Bellewstown (Irish: Baile an Bheileogaigh)[1] is a townland and village located 8 km south of Drogheda, on the Hill of Crockafotha in County Meath in Ireland. Bellewstown townland, which is in the electoral division of Ardcath and the civil parish of Duleek,[2] had a population of 499 as of the 2011 census.[3] It takes its name from the Anglo-Irish Bellew family, who were the dominant local landowners from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century.
Bellewstown
Baile an Bheileogaigh | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Medieval church in Bellewstown townland | |
  Bellewstown Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 53°38′38″N 6°20′53″W / 53.6439°N 6.3481°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | Meath |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | N862596 |
History
editBuilt heritage
editEvidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of cist, standing stone, ring ditch and ringfort sites in the townlands of Bellewstown, Collierstown and Hilltown.[4]
Bellewstown Castle, a 15th century building that is now in ruin, is historically associated with the Bellew family.[5] Its ruins stand near Bellewstown House.[5] Also within the grounds of Bellewstown House is a former church.[6]
Horseracing
edit
The tradition of summer horse racing at Bellewstown Racecourse dates to at least the 18th century, and the first record of racing here appears in the Dublin Gazette and the Weekly Courier in August 1726.[7] In 1780, George Tandy, a former mayor of Drogheda and brother of James Napper Tandy, persuaded King George III to sponsor a race at Bellewstown. The race was called His Majesty's Plate and was valued at £100.[7] There was also previously a cricket ground in the middle of the race track.[citation needed]
Racing continues to occur on an annual basis, taking place during the course of the summer. While there was previously just one meeting a year at Bellewstown (in July), as of the 21st century, four meetings are held each year.[citation needed] These include one day in April, three days in July, three days in August and two days in September. The track is a one-mile and one-furlong left-handed course, featuring both flat and hurdle racing.[citation needed]
Amenities
editAmenities in Bellewstown village include a primary school, Catholic church, pub, horse racecourse, and golf course.[citation needed]
The modern Catholic church in Bellewstown, Saint Thérèse's church in Collierstown townland, was built c. 1977.[8] It is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath.[9]
The local national (primary) school, also dedicated to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux,[10] had an enrollment of approximately 100 pupils as of 2024.[11] The current school building, built in the 1960s, replaced an earlier 19th century building which is now known as the "old school hall".[12][13]
The local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club, Duleek/Bellewstown GAA, won the Meath Intermediate Football Championship in 2005.[14]
People
edit- The family of actress Sharon Horgan and rugby-player Shane Horgan previously lived in the area.[15]
- Gavin Duffy, entrepreneur and businessman, lived in Bellewstown.[16]
- The 19th century Dublin-born poet James Clarence Mangan, who had several pen names, sometimes used the name "P.V. M'Guffin, Bellewstown".[17]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Baile an Bheileogaigh / Bellewstown". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Bellewstown Townland, Co. Meath". townlands.ie. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "CD165 - Meath Population by Private Households, Occupied and Vacancy Rate". data.gov.ie. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
Population [..] Townlands [..] 2011 [..] Bellewstown, Ardcath, Co. Meath: 499
- ^ Archaeological Inventory of County Meath. Dublin: Government Stationery Office. 1987.
- ^ a b "NMS mapping data - ME027-083----" – via heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com.
ME027-083---- [..] Castle - unclassified : Bellewstown [..] The remains of Bellewstown castle stand c. 30m E of the present Bellewstown House. It was built by Richard Bellew in 1472-79. A fragment of stone flooring and wall of the castle still survives [..] Historical records show that Bellewstown castle was occupied by Cromwellian troops during the seige of Drogheda in 1649
- ^ "NMS mapping data - ME027-007----" – via heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com.
ME027-007---- [..] Church : Bellewstown [..] In a cartulary dated 1381 of St. Michael's [..] it is recorded that John Bellewyston had a chapel that had been built by his ancestors [..] Sir Walter Bedlowe of Bedlowestown leased land for 60 shillings from the priory in 1540
- ^ a b "About Us". bellewstownraces.ie. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
the first record of races appears in the August edition of the Dublin Gazette and the Weekly Courier in 1726
- ^ "Saint Thérèse's Catholic Church, Collierstown, Bellewstown, Meath". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "About Bellewstown Faith Community". duleekbellewstownparish.com. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Bellewstown National School - Newsletter - September 2023" (PDF). bellewstownns.com. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Directory page - S N Naomh Treasa". gov.ie. Department of Education. 23 August 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Scoil Naomh Treasa - A Brief History". bellewstownns.com. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Bellewstown National School, Collierstown, Bellewstown, Meath". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Determined Duleek rock Syddans boat". independent.ie. 7 October 2005. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Peek inside former Irish rugby star Shane Horgan's family home in Meath on the market for €459k". independent.ie. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Gavin Duffy's own dragon's den in Co Meath for €2.4m". irishtimes.com. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ McCall, John (1884), The life of James Clarence Mangan, Dublin
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