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Castlebridge

Coordinates:52°23′00″N6°27′00″W/ 52.3833°N 6.45°W/52.3833; -6.45
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For the bridge in Warwick, England, seeCastle Bridge.

Castlebridge
Droichead an Chaisleáin
Town
Ardcolm Church of Ireland church in Castlebridge
Ardcolm Church of Ireland church in Castlebridge
Castlebridge is located in Ireland
Castlebridge
Castlebridge
Location in Ireland
Coordinates:52°23′00″N6°27′00″W/ 52.3833°N 6.45°W/52.3833; -6.45
CountryIreland
ProvinceLeinster
CountyCounty Wexford
Elevation
3 m (10 ft)
Population
(2016)[1]
1,840
Time zoneUTC+0(WET)
• Summer (DST)UTC-1(IST(WEST))
Irish Grid ReferenceT054269

Castlebridge(Irish:Droichead an Chaisleáin)[2]is a small town on theR741regional roadinCounty Wexford,Ireland,around 5 km north ofWexford Town.It is located near theRiver Slaneyand just north ofWexford Harbour.Castlebridge is a rapidly expanding suburb ofWexford Town;its population has almost tripled in 20 years, increasing from 783 in 1996 to a population of 1,840 in 2016.[1][3]

History[edit]

The namesake castle, that originally stood in the town, was dismantled to build buildings such as theChurch of Irelandchurch, which is one of the oldest buildings in Castlebridge. The river that flows through Castlebridge is, contrary to popular belief, actually a canal that replaced the original river. It was dug out by hand to allow sailing cots that loaded up in the various docks of Castlebridge to get to Wexford Town more quickly.[citation needed]

Fr James Dixon,the first Catholic priest permitted to minister in Australia, was born in Castlebridge in 1758.[4]

Guinness Book of Records[edit]

Castlebridge is the founding place of theGuinness Book of World Records.[5]On 10 November 1951,Sir Hugh Beaver,then the managing director of theGuinnessBreweries, went on a shooting party in theNorth Slob,by theRiver Slaneyin County Wexford, Ireland. He became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, thegolden ploveror thered grouse(the former being correct).[6]That evening at Castlebridge House, he realised that it was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird.[7][8]Beaver knew that there must be numerous other questions debated nightly in pubs throughout Ireland, but there was no book in the world with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove popular.[9]

In 2019,Diageoand the Pattison Group, who own the rights to the Guinness Book of Records, were described as being "really taken" with Castlebridge House, which has been left derelict, with feasibility studies now in operation by Wexford County Council amid interest by Diageo and the Pattison Group to assess the damage and plan for its eventual restoration, which, in collaboration with Diageo and the Pattison Group, is hoped to become a tourist attraction for the home of the Guinness Book of Records.[10]This was further emphasised by the commencement of the first annualCastlebridge Record Makers Family Fun Festivalin 2019, with exhibits on the history of the book and its importance to Castlebridge.[11]

Public transport[edit]

Wexford Bus operate an hourly service, route 877 "The Bridge Loop", to/fromWexfordsince February 2019 Mondays to Saturdays inclusive.[12]Bus Éireannroute 379 (Wexford-GoreyviaKilmuckridgeandCourtown) serves Castlebridge on Mondays and Saturdays whereas route 380 (Wexford-Crossabeg-Wexford) serves Castlebridge on Fridays.[13][14]

Sport[edit]

The centre of Castlebridge contains a 60x30 foot handball alley. The handball club has produced a number of county and Irish champions and members have competed at World Championships in theUnited States.[citation needed]Nearby, opposite the Old School (now Castlebridge Community Centre), is the local soccer club, Bridge Rovers FC.[citation needed]

Patrick Breen,who lived in Castlebridge but was originally fromBannowin the south of the county, was the first Wexford person to becomePresident of the Gaelic Athletic Associationfrom 1924 until 1926. He was one of only two Wexford people who headed theGaelic Athletic Association.[15]He also founded theIrish Handball Counciland the past pupils union ofSt. Peters College.He is buried in Castlebridge cemetery.[citation needed]

Community[edit]

Brick production in Castlebridge

Community groups situated in the area include the Castlebridge Gospel Choir, which was founded in 2003. Local businesses include the Porter House, which was named 'Pub of the Year' in 2017,[16]which has since closed down, several fast food restaurants, a local Londis supermarket, a furniture shop, antiques store andpost office.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toCastlebridge.
  1. ^ab"Sapmap Area - Settlements - Castlebridge-Blackwater".Census 2016.Central Statistics Office. April 2016.Retrieved22 March2020.
  2. ^"Droichead an Chaisleáin/Castlebridge".Placenames Database of Ireland(logainm.ie).Retrieved19 October2021.
  3. ^"Castlebridge-Blackwater (Ireland) Census Town".City Population.Retrieved22 March2020.
  4. ^Parsons, Vivienne (1966)."Dixon, James (1758–1840)".Australian Dictionary of Biography.Retrieved9 October2021.
  5. ^"The History of the Book".Guinness Record Book Collecting.Archivedfrom the original on 25 February 2012.Retrieved4 May2020.
  6. ^Fionn Davenport (2010).Ireland.Lonely Planet. p. 193.ISBN9781742203508.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2016.Retrieved4 May2020.
  7. ^"Early history of Guinness World Records".2005. p. 2. Archived fromthe originalon 1 July 2007.
  8. ^Cavendish, Richard (August 2005). "Publication of the Guinness Book of Records: 27 August 1955".History Today.55.
  9. ^Guinness World Records 2005.Guinness; 50th Anniversary edition. 2004. p. 6.ISBN1892051222.
  10. ^"Record Book makers interested in Castlebridge House".2019.
  11. ^"Festival for the record books".2019.
  12. ^"Route 877 timetables: The Bridge Loop".wexfordbus.com.Retrieved22 March2020.
  13. ^"Timetable - Route 379"(PDF).buseireann.ie.Retrieved22 March2020.
  14. ^"Timetable - Route 380"(PDF).buseireann.ie.Retrieved22 March2020.
  15. ^"History - GAA Presidents".gaa.ie.Gaelic Athletic Association.Retrieved22 March2020.
  16. ^"The Porter House, Castlebridge Co Wexford is Ireland's Pub of the Year".irishpubawards.ie.11 November 2017.Retrieved22 March2020.
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