Athlacca (historically ''Athlacka'', from )Placenames Database of Ireland
(see archival records) is a small village in

County Limerick "Remember Limerick" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Munster , subdivision ...

, in the south west of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It is situated 26 km south of

Limerick City Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 c ...

, on the Morningstar river. The name Athlacca means 'ford of the flagstones', a feature that was once evident under the current St Catherine's Bridge. In the 17th century, the parishes of Dromin and Athlacca amalgamated and became one, and now the parish goes by the name Dromin/Athlacca. There are two pubs in the village, a national school, a playschool and Catholic church. Whilst the Catholic church remains in permanent use, the old

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...

church has been demolished and all that remains is the steeple and gable wall. The parish extends from Rathcannon in the south to Crean in the north. Athlacca is in a rural area where farming, although in decline, is still the biggest employer. Athlacca parishioners have included Jim Cregan, the former European athletics champion, and PP Hogan, champion horse trainer. The local GAA club is Dromin/Athlacca the club plays

hurling Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...

and

Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...

, the club colours are blue and white. The club won the 2013 County Intermediate Hurling Championship beating Knockaderry in the final and as of 2014 were competing at the Premier Intermediate grade. The underage joined up with neighboring parish Banogue in 2008 and formed a new club 'Shamrock Gaels' while in 2016 they changed their name to 'Dromin Athlacca Banogue'.

Horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

also has a following in the area and a point-to-point meeting is held annually. The sheltered housing known as "Dawn Court" was built on the grounds of the old creamery. It was opened by the then President of Ireland,

Mary McAleese Mary Patricia McAleese ( ; ga, Máire Pádraigín Mhic Ghiolla Íosa; ; born 27 June 1951) is an Irish activist lawyer and former politician who served as the eighth president of Ireland from November 1997 to November 2011. She is an academic ...

. The only part of the old creamery left is the chimney staff. Separate to the developments 20 dwellings, there is a sculpture of a high chair (or Kings chair) made of green marble. On top of the chair is the scull and antlers of a red deer - in honour of the giant elk that was found in Rathcannon at the turn of the 20th century.

References

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Limerick Towns and villages in County Limerick

See also

References