Irishtown, County Mayo

Irishtown (Irish: Baile Gaelach) is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the southern county border with County Galway about halfway between Claremorris and Tuam on the R328 regional road. Irishtown is in the Civil Parish of Crossboyne, Barony of Clanmorris and the Catholic Diocese of Tuam. It is sometimes referred to as 'The Cradle of the Land League' due to its connections with the founding of the Irish National Land League.[1]

Irishtown

Baile Gaelach
Village
Main street of Irishtown
Irishtown
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°39′46″N 08°53′20″W
CountryIreland
ProvinceConnacht
CountyCounty Mayo
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-1 (IST (WEST))

Land League

Local tenant farmers were threatened with eviction from their holdings on the estate of the local parish priest, Canon Geoffrey Burke, and in response a meeting took place on 20 April 1879 that brought about a reversal of the potential evictions as well as a 20 percent reduction in rent. The meeting was the genesis of what would later that year become the Land League.[2]

Amenities and sport

There are several facilities situated in the village, including the national school (first founded in 1897), community centre, church, corner shop, one pub, playground and playing fields, the former being renovated in 2010.

Gaelic football is the predominant sport in the area. In 1973, Irishtown and its neighbouring village, Ballindine, amalgamated to form Davitt's G.A.A. club. Davitt's have won a number of underage titles, including three consecutive Under-21 Mayo County titles in 1983, 1984 and 1985. The club has also won two Mayo Intermediate titles in 1981 and 2011, and were crowned Connacht Intermediate Champions in 2011.

See also
  • James Daly (1838–1911), activist known for work with the Irish National Land League.

References
  1. "Irishtown, Crossboyne Civil Parish". irelandgenweb.com. 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  2. Berresford Ellis, Peter (2007). Eyewitness to Irish History. John Wiley and Sons. p. 191. ISBN 0-470-05312-7.


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