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Clonmel () is the
county town In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a county town is the most important town or city in a county. It is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county and the place where the county's members of Parliament are elect ...
and largest settlement of
County Tipperary County Tipperary ( ga, Contae Thiobraid Árann) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary, and was established in the early 13th century, shortly after th ...
,
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 ...
. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked the towns of
Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
and
Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 N ...
. With the exception of the
townland A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic origi ...
of Suir Island, most of the borough is situated in the
civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...
of "St Mary's" which is part of the ancient
barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
of
Iffa and Offa East Iffa and Offa East (Irish: ''Uíbh Eoghain agus Uíbh Fhathaidh Thoir'') is a barony in County Tipperary, Ireland. This geographical unit of land is one of 12 baronies in County Tipperary. Its chief town is Clonmel. The barony lies between Iffa ...
.


Population

The 2016 Census used a new boundary created by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) to define the town of Clonmel and Environs resulting in a population figure of 17,140. This new boundary omitted part of the Clonmel Borough Boundary which the CSO had defined as Legal Town for the 2011 census 11.55 km/sq. All of the 2011 census CSO environs in Co Waterford have been omitted as well as parts of CSO environs of Clonmel in Co Tipperary. The CSO as part of the 11 May 2017 release of data compared their new 2016 CSO boundary with its population of 17,140 with the 2011 CSO Clonmel Environ boundary which is a larger area and had a resulting greater population of 17,908. The CSO is not comparing the same area and are incorrectly recorded a population decline of 768 (-4.3%). Clonmel Borough (CSO Legal Town 2011, 11.55 km/sq) had a population of 15,793 in 2011, another 2115 people were in the rural environs of Clonmel comprising Marlfield, Ardgeeha Upper (Cashel road), Boherduff (Fethard road) in County Tipperary and in
County Waterford County Waterford ( ga, Contae Phort Láirge) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region. It is named ...
the area between the Dungarvan road and Mountain road.


Etymology

The name Clonmel is derived from the
anglicisation Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...
of the Irish name ''Cluain Meala'' meaning "
honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
meadow" or "honey valley." It is not clearly known when it got this name; many suppose that it came from the fertility of the soil and the richness of the country in which it is situated.


History


Town walls

Clonmel grew significantly in
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
times, and many reminders of this period can be found in the town. A small section of the town walls remains in place near Old St. Mary's Church. This building is one of the main architectural features of the town. It was originally built in the 14th century or earlier but has been reconstructed or renovated on numerous occasions. The church was fortified early in its history, the town being strategically important, initially for the Earls of Ormonde, and later the
Earl of Kildare Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
. Some fortified parts of the church were destroyed or damaged during the Cromwellian occupation. One of the former entry points into the town is now the site of the 'West Gate, a 19th-century reconstruction of an older structure. There were originally three gates in the walled town, North, East and West – with the South being protected by the river
Suir The River Suir ( ; ga, an tSiúr or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of . The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2.
and the
Comeragh Mountains The Comeragh Mountains () are a glaciated mountain range situated in southeast Ireland in County Waterford. They are located between the town of Dungarvan and stretch inland to the town of Clonmel on the County Tipperary border and the villages ...
. The West Gate is now an open arched entrance onto O'Connell Street, the main street of the town.


Corporation regalia

Under a charter granted by
James I of England James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland as James I from the Union of the Crowns, union of the Scottish and Eng ...
, Clonmel became a
Free Borough Borough status is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the Borough Council, council or inhabitants of the district ...
on 5 July 1608, and the Mayor and officers of the town were granted the power to "name, elect and constitute one Swordbearer and three Sergeants-at-Mace". The present sword and two silver maces date only from Cromwellian times. The sword, of Toledo manufacture, was donated by Sir Thomas Stanley in 1656 and displays the Arms and motto of the town. The larger mace is stamped 1663.


Cromwellian period

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
laid siege to Clonmel in May 1650. The walls were eventually breached, but
Hugh Dubh O'Neill Hugh Dubh O'Neill, 5th Earl of Tyrone ("Black Hugh", meaning "black-haired" or "dark tempered") (1611–1660) was an Irish soldier of the 17th century. He is best known for his participation in the Irish Confederate Wars and in particular his defe ...
, the commander of the town's garrison, inflicted heavy losses on the
New Model Army The New Model Army was a standing army formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians during the First English Civil War, then disbanded after the Stuart Restoration in 1660. It differed from other armies employed in the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Th ...
when they tried to storm the breach. That night, O'Neill, deciding that further resistance was hopeless due to a lack of ammunition, led his soldiers and camp followers out of the town under cover of darkness. The story is told that Cromwell became suspicious of O'Neill's desperate situation when a silver bullet was discharged by the townspeople at his troops outside the walls. The following morning, 18 May 1650, mayor John White was able to surrender the town on good terms as Cromwell was still unaware of the garrison's escape just hours before. Although feeling deceived, Cromwell did not put the inhabitants 'to the sword' as occurred elsewhere. After being denounced by three men who desired the £5 bounty and arrested at Fethard while vested for
Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...
on
Holy Saturday Holy Saturday ( la, Sabbatum Sanctum), also known as Great and Holy Saturday (also Holy and Great Saturday), the Great Sabbath, Hallelujah Saturday (in Portugal and Brazil), Saturday of the Glory, Sabado de Gloria, and Black Saturday or Easter ...
,
25 March Events Pre-1600 * 421 – Italian city Venice is founded with the dedication of the first church, that of San Giacomo di Rialto on the islet of Rialto. * 708 – Pope Constantine becomes the 88th pope. He would be the last pope to vi ...
, 1654,
Augustinian Augustinian may refer to: *Augustinians, members of religious orders following the Rule of St Augustine *Augustinianism, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo and his intellectual heirs *Someone who follows Augustine of Hippo * Canons Regular of Sain ...
Friar A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...
William Tirry William Tirry OSA (1609 – 12 May 1654) was an Irish Roman Catholic priest of the Order of Saint Augustine. He suffered martyrdom in Clonmel in the context of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Pope John Paul II beatified him in 1992. Life T ...
was taken to Clonmel Gaol (on the future site of the
Clonmel Borstal St. Patrick's Borstal Institution, Clonmel, was established in Ireland in 1906 as a place of detention for young male offenders aged between 16 and 21, and located in Clonmel, County Tipperary. History of the site The Clonmel Institution is si ...
) and held there pending trial. On 26 April, he was tried by a jury and Commonwealth judges, including Colonel Solomon Richards, for violating the Proclamation of 6 January 1653, which defined it as
high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
for
priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
s to remain in Ireland. In his own defense, Fr. Tirry replied that while he viewed the Commonwealth as the lawful Government, he had no choice but to disobey it's laws, as the Pope had ordered him to remain in Ireland. Fr. Tirry was according found guilty and sentenced to
death by hanging Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging in ...
, which was carried out in Clonmel on 2 May 1654. An account told by
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
Friar A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...
Matthew Fogarty, who had been tried with Friar William Tirry, supplies further details: "William, wearing his Augustinian habit, was led to the gallows praying the
rosary The Rosary (; la, , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), also known as the Dominican Rosary, or simply the Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or b ...
. He blessed the crowd which had gathered, pardoned his betrayers and affirmed his faith. It was a moving moment for Catholics and Protestants alike." Despite the efforts of a Puritan minister to silence him, Fr. Tirry told the assembled crowd, "there is only one true Church, whose head is the pope: Pope and Church are to be obeyed. He publicly forgave the three men who had betrayed him, and... stated explicitly that he had been offered life and favour, it would renounce his religion." Fr. Tirry was then hanged, after which he was buried, with some ceremony, in the ruins of the Augustinian friary in nearby Fethard. The evidence is that he was buried in the grounds, rather than inside the ruins of the church, but it has not yet been possible to locate his grave. Fr. William Tirry was
beatified Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their nam ...
by
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
along with 16 other
Irish Catholic Martyrs Irish Catholic Martyrs () were 24 Irish men and women who have been beatified or canonized for dying for their Catholic faith between 1537 and 1681 in Ireland. The canonisation of Oliver Plunkett in 1975 brought an awareness of the others who d ...
on 27 September 1993. The Augustinian order celebrates his
feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...
on 12 May.


