Connacht
County	County Mayo
Elevation	68 m (223 ft)
Population	1,232
Time zone	UTC±0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (IST)
Eircode routing key	F12
Telephone area code	+353(0)94
Irish Grid Reference	M342893

Kiltimagh (Irish: Coillte Mach) is a small town in County Mayo, Ireland. In 2022, about 1,232 people lived there. Even though no river flows right through the town, three rivers run nearby: the Glore River, Yellow River, and Pollagh River. The town center is built on top of a hill, near an old fort called The High Fort.

History of Kiltimagh

The name Kiltimagh comes from the Irish language words Coillte Maghach, which means "the woods of Maghach". Maghach was a famous leader from a group of ancient people called the Fir Bolg. Over time, the name changed to Kiltimagh.

Kiltimagh is part of an area called the barony of Gallen.

Early Times

In the 1600s, the Ormsby family, who came from England, were given the lands around Kiltimagh. Before them, the land was mostly owned by the Anglo-Norman Jordan family.

18th Century Buildings

One of the first big modern buildings in the area was Ballinamore House. It was built around 1777 for Thomas Ormsby. The Ormsby family owned the house until 1936. Today, this old house is used as a nursing home.

Growing as a Town

From the late 1800s, Kiltimagh started to grow into a busy market town. Many important buildings were built around this time. These included the Hibernian Bank (1904), Kiltimagh hospital (1919), and parts of the St Louis convent and chapel (1896-1915). Famous architects, William Henry Byrne and his son Ralph Henry Byrne, designed these buildings.

Geography of Kiltimagh

Slieve Carn Hill

Slieve Carn (Irish: Sliabh Cairn) is a hill that is about 262 meters (860 feet) tall. It is just outside Kiltimagh. People once thought there might be coal on this hill, and there are also signs of iron in some places.

Bill Berry Cliff

There is a deep cliff that runs through Slieve Carn hill. Local farmers have measured it to be about 100 meters (328 feet) deep! A small stream, which is part of the Pollagh River, starts at the top of the hill and flows through this cliff, creating three beautiful waterfalls.

Getting Around Kiltimagh

Train Station History

Kiltimagh railway station first opened on October 1, 1895. It closed many years later on June 17, 1963. While some people hope the train service might return, the old station is now a fun place to visit. It is home to the Kiltimagh Museum and a sculpture park, where you can learn about local history and see cool art.

In June 2023, a new activity called "Velorail" started at the station. Visitors can pedal special carts along 7 kilometers (about 4.3 miles) of the old train tracks for a unique experience!

Bus Services

As of 2023, you can catch a Bus Éireann bus (route 421) from Kiltimagh to Claremorris several times a day, Monday to Friday. There is also a Local Link bus (route 795) that goes to and from Ballyhaunis on Thursdays.

Sports in Kiltimagh

Kiltimagh is home to several sports teams.

• Kiltimagh GAA (in Irish CLG Coillte Mach) is a Gaelic football club. They play their games at Gilmartin Park.
• Kiltimagh Knock United FC is a soccer team that plays in the Mayo Super League. Their home ground is CMS Park.
• Mayo Volleyball Club won the Division Two championship in 2017. They play their home games at Saint Louis Community School.
• Kiltimagh Handball Club is a local handball club.
• Kiltimagh Giants Basketball Club is a basketball team that started in 2002.

Festivals and Events

Kiltimagh has many fun festivals throughout the year:

• The annual Kiltimagh Choral Festival happens in February.
• The week-long Saint Patrick's Festival and parade is held in March.
• Féile Oíche Shamhna Coillte Mach is a Halloween festival. It includes a spooky walk at the sculpture park!
• The Coillte Home Come Festival started again in 2016. It is based on an older festival from the 1960s. This festival aims to bring people from Kiltimagh who live far away back home for a visit. It includes a fair and other activities.
• The Kiltimagh Drama One Act Festival is an annual event held over three nights in November.

Education in Kiltimagh

Kiltimagh has two local Catholic primary schools: Saint Aidan's National School in Thomas Street and Craggagh National School, which is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) outside town. The local secondary school for older students is Saint Louis Community School. It used to be a Catholic convent school.

"Culchie" Word Origin

The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that the word "culchie" might come from Kiltimagh. "Culchie" is a term sometimes used for a person from the countryside, especially someone not from Dublin city. The word might be a changed version of Kiltimagh's Irish name, Coillte Mach. Other ideas suggest it comes from the Irish word coillte, which means "woods" or "forests".

Famous People from Kiltimagh

Many interesting people have connections to Kiltimagh:

• Sean Lavan: An Irish sprinter who competed in the Olympics in 1924 and 1928.
• William Philbin: A Roman Catholic bishop who served in important roles from 1953 to 1982.
• Antoine Ó Raifteiri (Anthony Raftery): A famous blind Irish-language poet.
• Micheál Schlingermann: A former goalkeeper for Sligo Rovers soccer team, who also played for the local Gaelic football team.
• Gene Tunney: A champion Irish-American boxer whose parents, John and Mary Lydon Tunney, were from Kiltimagh.
• Louis Walsh: A well-known pop music manager and judge on the TV show The X Factor.
• Thomas Flatley: A successful real estate developer and generous giver to charities.

See also

In Spanish: Kiltimagh para niños