Tubberclare or Tubberclair ()
is a village and
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 orig ...
in
County Westmeath,
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 ...
, between
Ballymahon and
Athlone. It lies from
Athlone, on the
N55 national secondary road
A national secondary road ( ga, Bóthar Náisiúnta den Dara Grád) is a category of road in Ireland. These roads form an important part of the national route network but are secondary to the main arterial routes which are classified as national ...
, and north of
Glasson. Toberclare is the official spelling of the name in English.
Tubberclair is also the name of the surrounding
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...
, which includes the villages of
Glasson and
Ballykeeran
Ballykeeran, () is a small village in County Westmeath, Ireland, near Glassan. It is located on the N55 road in the townland of Annagh overlooking Lough Ree
Lough Ree () is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major la ...
. It borders
Lough Ree
Lough Ree () is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lou ...
on the
Westmeath
"Noble above nobility"
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 =
, subdivis ...
side and is reputed to be the
geographical centre
In geography, the centroid of the two-dimensional shape of a region of the Earth's surface (projected radially to sea level or onto a geoid surface) is known as its geographic centre or geographical centre or (less commonly) gravitational centre. I ...
of Ireland with a monument depicting this in the centre of the parish.
Name
The exact meaning of in Irish is uncertain. While the first element refers to a well, the second element may refer to a board.
Alternatively, it could mean the well of the plain, as Tubberclare is a largely flat, fertile plain.
Amenities
It is home to a primary school, community centre, heritage centre, shops, pubs, restaurants and many small businesses including marinas. It is also home to Tubberclair Gaelic football club which has provided several inter-county players over the years. It is also home to the Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club, with a course designed by Christy O'Connor Jnr
Christy O'Connor Jnr (born Christopher O'Connor; 19 August 1948 – 6 January 2016) was an Irish professional golfer. He is best known for defeating American Fred Couples at the 1989 Ryder Cup, helping Europe secure the trophy.
Early life
O'Co ...
that borders Lough Ree. The centre of Ireland is believed to be the Pinnacle, in Rath, a region of Tubberclair.
See also
* List of towns and villages in Ireland
References
Geography of County Westmeath
Towns and villages in County Westmeath
{{County Westmeath