Carrick-on-Suir
Carrick-on-Suir
Carraig na Siúire | ||
---|---|---|
Town | ||
Eircode E32 | ||
Area code | 051 | |
Irish Grid Reference | S398218 | |
Website | www |
Carrick-on-Suir (Irish: Carraig na Siúire, meaning "rock of the Suir") is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It lies on both banks of the River Suir. The part on the north bank of the Suir lies in the civil parish of "Carrick",[3] in the historical barony of Iffa and Offa East. The part on the south bank lies in the civil parish of Kilmolerin[4] in the barony of Upperthird,[5] County Waterford.
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1821 | 7,466 | — |
1831 | 9,226 | +23.6% |
1841 | 11,049 | +19.8% |
1851 | 8,319 | −24.7% |
1861 | 6,536 | −21.4% |
1871 | 7,792 | +19.2% |
1881 | 6,583 | −15.5% |
1891 | 5,608 | −14.8% |
1901 | 5,406 | −3.6% |
1911 | 5,235 | −3.2% |
1926 | 4,657 | −11.0% |
1936 | 4,840 | +3.9% |
1946 | 4,859 | +0.4% |
1951 | 4,757 | −2.1% |
1956 | 4,727 | −0.6% |
1961 | 4,672 | −1.2% |
1966 | 4,874 | +4.3% |
1971 | 5,006 | +2.7% |
1981 | 5,566 | +11.2% |
1986 | 5,353 | −3.8% |
1991 | 5,143 | −3.9% |
1996 | 5,217 | +1.4% |
2002 | 5,586 | +7.1% |
2006 | 5,906 | +5.7% |
2011 | 5,931 | +0.4% |
2016 | 5,771 | −2.7% |
[6][7][8][9][10] |
Location
Carrick-on-Suir is situated in the south-eastern corner of South Tipperary, 21 kilometres (13 miles) east of
For the purposes of elections to Dáil Éireann, the town is part of the Tipperary constituency.
History
Influence of the Butler family
Carrick-on-Suir (originally called Carrig Mac Griffin) was formed on an island settlement upstream of Waterford. The town remained as an island until the 18th century when small rivers were diverted to form dry land north and west of the town. The earliest known records of a settlement are dated to
By the early 14th century, Carrick Mac Griffin had become home to a prosperous
Edmond le Bottiler erected two large, heavily garrisoned castle keeps named the Plantagenet Castle on the north bank of the
The town was also the inspiration for the 16th-century song, Cailín ó chois na Siúire mé, which is attested to as early as 1595 and mentioned in William Shakespeare's Henry V as Caleno custure me.
In 1649, the town was taken by English Parliamentarians during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. They captured Carrick by stealth after discovering an undefended gate as part of operations during the Siege of Waterford. Irish troops from Ulster under a Major Geoghegan tried to re-take Carrick but were eventually beaten off with the loss of over 500 killed.
In
20th century
With the coming of Independence and the Civil War, Carrick was initially occupied by the Anti-Treaty IRA until the town fell to the Free State army in 1922. By this stage, industrialisation had reached Carrick with the establishment of cotton factories and a local creamery. Most significant however for the economic development of the town was the arrival of the tanning industry in the 1930s, providing regular, dependable employment in the town for the first time. The local town council also embarked on building social housing projects in an effort to deal with appalling living conditions in the town for those economically disadvantaged. Despite these developments, economic opportunities were limited and poverty widespread – the town saw widespread emigration to Dublin, Britain and further afield especially during the long recessions of the 1940s and 1950s.