18th century

During the second half of the 18th century, the famous Sean nos song ''Príosún Chluain Meala'' was composed inside Clonmel Gaol by one O'Donnell, a member of the
Whiteboys The Whiteboys ( ga, na Buachaillí Bána) were a secret Irish agrarian organisation in 18th-century Ireland which defended tenant-farmer land-rights for subsistence farming. Their name derives from the white smocks that members wore in their ...
originally from Iveragh,
County Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
, who was being held awaiting execution by hanging upon the following Friday. According to Donal O'Sullivan, O'Donnell had two companions awaiting the rope with him and that their heads were posthumously severed from the their bodies and displayed spiked upon the prison gates. "The Gaol of Cluain Meala," a highly popular and often sung English translation of the lyrics, was made by
County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...
poet, Jeremiah Joseph Callanan (1795-1829).


19th century

A permanent military presence was established in the town with the completion of Kickham Barracks in 1805. Following the failed attempt at rebellion near Ballingarry in 1848, the captured leaders of the Young Irelanders were brought to Clonmel for trial. The event was followed with great interest internationally and for its duration brought journalists from around the country and Britain to
Clonmel Courthouse Clonmel Courthouse was a judicial facility in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland. History The courthouse, which was designed by Sir Richard Morrison in the neoclassical style and built in ashlar stone, was completed in 1800. The design involved ...
. Standing in the dock in the image opposite is
Thomas Francis Meagher Thomas Francis Meagher (; 3 August 18231 July 1867) was an Irish nationalist and leader of the Young Irelanders in the Rebellion of 1848. After being convicted of sedition, he was first sentenced to death, but received transportation for life ...
,
Terence MacManus Terence Bellew MacManus (born 1811 or 1823 – 15 January 1861) was an Irish rebel who participated in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848. Sentenced to death for treason, he and several other participants were given commuted sentences in 1 ...
and Patrick O'Donoghue. Their co-defendant, William Smith O'Brien was also sentenced to be
hanged, drawn and quartered To be hanged, drawn and quartered became a statutory penalty for men convicted of high treason in the Kingdom of England from 1352 under Edward III of England, King Edward III (1327–1377), although similar rituals are recorded during the rei ...
, the last occasions such a sentence was handed down in Ireland. When delivering the guilty verdict, the foreman of the
Grand Jury A grand jury is a jury—a group of citizens—empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a pe ...
, R.M. Southcote Mansergh, great-grandfather of the academic
Nicholas Mansergh Philip Nicholas Seton Mansergh (27 June 1910 – 16 January 1991) was a historian. His focus was on Ireland and the British Commonwealth. As the Smuts Professor of Commonwealth History at Cambridge University after 1953, he trained many of the ...
stated:
We earnestly recommend the prisoner to the merciful consideration of the Government, being unanimously of opinion that for many reasons his life should be spared.
The sentences of O'Brien and other members of the
Irish Confederation The Irish Confederation was an Irish nationalist independence movement, established on 13 January 1847 by members of the Young Ireland movement who had seceded from Daniel O'Connell's Repeal Association. Historian T. W. Moody described it as "th ...
were eventually commuted to
transportation Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, ...
for life to
Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania used by the British during the European exploration of Australia in the 19th century. A British settlement was established in Van Diemen's Land in 1803 before it became a sepa ...
. A conspiracy to rescue the prisoners on 8 November led by John O'Leary and
Philip Gray Philip Gray (1821 – 28 February 1857) was an Irish republican, revolutionary and a member of the Irish Confederation. He took part in the Risings of 1848 and 1849 along with James Fintan Lalor and both James Stephens and John O'Mahony, who wou ...
was betrayed and resulted in the arrest at 'The Wilderness' of seventeen armed rebels led by Gray.


20th century

Clonmel was the location of the foundation of the Labour Party in 1912 by James Connolly,
James Larkin James Larkin (28 January 1874 – 30 January 1947), sometimes known as Jim Larkin or Big Jim, was an Irish republican, socialist and trade union leader. He was one of the founders of the Irish Labour Party along with James Connolly and Willia ...
and
William O'Brien William O'Brien (2 October 1852 – 25 February 1928) was an Irish nationalist, journalist, agrarian agitator, social revolutionary, politician, party leader, newspaper publisher, author and Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of ...
as the political wing of the Irish Trades Union Congress.


21st century

In November 2015 the town was the location of Ireland's first marriage between two men.


Administration and politics

The Clonmel was one of ten boroughs retained by the
Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840 The Municipal Corporations Act (Ireland) 1840 (3 & 4 Vict. c. 108), ''An Act for the Regulation of Municipal Corporations in Ireland'', was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 10 August 1840. It was one of the Municipal Corporati ...
. The borough corporation elected 12 councillors. The first mayor of Clonmel Borough in 1843 was John Hackett. Under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, the area became an
urban district Urban district may refer to: * District * Urban area * Quarter (urban subdivision) * Neighbourhood Specific subdivisions in some countries: * Urban districts of Denmark * Urban districts of Germany * Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland) (hist ...
, while its body retained the style of a borough corporation. The borough corporation became a borough council in 2002. On 1 June 2014, the borough council was dissolved and administration of the town was amalgamated into
Tipperary County Council Tipperary County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Thiobraid Árann) is the authority responsible for Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local government in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It came into operation on 3 June ...
. Pat English was the last Mayor of Clonmel Borough Council. Clonmel retains the right to be described as a borough. The chair of the borough district uses the title of mayor, rather than Cathaoirleach. As of the 2019 Tipperary County Council election, the local electoral area of Clonmel elects 6 councillors.


