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 ...
in Ireland, about 12 km east of the town of
Macroom
Macroom (; ga, Maigh Chromtha) is a market town in County Cork, Ireland, located in the valley of the River Sullane, halfway between Cork city and Killarney. Its population has grown and receded over the centuries as it went through periods of ...
and about 1 km off the N22 Cork-Killarney road. It had a population of 245 as of the 2016 census, down from 285 in the 2011 census.
History
To the south of Crookstown village is the ruin of the 16th century Clodagh Castle, once home to one of the branches of the McSweeney clan. Another ruined castle, Castlemore Castle or Dundrinan Castle, lies to the north of the village.Crookstown Road railway station, located close to Castlemore Castle approximately 2 km from the village centre, operated as a stop on the
Cork and Macroom Direct Railway
The Cork and Macroom Direct Railway (CMDR) was an Irish gauge () railway in Ireland which ran the from Cork to Macroom.
History
It was incorporated in 1861 and was chaired by Sir John Arnott and Joseph Ronayne. The engineer for the scheme wa ...
from 1866 until services on the line ceased in the 1940s.
The
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief tha ...
(IRA) was active around Crookstown during the
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...
Michael Collins Michael Collins or Mike Collins most commonly refers to:
* Michael Collins (Irish leader) (1890–1922), Irish revolutionary leader, soldier, and politician
* Michael Collins (astronaut) (1930–2021), American astronaut, member of Apollo 11 and Ge ...
was likely on his way to a meeting in Crookstown when he was killed in an ambush at nearby
Béal na Bláth
Béal na Bláth or Béal na Blá (anglicised Bealnablath or Bealnabla)"Béal na Blá/Bealnablath" during the
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War ( ga, Cogadh Cathartha na hÉireann; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United ...
.
Geography
Crookstown is approximately 30 km from
Cork City
Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city' ...
, and 4 km from
Béal na Bláth
Béal na Bláth or Béal na Blá (anglicised Bealnablath or Bealnabla)"Béal na Blá/Bealnablath" . It lies between the River Bride and River Brouen, and in 2012 was subject to flooding when both rivers burst their banks.
Economy
Crookstown is a rural village with a number of shops, pubs and other businesses.
A large mill, built c.1810 at Bellmount close to the village, was once economically important to the area. The area is now better known for its brick and concrete factory at Castlemore.
Amenities
The Crookstown area is served by a Garda station and post office. Local sports clubs include Crookstown United (which fields teams in the
Munster Football Association
The Munster Football Association (MFA) is the governing body for association football in the Irish province of Munster. It is affiliated to the Football Association of Ireland and is responsible for organising the Munster Senior Cup and the ...
's 'shipping league') and Crookstown Karate Club (members of which have competed in national and international competition).