Written by Rev Diarmuid MacIomhair - generously forwarded to this site by Leonard HatrickÁth Fherdia is the Ford of Ferdia, where this ancient hero fought his epic fight with Cuchulainn about two thousand years ago. Then and for long afterwards it was an important river crossing on the highway of Slighe Midhluachra which led from Tara to Armagh; but it was not yet a town. That did not come about ...
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Written by Rev Diarmuid MacIomhair - generously forwarded to this site by Leonard HatrickKildemock is one of the countless little ruined churches all over the country. Embosomed in our green Irish fields, the graves of its dead around it, it is a quiet spot now, apart from the daily life of men. Yet it was not always like this. There was a time when it stood whole and entire under ...
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The townland of Hacklim lies to the south east of Ardee. This townland is on record from the early years of the Anglo-Norman occupation, which, over time had different spelling and pronounciation, including Heyghlem, Heglen and Heylem. The meaning of the name Hacklim, from the original Gaelic language, seems to be Each Léim, or Horse Leap. Hacklim runs across a ridge of land running east-west. Baltrasna sits to the north, ...
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Inspired by William Petty's obsessive concern with the ratio of Irish to English in each barony and county, a most crucial component of the ‘Census’ is the listing of the principal family names at the end of each baronial entry.
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The year 1826 stands out as a landmark in the history of Co Louth. The Catholic Association had already unfurled its banner in the South and Stuart of Dromara had been returned for Waterford against the whole power of the Beresfords
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Alderman Richard Dawson, father of the purchaser of the Ardee estate, was a prominent banker in Dublin. We have read somewhere that Dawson Street, Dublin, was named after him and that he built the Mansion House.
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In 1641 the Keppock estate contained 509 Irish acres, plantation measure – but it is to be noticed that the Down Survey generally stated the contents as less by about one-seventh than the actual measurement – so that the Keppocks must have owned almost 600 of our modern Irish acres. The estate lay chiefly in Baltrasna, Great Lough (now Broad Lough), Mulladrillen, Rathgory, and the town of Ardee.
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They met at the place now called Ath Ferdia, within 80 perches off Ardee to the west where an engagement took place between them. Cuchulain then gave Fear-dhiadh a mortal wound with the Gae bulga of which he immediately died: whence the ford is called Ath Ferdiad and the town Baile Ata Ferdiad.
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The Ardee Corporation Minute Books along with the Ruxton Transcripts are now in the County Archives in Dundalk. However, I made copies of them over 20 years ago and have recently digitalised them all with a view to making them available online in the near future.
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Anna worked tirelessly for the poor of Ardee long after the Famine years. In the High Society circles she moved in she was constantly looking for donations to alleviate the sick and the poor.
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