Ballyjamesduff
Ballyjamesduff
Baile Shéamais Dhuibh | |
---|---|
Town | |
Coordinates: 53°51′51″N 7°12′20″W / 53.86422°N 7.205572°W | |
Country | Ireland |
Province | Ulster |
County | County Cavan |
Elevation | 104 m (341 ft) |
Population | 2,917 |
Eircode routing key | A82 |
Telephone area code | +353(0)49 |
Irish Grid Reference | N520906 |
Ballyjamesduff (Irish: Baile Shéamais Dhuibh)[2] is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. A former market town, it was the winner of the 1966 and 1967 Irish Tidy Towns Competition.[3]
History
[edit]The first mention of Ballyjamesduff is found in The Registry of Deeds,[4] Kings Inns, Henrietta Street, Dublin, Deed No.12-294-5122, drawn up on 12 May 1714.
In A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, first published by Samuel Lewis in 1837, its entry reads:
- "Ballyjamesduff, an old market town, in county Cavan, and the province of Ulster. The town is situated on the old mail-coach road from Virginia to Cavan.
- The parish was created in 1831, by disuniting nine townlands from the parish of Castleraghan, five from that of Denn, two from Lurgan, and four from the parish of Kildrumferton."[5]
The Free State garrison in Ballyjamesduff barracks was attacked with rifle fire and grenades in July 1921. There are no casualties.
Demographics
[edit]The population was 2,917 at the 2022 census. At that census, Ballyjamesduff had a similar population to the County Cavan towns of Bailieborough, Virginia and Kingscourt: each with about 3,000 people. The town's population is diverse, with about 35% born outside of Ireland.[1]
Transport
[edit]The town is located on the R194 and R196 regional roads. It is 17 kilometres (11 mi) south-east of Cavan town.
Bus Éireann Route 187 provides service to Oldcastle, Mountnugent, Virginia and Kells.[6]
Notable places in Ballyjamesduff
[edit]- Cavan County Museum, located in the former Convent of St Clare, the Museum collects, conserves and displays the material heritage and culture of County Cavan, over its 6000-year history. In August 2014, Cavan County Museum opened Ireland's largest outdoor WW1 replica trench.[7]
- Ballyjamesduff was once noted for having the largest pub to person ratio in Ireland. There was approximately 1 pub for every 34 persons in the town.[3]
- The Market House, built in 1815 to commemorate the military achievements at Waterloo of the Duke of Wellington, was designed by Arthur McClean a Cavan-born architect who also designed the Anglican church in Virginia, County Cavan.[citation needed] McClean left Ireland around 1825 and settled in Brockville, Ontario, Canada where he built a number of Anglican churches.[citation needed]
- St Joseph's Town Hall was built in 1959 and was opened officially in 1968 by showband act Big Tom and The Mainliners.[citation needed]
- Liffey Meats, a meat processing plant, which gained notoriety when it was revealed they processed equine and porcine meat in beefburgers.[8]
Popular culture
[edit]"The Frolics"
[edit]Ballyjamesduff annually holds "The Frolics", a music and comedy event.[citation needed][needs update]
In song
[edit]
Ballyjamesduff is referenced in the Percy French song "Come back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff", which was written about a man from the area who acted as jarvy (coach driver) for French and decided to emigrate to Scotland. It is said that he drove his horse and cart to Carrick-on-Shannon, parked the horse and cart outside the railway station and took the train to Dublin.[citation needed]
Pork Festival
[edit]The Pork Festival was an annual town festival started in 1994.[9] This was largely due to a nearby pork-rendering factory supplying a large amount of pork for use in the festival.[citation needed]
People
[edit]- Percy French, poet, songwriter and former Board of Works Inspector of Drains with Cavan County Council.
- John Wesley, preacher, theologian and founder of the worldwide Methodist Church, preached in Ballyjamesduff and built a church here in the 18th century.
- Pete Briquette (born Patrick Cusack), bassist with the Boomtown Rats came from Ballyjamesduff.
- Marcus Daly, known as "the Montana Copper King", was born in 1841 near Ballyjamesduff.
- Ronan Lee, author, academic, and former Member of Parliament for Indooroopilly electorate, Queensland, Australia came from Ballyjamesduff.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Census Interactive Map – Towns: Ballyjamesduff". Census 2022. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Baile Shéamais Dhuibh/Ballyjamesduff". Placenames Database of Ireland. Government of Ireland - Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Dublin City University. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- ^ a b "Tidy Towns of Ireland: Celebrating 50 years" (PDF). Tidy Towns. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
- ^ "PRAI - Property Registration Authority Ireland Home Page". Landregistry.ie. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
- ^ From Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)
- ^ "Regional Services by County". Bus Éireann. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ "Cavan County Museum". Cavan County Council. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- ^ Ed Carty – Updated 22 January 2013 09:06 AM (22 January 2013). "Horse and pig DNA found in some supermarket burgers". Independent.ie. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Festivals in County Cavan - Ireland View - Ireland's Travel and Accommodation Guide". Ireland View. Retrieved 28 May 2014.