National

Clonmel belongs to the Dáil constituency of
Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...
which elects five TDs to
Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...
(the Irish Parliament). Senator Garret Ahearn is a former mayor of Clonmel borough district. He was a candidate in Tipperary at the
2020 Irish general election The 2020 Irish general election took place on Saturday 8 February, to elect the 33rd Dáil, the lower house of Ireland's parliament. The election was called following the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil by the president, at the request of the Ta ...
.


Geography

The town is built in the valley of the
River Suir The River Suir ( ; ga, an tSiúr or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of . The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2.
. It divides the town which is mainly located on the north bank. To the south, the town is surrounded by the
Comeragh Mountains The Comeragh Mountains () are a glaciated mountain range situated in southeast Ireland in County Waterford. They are located between the town of Dungarvan and stretch inland to the town of Clonmel on the County Tipperary border and the villages ...
and
Slievenamon Slievenamon or Slievenaman ( ga, Sliabh na mBan , "mountain of the women") is a mountain with a height of in County Tipperary, Ireland. It rises from a plain that includes the towns of Fethard, Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir. The mountain is ste ...
to the northeast. To the north, east and west is some of Ireland's richest farmland, known as the
Golden Vale The Golden Vale () is an area of rolling pastureland in the civil province of Munster, southwestern Ireland. Covering parts of three counties, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork, it is the best land in Ireland for dairy farming. Historically it ...
. The town covers a land area of approximately 11.59 km2.


Climate


Flood defences

The
River Suir The River Suir ( ; ga, an tSiúr or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of . The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2.
floods the local area after very heavy rainfalls in the up-river catchment area of 2,173 km2. The
Office of Public Works The Office of Public Works (OPW) ( ga, Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí) (legally the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland) is a major Irish Government agency, which manages most of the Irish State's property portfolio, including hundreds of ow ...
(OPW) completed and installed a Flood Forecasting System which has been used since 2007. The flood of 2015 had a flow of 390m3/s, 2004 had a flow of 354m3/s with the flood of 2000 having a flow of 353m3/s. The 2015 flood was the worst since that of 1946, which had seen a flow of 479m3/s. Phase 1 of the Clonmel Flood Defence (planned to cope with a
100-year flood A 100-year flood is a flood event that has a 1 in 100 chance (1% probability) of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The 100-year flood is also referred to as the 1% flood, since its annual exceedance probability is 1%.Holmes, R.R., Jr. ...
) started in 2007. It was scheduled to be completed by late 2009. Phases two and three were completed by 2012. Property omitted from Phase 1 along the Convent Road were protected in 2014 and the access to the river for the workmen's boat club was also raised. Flooding of October 2014 was less than a 1–5 flood with a flow of 300m3/s. As part of a media exercise by the OPW the barriers were all put up. The flood defence consists of demountable barriers, walls and earth banks. Flooding occurred at the Gashouse Bridge, Coleville Road, Davis Road, the Quays and the Old Bridge area before the flood defences. Clonmel is not tidal as the tide turns above the Miloko chocolate crumb factory in Carrick-on-Suir. Floodwaters spill onto the land above Miloko on the
County Waterford County Waterford ( ga, Contae Phort Láirge) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region. It is named ...
side of the river.


Economy


Retail

Clonmel's main shopping streets are Gladstone Street and O'Connell Street which are home to many national and international retailers such as
Elverys Sports Intersport Elverys is a sports store chain in Ireland. Founded in 1847, it is Ireland's oldest sports store. Intersport Elverys sell sports clothes and equipment, both third-party and own brand goods. History Elverys was founded in 1847, and i ...
,
Penneys Primark Stores Limited (; trading as Penneys in the Republic of Ireland) is an Irish multinational fast fashion retailer with headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. It has stores across Europe and in the United States. The Penneys brand is not us ...
, River Island,
Easons Eason Retail PLC, known as Easons or Eason, is an Irish retail company best known for selling books, stationery, cards, gifts, newspapers and magazines. Headquartered in Swords, County Dublin, it is the largest supplier of books, magazines and new ...
and
Lifestyle Sports Life Style Sports, officially Lifestyle Sports (Ireland) Limited is Ireland's largest sports retailer, operating 46 outlets spread across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. They stock sporting goods and sport fashions. History Lif ...
to name a few. More local retailers can be found along the streets branching off from those streets. The Showgrounds Shopping Centre built during the Celtic Tiger can be found only 1 km from the town centre. This modern shopping centre built on the towns original showground, houses retailers such as M&S,
TKMaxx TJ Maxx (stylized as T•J•maxx) is an American department store chain, selling at prices generally lower than other major similar stores. It has more than 1,000 stores in the United States, making it one of the largest clothing retailers in ...
,
Argos Argos most often refers to: * Argos, Peloponnese, a city in Argolis, Greece ** Ancient Argos, the ancient city * Argos (retailer), a catalogue retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland Argos or ARGOS may also refer to: Businesses * ...
and Golden Discs. The Poppyfield Retail Park is located on the outskirts of the town. It has many stores such as DID Electrical, Supervalue, Maxi Zoo, Woodie's and World of Wonder. The retail park has food vendors being
KFC KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's, with 2 ...
, Costa Coffee, the Red Herring and Esquires Coffee. There is also a hotel on the site.


