Athboy Heritage Trail / Cosán Oidhreachta Átha Buí
At the Yellow Ford / Ag an Áth Buí
The town of Athboy began sometime during the sixth century A.D. as a settlement at the river crossing known as the Yellow Ford. The importance of the crossing meant that an established road network converging on the Yellow Ford had existed from early times. The town developed along these roadways. The earliest inhabitants of Athboy were Druids who had settlements at the nearby Hill of Ward.
Tógadh Baile Átha Buí san áit a théití trasna na h-abhainn am éigin sa 6ú h-aois AD. Bhí tábhacht leis an áth seo mar go raibh córas bóithre ag díriú ar Áth Buí ar feadh na cianta roimhe sin. Is ar na bóithre sin a d’fhás an baile. Is iad na draoithe a raibh cónaí orthu ar dtús timpeall Átha Buí agus bhí siad lonnaithe ar Chnoc Thlachta in aice láimhe.
In 1180 the Anglo-Norman invasion reached Athboy. As part of their plan to capture key towns and fortify them with a wall and castle, the Normans walled a square extending from the river to the Roman Catholic Church, and from Scarlet Park to the backs of the houses on the northwest side of Main Street. Athboy was granted a charter in 1497 by Henry VII of England, and was by 1500 the most westerly stronghold of the Pale.
Shríoch ionróirí na Normannaigh Áth Buí sa bhliain 1180 . Ba chuid de phlean na Normannaigh caisleán agus ballaí móra a thógáil timpeall ar bhailte thábhachtacha. Thóg na Normannaigh ballaí cearnógacha ón abhainn chomh fada leis an t-séipéal agus ó Pháirc ‘Scarlet’ go dtí chúil na dtithe atá ar thaobh iarthuaisceart an phríomh sráid. Bhronn Rí Shasana, Anraí VII cairt ar an mbaile sa bhliain 1497 agus faoin bhliain 1500 ba é an daingean is faide siar é de chuid an Pháile.
During the 1641 Rebellion, the town was captured by Eoghan Rua O'Neill. With Cromwell and the collapse of the Rebellion, much of the land ownership passed to adventurers from England. John Bligh, a Londoner, acquired large estates in the Athboy area. The head of the Bligh Family was named Earl of Darnley in 1725.
Le linn éirí amach 1641, thóg Eoghan Rua Uí Néill seilbh ar an mbaile. Le linn aimsir Chromail agus teipe an éirí amach, d’aistrigh úinéireacht formhór na dtailte mór thimpeall do eachtránaithe Shasanacha. D’éirigh le John Bligh as Londain seilbh a fháil ar thailte go leor i gceantar Átha Buí. Tugadh an teideal Iarla Darnley ar cheann clainne muintir Bligh sa bhliain 1725.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Darnley Family planned and carried out the development of the town, giving it the form which prevails today. It wasn¹t until 1909, after the Wyndham Act of 1903 had finally broken the power of the landlords, that Francis Walter, Earl of Darnley, auctioned the town of Athboy. The Darnley estate office, now The Old Darnley Lodge Hotel, was finally closed in 1948.
Is iad muintir Darnley a dhearadh an baile mar atá inniu agus a chur forbairt an bhaile i gcrích san ochtó agus san naoi chéad déag. I 1903, bhris Acht Wyndham cumhacht na dtiarnaí talúin sa deireadh agus sa bhliain 1909, chuir Francis Walter, Iarla Darnley, Baile Átha Buí ar ceant. Dúnadh oifig an eastáit, an Old Darnley Lodge Hotel mar atá anois, sa bhliain 1948.
Take a few minutes to travel the Athboy heritage trail and experience some of the history and rich tradition which make the people at the Yellow Ford proud of their past and present, and confident in their future.
Siúil leat ar chosáin oidhreachta Átha Buí go bhfeicfidh tú cuid den stair agus traidisiúin shaibhir atá ag muintir an bhaile seo atá suite ar mhachairí méithe na Mí.
1. St James R.C. / Séipéal Naomh Shéamais
Church Completed in 1845 at the time of the great famine, the building was constructed under the direction of Rev. Fr. Rickard, P.P., whose remains are interred in the church. Within the grounds stands a statue of Fr. Eugene O¹Growney, one of the founders of the Gaelic League. He had a major influence in arresting the decline of the Irish language. The statue was executed by Seamus de Paor and was unveiled by the then President of Ireland, Sean O¹Kelly, in 1956.
