Mornington, County Meath
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Mornington () is a coastal village on the estuary of the
River Boyne The River Boyne ( or ''Abhainn na Bóinne'') is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newberry Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows north-east through County Meath to reach the ...
in
County Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...
,
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
approximately 5 km downriver from the centre of
Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
. Together with the neighbouring villages of
Laytown Laytown () is a village in County Meath, Ireland, located on the R150 regional road and overlooking the Irish Sea. Historically it was called ''Ninch'', after the townland it occupies. Together with the neighbouring villages of Mornington, ...
,
Bettystown Bettystown (), previously known as Betaghstown and transliterated to ''Beattystown/Bettystown'', is a village in County Meath, Ireland. Together with the neighbouring villages of Laytown, Mornington and Donacarney, it comprises the urban ar ...
and
Donacarney Donacarney ( or ) is a village in County Meath, Ireland, close to Drogheda and the border with County Louth. It contains one church, two estates, two schools, and one pub. Although it includes the townlands of Donacarney Great and Donacarney Lit ...
, it comprises the urban area of
Laytown–Bettystown–Mornington–Donacarney Laytown–Bettystown–Mornington–Donacarney () is a built up area in County Meath, Ireland, comprising the adjoining villages of Laytown, Bettystown, Mornington and Donacarney. Prior to 2016, it was listed as Laytown–Bettystown–Mornin ...
with a combined population of 15,642 at the 2022 census. The large townland of is bound on the north by the
River Boyne The River Boyne ( or ''Abhainn na Bóinne'') is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newberry Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows north-east through County Meath to reach the ...
estuary and on the east by the Irish Sea. The townland extends along the seashore to
Bettystown Bettystown (), previously known as Betaghstown and transliterated to ''Beattystown/Bettystown'', is a village in County Meath, Ireland. Together with the neighbouring villages of Laytown, Mornington and Donacarney, it comprises the urban ar ...
village and includes part of that village up to and including The Neptune Hotel. The townland, part of the
civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
of Colpe, touches on other townlands: Betaghstown to the south, Colp East and Colp West to the west and Donacarney Great and Donacarney Little to the south and west. Stameen lies to the west.
Baltray Baltray (historically ''Ballytra'', from ) is a village and townland in County Louth, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It sits on the northern shore of the River Boyne estuary. Amenities The village has developed since the latter half of the twen ...
, Beaulieu and Banktown lie across the Boyne. Mornington can also refer to a larger area, a half-parish, within the Laytown-Mornington
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
parish established in 1986, and formerly part of the parish of St. Mary's in Drogheda. Mornington was also a former post office sub-district and used by a wider area for address purposes up to the 1980s.


Maiden Tower and the Lady's Finger

Situated on the south bank at the mouth of the River Boyne are two structures; the Maiden Tower, a watchtower, and; the Lady's Finger, a stone pillar. They served as navigational aids for ships entering the River Boyne prior to the 1765 walls being built. A ship approaching the river mouth would be lined up to safely enter the narrow channel when the view of the Lady's Finger was obscured behind the tower. The view o
Maiden-Tower near Drogheda, Co:y Meath
by S. Walker show their relationship on 11 June 1783. Both are listed in the Record of Protected Structures (ID Nos. MH021-124 and MH021-121) in the Meath County Development Plan 2013–2019. The Maiden Tower, a square tower standing 60 foot high, tapering towards top, with an internal spiral staircase, was built during the reign of Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen. The name's association with the queen, who came to the throne in 1558, is mentioned as a conjecture in his time by Sir
William Wilde Sir William Robert Wills Wilde Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, FRCSI (March 1815 – 19 April 1876) was an Irish Otology, oto-Ophthalmology, ophthalmologic surgeon and the author of significant works on medicine, archaeology and folklore ...
in his book ''The Beauties of the Boyne ...'' (1849). The tower was already in existence by 1582 when it was proposed to build at
Ringsend Ringsend () is a Southside (Dublin), southside inner suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the south bank of the River Liffey and east of the River Dodder, about two kilometres east of the city centre. It is the sou ...
a tower of "such height and strength as shall be of a perpetual continuance like the tower at Drogheda". The tower is mentioned in the Charter granted to the town of Drogheda by James 1st in 1609, in reference to the fisheries of the town: "we give grant and confirm to the Mayor, Sheriffs, Burgesses & Commons…all the water of the Boyne and the fishing and fisheries thence in within and on each side of the same water, from the waters of the franchises … from the west part of Drogheda to the sea beyond the tower called Maidenstower on the east side …". In the Down Survey of 1656–58, the tower is indicated as 'Maiden tower' on the county map and as 'Mayden Tower' on the map of Colp parish. In place of the Lady's Finger, both the barony and parish maps show a cross on a stepped plinth. At a General Assembly of Drogheda Corporation on 11 January 1683 it was ordered that "Mr. Mayor cause Maiden Tower to be rough cast (i.e. rendered) at the chardge of the Corporation". In 1775, the Corporation petitioned the Lord Lieutenant regarding "... a tower called maiden Tower ... and also one other small tower...which towers are of singular service to mariners who navigate vessels bound to the port of Drogheda ... that same were now much out of repair and became less conspicuous, the bright colouring being worn off, that they had lately employed persons to repair said towers, but were obstructed by James Brabazon, tenant to Lord Mornington whose estate is contiguous to said towers". The tower was built as a warning beacon to sailors and marked the mouth of the River Boyne. At the topmost reaches of the tower, one can command an extensive view over land and sea. Access to this parapet is by spiral steps tapering towards the top and through the barrel-vault at the top of the stairs. It is believed also to have acted as a look-out tower during the Elizabethan Wars with Spain (1585–1603) to give warning of approaching enemy ships. Publicly accessible until the mid-1990s, when a metal grill was installed in the raised doorway, the tower was vandalised in 2003 when the metal grill was removed. A solid metal door was subsequently erected by the owners, blocking entry to the tower. There are various folk stories about the tower and pillar. One, where a faithful lady, awaiting the return of her husband, falls from the tower when an incorrect flag on his returning ship mistakenly signalled his death, echoes the fate of
Aegeus Aegeus (, ; ) was one of the List of kings of Athens, kings of Athens in Greek mythology, who gave his name to the Aegean Sea, was the father of Theseus, and founded Athenian institutions. Family Aegeus was the son of Pandion II, king of Athe ...
the father of
Theseus Theseus (, ; ) was a divine hero in Greek mythology, famous for slaying the Minotaur. The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes desc ...
. The lady's finger was then supposedly built by the returned husband in memory of his wife. In 1819, a strange old woman who had lived abroad for many years took up residence at the top of the tower. She spent her time at her spinning wheel under a makeshift sail roof set up by local fishermen. She developed a reputation as a local hermit, donating her spinning work to the local church and having refused to give her name became known simply as the 'lady of the tower'. In the severe winter of 1821 she had to abandon the tower and died soon after in a charitable institution in Drogheda. Beside the Maiden Tower is the former RNLI Lifeboat station, in operation between 1872 and 1926. A dwellinghouse until at least the late-1950s, it was subsequently derelict and roofless until 2003 when it was restored as a residence. In 2018 it was put up for sale in conjunction with the surrounding 31 acres of sand dunes on which a deepwater port had been proposed. The boathouse is a Protected Structure (ID No. MH021-123) in the Meath County Development Plan. In 2015,
Harvey Keitel Harvey Keitel ( ; born May 13, 1939) is an American actor and film producer, known for his portrayal of morally ambiguous and "tough guy" characters. He rose to prominence during the New Hollywood movement, and has held a long-running associatio ...
filmed part of an insurance commercial at the tower.


