Courtown
Courtown
Baile na Cúirte | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Courtown centre | |
  Courtown Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:52°38′42″N6°13′44″W/ 52.645°N 6.229°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Wexford |
| Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 4,365 |
| (Urban area as defined by the 2022 census) | |
| Irish Grid Reference | T196562 |
Courtown(Irish:Baile na Cúirte,meaning 'homestead of the court') is a village inCounty Wexford,Ireland. It was developed afterLord Courtownordered the construction of a harbour during the Famine years, 1839–1846. The economic boost of the new harbour led to a small village developing with fishing being the primary economy of the village.
Courtown lies on theR742regional road,around 6 km south-east ofGorey.It is situated on theIrish Seacoast and with the recent development during theCeltic Tiger years,has merged into the adjoining village ofRiverchapel.[2]As a result, population has trebled from 2006, reaching 4,365 in 2022.[1]
Development and amenities[edit]
The name Courtown originally applied to a townland in North Wexford, 4 kilometres east of Gorey town. The townland was home to the seat of Lord Courtown during the 18th and 19th centuries. Courtown House was demolished in 1962. The remains of his private church and cemetery can still be seen in the townland. Today it is home to Courtown Golf Club and Kiltennel Church.
In the late 20th and early 21st century, significanturbanisationhas taken place, especially in Riverchapel, just south of Courtown Harbour. Largehousing estatesare now home tocommutersworking inDublin.While the population of Courtown is somewhat smaller, the census combines the area of Courtown, Riverchapel and Ardamine. As of the 2006 census the population of this area was 1,421,[3]and had grown to 4,365 by the time of the2022 census.[1]
Courtown is home to 'The Dinky Take-Away', serving the "best chips in Ireland", as voted onMarty Whelan'smorning show on the2FMradio station. Courtown also has a confectionary shop, ice-cream shop, and hair salons.
The town featurescrazy golf,amusement rides,ten-pin bowling,agolf course,as well as abeachandforest park.Courtown is also home to a Class DRNLIinshorelifeboat.
Seal Rescue Ireland(SRI), a charity organisation that works to rescue, rehabilitate and release sick or injured seals, is based in Courtown.[4]
Transport[edit]
There is a bus once a day (except on Sundays) to and fromGorey,departing in the morning and returning in the afternoon. On Mondays and SaturdaysBus Éireannroute 379 operates and continues toWexfordviaCurracloe.[5]Route 879 operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays, the service is provided by the Rural Roadrunner bus operated by Wexford Local Development.[6]
The nearest station isGorey railway station,around 7 kilometres away.
Tourism[edit]
As a harbour and seaside village, there is a high tourism rate during the months of the summer (May–August).[citation needed]Local tourist accommodation types include a number of bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, and caravan and holiday parks.[citation needed]
History[edit]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1841 | 248 | — |
| 1851 | 607 | +144.8% |
| 1861 | 480 | −20.9% |
| 1871 | 613 | +27.7% |
| 1881 | 512 | −16.5% |
| 1891 | 438 | −14.5% |
| 1901 | 462 | +5.5% |
| 1911 | 414 | −10.4% |
| 1926 | 344 | −16.9% |
| 1936 | 316 | −8.1% |
| 1946 | 294 | −7.0% |
| 1951 | 257 | −12.6% |
| 1956 | 411 | +59.9% |
| 1961 | 396 | −3.6% |
| 1966 | 421 | +6.3% |
| 1971 | 291 | −30.9% |
| 1981 | 337 | +15.8% |
| 1986 | 317 | −5.9% |
| 1991 | 343 | +8.2% |
| 1996 | 364 | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 502 | +37.9% |
| 2006 | 1,421 | +183.1% |
| 2011 | 2,857 | +101.1% |
| 2016 | 3,591 | +25.7% |
| 2022 | 4,365 | +21.6% |
| [7][8][9][10][11][1] | ||
The name 'Courtown' dates to 1278,[12]but the harbour was not built until the mid-1800s as a response by Lord Courtown to the Great Famine, and cost £25,000 to complete. Courtown was by then already well known for its beaches, but the presence of the harbour made it a fashionable destination, with people from Dublin and the midlands frequenting the village and beaches.[citation needed]Its popularity as a summer holiday resort for Dublin people increased after 1863, when therailway linefrom Dublin reached nearbyGorey.[citation needed]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abcd"Census 2022 - F1015 Population".Central Statistics Office Census 2022 Reports.Central Statistics Office Ireland.August 2023.Retrieved16 September2023.
- ^"Gorey's population exceeds 10,000 for first time".independent.Retrieved24 July2021.
- ^"Census 2006 – Volume 1 – Population Classified by Area"(PDF).Central Statistics Office Census 2006 Reports.Central Statistics Office Ireland.April 2007. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 7 June 2011.Retrieved19 June2011.
- ^"Seal Rescue Ireland - About Us".sealrescueireland.org.
- ^"Bus Éireann - Timetable - Route 379"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 12 April 2012.Retrieved27 February2012.
- ^"Journey planner".
- ^Census for post 1821 figures.Archived20 September 2010 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Histpop - The Online Historical Population Reports Website".www.histpop.org.Archived fromthe originalon 7 May 2016.
- ^"Northern Ireland Census of Population".Archived fromthe originalon 17 February 2012.Retrieved28 April2014.
- ^Lee, JJ (1981). "On the accuracy of the Pre-famine Irish censuses". In Goldstrom, J. M.; Clarkson, L. A. (eds.).Irish Population, Economy, and Society: Essays in Honour of the Late K. H. Connell.Oxford, England: Clarendon Press.
- ^Mokyr, Joel;O Grada, Cormac (November 1984)."New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700-1850".The Economic History Review.Volume.37(4): 473–488.doi:10.1111/j.1468-0289.1984.tb00344.x.hdl:10197/1406.Archived fromthe originalon 4 December 2012.
- ^"Courtown Harbour, Gorey, Co. Wexford - Courtown Harbour, Gorey, Co. Wexford".
External links[edit]
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| National | |
