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Gort ( or ) is a town of around 3,000 inhabitants in
County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...
in the west of Ireland. Located near the border with County Clare, the town lies between the Burren and the Slieve Aughty and is served by the R458 and R460 regional roads, which connect to the
M18 motorway This is a list of roads designated M18. Road entries are sorted in the countries alphabetical order. * M-18 road (Bosnia and Herzegovina) a road connecting Sarajevo, Trnovo, Foča and Trebinje * M18 motorway (Great Britain), a road connecting Ro ...
.


Etymology

Gort is short for the complete Irish name, ''Gort Inse Guaire'' (''gort:'' a meadow, field, ''inse:'' an island, and ''Guaire:'' a proper name) and translates to "field of Guaire's island".


History

Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes
ringfort Ringforts, ring forts or ring fortresses are circular fortified settlements that were mostly built during the Bronze Age up to about the year 1000. They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland. There are also many in South Wales ...
, souterrain and holy well sites in the townlands of Gort, Ballyhugh, Cloghnakeava, Cloonnahaha and Lavally. In 2022, a large Bronze Age fort, located in Coole Parke near Gort, was dated between 800 and 1200 BCE during archeological work in the Burren lowlands. The Guaire in ''Gort Inse Guaire'' refers to King Guaire "The Generous" ( Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin), the seventh century King of Connacht. Guaire reputedly kept royal residences in Gort on a small island on the Gort river and also built a fort in nearby Kinvara named Dunguaire ("Fort of Guaire" in Irish). He was the patron of his first cousin St. Colman MacDuagh (giving him the land for Kilmacduagh monastery) During the Middle Ages the chiefs of
Cenél Áeda na hEchtge Cenél Áeda na hEchtge (also Cenél Áeda, Kenloth, Kinalethes, Kenealea, Kinelea) was a trícha cét (later a cantred, (a branch of the Uí Fiachrach Aidhne) and which was the original formation of the southern part of the barony of Kiltartan, ...
, the O'Shaughnessys (''Ó Seachnasaigh'', a clan descended from Guaire Aidhneach), had their principal stronghold in Gort, on the island site which later became a
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
barracks Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca" ("soldier's tent"), but today barracks are u ...
. At the end of the seventeenth century, the O'Shaughnessy lands were confiscated and granted to Sir Thomas Prendergast, 1st Baronet, whose grandson was John Prendergast Smyth, 1st Viscount Gort. The centre of the town was built at this time (the late period in
Georgian architecture Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, Georg ...
) according to Lord Gort's plans. It was designed around a large triangular market. In the 18th and 19th century, the Gort Races took place at the Newtown Course. There were prizes and this was hosted by the local landlords for the "turf loving gentry of both provinces" unster and Connacht There was a large flour mill built along the river in 1806, it was 4 stories tall, with a wooden wheel, and very active. It operated until 1966. It was sold to the Gort Co-operative Mart and destroyed in 1985. The Great Famine caused hardship and destitution in Gort, with a decrease in the population in the mid-19th century. Many people emigrated to Canada and the United States, while others fell ill and died. In 1841, the town had a population of 3,056, in 1861 the population was 2,097. There was unrest among the population, as well as rampant theft. There were also a number of relief and work schemes in the area. Gort's Fever Hospital, and the adjacent workhouse, were built at this time. Coole House, Lady Gregory's home, served as a base for the Irish Literary Revival in the late 1800s and early 20th century. There is an "Autograph Tree", still there, that has the carved initials of some of her notable guests: George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats, Seán O'Casey,
Jack B. Yeats Jack Butler Yeats RHA (29 August 1871 – 28 March 1957) was an Irish artist and Olympic medalist. W. B. Yeats was his brother. Butler's early style was that of an illustrator; he only began to work regularly in oils in 1906. His early pict ...
, John M. Synge, and Lady Margaret Sackville. W. B. Yeats bought a tower house, Thoor Ballylee, from the Gregorys, restored it, and made it his summer residence in the 1920s. Yeats wrote about the restoration using "smithy work from the Gort forge". Jack B. Yeats painted and drew scenes of everyday life in Gort. As a barracks town, Gort had a strong presence of Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and Black and Tans 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 ...
(1919–1921). A young woman, Eileen Quinn, was shot dead while holding her infant just outside of the town by the
Auxiliary Division The Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary (ADRIC), generally known as the Auxiliaries or Auxies, was a paramilitary unit of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) during the Irish War of Independence. It was founded in July 1920 by Major ...
of the RIC on 1 November 1920 – in what has been described as "essentially a drive-by shooting". On November 26th the Loughnane brothers were interrogated in the Gort barracks before being "tied to the tailgate of a lorry and dragged to
Drumharsna Castle Drumharsna Castle ( gle, Caisleán Dhroimm Tharsna) is a tower house near Ardrahan, County Galway, in Ireland. History This castle is known to have been owned by Shane Ballagh in 1577 and was probably built some time before that. The castle wa ...
" and killed by the RIC. The British forces conducted raids, tortured, stole, and terrorised people in Gort and the area. Beatings took place at the Gort barracks. The town also hosted the military court.