Industry

In recent times, Clonmel has become home to many large multi-national companies, particularly in the medical area. The two biggest medical companies in the town are Abbott and Boston Scientific, both of which manufacture implantable devices. Two other multi-national pharmaceutical companies are Merck & Co. and Pinewood Healthcare which can be found less than twenty minutes away. The town produces many beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Bulmers Bulmers cider is one of a number of brands owned by British cider maker H. P. Bulmer of Hereford. It is one of the biggest selling British bottled cider brands in the UK because it has the highest concentration of apples, with a number of vari ...
cider Cider ( ) is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom (particularly in the West Country) and the Republic of Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, ...
, also known as Magners outside Ireland, was founded in the town and is still brewed in a new complex east of the town with orchards surrounding it. The original brewery in the town is set to become a new visitor attraction. Glenpatrick Spring Water bottles still, carbonated and flavoured water from the limestone rocks beneath
Slievenamon Slievenamon or Slievenaman ( ga, Sliabh na mBan , "mountain of the women") is a mountain with a height of in County Tipperary, Ireland. It rises from a plain that includes the towns of Fethard, Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir. The mountain is ste ...
for many big supermarket chains in Ireland and the UK such as Tesco and M&S. Clonmel is home to international engineering and construction groups such as
Kentz Kentz Corp. Ltd. was an engineering and construction business serving clients primarily in the oil and gas, petrochemical and mining and metals sectors. History The company was founded by Michael Francis Kent as an electrical contracting busine ...
and Sepam which were both founded in the town. Sepam has helped in the construction of huge infrastructure projects around the world such as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, Disneyland Shanghai and some of the terminals at
Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport (), called ''London Airport'' until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow , is a major international airport in London, England. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system (the others be ...
to name a few.


Media


Radio

Tipp FM Tipp FM (Tipperary Local Radio), licensed since 1989 by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, is the local radio station covering County Tipperary. In addition to the official franchise area, the station also enjoys a listenership in neighbo ...
is a local radio station for the county of Tipperary. It has its main office in Clonmel. In 2019, Tippfm had over 69,000 listeners tuning in every week, increasing its market share to 35

It broadcasts on FM, on 95.3, 97.1, 103.3 and 103.9. The Clonmel transmitter broadcasts on 97.1 MHz.


Print

Clonmel is home to three newspapers: two
broadsheet A broadsheet is the largest newspaper format and is characterized by long Vertical and horizontal, vertical pages, typically of . Other common newspaper formats include the smaller Berliner (format), Berliner and Tabloid (newspaper format), ta ...
s and one
tabloid Tabloid may refer to: * Tabloid journalism, a type of journalism * Tabloid (newspaper format), a newspaper with compact page size ** Chinese tabloid * Tabloid (paper size), a North American paper size * Sopwith Tabloid, a biplane aircraft * ''Ta ...
free sheet. ''The Nationalist'', founded in 1890, is a Clonmel-based broadsheet newspaper that appears weekly, covering both Clonmel town and South Tipperary. It has a circulation of 14,375. It was formed to represent the views of the nationalist community in Tipperary, which led to the first editor being jailed under the
Coercion Act A Coercion Act was an Act of Parliament that gave a legal basis for increased state powers to suppress popular discontent and disorder. The label was applied, especially in Ireland, to acts passed from the 18th to the early 20th century by the Ir ...
on charges that he had intimidated a cattle dealer for taking a farm from which tenants had been evicted. It is now run by
Johnston Press Johnston Press plc was a multimedia company founded in Falkirk, Scotland, in 1767. Its flagship titles included UK-national newspaper the '' i'', ''The Scotsman'', the ''Yorkshire Post'', the ''Falkirk Herald'', and Belfast's ''The News Letter'' ...
. Also owned by Johnston Press is ''South Tipp Today'', a free tabloid newspaper with a circulation of 20,500 founded in 1995. It is delivered door-to-door in some areas, and available in local shops across South Tipperary. It is popular, fondly referred to as the 'small paper' by its readers, and covers news, entertainment, local notes and lifestyle. ''The Sporting Press'' is published and printed in Clonmel, it covers news related to the greyhound community in Ireland. It has a circulation of 7,500. The short-lived ''Premier People'' was launched in Clonmel in October 2010. It was a weekly (tabloid) freesheet with a focus on news, local notes and sports and was published on Tuesday evenings. It was delivered door-to-door in Clonmel and to all shops in South Tipperary. It was founded by Ann Commins, who co-founded ''South Tipp Today''. ''Premier People'' ceased publishing in 2011. The ''Tipperary Free Press'' was established in 1826 by the future first catholic Lord Mayor of Clonmel, John Hackett, following a meeting of the Clonmel Corporation. It was proposed that a Liberal and Independent newspaper should be in circulation in the district and Councillor Hackett, having been a printer and bookbinder in the town for some years, stepped forward to take on the task. The successful newspaper with a circulation of 45,650 in 1829 was an influential and popular voice in supporting liberal causes, yet it was labelled as radical. Its primary intention was to be '''The voice of the common people and played a highly prominent role in the quest for
Catholic Emancipation Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and later the combined United Kingdom in the late 18th century and early 19th century, that involved reducing and removing many of the restricti ...
as advocated by
Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (I) ( ga, Dónall Ó Conaill; 6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847), hailed in his time as The Liberator, was the acknowledged political leader of Ireland's Roman Catholic majority in the first half of the 19th century. His mobilizat ...
. Hackett was sued for libel on multiple occasions for his
caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, a ...
s of political rivals. Printed on O'Connell Street bi-weekly, it circulated in counties Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Cork and Limerick. In its later years, it assumed a Catholic-Whig political leaning. Printing ceased when it was acquired by the ''Tipperary Independent'' (1882–1906) in 1883.


Culture


Museums and Galleries

The
Tipperary Museum of Hidden History The Tipperary Museum of Hidden History is a Local museum, local history museum in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is designated as museum by the National Museum of Ireland and has full accreditation in the Museum Stan ...
tells the history of
County Tipperary County Tipperary ( ga, Contae Thiobraid Árann) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary, and was established in the early 13th century, shortly after th ...
from the
Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
to the present. It is also host to many special exhibitions each year. It is the first custom-built county museum in Ireland. The Main Guard was a civic building until 1810 when it was converted to shops. During a recent restoration, some of its sandstone columns were found to have been 'reclaimed' from the Medieval ruins of the
Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...
Inislounaght Abbey Inislounaght Abbey (Irish: ''Mainistir Inis Leamhnachta'' - "monastery on the island of fresh milk"), also referred to as ''Innislounaght'', ''Inislounacht'' and ''De Surio'', was a 12th-century Cistercian settlement on the river Suir, near Clon ...
at Marlfield. It has been used in the past as a Tholsel or office to collect tolls, duties and customs dues, a place for civic gatherings and as a court. It now houses an exhibition showing the historic development of Clonmel, including a model of the town as it appeared in the 13th century. The South Tipperary Arts Centre opened in 1996. The Arts Centre hosts around 12 exhibitions per year and a variety of art classes for adults and children. As well as presenting a range of visual arts exhibitions in the main gallery space, the centre also host events such as music, performance, poetry readings and dance. The centre has a spacious upstairs studio which is used for short term exhibitions & screenings, as well as for a variety of classes and workshops. It is also a rehearsal space for theatre, dance, music, and is available for meetings and seminars.