Críochnaíodh an t-séipéal sa bhliain 1845 ag tús an ghorta mhóir. Tógadh é faoi stiúir an t-Athair Rickard, S.P, atá curtha i gclós an t-séipéil. Tá dealbh den Athair Uí Ghramhnaigh, duine de bhunaitheoirí Conradh na Gaeilge ar thalamh an tséipéil chomh maith. Ba mhór a thábhacht maidir le cur chun cinn na teanga Gaeilge de ag an am. Séamus De Paor a rinneadh an dealbh agus Uachtarán na hÉireann, Seán T. Ó Ceallaigh a nochtadh sa bhliain 1956.
2. The Old Darnley Lodge Hotel / Óstán Sean Lóiste Darnley
This was the estate office for the Darnley Family who owned the town of Athboy and surrounding land from 1770. The family had an enormous influence on the development of Athboy until the power of the landlords was finally weakened by the Wyndham Act of 1903. They eventually sold the town in 1909.
Is é Oifig eastáit mhuintir Darnley arbh leo Baile Átha Buí agus na tailte mórthimpeall ón bhliain 1770 a bhí anseo. Bhí tionchar mhór ag an gclann seo ar fhorbairt Átha Buí nó gur briseadh Acht Wyndam cumhacht na dtiarnaí talún sa bhliain 1903. Sa deireadh dhíoladar an bhaile sa bhliain 1909.
3. The Church of Ireland Grounds / Tailte Eaglais na hÉireann
The church was erected in 1772. The tower, from a previous church built by the Carmelites, was incorporated into the building and still stands. The house which was the residence of the church sexton is now the town library. Part of the old wall of Athboy can be seen at the end of the cemetery this was built by the Normans in the 11th century to protect the settlement.
Tógadh an séipéal seo sa bhliain 1772. Baineann an túr le séipéal de chuid na Cairmilítigh a bhí ann roimhe sin agus atá fós ina sheasamh mar chuid den séipéal nua. Tá an leabharlann anois sa teach a mbíodh ag Sexton an tséipéil. Tá roinnt de shean bhallaí Átha Buí a thóg na Normannaigh san aonú chéad déag chun an baile a chosaint le feiceáil fós ag bun na reilige.
4. The Metal Footbridge / An Droichead Coise Miotal
This footbridge crosses the Yellow Ford the river from which Athboy derives its name. It was at this point that the original street of Athboy crossed the river leading to the Fair Green and the Hill of Ward (Tlachtga), an ancient Druidic settlement.
Trasnaíonn an droichead seo Abhainn an Átha Buí. Is ag an bpointe seo a thrasnaigh an chéad sráid a bhí in Áth Buí, é ag dul i dtreo Faiche an Aonaigh agus Tlachta, sean áitreabh na nDraoithe.
5. The Engine House of the Railway Station / Teach an Innill
These fine stone buildings were part of the railway line which served Athboy for nearly one hundred years. Opened in 1864, the line ran from Athboy to Dublin. It was officially closed in 1957. The Midland and Great Western locomotives were particularly known for their very distinctive livery they were painted emerald green with vermillion colored nameplates. The station suffered severe damage from a bomb blast during the Civil War in 1923.
Baineann na foirgnimh breátha seo leis an t-seirbhís iarnróid a d’fhreastal ar Áth Buí ar feadh beagnach céad bliain. D'oscail an líne a chuaigh idir Bhaile Átha Cliath agus Áth Buí sa bhliain 1864. Dúnadh é go h-oifigiúil sa bhliain 1957. B’fhurasta na h-innill traenach de chuid an Midland and Great Western a aithint de bharr an libhré suntasach a raibh dath smaragaid-glas orthu agus an t-ainmchlár a raibh dath flanndhearga air. Tharla go leor damáiste don stáisiúin nuair a phléasc buama ann le linn cogadh na gcarad sa bhliain 1923.
6. The Fair Green / Faiche an Aonaigh
This is probably the oldest habitation site in Athboy. Situated close to the Druidic settlement of Tlachgta (the Hill of Ward), it is here that the inhabitants held their sports and contests. The green was donated to the people of Athboy by Lord Darnley in 1909. It was used as a site for the monthly cattle fairs until these were discontinued in 1955. The green was developed as a public park in 1999.
Ceaptar gurbh é seo an láithreán cónaí is sine in Áth Buí. Tá an fhaiche suite gar do chnoc Thlachta, áit a mbíodh teampall na nDraoithe tráth. Ar an bhfaiche a mbíodh spórtanna agus comórtasaíocht ag muintir na háite. Bhronn an Tiarna Darnley an fhaiche ar mhuintir Átha Buí i 1909. Is ann a bhíodh aonaigh mhíosúil na mba go dtí gur tháinig deireadh leo sa bhliain 1999.