Fisheries and River Boyne

Mornington was traditionally a fishing village on the River Boyne based on
salmon Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...
fishing and
mussel Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and Freshwater bivalve, freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other ...
dredging Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing d ...
, however the nature of the area and fishing livelihood changed significantly at the time of "The Boom". By tradition St. Patrick blessed the fishermen at ''Inbhear Colptha'', were the Colpe (Colptha) stream enters the Boyne in Mornington, as they gave him salmon when he asked for something to eat, in contrast to those on the ''Ainge'', or Nanny Water whom he had cursed for being inhospitable. He said then the Mornington fishermen would always have fish. The fishery was known as ''the lord's fishery'' by the early
Stuart period The Stuart period of British history lasted from 1603 to 1714 during the dynasty of the House of Stuart. The period was plagued by internal and religious strife, and a large-scale civil war which resulted in the Execution of Charles I, execu ...
and in 1603 King James granted Sir George Carew, vice-Chamberlain of the Queen "the tithes of the fish of Mornanston in the parish of Colpe". Drogheda was given and confirmed in its control of the Boyne and fisheries in 1609 (See above). One of the rights attached to holding the monastic lands of Beabeg under the grant at the time of King John (1199–1216) was the 'liberty of keeping a boat on the Boyne with fishing rights and rents out of Marinerstown (Mornington)'. This right passed to subsequent owners. The fishing by draft nets was done from around 14 set stations and "Boyne salmon fishermen had a particular method of working which involved two men. One man stayed onshore holding a rope attached to the net, while the other rowed out into the river with the other end of the net. Once the whole net was spread out, the boatman rowed back to shore and the two men pulled the net to shore, trapping fish as it went". The salmon boats had a particular stern platform for holding the net. Fishing took place from February to August. In 2006 amid concerns of dwindling spawning salmon numbers, the decision was taken to ban draft net fishing. Of the 50 fishermen then with licenses only 14 remained on and "they came to an agreement with the Inland Fisheries Ireland to take part in a scientific experiment that tags fish caught in the nets, under the eye of fishing inspectors. They are then released, allowing them to head back upstream". Licences in former times were passed from father to son, with the equipment going with the licence. However current licences now run only for the life of the holder making them without commercial value and given the age profile of licence-holders and the delay in the resumption of fishing will inevitably lead to a situation where there are none left to resume the tradition. The tradition of mussel fishing, which existed for about 300 years, has also been suspended since 2006. An initial halt took place in 1998, as the river channel was to be dredged, and while the beds were re-seeded the year afterwards with the expectation of harvesting in 2003 re-establishment was poor. Then in 2006, the Drogheda Port Company undertook a second silt dredging this time from Tom Roe's Point deepwater berth to the viaduct at Drogheda. The fishing involved a particular
currach A currach ( ) is a type of Irish boat with a wooden frame, over which animal skins or hides were once stretched, though now canvas is more usual. It is sometimes anglicised as "curragh". The construction and design of the currach are unique ...
-style boat or punt (also called a pram, or more commonly locally, a canoe) and a mussel rake with a twenty-foot pole, dredged by hand similar to that on the
River Conwy The River Conwy (; ) is a river in north Wales. From its source to its discharge in Conwy Bay it is long and drains an area of 678 square km. "Conwy" was formerly anglicised as "Conway." The name 'Conwy' derives from the old Welsh words ''c ...
in North
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
. Mussels were originally used as a food source in the Mornington–
Baltray Baltray (historically ''Ballytra'', from ) is a village and townland in County Louth, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It sits on the northern shore of the River Boyne estuary. Amenities The village has developed since the latter half of the twen ...
areas and became a commercial fishery only about 1902–1903. The season ran over the winter from October to April and raking took place about two hours before and after low tide. The collected mussels then were shovelled through a sieve to remove stones and seaweed and bagged in Hessian sacks which were sent to a processing factory in Wexford. Most were afterwards packed and exported to France. The point of land where the Boyne turns south-east before entering the sea is known locally as The Crook or Crooke, and in the nineteenth century, at the Maiden Tower a pool called the Long Reach, extending a quarter of a mile inland, was where vessels could lie at low water. A fish-meal factory was set up at the Crooke in 1968 by a Scottish concern with support from
Bord Iascaigh Mhara Bord Iascaigh Mhara or BIM (; meaning "Sea Fisheries Board") is the Irish state agency for developing the Irish marine fishing and aquaculture industries. Originally established under the Sea Fisheries Act, 1952,Clogherhead Clogherhead () is a fishing village in County Louth, Ireland. Located in a natural bay on the east coast it is bordered by the villages of Annagassan to the north and Termonfeckin to the south. It has a population of 2,145 according to the 2 ...
and
Skerries A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. Skerry, skerries, or The Skerries may also refer to: Geography Northern Ireland *Skerries, County Armagh, a List of townlands in County Armagh#S, townland in Coun ...
. Its construction impinged on the customary right of fishermen to draw their boats up at that point. It wound up in the late-1970s following several years of heavy fishing by vessels which led to herring stocks in the Irish Sea collapsing. The private jetty continued to be regularly used by fishing boats from Clogherhead to moor up and the company was finally liquidated in 2003. The Irish Government bought the jetty and adjoining lands in 2001 for £170,000 to retain its use as a licensed location to land explosives in commercial quantities, chiefly for local quarrying enterprises, and munitions. Drogheda Port advanced plans to develop the mouth of the Boyne around the tower as a modern deepwater port facility in the late 1990s but the inability to locate the owner of the old boathouse there delayed the project. A reservation strip for a road corridor had already been laid into the County Meath development plan of the area which disallowed residential building along the proposed route from the Dublin Road. There was local opposition to the project until the lands were designated as the Boyne Estuary (1996) and Boyne Coast and Estuary SACs (Special Areas of Conservation) by
Dúchas Dúchas, sometimes Dúchas: The Heritage Service, was an executive agency of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands of the Government of Ireland responsible for Heritage management, including: * natural heritage (including ...
and this put paid to the plans. However initial dredging of the river channel took place in 1999–2000, and after renewed dredging in the channel of the river in 2006 the deepwater container and general cargo facility at Tom Roe's Point Terminal went ahead with EU money. Plans for a larger East Meath deep-water port shifted to the Gormanston/Bremore area at the same time. Thereafter much of the Mornington area in 2005 was rezoned by Meath County Council and has since been developed for new residential estates which changed the essentially rural nature of the area. The management of the River Boyne estuary channel by the Drogheda Harbour Commissioners (1790–1997) and their commercial successor Drogheda Port Company, since 1997, has been a feature of the last 150 years, with major dredging work beginning in the 1830s following the
Alexander Nimmo Alexander Nimmo FRSE MRIA MICE HFGS (1783 – January 20, 1832) was a Scottish civil engineer and geologist active in early 19th-century Ireland. Early life Nimmo was born in Cupar, Fife in 1783, the son of a watchmaker, and grew up in Kirk ...
report of 1826. This report was based on a survey of the estuary undertaken by
John Benjamin Macneill Sir John Benjamin Macneill FRS (1793 – 2 March 1880) was an Irish civil engineer of the 19th century, closely associated with Thomas Telford. His most notable projects were railway schemes in Ireland. Life He was born in Mountpleasant near th ...
. A recent EPA report states that "From Drogheda town to the sea at Mornington, the river has been trained by means of training walls constructed around the 1850s by the then Drogheda Harbour Commissioners. This captured the main river flow with estuarine polders being created north and south of the training walls. This important work had two effects in that it increased the tidal exit velocity and thereby produced a scouring effect and created a reserve of water from the estuarine polders to supplement the falling tide". As part of this engineering, the old bridge at Mornington previously had a flood gate which restricted tidal water entering the Colpe stream.