The closure of the Pollack & Plunder tannery in 1985 caused immense hardship in the town, as a significant proportion of the population (Carrick's population was roughly 4,000 by this point) were employed there or were dependent on someone who was. Carrick suffered a prolonged recession throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, again leading the population to drop due to emigration – a fate suffered by other small, rural Irish towns during the period. By the late-1990s, the economy of the town was on the upswing – unemployment had dropped, the
Carrick's local infrastructure (in particular health and transport) still remains relatively undeveloped, due to its location on the border of 3 counties (and subsequent lack of political muscle both at county and national level), and the nearby larger towns of
Features and amenities
There are two theatres in Carrick-on-Suir, the Brewery Lane Theatre and Arts Centre and the Strand Theatre. The Strand Theatre was opened in 1974 with actor and dramatist Micheál Mac Liammóir performing the opening ceremony.[13] The 400 seat theatre was built by brothers Christy and Michael Butler.[14] The theatre underwent significant renovations and was reopened in 2008.[15]
The Brewery Lane Theatre and Arts Centre is located at the site of section of a brewery belonging to Richard Feehan. The brewery was later bought by James Sullivan, and was later bought by the Smithwick family in 1917.[16] The building was bought and renovated by the Carrick-on-Suir Drama Group in the 1970s.[17] The first performance in the theatre was Seán O'Casey's play The Plough and the Stars in 1980.[18]
River Suir
Carrick-on-Suir is the tidal limit of the River Suir. Carrick has a 1-in-50-year flood defence system with quay walls ranging in height from 1.2m to 1.5m. Currently, the walls give protection from flooding caused by high tides. Flooding still occurs along the Glen/Mill River and Markievicz Terrace.
Landmarks
In 1447, a stone bridge was built, now known as the "Old Bridge". A new, more modern bridge was completed in 1880 and was reconstructed widened in 1975.[19] The bridge was later named after John Dillon after his imprisonment at Dundalk Prison in 1888.[20] There is a cast-iron plaque on the bridge commemorating the naming of the bridge.
The Tholsel is a four-storey townhouse dating c. 1500 located at the West Gate.[21] An octagonal lantern was erected c. 1750 and a clock tower with faces on three sides was added in 1784.[22] A tholsel was a building used for local administration such as the collection of taxes and tolls.
A public park was created in the fair green in the 1860s.[citation needed] The fair green is a public open space used for play games and other outdoor pursuits.[23]
Carrick-on-Suir Town Hall was completed in 1844.[24] Originally constructed as a mechanics' institute, it was converted in a town hall in 1866.[24] It is now used by Tipperary County Council for the provision of services to local residents.[25]
Churches
There are three Catholic churches. The largest church in Carrick Mór is St Nicholas' church which was built in 1879, replacing an earlier church of the same name built in 1804. In Carrick Beg are the small St Molleran's parish church (parts of which date back to the 13th century) and the larger
Before the
Sport
Carrick United AFC is a junior (non-league, amateur)
An amateur rugby team, Carrick-on-Suir RFC,[28] plays in the Munster Junior League Division II. The club grounds are located east of the town in Tybroughney, County Kilkenny.
There is an 18-hole golf club,[29] golf driving range,[30] and swimming pool in the area.[31] Castleview Lawn Tennis Club has four artificial grass courts, and Carrick-on Suir Handball and Racquetball Club is at Davin Park Indoor courts, Clonmel Road.
In cycling, Sean Kelly and Sam Bennett are both from the town, both of whom have won the points classification in the Tour de France. The town is home to the Carrick Wheelers road club.[32]
There are also two boxing clubs (Carrick-on-Suir Boxing Club and St. Nicholas Boxing Club) and a triathlon club.[33]
1986 English Greyhound Derby champion Tico was born in the town.[34]
Clubs and societies
The Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society (formed in 1943) is a musical and amateur operatic society. The Musical Society bought and refurbished the Strand Theatre on Main Street in 2003 for use by the Society.
