Killorglin

Killorglin (Irish: Cill Orglan, meaning "Orgla's Church") is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. It is situated on the Ring of Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way.

Killorglin

Cill Orglan
Town
Killorglin Town
Killorglin
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 52°06′23″N 9°47′06″W
CountryIreland
ProvinceMunster
CountyCounty Kerry
Population
 (2016)[1]
2,199
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid ReferenceV774965

As of the 2016 CSO census, the town's population was 2,199.[1] Killorglin is within the Reeks District tourist area, which is known for its outdoor activities, mountains walks and water sports. The town hall was built with the help of Andrew Carnegie.[2] Fexco, a financial services company, was founded and is headquartered in Killorglin. In addition, the pharmaceutical firms Temmler and Astellas have small plants in the town. The town contains the ruins of Castle Conway.

The annual Puck Fair festival takes place in Killorglin over several days each August, and ends with the crowning and parading of a "king" wild goat.

Lower Bridge Street

History

Ballykissane 1916

Located on Ballykissane Pier is a monument to commemorate the loss of life of several Volunteers. In 1916, in the days before the Easter Rising, their car plunged into the sea while they were on the way to Cahirciveen in order to set up radio communications with Sir Roger Casement and the German arms ship masquerading as the Aud.

On Good Friday 21 April 1916, a number of men set off from Dublin by train to Killarney. They were to travel by car to Cahirciveen in order to seize control of the wireless station on Valentia Island. Thomas McInerney, who drove the car carrying the men, become lost just outside Killorglin, and turned onto the road which led to the quay. The front wheels of the car initially went over the unprotected edge of the quay, and the car became unbalanced and fell into the River Laune with its four passengers on board. A disoriented McInerney escaped the car and swam to shore. The other three occupants of the car were, however, trapped in the vehicle and drowned.[3]

Festivals

K-FEST

Founded in 2013, K-FEST is a festival of culture, music and the arts. It includes spoken word events, children's workshops presents, and other activities and shows the work of artists in disused buildings in Killorglin town.[4] The Screaming Pope Prize, a prize named after the colloquial name for a Francis Bacon painting, was founded in 2014 and is run in association with K-FEST.[5]

Flavour of Killorglin

Established in 2012, the Flavour of Killorglin seeks to celebrate the "culinary delights" of Killorglin and the surrounding area, It runs in the middle of September each year, and involves local restaurants and food merchants displaying their produce in outdoor street stalls. Other events at the annual festival include canoeing and angling on the Laune to zumba and salsa on Library Place.

Biddy's Day

The Biddy is honoured every year in the mid-Kerry region, with Biddy groups visiting rural and public houses. They carry a Brídeóg with them to ensure evil spirits are kept away for the coming year. The Biddy's origin is lost in time, but the modern celebration has a mixture of heritage borrowed from both Christianity (St Bridgid) and ancient Celtic traditions (Imbolg). Imbolg is one of the four Celtic festivals along with Lá Bealtaine, Lughnasa and Samhain. In 2017 a festival was launched to celebrate the existing Biddy tradition. The annual festival includes a torchlight parade of Biddys through Killorglin town and the King of the Biddy's contest. Traditionally, a visit from the Biddy guaranteed good luck, fertility, prosperity and to not receive a visit was considered a terrible sleight.[6] In 2019 the Mid Kerry Biddy was one of thirty unique practices of Irish "living cultural heritage" that was given official recognition by the state.[7]

St. Patrick's Day

The annual St. Patrick's Day parade typically takes place on 17 March, and outdoor activities and music is arranged for free by community volunteers.

Culture

Arts
King Puck Statue

Killorglin is known for the large bronze King Puck statue on the edge of town as you cross the town bridge to enter Killorglin. The striking statue was commissioned by the Killorglin Millennium Committee and designed by Valentia Island Sculptor Alan Ryan Hall. The King Puck Statue and Puck Garden was completed in 2001 and official unveiled by Killorglin Lord Mayor Paudie Cronin and the Killorglin Millennium Committee.

In 2011, The Puck Poet plaques were added to the Puck Garden to show respect to just some of the writers, poets and poems that have been written about Killorglin. The poets include Edso Crowley, Sigerson Clifford, Peter Joy and Johnny Patterson.

The town has a number of large murals by street artists including Pawel Wrobelski, Lorraine McDonnell, Dan leo and Solus.

Literature

A number of books of local and national interest have been written about Killorglin and by Killorglin natives:

  • "Things My Mother Never Told Me" by Blake Morrison (Vintage 2003 ISBN 0-09-944072-5) tells the story of the author's mother who was from Killorglin who emigrated to England.
  • "Cast A Laune Shadow" released in the 1997 by local historian Patrick (Pa) Houlihan (1918-2010) explores the rich history of the town in story.
  • "Puck Fair" by Pa's eldest son Michael Houlihan, about the famed festival that takes place in the town each August.
  • "St. James and Fr.Tom" written and compiled by Terence Houlihan and Billy Browne explains the funding, construction and historical relevance of the large Catholic Church in the town centre, St. James's Church built by Fr. Tom Lawlor.
  • "The Civil War in Kerry" by local historian Tom Doyle. Details the part Kerry and Killorglin had to play in the Irish Civil War in the 1920s.
  • "The Man With No Libido" written by Jason Browne. Award-winning graphic novel released in 2011.
  • "Puck Poets" compiled and edited by Conor Browne. Released in 2015. A collection spanning three centuries of poetry, songs and images about and by Killorglin natives.