Public transport

Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with the exception of Dublin, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subsidiary of C ...
route D1 and D2 provide several daily services between
Laytown Laytown () is a village in County Meath, Ireland, located on the R150 regional road and overlooking the Irish Sea. Historically it was called ''Ninch'', after the townland it occupies. Together with the neighbouring villages of Mornington, ...
and
Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
via
Bettystown Bettystown (), previously known as Betaghstown and transliterated to ''Beattystown/Bettystown'', is a village in County Meath, Ireland. Together with the neighbouring villages of Laytown, Mornington and Donacarney, it comprises the urban ar ...
and Mornington. Matthews Coaches provide commuter routes to Dublin which serve Donacarney Cross and Laytown, Bettystown and Julianstown. Mornington is served by rail by both Drogheda train station and Laytown train station.


Religion

There is one church in Mornington, it is
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
, and was dedicated 27 August 1989 as the Star of the Sea (Irish: ''Réalt ná Mara'') with work completed in 1991. Since the establishment of the Laytown–Mornington parish in 1986 the curate in Mornington has acted in a supportive capacity to the parish priest in Laytown. The present church is designed by Drogheda-based Turlough McKevitt Architects and built by M. J. Duffy & Sons Ltd. It replaced a previous 'Star of the Sea' church, built 1841, in the centre of the original village close to the river. The church of 1841 is gabled-fronted, its main entrance facing the West, with a date plaque set above the door. It also had a side entrance on the South side which was more commonly used. Inside on both sides of the main entrance, between the inner and outer doors, narrow curved stairs led up to the "Gallery". This was a slanting upper floor covering just over half of the church space. Here the choir sat and latecomers could sneak in after mass had started. A large confessional box was located on the right towards the rear under this floor. The church originally had the traditional altar mounted into the East wall and following changes in the liturgy a later altar as well. A door to the sacristy led off to the right from the altar. Stained glass windows of the patron saints were transferred to the new church. The old church was built in the Gothic Revival style under the supervision of Thomas Hammond of Drogheda in 1839–1841 for the Rev. John Donnellan of St. Mary's Parish on the buff overlooking the bridge at Mornington were a stream enters the Boyne. A graveyard is located between the church and river. This church site of 1841 had previously been the location of a small Penal-era chapel and beside it the ruins of a pre-Reformation church listed in the ecclesiastical taxation (1302–06) of Pope Nicholas IV.Cal. doc. Ire. 5, 252 It was first recorded being a ruin in 1622, and part of its remains, the West gable end wall with a turret atop pierced for two bells, can still be found in the old graveyard adjoining. The anonymous illustratio
"Mornington", an engraved vignette on the title page of 'Life and campaigns of the Duke of Wellington'. Vol. I
shows the old church and chapel before the building of the church of 1841. A chapel at Mornington is mentioned ''c.'' 1192–1202 in a Llanthony Charter. St. Patrick is said to have landed here at ''hostium Colpdi'', the port or haven of Colpa at the mouth of the Boyne, tied up his boats and continued on his way to
Slane Slane () is a village in County Meath, in Ireland. The village stands on a steep hillside on the left bank of the River Boyne at the intersection of the N2 (Dublin to Monaghan road) and the N51 (Drogheda to Navan road). As of the 2022 census ...
along the south bank of the Boyne, though the church, and the former
Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland (, ; , ) is a Christian church in Ireland, and an autonomy, autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the Christianity in Ireland, second-largest Christian church on the ...
church at Colp, were traditionally dedicated to
St. Columba Columba () or Colmcille (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is today Scotland at the start of the Hiberno-Scottish mission. He founded the important abbey ...
. An undated life of St. Samthann of Cluain Bronaig mentions Colpe as a port used by boats from the Columban centre of
Iona Iona (; , sometimes simply ''Ì'') is an island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there are other buildings on the island. Iona Abbey was a centre of Gaeli ...
.Cathy Swift, 'Pagan monuments and Christian legal centres in early Meath' in Ríocht na Midhe, Vol. IX, No. 2 (1996), p. 24, n. 35 This association can still be seen in the name of the local GAA Club, St. Colmcilles. The ''
Martyrology of Tallaght The ''Martyrology of Tallaght'', which is closely related to the ''Félire Óengusso'' or ''Martyrology of Óengus the Culdee'', is an eighth- or ninth-century Irish-language martyrology, a list of saints and their feast days assembled by Mael ...
'', compiled A.D., mentions a Saint Aithcáin of Inber Colptha, ''nar' clói chathgreim'' ('whom no battle-might vanquished'), whose feast-day was 16 June. Any local tradition of him has gone. Devotion to another or alternative June saint,
John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
, 24 June, probably came with the Normans who were particularly attached to his cult. A former
holy well A holy well or sacred spring is a well, Spring (hydrosphere), spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christianity, Christian or Paganism, pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualitie ...
dedicated to St. John is located in a marshy and wooded area known as "The Glen" near the new church. It is situated close to the Colpe stream at the base of a hill called Cnoc Bán. Its
pattern A pattern is a regularity in the world, in human-made design, or in abstract ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated l ...
was observed, until suppressed by a local priest, "up to the turn of the wentiethcentury by people seeking cures for eye and ear ailments. Buttons, pieces of clothing and other personal items were hung on an elder bush overhanging the well. Local tradition claimed that the herbs growing around the well had the virtue of curing coughs, skin infections and deafness". The well has a wall surround built into the side of the hill but is now choked with debris. A stone known as the ''
mass rock A Mass rock ( Irish: ''Carraig an Aifrinn)'' was a rock used as an altar by the Catholic Church in Ireland, during the 17th and 18th centuries, as a location for secret and illegal gatherings of faithful attending the Mass offered by outlawed ...
'' stood beside the well. Mass was celebrated in this isolated location during the difficult times when the
Penal Laws Penal law refers to criminal law. It may also refer to: * Penal law (British), laws to uphold the establishment of the Church of England against Catholicism * Penal laws (Ireland) In Ireland, the penal laws () were a series of Disabilities (C ...
were in force. Traditionally wells dedicated to the saint in Ireland held a patron/pattern day on St John's Eve (23 June) coinciding with the ancient celebration of mid-summer. Current burials in the parish take place in Reilig Mhuire (Piltown Road Cemetery) which was opened in 1985.


Sport

Laytown and Bettystown Golf Club is situated in Mornington townland. St. Colmcilles, or Naomh Colmcille, is the local GAA club. Their facilities are located at Páirc Uí Rís in Piltown, near Bettystown. Known as the "Blues", the club was founded in 1971 with the merger of earlier clubs 'Star of the Sea' and 'Shallon' in the East Meath area. Laytown and Bettystown Lawn Tennis Club, Golflinks Road, Bettystown, is also situated in Mornington.


Education

There is one primary school split into a girls and boys school in Donacarney which service Mornington. They are Realt Na Mara BNS and Realt Na Mara GNS. Mornington is home to Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School on Mill Road. The area is also served by nearby secondary schools such as
Coláiste na hInse Coláiste na hInse, colloquially referred to by locals as the coláiste or CNI, is a co-educational secondary school in Bettystown, County Meath, Ireland. Whilst English is the school's primary language of instruction, it places an emphasis on ...
in
Bettystown Bettystown (), previously known as Betaghstown and transliterated to ''Beattystown/Bettystown'', is a village in County Meath, Ireland. Together with the neighbouring villages of Laytown, Mornington and Donacarney, it comprises the urban ar ...
. In 1837, a school of about 20 children was located in the 'small chapel at Mornington'. A neo-Gothic style red-brick school which now serves as the local community centre was built in the 1870s at Donacarney Cross. Designed in 1872-3 by P.J. Dodd of Drogheda, with an extension in 1885, it features separate doors for girls and boys at the front of the building. Its twentieth-century replacement, with a water tower, was demolished to make the site available for the present-day schools in the early 2010s.


