Kiltimagh () is a town in County Mayo in

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 ...

. As of the 2016 census, the town had a population of 1,069 people. Although there in no river going through the town, three rivers flow around the town: the Glore River, Yellow River and Pollagh River. The town centre sits at the crest of a hill surrounding The High Fort (Mooney's Fort/Lios Ard) in Fortlands and built out linearly on the main road from there.

History

The town's name, in the

Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...

, was originally ''Coillte Maghach'' (the woods of Maghach), based on a reputed association with a chieftain of the

Fir Bolg In medieval Irish myth, the Fir Bolg (also spelt Firbolg and Fir Bholg) are the fourth group of people to settle in Ireland. They are descended from the Muintir Nemid, an earlier group who abandoned Ireland and went to different parts of Europe. ...

named Maghach. Over the years this then became what it is today, Kiltimagh (). Kiltimagh is part of the barony of Gallen.

Geography

Slieve Carn

Slieve Carn(

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

: ''Sliabh Cairn'') is a hill which stands at just outside the town. The hill is mentioned in the Statistical Survey Of Mayo (1802) as having coal, and there is also evidence in places of iron deposits.

Bill Berry Cliff

A cliff that runs through the hill that has been measured to be deep by local farmers. A tributary of the Pollagh River starts at the top of the hill as drainage from the bog and runs through the cliff, leaving three waterfalls.

Transport

Kiltimagh railway station Kiltimagh railway station is a disused railway station close to the town of Kiltimagh in County Mayo. Originally the station was opened in 1895 as part of the route between Claremorris and Sligo. It was closed to passenger traffic in 1963, with go ...

opened on 1 October 1895, and finally closed on 17 June 1963. The station currently operates as the Kiltimagh Museum and sculpture park, with displays of local history and culture. It has been proposed to reopen the station as part of the

Western Railway Corridor The Western Railway Corridor is a term, used since , for a partly disused railway line running through the west of Ireland. Currently two sections of the line, from Limerick via Ennis to Athenry and from Collooney to Sligo, see regular servic ...

Sport

Among the sporting teams based in Kiltimagh,

Kiltimagh GAA Kiltimagh GAA or in Irish (''CLG Coillte Mach'') is a Gaelic football club located in Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Ireland.. History Balla defeated Kiltimagh in the 2020 Mayo Intermediate Football Championship The Mayo Intermediate Football Ch ...

(in Irish ''CLG Coillte Mach'') is a Gaelic football club located in Kiltimagh who play at Gilmartin Park. Kiltimagh Knock United FC play in the Mayo Super League and have their home ground is CMS Park in Cloonlee. Mayo Volleyball Club were Volleyball Ireland's Division Two champions in 2017, and play their home games at Saint Louis Community School. Kiltimagh Handball Club is a handball club in the town. Kiltimagh Giants Basketball Club is a local basketball club which was established in 2002.

Festivals

Local festivals include the annual Kiltimagh Choral Festival (held in February), the week-long Saint Patrick's Festival and parade (held in March), and ''Féile Oíche Shamhna Coillte Mach'' (a

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...

festival which includes a 'spooky walk' at the sculpture park in Kiltimagh). Other events include the Coillte Home Come Festival, which was restarted in 2016, and is based on an earlier 1960s festival. Its aim is to bring back Kiltimagh's diaspora on an annual basis and includes a fair at the festival field, entertainment at the Big Red Barn and other activities in the main street. Race2Glory is a multi-activity adventure race (running, cycling and a river run) which is held during the Coillte Come Home Festival.

Education

There are two local Catholic primary schools, Saint Aidan's National School in Thomas Street and Craggagh National School is 4 km outside the town on the R324 road. The local secondary school is Saint Louis Community School, formerly a Catholic convent school and secondary school.

"Culchie"

The ''

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a com ...

'' suggests that the word "

culchie Culchie is a pejorative term in Hiberno-English for someone from rural Ireland. The term usually has a pejorative meaning directed by urban Irish against rural Irish, but since the late 20th century, the term has also been reclaimed by some who are ...

", a mildly derogatory term for a country person or one not from Dublin city, may be an "alteration of Kiltimagh, Irish Coillte Mach (older Mághach), the name of a country town in Co. Mayo". Other sources suggest that "culchie" is derived from the Irish word ''coillte'', the Irish word for "woods" or "forests".

People

Sean Lavan Sean Lavan (21 December 1898 – 5 August 1973) was an Irish sprinter. He competed in the 200 metres The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve a ...

, Irish sprinter. He competed in the 200m at the 1924 Summer Olympics and the 1928 Summer Olympics. *

William Philbin William J. Philbin (26 January 1907 - 22 August 1991) was an Irish Roman Catholic Prelate. From July 1962 until his retirement, he held the title Bishop of Down and Connor. Early life and priestly ministry William Philbin was born in Kiltimag ...

, Roman Catholic bishop of Clonfert (1953–1962) and Down and Connor (1962–1982). * Antoine Ó Raifteiri (Anthony Raftery), blind Irish-language poet. * Micheál Schlingermann, former Sligo Rovers goalkeeper, was raised in the town and also kept goal for the local GAA team at one point. *

Gene Tunney James Joseph Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1 ...

champion Irish-American boxer, his parents John and Mary Lydon Tunney were from the town. *

Louis Walsh Michael Louis Vincent Walsh (born 5 August 1952) is an Irish music manager and television personality. He has managed Johnny Logan, Boyzone, Jedward and Westlife, four of Ireland's most successful pop acts in the 1990s and 2000s. He later be ...

, pop music manager and judge on ''

The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...

''. * Thomas Flatley, real estate developer and philanthropist

References

External links

Town website

{{Authority control Towns and villages in County Mayo