7. The Mall
It was here that soup was distributed to victims of the famine. The soup was prepared in a huge pot which could be wheeled over the fire. To the rear of the Mall are the Athboy lodge stables and yard. These were owned by the Dyas family who also owned Mannifesto, the first horse to win the Aintree Grand National twice.
Anseo a tugadh an ‘soup’ déirce do na daoine bochta aimsir an ghorta mhóir. Réitíodh an soup i bpota mór millteach a rolladh isteach os cionn na tine. Ar chúl an mall tá stáblaí agus clós Lóiste Átha Buí. Ba le muintir Dyas an áit seo agus ba leo an capall Manifesto chomh maith , an chéad capall a bhuaigh Grand National Aintree.
8. The Bridge / An Droichead
It was the erection of this bridge around 1400 which created the present line of the town. The river beneath the bridge was diverted to accommodate the operation of the water wheel for the nearby corn mill.
Is de bharr tógáil an droichid timpeall an bhliain 1400 a chruthaíodh treo an bhaile mar atá inniu. Cuireadh sruth na habhainn ar áth threo ar mhaithe le roth a thógáil don mhuileann in aice láimhe.
9. The Macra Hall / Halla Macra na Feirme
Formerly the courthouse, Macra Hall was built in 1863 as part of a complex occupied by the R.I.C. (Royal Irish Constabulary). This comprised of a barracks (now the Bank of Ireland) and a jail. Meath County Council purchased the building and used it as a courthouse until it was sold again in 1964. The Hall was then thoroughly renovated and has since become a centre of youth activity in the area.
Teach na cúirte a bhíodh anseo agus tógadh é sa bhliain 1863 mar chuid de bheairic an RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary). Bhí an bheairic agus an phríosúin san áit a bhfuil Banc na hÉireann anois . Cheannaigh Comhairle Contae na Mí an fhoirgneamh agus baineadh úsáid as mar theach cúirte nó gur díoladh é sa bhliain 1964. Tá an halla ar fad athchóirithe ó shin agus is ionad gníomhach d’óige an cheantar anois é.
10. Athboy School / Scoil Átha Buí
This fine stone building dating from 1885 was the primary school in the area until it was closed in 1949. It was then purchased by the Mercy Order who operated a secondary school there for another 13 years.
Bhíodh an bhunscoil sa bhfoirgneamh bhreá chloch seo. Tógadh é sa bhliain 1885 agus dúnadh é sa bhliain 1949. Cheannaigh Ord na Trócaire an uair sin é agus bhí meánscoil acu ann ar feadh 13 bliain i ndiaidh sin.
11. The Market House -Mc Elhinneys Bridal Boutique
Teach an Mhargaidh – Búitíc Mhic Giolla Chainnigh
This was formerly the market house where farm produce was bought and sold for many years. The weekly market was held on Thursdays and had an official weigher for the weighing of grain, potatoes and vegetables. In season, wool would have also been bought and sold here.
Teach an mhargaidh a bhíodh anseo, áit a mbíodh torthaí na bhfeirmeacha mórthimpeall ar díol ar feadh na mblianta. Is ar an Déardaoin a bhíodh an margadh go traidisiúnta agus bhíodh duine oifigiúil i mbun meá an ghráin, prátaí agus glasraí. Cheannaítí agus dhíoltaí olann na gcaorach go séasúrach anseo chomh maith.
12. The Remains of Athboy Castle / Fothracha Chaisleáin Átha Buí
Beneath this house lie the ruins of Athboy Castle. The castle, built in 1180 by the Normans, guarded the approach to the town from the west. The lane to the side of the house is the original street of Athboy which ran at right angles to present-day Main Street.
Thíos faoin teach seo atá fothracha Chaisleáin Átha Buí. Thóg na Normannaigh an chaisleán a thug cosaint d’iarthair an bhaile sa bhliain 1180. Bhí an lána atá ar thaoibh an chaisleáin mar phríomh sráid an bhaile tráth, agus bhí sé ar a mhalairt de threo le h-ais an Phríomh sráid atá anois ann.
13. The Waxies Dargle
This was once an inn known as The Ludwidge Arms. It was a coaching inn with stable accommodations where horses were changed on the Dublin/Connaught run which ran via Killeshandra. Descendants of the Ludwidge family still live in the locality.
Thugtaí an Ludwidge Arms ar an tábhairne seo fadó. Teach tábhairne le stáblaí do choistí a bhí ann, áit ar athraíodh na capaill ar an tslí ó Bhaile Átha Cliath go Chonnacht. Théadh an bóthar seo tríd Cill na Seanratha. Tá cónaí ar shliocht Ludwidge fós sa gceantar.
Bach / Siar
Comité de Jumelage
Coiste Nascadh Bailte
Athboy Twinning Association