Geography

Gort is in County Galway and lies just north of the border with County Clare. This is on the old Galway to Limerick road, (now the R458) and is about halfway between
Ennis Ennis () is the county town of County Clare, in the mid-west of Ireland. The town lies on the River Fergus, north of where the river widens and enters the Shannon Estuary. Ennis is the largest town in County Clare, with a population of 25,27 ...
and Loughrea. It straddles the Gort River, a river that "disappears" underground several times between its source and Galway Bay. Gort is in a valley between the exposed limestone region of the Burren, and the peaty hills of the Slieve Aughty. The town is in the historical territory of Uí Fiachrach Aidhne also known as Maigh Aidhne ("the plain of Aidhne"), which is within the diocese of
Kilmacduagh Kilmacduagh () is a small village in south County Galway, near Gort, in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the site of Kilmacduagh monastery, seat of the Diocese of that name. The diocese is now part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Ki ...
(''Cill Mhic Dhuach''). Gort stands in 3 parishes and 3 townlands, namely Beagh, Kilmacduach and Kiltartan, each in the barony of Kiltartan.


Population

As of the
2016 census Sixteen or 16 may refer to: *16 (number), the natural number following 15 and preceding 17 *one of the years 16 BC, AD 16, 1916, 2016 Films * ''Pathinaaru'' or ''Sixteen'', a 2010 Tamil film * ''Sixteen'' (1943 film), a 1943 Argentine film dir ...
, Gort had around 3,000 inhabitants and was one of the most diverse towns in Ireland, with 26.6% being non-Irish. According to the 2006 census, approximately 40% of the residents of Gort were non-Irish, mainly Brazilians. These people originally came to work in the meat processing plants in Gort where the pay is generally much higher than in similar plants in Brazil. According to Claire Healy's ''Irish Migration Studies in Latin America'', a "large community of Brazilians now live, work and attend school in Gort, gradually altering the appearance and the character of the town". By the time of the 2011 census, non-Irish nationals accounted for 27.2% of the population. The largest group (417 people) were still Brazilians, followed by UK nationals (81).


Economy

Gort was once an agricultural market town. As of the 21st century, it is home to a Lidl, an Aldi, and a Supervalu. It was one of the worst affected towns in Ireland in the 2014 recession. According to a 2019 '' Irish Times'' article, " tween 2006 and 2011, it lost 400 jobs and 14 per cent of its population. Jobs were lost with the closure of Duffy Meats, a factory in which many Brazilians had been working, and also when the construction industry imploded". Gort Co-operative Mart was founded in 1962, operated in the town until 1996, when it moved 2.5 kilometres out of the centre. As of 2020, approximately 16,500 cattle and 7,000 sheep "passed through its gate with a €15.6 million turnover". In December 2022
An Bord Pleanala An, AN, aN, or an may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Airlinair (IATA airline code AN) * Alleanza Nazionale, a former political party in Italy * AnimeNEXT, an annual anime convention located in New Jersey * Anime North, a Canadian an ...
overturned a Galway County Council planning decision and permission was granted for a biogas plant.