Theatre and cinema

The White Memorial Theatre building is a former Wesleyan/
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
Chapel and was designed and built by local architect William Tinsley in 1843. The building was purchased in 1975 by St. Mary's Choral Society and named after Society founder Professor James A White, Frank Patterson's first music mentor. The society put on an average of 2 shows a year in the building. The building also hosts shows by the Stage Craft Youth Theatre group and special event during the year. Clonmel has a vibrant youth arts sector. Stagecraft Youth Theatre was founded in 1998 by current Artistic Director Shane Dempsey. Stagecraft provides training for young actors in all aspects of theatre practice. Stagecraft is renowned for producing vibrant work in a fun, child-centred environment. Stagecraft is one of Ireland's largest youth theatre's and is affiliated with NAYD. They have recently staged works by Alex Jones, Enda Walsh, Hannah Burke, Jack Thorne and Moira Buffini. In 2011 Shane Dempsey founded The Hub, a 45-seat studio theatre in Albert Street. The Hub is home to Stagecraft. The IMC, with five screens and located on Kickham Street, is the town's only remaining cinema. Several other cinemas formerly operated in the town including the Ritz, which opened in 1940 and was located on the site of the present
Credit Union A credit union, a type of financial institution similar to a commercial bank, is a member-owned nonprofit organization, nonprofit financial cooperative. Credit unions generally provide services to members similar to retail banks, including depo ...
. The first cinema in the town opened in January 1913 as the Clonmel Cinema Theatre, soon to be renamed the Clonmel Electric Picture Palace. It was located at the rear of No. 35 Gladstone Street. It was soon followed by John Magner's Theatre at the Mall, which burned to the ground in 1919, to be re-built in 1921 with an increased capacity of over a thousand seats. It was eventually named the Regal Theatre and remodelled as an 850-seat theatre, which finally closed in 2001. It was in the Regal Theatre where the tenor
Frank Patterson Frank Patterson (5 October 1938 – 10 June 2000) was an internationally renowned Irish tenor following in the tradition of singers such as Count John McCormack and Josef Locke. He was known as "Ireland's Golden Tenor". Early life Patterson wa ...
made his stage debut. The Oisin, in O'Connell Street, was of a similar scale and was also built in 1921. It was on the site of the present-day Heatons but burned to the ground in 1965. The last film to be shown there was ''
A Patch of Blue ''A Patch of Blue'' is a 1965 American drama film directed by Guy Green about the friendship between an educated black man (played by Sidney Poitier) and an illiterate, blind, white 18-year-old girl (played by Elizabeth Hartman), and the problem ...
''.


Festivals

For nine days from the first weekend of July, the town hosts the annual
Clonmel Junction Festival Clonmel Junction Festival is an annual festival held in the town of Clonmel, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The festival starts on the first weekend of July and runs for seven days. It is a multi-discipline arts festival with theatre, dance, mu ...
. It consists of a mix of
street theatre Street theatre is a form of theatrical performance and presentation in outdoor public spaces without a specific paying audience. These spaces can be anywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves, college or university c ...
, rock,
traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
and world music. Several international acts visit the festival each year. In the last few years, young local bands have also had an opportunity to showcase their talents. Children from local schools and community groups are encouraged to participate with support from local artists.
Finding a Voice Find, FIND or Finding may refer to: Computing * find (Unix), a command on UNIX platforms * find (Windows), a command on DOS/Windows platforms Books * ''The Find'' (2010), by Kathy Page * ''The Find'' (2014), by William Hope Hodgson Film and t ...
is a festival that is held around
International Women's Day International Women's Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against wom ...
, 8 March. It presents performances of music by female composers. Clonmel is home to the International Film Festival Ireland, which focuses on independent films. Its inaugural event was during September 2009 and ran for five days. It has become an annual event, occurring every September. The 2010 event expanded to include a Youth Film Festival, that showcased locally made short films. The Clonmel Busking festival runs for four days every August. It provides free music events during the day in Clonmel town centre, while at night a number of concerts take place in various venues throughout the town.


Music

Banna Chluain Meala (literally translating as 'Clonmel band') was founded in 1971. Originally a brass band, Banna Chluain Meala later developed as a brass and reed band, which included a concert, marching and field show performances. The band also has a colour guard section which enhances marching and field show performances. The total complement of the band has ranged from 100 to 150 members throughout the years. The band has travelled widely abroad to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Chicago in the United States of America and represented Ireland at an International Festival in Cheb in the Czech Republic in 2004 to celebrate the new entrants to the European Union. Banna Chluain Meala is one of Ireland's most honoured bands. They hold concert band championship titles on national and international levels. As a marching band, they have had unparalleled success nationally, being crowned IMBA Irish champions in the highest division on twelve occasions (1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015). They have also had success abroad, including as Open Class champions at the British Youth Band Championships at Wembley in 1994. Clonmel has hosted the Irish traditional music festival, the Fleadh Cheoil, on five occasions from 1992 to 1994 inclusive, and again in 2003 and 2004. One of the better-known songs concerning Clonmel is "The Gaol of Cluain Meala," a translation from the turn of the 19th century by a Cork man, Jeremiah Joseph Callanan, of the traditional Irish-language song "Príosún Chluain Meala". It was revived by the celebrated balladeer Luke Kelly in the 1960s. The narrator in the Irish republican song "
Galtee Mountain Boy "The Galtee Mountain Boy" is an Irish folk ballad, originally written by Patsy O'Halloran. Christy Moore added a fourth verse to O'Halloran's original three; this is the version that is most commonly performed. The song is a monologue, documentin ...
" farewells Clonmel in the song. The song was written by Patsy Halloran from Clonmel. Music venues in Clonmel include The Piper Inn, famous for hosting a show by Irish rock band Thin Lizzy.


Clonmel in literature

'' Vertue rewarded, or The Irish princess'' (1693), one of the earliest
romance novel A romance novel or romantic novel generally refers to a type of genre fiction novel which places its primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and usually has an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Pre ...
s written in the English language, tells the story of "Merinda" from High Street, Clonmel and a
Williamite A Williamite was a follower of King William III of England (r. 1689–1702) who deposed King James II and VII in the Glorious Revolution. William, the Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, replaced James with the support of English Whigs. One ...
officer stationed in the town during the Jacobite war.
Raymond Chandler Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was an American-British novelist and screenwriter. In 1932, at the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive durin ...
's 1939 novel '' The Big Sleep'' features Rusty Regan as a main character: "A big curly-headed Irishman from Clonmel, with sad eyes and a smile as wide as Wilshire Boulevard." Charles Kickham's 1873 novel ''Knocknagow'' had two main characters modelled on Clonmel locals. These were his cousins, Dr T.J. Crean Sr. as ''"Arthur O'Conner"'' and his wife Clara Crean (née Kickham) as ''"Mary Kearney",'' who both lived on Queen Street at the time.
John Flanagan John Flanagan or Jack Flanagan may refer to: Sportspeople * Jack Flanagan (footballer) (1902–1989), English footballer * John Flanagan (hammer thrower) (1868–1938), Irish-American three-time Olympic champion in athletics * John Flanagan (Limeri ...
's 2009 novel ''The Kings of Clonmel'' uses Clonmel as a fictional kingdom. It is the eighth book in the Ranger's Apprentice series.


