| Charleville Ráth Luirc |
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WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
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| Irish Grid Reference R530230 |
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| Province: | Munster | |
| County: | County Cork | |
| Population () | ||
Charleville or Ráth Luirc (Ráth Luirc or An Ráth in Irish) is a town in north County Cork, Republic of Ireland, situated in Ireland's Golden Vale, near the border with County Limerick. It is the second largest town between Limerick and Cork (Mallow is the largest), and is located on the N20 road between them. The Roman Catholic parish of Charleville is situated in the Diocese of Cloyne. Significant industries in the town include Kerry Co-Op and the booming construction and services sector.
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History
Charleville was founded in the 17th century by Roger Boyle, Earl of Broghill and first Earl of Orrery. The name 'Charleville' name comes from 'Charles Town' showing the town's 17th century foundation. It was so named to impress the King of England. The Irish version 'Ráth Luirc' was given official recognition in the 1920s by the Irish Free State. However, this name is rarely used; and perhaps with good reason, for it was the name 'An Ráth', and not 'Ráth Luirc', that was used by the last native Irish speakers. During the Penal Laws, practising the Catholic faith was illegal. As a result, the parish of Charleville was amalgamated with the parishes Bruree and Colmanswell, both in the Diocese of Limerick. In 1704, Fr. Daniel Mac Namara of Bruree was registered as the Catholic priest for this very large pastoral area. The fact that Catholics had now to attend Mass secretly meant that the old chapel in Holy Cross cemetery was abandoned. The remains of this church - now overgrown with ivy - are still to be seen in the centre of the above graveyard. Indeed, like so many other pre-1700 churches, the old church of Holy Cross literally became part of the surrounding graveyard, in that several gravestones, both marked and unmarked, are to be found within the building itself. Upon one such gravestone is a Latin epithaph to none other than Seán Clárach Mac Domhnaill(1691-1754), who was, in his time, the Chief Poet of Munster, as well as a native of Charleville.
Transport
The Irish railway network also connects to Cork Tralee and Dublin, with the Cork–Dublin line running by. Formerly there was a junction at Charleville, for trains running directly from Limerick via Croom (see Irish railway history). Charleville railway station opened on 19 March 1849 and was closed for goods traffic travelling to Newtownshandrum on 6 September 1976.[1]
Education
See also
- List of towns in the Republic of Ireland
- Market Houses in the Republic of Ireland
- Charleville (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
External links
Website: Charleville
References
- ^ Charleville station. Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
'From Bruree to Corcomohide' by Mainchín Seoighe.