Tourism

According to a 2019 Irish Times article, local business people saw tourism as an important sector to expand in the town. Gort has a number of bars and restaurants, and guest accommodation. The websites of Fáilte Ireland and the "Burren Lowlands" destination marketing group, list nearby tourist destinations as The Burren, Coole Park Visitor Centre & Gardens, Kilmacduagh cathedral churches and round tower, Thoor Ballylee, and Kiltartan Gregory Museum.


Culture

A number of the town's cultural organisations are grouped under an umbrella organisation, the Gorgeous Gort Forum. The Wild Swans Theatre Company is a local group of actors which put on plays in St. Colman's Hall. The Cooley Collins Festival is a traditional Irish music event that takes place at the end of October. There is a museum dedicated to Lady Gregory, Kiltartan Gregory Museum, in an old schoolhouse. The Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society keeps Yeat's 15th century tower house open with events, a studio, and tours. Guaire Magazine is a magazine on local history and culture, it dates back to the mid 1970s. Since 1981, the town hosts the annual Gort and District Show, a community event which awards prizes in a number of categories from photography and crafts, to flowers and ponies.


Places of interest

Gort has a number of buildings of architectural interest, being a well preserved planned Georgian period market town. There is a mid-19th century Weigh House in the centre of the old square, as well as a 1933 marble sculpture of
Christ the King Christ the King is a title of Jesus in Christianity referring to the idea of the Kingdom of God where the Christ is described as seated at the right hand of God. Many Christian denominations consider the kingly office of Christ to be one of ...
by the Irish sculptor Albert Power. The town hall is a former 19th century school which is now used for community theatre. There is a large Catholic church, St. Colman's Church (built 1825), with a public park, Canon Quinn Park, behind. The old Church of Ireland church, built , is now the public library. The Gort River Walk, opened a 3 km looped walking trail along the Gort River with a new bridge in October 2022. Next to the river and the original bridge (constructed in 1771) is Bridge House, the original residence of Lord Gort before the move to
Lough Cutra Castle Lough Cutra Castle is a privately owned castle located near Gort in south County Galway, Ireland. The castle was designed by English architect John Nash for Colonel Charles Vereker, 2nd Viscount Gort. Construction started in 1811 and was com ...
. This house, dated around 1770, has since been added to and was a Sisters of Mercy convent from 1857 until 2022, with a primary school on the grounds. As of 2022 it houses Ukrainian refugees.


Sports

Gort GAA club was founded in 1884 and is primarily dedicated to its
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 ...
team. The town also has a rugby club, the Gort Gladiators, and two football (soccer) teams, Coole Football Club and Gort United Football Club. There is also the Gort Golf Club. Cliona D'Arcy, of Gort, won the
heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the Wo ...
gold medal at the 2022 IBA Youth World Boxing Championships, becoming the first Irish woman to do so.


Infrastructure


Transportation


Motorway

Gort is accessible from the
M18 motorway This is a list of roads designated M18. Road entries are sorted in the countries alphabetical order. * M-18 road (Bosnia and Herzegovina) a road connecting Sarajevo, Trnovo, Foča and Trebinje * M18 motorway (Great Britain), a road connecting Ro ...
from Shannon to Galway, at Junction 16. The M18 ends at junction 18 of the M6 motorway. The road continues northbound as the M17 towards Tuam. The segment from Ennis to Gort of the M18 motorway bypass of the town was officially opened on 12 November 2010. This was followed by the Gort to Tuam section which opened on 27 September 2017.


