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Horseleap () is a village situated upon the
A story concerning a bronze statue of a prancing horse on the village green claims that it was commissioned in Italy by the sports car manufacturer, The tall tale of a prancing horse
''Joe Saward's Grand Prix Blog'', 4 November 2010.
Offaly
County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in hono ...
, 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 ...
county border 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 ...
, along the R446, formerly the main Dublin to Galway road. The village itself possesses a church, primary school, a garden centre, a pub, and a petrol station. Horseleap dates back to the 12th century and is steeped in Uí Néill, Geoghegan history.
History
The village's Irish name (''Baile Átha an Urchair'' or ''Áth an Urchair'') was historically anglicised as ''Ballanurcher, Athnurcher'' and ''Ardnurcher''. The name probably derives from the legend thatConchobar mac Nessa
Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulaid, Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh). He is usually said to be the son of the High King of Ireland, High King Fachtna Fáthach, ...
was killed here.
According to tradition, the English name - Horseleap - originated in an incident in which a member of the De Lacy
de Lacy (Laci, Lacie, Lascy, Lacey, Lassey) is the surname of an old Norman family which originated from Lassy, Calvados. The family took part in the Norman Conquest of England and the later Norman invasion of Ireland. The name is first recorde ...
family was forced to flee on horseback from the Mac Geoghegans. On approaching his castle and discovering that the drawbridge was raised, he jumped the castle's moat on horseback.
The Battle of Ardnocher
The Battle of Ardnocher or Ardnurcher ( ga, Áth an Urchair) was fought in Ireland on 10 August 1329 between the Normans and the MacGeoghegans of Cenel Fiachaigh or Kenaleagh in modern County Westmeath. The Norman force was defeated. The ''Annal ...
took place here in 1329 between the forces of Thomas Butler and William Mac Geoghegan. Mac Geoghegan's forces won the battle, and Butler, together with several others of high rank and 140 of his soldiers, was killed.
Transport
TheMidland Great Western Railway
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) was the third largest Irish gauge () railway company in Ireland. It was incorporated in 1845 and absorbed into the Great Southern Railways in 1924. At its peak the MGWR had a network of , making it Irela ...
once maintained a railway station here. Horseleap railway station opened on 1 December 1876, closed to passenger and goods traffic on 27 January 1947 and finally closed altogether on 1 July 1965.
Horse statue
A story concerning a bronze statue of a prancing horse on the village green claims that it was commissioned in Italy by the sports car manufacturer, Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...
, and eventually wound up in Horseleap following a series of misadventures. Journalist Joe Saward
Jonathan Mark Christopher "Joe" Saward (born 14 July 1961 in London) is a British Formula One journalist.
Life and career
Saward was educated at Haileybury College and attained a degree in history at Bedford College, University of London. In 1 ...
identified the tale as an urban myth
An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urban myth, or urban tale) is a genre of folklore comprising stories or fallacious claims circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family m ...
, pointing out that Ferrari have denied the story.''Joe Saward's Grand Prix Blog'', 4 November 2010.
See also
* List of towns and villages in Ireland. *Delvin Castle
Clonyn Castle also known as Delvin Castle, is a Victorian country house situated in Delvin, County Westmeath, Ireland some 18 km from Mullingar along the N52. It is a square, symmetrical, two-storey castle-like building of cut limestone wi ...
* Fore Abbey
Fore Abbey () is the ruin of a Benedictine Abbey, situated to the north of Lough Lene in County Westmeath, near Fore village. The abbey was founded by Saint Feichin in 630 CE and functioned for over 900 years. By 665 CE (the time of the ye ...
* Trim Castle
Trim Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Troim) is a castle on the south bank of the River Boyne in Trim, County Meath, Ireland, with an area of 30,000 m2. Over a period of 30 years, it was built by Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, Hugh de ...
References
{{County Westmeath Towns and villages in County Westmeath Towns and villages in County Offaly