Film

The father of Hollywood actor Ed Begley (1901–1970) was born in Laharn, Killorglin. The culmination of Begley's work was a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role of Boss Finley in Tennessee Williams's Sweet Bird of Youth (1962).

The Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film-nominated short film The Shoe, directed by Dublin filmmaker Nick Kelly, was shot on Killorglin's iconic Iron Bridge. The short film starred Irish actor Peter Coonan, best known for playing Fran in RTÉ One series Love/Hate (2010–2014).

The Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film-nominated the stop-motion film Head Over Heels (2012) which was produced by Cromane film maker Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly. Cronin O'Reilly attended secondary school in The Intermediate School Killorglin.

As of 2015, Áine Moriarty from Killorglin is head of IFTA (Irish Film and Television Awards).

Killorglin actor Muiris Crowley starred in the IFTA-winning film Pilgrim Hill (2013). Directed by fellow Kerryman Gerard Barrett.

Music

Both Killorglin and Puck Fair feature in a number of traditional Irish ballads and songs, including Bridget Donohue written by Johnny Patterson, King Puck by Christy Moore, and Wildflower of the Laune by Peter Joy.

An annual pantomime is produced each January. It has been directed for the past 50 years by local actor Declan Mangan.

Killorglin host a number of live music venues, including the BarN, Bunkers Bar, Kingstons Beer Garden and Sol Y Sombra.

In January 2017, a video of patrons of Falveys Bar celebrating the life of Ger Foley went viral on social media site Reddit.[8]

Food and drink

Some of the town's restaurants and cafes serve traditional Irish cuisine or seafood and fish dishes sourced locally from the River Laune or nearby fishing village Cromane. There are also a number of national artisan food merchants that sell locally produced foods, including fresh fish, meats, fruit and vegetables, eggs and artisan cheeses and bread.

Sport

Gaelic Football

Laune Rangers is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club. Former All Ireland Club Football Champions beating Eire Óg in 1996. Managed by John Evans.

Golf

Killorglin Golf course situated just 3 km outside the town has an 18 hole parkland. Founded in 1992, the course was designed by Irish golf architect Eddie Hackett. the club were Jimmy Bruen All Ireland Champions 2013.

Rugby

Killorglin Rugby Club[9] under 16 team won the West Munster Trophy in 2006 and went forward to compete in the final of the Munster Championship, which they lost. In 2008 the Under 18 squad won the West Munster Trophy against Tralee R.F.C.

Soccer

Killorglin AFC is a local association football club.. Former players include Shane McLoughlin, who went on to play with Ipswich Town F.C.[10][11] and AFC Wimbledon. He has also played with the Republic of Ireland U16 and U18 teams.

Rowing

Killorglin Rowing Club (KRC) was founded in the early 1990s, situated on the banks of the river Laune. The river being the venue for water based training when the tides are right. A new boat house was completed in 2004, and the facilities are used for land-based training when it is not possible to train on the river. KRC is affiliated to Rowing Ireland. Killorglin-trained rower Monika Dukarska represents Ireland in rowing in the Women's Double Scull category.

Cappanalea, Outdoor Activities

Killorglin is the home of Cappanalea Outdoor Education Centre, which is run under the auspices of Kerry Education Service since 1981. Activities include: kayaking, rock climbing, camping, canoeing, hill walking, orienteering, sailing, mountaineering, sea kayaking and abseiling.

Mountaineering

Killorglin is only 15 mins car drive from the base of Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain and only 40 mins from Mount Brandon, Ireland's 2nd highest mountain.

Business and industry

Employers in the area include the financial services and financial technology company FEXCO, which was founded and headquartered in Killorglin since 1981. It also acts as the operations centre for the Prize Bond Company.

Pharmaceutical companies in the area include Astellas and Temmler. A 100m wind turbine was erected at the Astellas Plant on the Tralee Road in 2012 and has become a local landmark [12]

Killorglin Chamber Alliance was founded in 2015.

People

References
  1. "Census 2016 - Sapmap Area - Settlements -Killorglin". Census 2016. Central Statistics Office. April 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  2. Statement by Thomas O'Donnell (MP), The Irish People, February 13. 1909, included in a report on Tower Model Village (County Cork)
  3. "Killorglin during the 1916 Rising". Archived from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  4. "kfest2015". kfest2015. Retrieved 2015-09-23.
  5. http://www.screamingpopeprize.com
  6. "Home". Biddy's Day. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  7. "Mid-Kerry Biddy tradition gets official state recognition". The Kerryman. Independent News & Media. 27 July 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  8. "reddit: the front page of the internet". www.reddit.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  9. "Killorglin Rugby Football Club". Archived from the original on 2010-05-15. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
  10. http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/22947/new-zealander-and-irishman-to-join-academy-ranks
  11. "PRO DEALS FOR TOWN SIX - News - Ipswich Town". itfc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  12. "100m wind turbine plan for Killorglin town - Independent.ie". kerryman.ie. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  13. "The Kerry Magazine" (PDF) (23). The Kerry Archaeological & Historical Society. 2013: 50. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. "20 years on - Mike Frank Russell looks back on the most memorable day in his career". the42.ie. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  15. "From wild card to trump card: How Liam Hassett is shaking up the Kerry dressing room". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
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