Rail

Gort railway station opened on 15 September 1869 and was closed for goods traffic on 3 November 1975 and for passenger traffic on 5 April 1976. It was reopened in 2010 as part of the Western Railway Corridor project. Gort rail services are on the Galway to Limerick route with connections to Cork and Tralee from Limerick station and to Dublin via Athenry and Galway.


Bus

Gort is served by
Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subsidia ...
routes 51 (north to Galway and south to Shannon and Limerick), 434 (to Galway), and Local Link Galway line 934 (to Loughrea).


Education

The town has its own secondary school,
Gort Community School Gort Community School () is a secondary school located in Gort in south County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption ...
which was founded in 1995, has more than 800 students, and serves a large area of south County Galway. The school facilities include a GAA pitch, rugby union pitch, football pitch, and canteen. The school's sports teams include hurling, rugby, soccer, basketball, athletics, golf and equestrian teams. In 2022, the school was included in the top 10 shortlist of the "supporting healthy lives" category of the World's Best School Prizes program.


Notable people

* Lady Gregory (1852–1932), lived at Coole Park * Aidan Harte (b.1988), inter-county hurler *
Thomas Laughnan Thomas Laughnan VC (August 1824 – 23 July 1864) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Details He was ...
(1824–1864), recipient of the Victoria Cross, was born in Gort *
Sylvie Linnane Sylvester Linnane (born 29 December 1956) is an Irish retired 3 time All-Star winning hurler who played as a right corner-back for the Galway senior team. Born in Gort, County Galway, Linnane first arrived on the inter-county scene at the ag ...
(b.1956), All-Star hurler * Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin (d.663), the 7th century King of Connacht *
Colman mac Duagh Saint Colman mac Duagh (c. 560 – 29 October 632) was born at Corker, Kiltartan, County Galway, Ireland, the son of the Irish chieftain Duac (and thus, in Irish, ''mac Duach''). He initially lived as a recluse, living in prayer and prolonged fa ...
(560–632), saint * Paddy McMahon Glynn (1855–1931), born in Gort, served variously as
Attorney-General of Australia The Attorney-GeneralThe title is officially "Attorney-General". For the purposes of distinguishing the office from other attorneys-general, and in accordance with usual practice in the United Kingdom and other common law jurisdictions, the Aust ...
,
Australian Minister for External Affairs The Minister for Foreign Affairs (commonly shortened to Foreign Minister) is the minister in the Government of Australia who is responsible for overseeing the international diplomacy section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Senato ...
and Minister for Home Affairs *
John Prendergast-Smyth, 1st Viscount Gort John Prendergast-Smyth, 1st Viscount Gort (1742 – 23 May 1817) was an Irish politician. Born John Smyth, Gort was the son of Charles Smyth, Member of the Irish Parliament for Limerick City, and Elizabeth Prendergast. His paternal grandparents ...
(1742–1817), politician * Frank Quinn (1915–1996), first-class cricketer * Gerry Quinn (1917–1968), rugby international and first-class cricketer * Kevin Quinn (1923–2002), rugby international and first-class cricketer * Jack Butler Yeats (1871–1957), painter who depicted scenes of everyday life in Gort * William Butler Yeats (1865–1939), Nobel Laureate poet who renovated an old tower house near the town ( Thoor Ballylee) and took up residence there * Lisa McInerney (b. 1981), novelist and winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction.


In popular culture

A 2018 documentary film, ''Town of Strangers'', was made by Dr. Treasa O’Brien on Gort's immigrants "who have helped make that town such a cosmopolitan hub".


Further reading

* Bermingham Scully, Pauline (2017). ''South Galway Stories: Volume 1''. Athenry reland Book Hub Publishing. * * Hanley, Mary (1995). ''Thoor Ballylee home of William Butler Yeats''. Liam Miller (3d ed., rev ed.). Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire reat Britain Colin Smythe Limited. .


References


Notes


Sources

* * *


External links


Cooley Collins FestivalThe Lady Gregory Yeats Heritage TrailGuaire Magazine
{{County Galway Towns and villages in County Galway O'Shaughnessy family