The Irish Traction Group is based in Carrick-on-Suir, where restoration work is carried out on vintage diesel locomotives.[37] Carrick-on-Suir also has a Republican Flute Band which plays at many Irish Republican and Sinn Féin events.[38] Carrick Swim Club (Carrick Dippers) use the Sean Kelly Sports Centre as their base.[39]
Notable people
Notable people from the town include:
- Dorothea Herbert (1770–1829), writer
- Clancy Brothers, folk music group
- Paddy Clancy, singer and harmonicist
- Tom Clancy, singer and actor
- Bobby Clancy, singer, banjo, guitar, harmonica and bodhrán
- Liam Clancy, singer, guitarist and concertina
- Finbarr Clancy, singer, guitar, banjo, flute and bass with folk group The High Kings
- Maurice Davin, first President of the Gaelic Athletic Association, 1884–1887
- Michael Anthony Fleming, Roman Catholic bishop of St John's, Newfoundland
- St Patrick's Athletic
- Sean Kelly, cyclist
- Gertrude Kelly, doctor and activist
- Sam Bennett, cyclist
- Tom Kiely, Olympic decathlon gold medalist at the 1904 Summer Olympics, from Ballyneale, just outside the town
- John Lonergan, recipient of the United States Government's Medal of Honor
- Fiona Glascott, actress
- Mick Roche, former Tipperary hurler
- Gerard Hogan, academic, constitutional lawyer, former judge of the Irish High Court and Court of Appeal and former Advocate-General of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Current judge of the Irish Supreme Court.
References
- ^ "Sapmap Area – Settlements – Carrick-on-Suir". Census 2016. CSO. 2016. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- ^ "Carrick-on-Suir (Ireland)". citypopulation.de. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- ^ Placenames Database of Ireland Archived 25 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine – civil parish of Carrick
- ^ Placenames Database of Ireland Archived 25 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine – civil parish of Kilmolerin
- ^ Placenames Database of Ireland Archived 25 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine – barony of Upperthird
- ^ "Server Error 404 – CSO – Central Statistics Office". cso.ie. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
- ^ "Histpop – The Online Historical Population Reports Website". histpop.org. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
- ^ "Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency – Census Home Page". Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
- ^ 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.
- hdl:10197/1406. Archived from the originalon 4 December 2012.
- ^ "Carrick on Suir station" (PDF). Railscot – Irish Railways. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
- )
- ^ "Strand Theatre Carrick-On-Suir". RTÉ Archives. 26 November 1974. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ Keyes, Dermot (5 September 2008). "Carrick's Strand Theatre is officially re-opened". The Munster Express. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ Roche, Barry (30 August 2008). "Carrick-on-Suir's new theatre opens its doors". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ Smithwick, Peter (1964). "The Sullivans - A Notable 19th Century Kilkenny Family" (PDF). Old Kilkenny Review: 32.
- ^ "Pint-sized theatre of Brewery Lane strives to get ahead". The Irish Times. 12 November 1997. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "About Brewery Lane". brewerylane. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Dillon Bridge, Town Parks, Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary South". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
- ^ Callanan, Frank (October 2009). "Dillon, John". www.dib.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Noonan, Daniel (November 2023). "Archaeological Impact Assessment Of Proposed New Car Park Between Stable Lane & Chapel Street (New Lane), Carrick-on-Suir". Local Government Ireland. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Hahesy, Aileen. "Tipperary council to seek funding for renovation of Carrick-on-Suir Town Clock". www.tipperarylive.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Save Our Green1967". RTÉ. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Carrick-on-Suir Town Hall, New Street, Town Parks, Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary South". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
- ^ "Town Hall Refurb & Extension, Carrick on Suir, Co. Tipperary". Tom O'Brien Construction. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Daniel Corkery (1926), The Hidden Ireland: A Study of Gaelic Munster in the Eighteenth Century, page 246.
- ^ "Carrick Utd AFC Ltd". Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2018 – via Facebook.
- ^ "Carrick on Suir RFC – Smashers since 1923". Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
- ^ Undeveloped. "carrickgolfclub.com – Domain Name For Sale". Undeveloped. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
- ^ "Humphrey's driving range". Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ^ "SWIMMING LESSONS". Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- ^ "Home Page". Archived from the original on 29 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ^ "Carrick on Suir Triathlon Club". 27 May 2013. Archived from the original on 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Remember When – February 1995". Greyhound Star. 2010.
- ^ Roache, Barry (30 August 2008). "Carrick-on-Suir's new theatre opens its doors". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ "About Brewery Lane". brewerylane. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Operating Base". Irish Traction Group. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
- ^ "Events – An Phoblacht". anphoblacht.com. Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ "Children/Adult Swimming Lessons | Tipperary Waterford Kilkenny". Archived from the original on 12 April 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.