Sport


Association Football

Clonmel is home to Clonmel Celtic, Old Bridge, Wilderness Rovers, Redmondstown and Clonmel Town who play in the TSDL League.


Athletics

Clonmel is home to Clonmel Athletic Club.


Rugby

Clonmel Rugby Club plays in the All Ireland League, Division 2C. The rugby club was founded in 1892. In 1990 the club opened their new club House coinciding with the first-ever Soviet Union rugby team visit to Ireland. In their centenary year, 1992, they hosted
London Irish RFC London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club which competes in the Premiership, the top division of English rugby union. The club has also competed in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the European Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup. While ...
against Shannon RFC in a memorable game played at the club grounds. Clonmel won the Munster Junior Cup for the first time in its 122-year history in 2014 and followed that up with a Munster Junior League (Division 1) title and the Munster Junior Challenge Cup in the 2015 season.


Cricket

Clonmel's cricket club plays teams in the Munster Cricket Union Senior 2 and Senior 3 leagues. The cricket club currently fields 1 adult teams and 2 youth teams. All play their home games in the Presentation Convent Field.


Horse Racing and Coursing

Clonmel is noted in greyhound circles for being the home of the annual National Hare Coursing meeting in early February at
Clonmel Racecourse Clonmel Racecourse (Powerstown Park) is a horse racing venue in the town of Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland which stages both National Hunt and Flat racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or m ...
located in the Powerstown area of the town. Also Included in this event is the Ladies' International Open Meeting and the coursing derby. At this time each year, Clonmel's population is swollen by a large influx of sportspeople from Ireland, the UK, and from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the Middle East.


Rowing and boat building

Clonmel has two clubs associated with recreational activity on the river Suir, both of which are based in Irishtown.


Clonmel Rowing Club (CRC)

Clonmel Rowing Club (CRC), was founded in 1869 and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in the town. It is located on Moor's Island, on the
Suir The River Suir ( ; ga, an tSiúr or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of . The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2.
, about 500 meters west of the town centre. The club colours are Royal Blue and White. Sporting success in the early 1900s culminated in the winning of the Senior Men's 'eight' championships in 1920. The club is affectionately known locally as "The Island". In winter, training takes place on a 4-mile stretch of the river to the west of the town, from the clubhouse to Knocklofty bridge. In the summer months this stretch is reduced to 2 miles as far as Sandybanks, near Marlfield village. Flooding has become a perennial problem, especially noticeable in recent years. The flow becomes so fast that rowing in January is not possible on this part of the Suir. Within a 25-mile radius there are two locations where the club can still train satisfactorily,
Cappoquin Cappoquin, also spelt Cappaquin or Capaquin (), is a town in west County Waterford, Ireland. It is on the Blackwater river at the junction of the N72 national secondary road and the R669 regional road. It is positioned on a sharp 90-degree be ...
and Fiddown. CRC has a newly constructed, purpose-built boathouse since 1979, with boat storage on the ground floor. Upstairs are two squash courts, a function hall and dressing rooms. Currently, one squash court is being used as the gym. Recently, Clonmel has seen a resurgence with the success of Daire Lynch winning the men's senior single sculls and making international representation.


Workmen's Boat Club

The Workmen's Boat Club was established in 1883. The property was leased from the Bagwell estate until 1999 when it was finally purchased by the club. One of the major undertakings of the club in recent years has been the restoration of the historic racing craft ''Cruiskeen'', which was built in the 1840s by GAA founder member
Maurice Davin Maurice Davin (29 June 1842 – 27 January 1927) was an Irish farmer who became co-founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association. He was also the first President of the GAA and the only man ever to serve two terms as president. Sports Davin was bo ...
. The project, outsourced to 'Conservation , Letterfrack', took several years of meticulous cleaning, treatment and repair and the 38 ft./11.6m timber boat is now on permanent display in the County Museum, Clonmel.


GAA Clubs

Clonmel is home to several
Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...
(GAA) clubs. Clonmel Óg the most recently established GAA club in the town was set up in 1984 and it competes in the senior division only 31 years after being formed.
Moyle Rovers GAA Moyle Rovers GAA are a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Tipperary, Ireland. History The club derives its name from the river Moyle that runs through the Parish and joins the Anner. The club was founded in 1928. Previous to this since ...
club is just outside the town and has been a dominant force in recent decades. Gaelic football club
Clonmel Commercials Clonmel Commercials GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association Gaelic football club located in the town of Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is part of the South Division of Tipperary GAA. They have been Tipperary Senior Football champ ...
, the 2016 Munster Football Club champions, are based in the town, on the Western Road. They reached the semi-finals of the 2015-16 All Ireland Football Club championships, losing out to Ballyboden St. Endas, who would go on to win the championship. Sister hurling club, St. Mary's, are also located on Western Road.


Education


Primary schools

* Gaelscoil Chluain Meala has around 200 students. Located at Irishtown and originally the Free School, the building was designed by two pupils of the renowned architect John Nash. It was for a number of years the offices of South Tipperary County Council. *
St Mary's Parochial School, Clonmel ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...
, also known as the Model School, traces its roots to the Incorporated Society School of 1832. It is located on the Western Road. (''
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 ...
'') *St Oliver's national school was founded in 1982. It is situated at Heywood Road. * St.Mary's CBS is located in Irishtown directly beside the Gaelscoil. * St.Peter and Paul's CBS. * Sisters of Charity Girls School. * Presentation Primary School.


