Ireland is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

Coryell County Coryell County ( ) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 83,093. The county seat is Gatesville. The county is named for James Coryell, a frontiersman and Texas Range ...

, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. According to the

Handbook of Texas The ''Handbook of Texas'' is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). History The original ''Handbook'' was the brainchild of TSHA President Wal ...

, the community had a population of 60 in 2000. It is located within the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metropolitan area.

History

Ireland was originally known as Hamco for its location on the

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

-Coryell County line. The

Stephenville North and South Texas Railway The Stephenville North & South Texas Railway (SN&ST) was incorporated in Texas on February 4, 1907 by Stephenville and Hamilton business interests. Its original standard gauge 43 mile line was built between Stephenville and Hamilton and completed ...

built a track through the community and it was renamed Ireland for

John Ireland John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in ''All the King's Men'' (1949), making him the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomina ...

, who served as the 18th governor of Texas. A post office was established in 1911 and remained in operation until 1970. It then received its mail from Gatesville. Its population zenith was 400 in the 1920s with three general stores, three churches, a bank, and many other businesses. The community declined when the railroad was abandoned. The population plummeted to 40 in the late 1940s then went up to 60 from 1990 through 2000.

Geography

Ireland is located on Farm to Market Road 932, northwest of Gatesville in northwestern Coryell County.

Education

Today, the community is served by the Jonesboro Independent School District.

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Texas Unincorporated communities in Coryell County, Texas