Artists

The area has inspired many artists over the years. Views of the estuary and its fishermen, the beach and the Maiden Tower appear as subjects in watercolour, illustration and oils by various artists including Austin Cooper, Alexander Williams,
Nano Reid Nano Reid (1 March 1900 – 17 November 1981) was an Irish painter who specialised in landscape, figure painting and portraits. Early life and education Nano Reid was born Anne Margaret Reid on 1 March 1900, in Drogheda, County Louth. She w ...
, Ithell Colquhoun and more recently Richard Moore. An illustration drawn of the 'Mouth of the Boyn' in 1746–47 by Thomas Wright (1711–1786), which shows the Maiden Tower and Lady's Finger, appeared in Book II. of ''Louthiana'', published in 1748. Two other early illustrations are "Views of Maiden-Tower near Drogheda, Co:y Meath" by Austin Cooper in 1782 and "The lady's Finger & Maiden Tower, Co. of Eastmeath" an engraving, based on a sketch by George Petrie, appearing as a plate in antiquary Thomas Cromwell's ''Excursions through Ireland'' of 1820.


Mornington Strand

Mornington Strand consists of dunes, known locally since at least the mid-eighteenth century as The Burrows, see below, and a wide sandy strand which extends south from the River Boyne towards Bettystown. The links course of Laytown and Bettystown Golf Club is situated within the Mornington dune-system. There are areas of soft sand close to the River Boyne training walls; warning signs erected at Bettystown warn of the danger. The intertidal sand and mudflats, and the Mornington sand dune systems, are included within the Boyne Coast and Estuary Special Area of Conservation (SAC) which extends along the coast from Bettystown to Termonfeckin. The bodies of murder-victims were found here in 2007 and 2013.