Secondary schools

* Presentation Convent, for girls, (Roman Catholic) * Loreto Convent, for girls, (Roman Catholic) * CBS High School, for boys, (Roman Catholic) *
Gaelcholáiste Chéitinn Gaelcholáiste Chéitinn () is a gaelcholáiste (Irish language-medium second-level school) that teaches students from the Clonmel area in County Tipperary in Ireland. Part of the Central Technical Institute (CTI) on the Mall, the Gaelcholáiste ...
, co-educational. Part of the Clonmel Central Technical Institute. Established in 2004, the school teaches through the medium of Irish. It was established as an autonomous school within the Vocational Education Committee system in response to a demand for second-level education through the medium of Irish. * Coláiste Chluain Meala, co-educational. Formerly known as ''The Clonmel Central Technical Institute Secondary School'' which traces its history back to 1842. Under the control of the local
Education and Training Board An Education and Training Board (ETB) ( ga, Bord Oideachais agus Oiliúna) is one of sixteen statutory local education bodies that deliver a wide range of education services in the Republic of Ireland. ETBs manage a large number of secondary school ...
. * CTI
Senior College An upper division college or university is one that requires applicants to have already completed their first two years of undergraduate study at another institution. These institutions traces their roots to educational ideas put forward in the ...
, co-educational. Part of the Clonmel Central Technical Institute and under the control of the local
Education and Training Board An Education and Training Board (ETB) ( ga, Bord Oideachais agus Oiliúna) is one of sixteen statutory local education bodies that deliver a wide range of education services in the Republic of Ireland. ETBs manage a large number of secondary school ...
. There is an official website listing PLC courses.


Third level

Clonmel is home to one third-level college, LIT. It will merge with
Athlone IT The Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT; ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Bhaile Átha Luain) was an institute of technology, located in Athlone, Ireland. Established in 1970, the institute's campus was located on University Road. A conso ...
to become an as-yet-untitled
technological university An institute of technology (also referred to as: technological university, technical university, university of technology, technological educational institute, technical college, polytechnic university or just polytechnic) is an institution of te ...
(TU), in 2021/22. The Clonmel Campus of LIT offers courses in Business, Creative Multimedia, Digital Animation Production and Marketing with Languages. The Creative Multimedia & Digital Animation Production degrees are operated under the LIT
Limerick School of Art and Design The Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD; ga, Scoil Ealaíne Agus Deartha Luimnigh) is a constituent art college of the Technological University of the Shannon, located in Limerick, Ireland. The school operates on three of TUS: Midwest's ...
. The LIT Clonmel campus is located along the Clonmel Inner Relief Road, but it is proposed that it will move to a new location within the town centre in the future.


Training

Clonmel Youth Training Entreprises Limited was established in 1984 by voluntary and business people, who saw the need to tackle the growing issue of unemployment and the related consequences of early school leavers in Clonmel.


Transport


Roads

Clonmel is located on the N24, the national primary roadway that links the cities of Limerick and Waterford. The N24 westbound connects Clonmel to junction 10 of the
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
to
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
M8 motorway, while eastbound it links the town with
Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...
via the N76.
Charles Bianconi Charles Bianconi (24 September 1786 – 22 September 1875) was an Italo-Irish entrepreneur. Sometimes described as the "man who put Ireland on wheels", he developed a network of horse-drawn coaches that became Ireland's "first regular public trans ...
, onetime mayor of the town, ran his pioneering public transport system of horse-drawn carriages from Clonmel.


Rail

Clonmel railway station Clonmel railway station serves the town of Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is on the railway line that links and . It has a weekday passenger service of two trains to Limerick Junction and two to Waterford. There is no Sunday servic ...
opened on 1 May 1852. Today there are two trains daily to
Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...
via
Carrick on Suir Carrick-on-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", in the historical barony of Iffa and Offa East. The part on the sou ...
, and two to Limerick Junction via Cahir and
Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...
which has main-line connections to
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. There is no Sunday service.


Waterways

The River Suir had been made navigable to Clonmel from 1760 when completion of the River Suir Navigation in the 19th century allowed large vessels to reach the town's quays.