Myth and early history

''Inbher Colpa'' or ''Inber Colptha''p. 457, Hogan, Edmund, Onamasticon Goedelicum, Williams & Norgate, 1910, reprinted, Four Courts, 2000, was the principal name in early medieval times for the mouth of the Boyne and in particular the area on its southern shore. There ''hostium Colpdi'', the haven of Colpa, was located in a small shallow inlet and natural harbour south of the present bridge at Mornington. The ''Inbher'' or tidal estuary of the Boyne, which now extends inland as far as the confluence with the Mattock River, had an earlier tidal limit just below the river-crossing at Ros na Ríg. The estuary had a number of names in medieval Irish literature and was associated as a place of departure and arrival in the ancient legends and myths often signifying stories concerning drownings, a dangerous wave or
tidal bore A tidal bore, often simply given as bore in context, is a tidal phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave (or waves) of water that travels up a river or narrow bay, reversing the direction of the river or bay's cu ...
, overseas arrivals and corporeal remains found in the inter-tidal wrack of the estuary. ''Tráig Inbir''p. 644, Hogan, Edmund, Onamasticon Goedelicum, Williams & Norgate, 1910, reprinted, Four Courts, 2000, or ''Tráig Indbir Colpa'', the Strand of ''Inbher Colpa'', a counterpart to Mornington, was within the wider area of '' Tuath Inbhir ( i mBregaib)'' between the Boyne and Nanny. The origin of the name is associated in myth with Colpa ''an Chlaidhimh'' ("of the Sword"), a son of
Míl Espáine In Irish origin myths, Míl Espáine or Míl Espáne (later Latinization of names, Latinized as Milesius) is the mythical ancestor of the final inhabitants of Ireland, the "sons of Míl" or Milesians (Irish), Milesians, who represent the vast maj ...
in the Milesian origin of the Irish, an invader who was drowned by a wave in the attempt to land, and by tradition is buried behind Colp church in a ringfort touching on Mornington's boundary. While Colpa drowned,
Érimón Érimón (Modern ), commonly Anglicised as Heremon, son of Míl Espáine (and great-grandson of Breoghan, king of Celtic Galicia), according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, was one of the chieftains who took part in the ...
, his eldest brother, made safe landing in this place and became one of the first Milesian
High Kings of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...
. An alternative
Dindsenchas ''Dindsenchas'' or ''Dindshenchas'' (modern spellings: ''Dinnseanchas'' or ''Dinnsheanchas'' or ''Dınnṡeanċas''), meaning "lore of places" (the modern Irish word ''dinnseanchas'' means "topography"), is a class of onomastic text in early Irish ...
tradition, a body of literature in verse and prose form on the origin of famous places, associates the variant name ''Inber Colptha'' with the Máta, a massive aquatic creature which occupied a once submerged plain around
Dundalk Dundalk ( ; ) is the county town of County Louth, Ireland. The town is situated on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the north-east coast of Ireland, and is halfway between Dublin and Belfast, close to and south of the bor ...
, Magh Muirthemne, and which was killed and dismembered on a stone, Liacc Benn, on top of
Newgrange Newgrange () is a prehistoric monument in County Meath in Ireland, placed on a rise overlooking the River Boyne, west of the town of Drogheda. It is an exceptionally grand passage tomb built during the Neolithic Period, around 3100 BC, makin ...
in Brú na Bóinne, by the
Dagda The Dagda ( , ) is considered the great god of Irish mythology. He is the chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann, with the Dagda portrayed as a father-figure, king, and druid.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia''. ABC-CLIO ...
and parts thrown into the Boyne. What can be described variously as its limb, shank, calf of the leg, or
shinbone The tibia (; : tibiae or tibias), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outside of the t ...
(''colptha'') reached the estuary giving name to Inber Colptha. The ''colptha'' probably called to mind the narrow channel of the Boyne at this point and played on the original word ''Colpa''.
Áth Cliath Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, part of the Wicklow Mountains range. Dublin i ...
, "the hurdled ford", the Irish name for Dublin, is explained in the same Dindsenchas account referring to a hurdle of bones, the ribcage of the Máta. Other associations in myth include '' The Tragedy of the Sons of Tuireann'', ''
Togail Bruidne Dá Derga ''Togail Bruidne Dá Derga'' (''The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel'') is an Irish tale belonging to the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. It survives in three Old Irish, Old and Middle Irish recensions, it is part of the Lebor na hUidre, Book ...
'', ''
Lebor Gabála Érenn ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' (literally "The Book of Ireland's Taking"; Modern Irish spelling: ''Leabhar Gabhála Éireann'', known in English as ''The Book of Invasions'') is a collection of poems and prose narratives in the Irish language inten ...
'', the lives of various saints, ''
Acallam na Senórach ''Acallam na Senórach'' (, whose title in English has been given variously as ''Colloquy of the Ancients'', ''Tales of the Elders of Ireland'', ''The Dialogue of the Ancients of Ireland'', etc.), is an important prosimetric Middle Irish narrat ...
'', other
Fenian Cycle The Fenian Cycle (), Fianna Cycle or Finn Cycle () is a body of early Irish literature focusing on the exploits of the mythical hero Fionn mac Cumhaill, Finn or Fionn mac Cumhaill and his Kóryos, warrior band the Fianna. Sometimes called the ...
tales and the Dindsenchas tradition. The