People associated with Clonmel

* Anne Anderson (born 1952), was Ireland's first female Ambassador to the United States of America, United Nations, France, Monaco and European Union, born in Clonmel. *
Bonaventura Baron Bonaventure Baron, O.F.M. (christened Bartholomew Baron; 1610 – 18 March 1696) was a distinguished Irish Franciscan friar and a noted theologian, philosopher, teacher and writer of Latin prose and verse.Charles Bianconi Charles Bianconi (24 September 1786 – 22 September 1875) was an Italo-Irish entrepreneur. Sometimes described as the "man who put Ireland on wheels", he developed a network of horse-drawn coaches that became Ireland's "first regular public trans ...
(1786–1875), one-time mayor of Clonmel, ran his pioneering public transport system of horse-drawn carriages from Clonmel * George Borrow (1803–1881), polyglot,
ethnologist Ethnology (from the grc-gre, ἔθνος, meaning 'nation') is an academic field that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them (compare cultural, social, or sociocultural anthropology) ...
of the
Romani people The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sig ...
and author of '' Lavengro'', in which he briefly writes of his time in Clonmel, lived here in 1815 * Francis Bryan (1490–1550), English courtier and diplomat during the reign of
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
, died in Clonmel in 1550 * Austin Carroll (1835–1909), Irish Catholic nun and writer *
Thomas Chamney Thomas Chamney (born 16 April 1984) is an Irish runner who was born in Clonmel and brought up in Dublin. He specialises in the 800 metres event. He was educated at Kilkenny College and at Saint Columba's College, Dublin. Chamney runs for the C ...
, Irish athlete who ran 800m in Beijing Olympics in 2008 *
Bridget Cleary Bridget Cleary (née Boland; ga, Bríd Uí Chléirigh; 19 Feb 1867 – 15 March 1895) was an Irish woman who was murdered by her husband in 1895. She was either immolated or her body was set on fire immediately after her death. The husband's s ...
(1869-1895), burned alive by her husband, Michael Cleary, because she was believed to be a shapeshifting fairy. The ensuing criminal trial was very high-profile. *
William J. Duane William John Duane (May 9, 1780 – September 27, 1865) was an American politician and lawyer from Pennsylvania. Duane served a brief term as United States Secretary of the Treasury in 1833. His refusal to withdraw Federal deposits from the Seco ...
(1780–1865), American politician and lawyer from
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, was born in Clonmel. *
Dave Foley David Scott Foley (born January 4, 1963) is a Canadian actor, stand-up comedian, director, producer and writer. He is known as a co-founder of the comedy group The Kids in the Hall, who have appeared together in a number of television, stage and ...
is a professional rugby union player *
Sarah Pim Grubb Sarah Pim Grubb (11 December 1746 – 1832) was a businesswoman and Quaker benefactor in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland. She married a miller and corn dealer named John Grubb in 1778. After her husband's death six years later, she ran his succ ...
(1746–1832), Quaker businesswoman, wife of John Grubb, died in Clonmel * Vincent Hanley (1954–1987), a pioneering Irish radio DJ and television presenter, nicknamed "Fab Vinny". He worked mainly for
Raidió Teilifís Éireann Raidi (; ; also written Ragdi; born August, 1938) is a Tibetan politician of the People's Republic of China. He served as a vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress from 2003 to 2008, and the highest ranking Tibeta ...
and was the first Irish celebrity to die from an AIDS-related illness * Mary Elizabeth Southwell Dudley Leathley (1818– 1899), writer, was born in Clonmel in 1818. *
Sir Lionel Milman, 7th Baronet Sir Lionel Charles Patrick Milman, 7th Baronet (23 February 1877 – 2 November 1962) was an Anglo-Irish British Army officer, first-class cricketer, and the seventh of the Milman baronets of Levaton-in-Woodland in the County of Devon. E ...
(1877–1962), Anglo-Irish first-class cricketer and British Army officer *
Fred Murray Frederick Anthony "Fred" Murray (born 22 May 1982, Clonmel, County Tipperary) is an Irish former footballer and physiotherapist. Playing career Murray played his youth football at Belvedere before going abroad. At Belvedere he played in the ...
, former professional football player, now personal masseur for Foo Fighters member Dave Grohl *
Vivian Murray Vivian Murray (22 July 1932 – 6 March 2009) was an Irish businessman. Murray served as the chief executive of the Irish Goods Council during the 1970s and 1980s, when it launched the "Buy Irish" and "Guaranteed Irish" marketing campaigns. M ...
, businessman * Pat O'Callaghan was an Irish athlete and 1928 Olympic gold medalist * Nellie Ó Cléirigh was an Irish lace authority and historian *
Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin (; 10 December 1950 – 7 November 2018) was an Irish musician, composer, academic and educationalist. Biography Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin was a pianist, composer, recording artist and academic; he held the Pro ...
(1950–2018), an Irish musician, held Professorship of Music at the Irish World Music Centre of the University of Limerick *
Frank Patterson Frank Patterson (5 October 1938 – 10 June 2000) was an internationally renowned Irish tenor following in the tradition of singers such as Count John McCormack and Josef Locke. He was known as "Ireland's Golden Tenor". Early life Patterson wa ...
(1938–2000), one of Ireland's most famous
tenors A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is widel ...
, was native to the town *
Ramsay Weston Phipps Ramsay Weston Phipps (10 April 1838 – 24 June 1923) was an Irish-born military historian and officer in Queen Victoria's Royal Artillery. The son of Pownoll Phipps, an officer of the British East India Company's army, he was descended from the ...
(1838–1923), military historian, born in Clonmel, lived there off and on throughout his life *
Rozanna Purcell Rozanna "Roz" Purcell (born 3 September 1990) is an Irish model, charity worker and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Ireland 2010 and represented Ireland at Miss Universe 2010. Miss Universe Rozanna Purcell competed in Miss Un ...
, model and Miss Universe Ireland 2010 *
Adi Roche Adi Patricia Roche (born 11 July 1955) is an Irish activist, anti-nuclear advocate, and campaigner for peace, humanitarian aid and education. She founded and is CEO of Chernobyl Children's Project International. She has focused on the relief o ...
, co-founder of
Chernobyl Children's Project International Chernobyl Children International (CCI) is a non-profit, international development, medical, and humanitarian organisation that works with children, families and communities that continue to be affected by the economic outcome of the 1986 Chernob ...
and
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
candidate for the Irish Presidency * Andrea Roche, best known Irish model and Miss Ireland 1997 *
Symon Semeonis Symon Semeonis (''fl.'' 1322–24; also Simon FitzSimon or Simon FitzSimmons) was a 14th-century Irish Franciscan friar and author. Biography Of Hiberno-Norman origin, Semeonis was the author of ''Itinerarium fratrum Symonis Semeonis et Hugonis ...
, or Simon Fitzsimons, was a 14th-century Franciscan friar who left Clonmel in 1323 on pilgrimage to the
Holy Land The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
. The account of his "Itinerary" is preserved in a manuscript in the Library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge * Laurence Sterne (1713–68), author of ''
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman ''The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman'', also known as ''Tristram Shandy'', is a novel by Laurence Sterne, inspired by ''Don Quixote''. It was published in nine volumes, the first two appearing in 1759, and seven others followin ...
'', was born in the town, though his family returned to England soon after *
Anthony Trollope Anthony Trollope (; 24 April 1815 – 6 December 1882) was an English novelist and civil servant of the Victorian era. Among his best-known works is a series of novels collectively known as the '' Chronicles of Barsetshire'', which revolves ar ...
(1815–1852), a noted author, worked in the town for a period * Stephen White (1575–1646) was an Irish Jesuit, historian and antiquarian born in Clonmel, who wrote about the early Irish saints


Sister towns

Clonmel is twinned with several places:


See also

*
Clonmel Borstal St. Patrick's Borstal Institution, Clonmel, was established in Ireland in 1906 as a place of detention for young male offenders aged between 16 and 21, and located in Clonmel, County Tipperary. History of the site The Clonmel Institution is si ...
*
Grange, County Tipperary Grange () is a village near Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland. History In 1829, a catholic church was established in the village. In 1857, a school was established adjacent to the church. Separate boys' and girls' schools used the same bu ...
* List of towns and villages in Ireland *
Market Houses in Ireland See: * Market houses in Northern Ireland * List of market houses in the Republic of Ireland {{DEFAULTSORT:Irish towns with a Market House Market House Market House Irish Market Market is a term used to describe concepts such as: * Market (e ...
*
Siege of Clonmel The Siege of Clonmel, from 27 April to 18 May 1650, took place during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, when Clonmel in County Tipperary was besieged by 8,000 men from the New Model Army under Oliver Cromwell. The garrison of 1,500 comm ...
*
St Joseph's Industrial School, Clonmel St Joseph’s Industrial School, generally referred to as Ferryhouse, is located four kilometres east of Clonmel, in County Tipperary, Ireland. The original building was erected in 1884 by Count Arthur Moore, a wealthy local Catholic as a refor ...


References


''History of Clonmel''
William P. Burke 1907 from
Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
.
Observations on fishing and other 'native fauna', Clonmel, 1833

From Cahir to Clonmel, 1834
* White, James : ''My Clonmel Scrapbook'' : 1995 based on 1907 original * ''The Cistercian Abbeys of Tipperary'' (inc. Inislaunaght founded 1147–8
from Four Courts Press
* Watson, Sydney John : ''A Dinner of Herbs: A History of Old Saint Mary's Church, Clonmel'' 1988 * McGrath, Bríd (ed.): ''The Minute Book of the Corporation of Clonmel, 1608–1649''
Irish Manuscripts Commission
: 2006 :


External links

{{Authority control County towns in the Republic of Ireland Towns and villages in County Tipperary Boroughs in the Republic of Ireland Iffa and Offa East