aetiological Etiology (; alternatively spelled aetiology or ætiology) is the study of causation or origination. The word is derived from the Greek word ''()'', meaning "giving a reason for" (). More completely, etiology is the study of the causes, origins ...
explanation for the Boyne itself was an out-surging of the
Well of Segais The ''Dindsenchas'' of Irish mythology give the physical origins, and etymological source of several bodies of water – in these myth poems the sources of rivers and lakes is sometimes given as being from magical wells. Connla's Well is one of a ...
on ''Síd Nechtain'', the mythological form of Carbury Hill belonging to Nechtan, which tore apart and drowned his wife the goddess
Boann Boann or Boand is the Irish mythology, Irish goddess of the River Boyne (''Bóinn''), an important river in Ireland's historical province of Kingdom of Meath, Meath. According to the ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' and ''Táin Bó Fraích'' she was th ...
, in a flood of water, and in some versions her lapdog Dabilla, before sweeping out to sea giving the generic name ''Inber Bóinne'' or ''Inber Bóinde'' to the Boyne estuary. In ''Acallam na Senórach'', ''c.'' 1200, the upper estuary near ''Mainistir Droichit Átha'' (
Mellifont Abbey Mellifont Abbey (, literally 'the Big Monastery'), was a Cistercians, Cistercian abbey located close to Drogheda in County Louth, Ireland. It was the first abbey of the order to be built in Ireland. In 1152, it hosted the Synod of Kells-Mellifo ...
) is called ''Inber Bic Loingsigh'', The Estuary of Becc the Exile, son of one Airist, King of the Romans. He also is explained as having been drowned by a wave when invading Ireland here. The name may be an untraditional construct echoing and modifying the better known story of Colpa, and overlaying it with a more prestigious figure from the Classical World, as the ''Acallam'' also retains reference to ''Tond Indbir Colpa cruaidh'', the hard or harsh ''Wave of Inbher Colpa'', in a poem section listing it as one of the famous waves of Ireland. The estuary is presented in ''Togail Bruidne Dá Derga'' as the principal maritime entry port of Ireland in the peaceful times of the legendary king
Conaire Mór Conaire Mór (the great), son of Eterscél, was, according to mediaeval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland sometime during the 1st century BC or 1st century AD. His mother was Mess Búachalla, who was either the daugh ...
: 'Now there were in his reign great bounties, to wit, seven ships in every June in every year arriving at Inver Colptha, and oakmast up to the knees in every autumn, and plenty of fish in the rivers Bush and Boyne in the June of each year, and such abundance of good will that no one slew another in Erin during his reign. And to every one in Erin his fellow's voice seemed as sweet as the strings of lutes. From mid-spring to mid-autumn no wind disturbed a cow's tail. His reign was neither thunderous nor stormy'. The traditional boundary of the province of
Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
was the Boyne and its tributary the Blackwater, appearing as such in the
Táin Bó Cúailnge (Modern ; "the driving-off of the cows of Cooley"), commonly known as ''The Táin'' or less commonly as ''The Cattle Raid of Cooley'', is an epic from Irish mythology. It is often called "the Irish ''Iliad''", although like most other earl ...
. The
Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or (Irish language, Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic Provinces of Ireland, over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include , which ...
according to historian
Francis John Byrne Francis John Byrne (1934 – 30 December 2017) was an Irish historian. Born in Shanghai where his father, a Dundalk man, captained a ship on the Yellow River, Byrne was evacuated with his mother to Australia on the outbreak of World War II. A ...
'possibly still ruled directly in Louth as far as the Boyne in the early seventh century' a time when
Congal Cáech Congal Cáech (also Congal Cláen) was a king of the Cruthin of Dál nAraidi in the medieval Irish province of Ulaid, from around 626 to 637. He was king of Ulaid from 627–637 and, according to some sources, High King of Ireland. Origins Whi ...
made a bid for the
kingship of Tara The term Kingship of Tara () was a title of authority in ancient Ireland - the title is closely associated with the archaeological complex at the Hill of Tara. The position was considered to be of eminent authority in medieval Irish literature ...
. ''Tuath Inbir'' and ''Tráig Indbir Colpa'' are listed as the southern boundary points of the forest and lands of
Conall Cernach Conall Cernach (modern spelling: Conall Cearnach) is a hero of the Ulaid in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He had a crooked neck and is said to have always slept with the head of a Connachtman under his knee. His epithet is normally transl ...
, mythological hero of the
Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or (Irish language, Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic Provinces of Ireland, over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include , which ...
. The two districts ran north to the area of
Newry Newry (; ) is a City status in Ireland, city in Northern Ireland, standing on the Newry River, Clanrye river in counties County Down, Down and County Armagh, Armagh. It is near Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border, the border with the ...
, were given to Conall by ''Cuscraid Meand Macha'', King of Ulster, his foster-son, and represent later pseudo-historical claims by the
Cruthin The Cruthin (; or ; ) were a people of early medieval Ireland. Their heartland was in Ulster and included parts of the present-day counties of Antrim, Down and Londonderry. They are also said to have lived in parts of Leinster and Connacht ...
of
Conaille Muirtheimne Conaille Muirthemne was a Cruithin kingdom located in County Louth, Ireland, from before 688 to after 1107 approximately. Overview The Ulaid according to historian Francis John Byrne 'possibly still ruled directly in Louth as far as the Boyne i ...
. It is unclear if these claims go south of the Boyne, including these areas rather than touching on them, but the rath of
Láeg Láeg, or Lóeg, son of Riangabar, is the charioteer and constant companion of the hero Cú Chulainn in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths indigenous to the island of Ireland. It was originally Ora ...
, charioteer of
Cú Chulainn Cú Chulainn ( ), is an Irish warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh, who is also his father. His mother is the ...
found at Ninch also has
Ulster Cycle The Ulster Cycle (), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Do ...
associations, and both the Máta and
Cú Chulainn Cú Chulainn ( ), is an Irish warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh, who is also his father. His mother is the ...
are connected with Magh Muirthemne of the Cruthin. Another tradition found in the
Senchas Már ''Senchas Már'' (Old Irish for "Great Tradition") is the largest collection of early Irish legal texts, compiled into a single group sometime in the 8th century, though individual tracts vary in date. These tracts were almost certainly written ...
tells that Ulaidh was extended south to the Delvin River as an éraic-fine paid to
Fergus mac Léti Fergus mac Léti (also mac Léte, mac Léide, mac Leda) was, according to Irish legend and traditional history, a king of Ulster. His place in the traditional chronology is not certain – according to some sources, he was a contemporary of the Hi ...
, King of Ulaidh. By historical times, in the sixth century, the tribal grouping known as
Ciannachta The Ciannachta were a population group of early historic Ireland. They claimed descent from the legendary figure Tadc mac Céin. Modern research indicates Saint Cianán and his followers may have been the origin behind the tribal name as it is ...
Breg were in place between Annagassan and
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
centering on
Duleek Duleek (; ) is a small town in County Meath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Duleek takes its name from the Irish language, Irish words ''daimh'' and ''liag'', meaning house of stones, referring to an early stone-built church, St. Cianán's Churc ...
, the stone-church of St. Cianán. Their origin is placed with Tadc mac Céin in the legendary history-cycle tales of
Cormac mac Airt Cormac mac Airt, also known as Cormac ua Cuinn (grandson of Conn) or Cormac Ulfada (long beard), was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He is probably the most famous of the ancient High Kings ...
who "is stated to have been deprived of the kingship f Taraand the eight-century saga of the battle of Crinna tells how with the help of Tadc mac Céin he drove the Ulaid back from the Boyne and was restored to the throne. ... The tale particularly refers to the Ciannachta, named from Tadc's father Cian, who occupied territory on both banks of the lower Boyne. Cormac promised Tadc as much land as his chariot could encircle in a day, but bribed the charioteer to exclude Tara as Tadc lay unconscious from the wounds he sustained". According to the
Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin ...
the Ciannachta were defeated in 535 by
Túathal Máelgarb Túathal mac Cormaic (died 544), called Túathal Máelgarb, (''Túathal'': "ruler of the people") was said to be a grandson of Coirpre mac Néill. He was High King of Ireland. In the earliest accounts he appears to have been regarded as the man w ...
at ''Luachair Mór eitir dá inber'' (... between two estuaries) a place between the Boyne and the Nanny, or Delvin River now the townland of Lougher west of Duleek. The Ciannachta of this area, south of the Boyne and north of the Nanny Water, came under the direct control of the
Síl nÁedo Sláine Síl nÁedo Sláine () are the descendants of Áed Sláine (Áed mac Diarmato), son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill—they were the kings of Brega—they claimed descent from Niall Noígiallach and his son Con ...
in the seventh century, including the area of ''Tuath Inbhir i mBregaib''. In the ninth century the Boyne estuary was referred to as ''Inber na mBárc'' ('Estuary of the Ships') when a Viking fleet of sixty ships operated there plundering the Boyne floodplain. A battle was fought there in 837 by the Southern Uí Néill against the Viking fleet, in the same year Saxolf, 'leader of the foreigners' on the Boyne and Liffey, was killed by the Ciannachta. Over time the territory passed to the control of the
Clann Cholmáin Clann Cholmáin is the dynasty descended from Colmán Már mac Diarmato, son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide (Meath) — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and hi ...
Kingdom of Meath Meath ( ; ; ) was a kingdom in Ireland from the 1st to the 12th century AD. Its name means "middle," denoting its location in the middle of the island. At its greatest extent, it included all of County Meath (which takes its name from the k ...
with the rest of Brega. They remained under the jurisdiction of the separate bishop in place at Duleek from the fifth century until the see was subsumed by the
Diocese of Meath The Diocese of Meath () is an Irish diocese which took its name after the ancient Kingdom of Meath. In the Roman Catholic Church it still exists as a separate diocese, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other dioceses. Histor ...
with the arrival of the
Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...
in the late twelfth century.


Later history

The main surviving historic monuments in the area are a head and base of a sandstone
high cross A high cross or standing cross (, , ) is a free-standing Christian cross made of stone and often richly decorated. There was a unique Early Medieval tradition in Ireland and Britain of raising large sculpted stone crosses, usually outdoors. Th ...
found at Colp, the head now in the Church of Ireland church at Julianstown, the Maiden Tower, built in the sixteenth century (see above), and the ruined tower-house castle at Donacarney Cross. Another castle previously stood in Mornington townland beside Colp as part of the medieval settlement cluster. Nothing now remains of it above ground. Mornington was separated from Colp in the early Norman period and given the status of a
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...
. The separate designation was in use by 1182 when
Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, 4th Baron Lacy (; before 1135 – 25 July 1186), was an Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman landowner and royal office-holder. He had substantial land holdings in Herefordshire and Shropshire. Following his participation in ...
granted its
tithe A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Modern tithes are normally voluntary and paid in money, cash, cheques or v ...
s to support the new foundation of the Augustinian Abbey at Colp, ten years following his enfeoffment by
Henry II Henry II may refer to: Kings * Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (972–1024), crowned King of Germany in 1002, of Italy in 1004 and Emperor in 1014 *Henry II of England (1133–89), reigned from 1154 *Henry II of Jerusalem and Cyprus (1271–1 ...
with the lands of the Kingdom of Meath. This was a cell of his favoured religious house of
Llanthony Llanthony ( , ) is a village in the community of Crucorney on the northern edge of Monmouthshire, South East Wales, United Kingdom. Location Llanthony is located in the Vale of Ewyas, a deep and long valley with glacial origins within th ...
situated on his estates in the Welsh
vale of Ewyas The Vale of Ewyas () is the steep-sided and secluded valley of the River Honddu, in the Black Mountains of Wales and within the Brecon Beacons National Park. As well as its outstanding beauty, it is known for the ruins of Llanthony Priory, ...
. Mornington took its name from Robert le Mariner, a Norman proprietor, who also appears in Latin as Roberto Marinario bearing witness to a charter in Dublin (No. 230) recorded in the ''Chartularies'' of St. Mary's Abbey. The placename was well established by the beginning of the 13th century, being known variously as ''Villa Roberti Marinarii'' (1211), ''Villa Marinarii'', ''Vill Marenariorum'', and over time ''Maris'', ''Marynerton'', ''Marinerston by Colp'', ''Marinerstown'' or ''Mornanton''. ''Duuenacharny'' (
Donacarney Donacarney ( or ) is a village in County Meath, Ireland, close to Drogheda and the border with County Louth. It contains one church, two estates, two schools, and one pub. Although it includes the townlands of Donacarney Great and Donacarney Lit ...
) was recorded as part of Mornington in Walter de Lacy's charter of confirmation 1230–1234 but thereafter was counted as part of the manor of Colpe. Robert le Mariner probably died without heirs before 1234, as in that year
Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath Walter de Lacy ( 1172 – 1241) was lord of Meath in Ireland. He was also a substantial land owner in Weobley, Herefordshire, in Ludlow, Shropshire, in Ewyas Lacy in the Welsh Marches, and several lands in Normandy. He was the eldest son of ...
, granted "the whole land which belonged to Christiana wife of Robert le Mariner in the town of Mariners in Ireland near the port of Drogheda to God and the istercian Abbey of St. Mary of Furness in England and the abbot and monks serving God there". The opening up of
Airgíalla Airgíalla (; Modern Irish: Oirialla, English: Oriel, Latin: ''Ergallia'') was a medieval Irish over-kingdom and the collective name for the confederation of tribes that formed it. The confederation consisted of nine minor kingdoms, all indepen ...
to colonisation and the development of Drogheda in the 1180s and 1190s would have sidelined the settlement. Historian B.J. Graham notes that in 1235, "a
burgage Burgage is a medieval land term used in Great Britain and Ireland, well established by the 13th century. A burgage was a town ("borough" or "burgh") rental property (to use modern terms), owned by a king or lord. The property ("burgage tenement ...
in the ''vill Marenariorium,'' now known as Mornington ... was included in a grant of land to he CistercianBeaubec Abbey hich held a monastic farm at Beymore, east Meath At this time the settlement contained a church, a stone tower, a mill and some
messuage In law, conveyancing is the transfer of legal title of real property from one person to another, or the granting of an encumbrance such as a mortgage or a lien. A typical conveyancing transaction has two major phases: the exchange of contracts ...
s, an inventory which makes it clear that, despite its borough status, the ''vill Marenariorum'' was no more than a manorial village in size or function". Mention of regulated rabbit warrens appear in 1400 as part of the customs of the manor - "the issues and profits of courts, rabbit warrens, fisheries, tolls olbell' heriots and all other customs of the manors of Marynereston and Donaghkerny". This is associated with the later name in use, The Burrows, mentioned above. In 1812 Edward Wakefield described it as the only "one warren of sufficient extent n Meath, which... extends along the sea-shore, from the mouth of the river Boyne towards the mouth of the Nanny river, and belongs to Mr. Brabazon of Morningtown. The rabbits burrow in a heap of sand blown off the sea-shore by the easterly winds, and feed on a salt marsh running parallel to it, being prevented from going on the uplands and corn-grounds by broad drains, which are kept constantly full of water. They are taken by pass-nets, placed between them and the burrow, on their hasty return from feeding at night, being alarmed by the barking of dogs kept for that purpose. They are all disposed of in Dublin market, the skin being generally more valuable than the flesh ..." Despite close links and being surrounded on the landward side by the neighbouring and more extensive Manor of Colpe Mornington remained a separate ''vill'' having its own church up to the sixteenth century with 'Marynerton' being listed amongst the Irish possessions of Furness Abbey and Llanthony at the Suppression of the Monasteries in 1536. Around this time
Henry Draycott Henry Draycott (c. 1510–1572) was an English-born Crown official and judge in sixteenth-century Ireland, who held a number of senior Government offices, including Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland. Despite his apparent lack of legal qualifi ...
(''c.'' 1510–1572) an English-born Crown official and judge in sixteenth-century Ireland, who held a number of senior Government offices, became a substantial landowner in the Pale, with his principal estate at Mornington. He was a political ally of the Lord Deputy, Anthony St. Leger and acquired many former church properties in the Dissolution. His descendants quickly integrated within the Old English community of the Pale and remained one of the significant families in the area for the next 150 years. By 1603, Mornington was being considered part of the
Civil Parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
of Colpe. It appears as part of Colpe in the Civil Survey of 1654 and in Samuel Lewis's "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland" (1837) under Colpe, or Colpe-cum-Mornington. Mornington was the scene of one of the actions in March 1642 during the raising of the Siege of Drogheda of 1641–42 as the garrison undertook raids into the locality to disrupt the Northern rebels under
Sir Phelim O'Neill Sir Phelim Roe O'Neill of Kinard ( Irish: ''Sir Féilim Rua Ó Néill na Ceann Ard''; 1604–1653) was an Irish politician and soldier who started the Irish rebellion in Ulster on 23 October 1641. He joined the Irish Catholic Confede ...
surrounding the town. The castle at Colpe, in Mornington townland, was captured by Lord Moore of Mellifont with part of the relief force from Dublin in this action. The Drogheda forces found the previous year's harvest still in the fields and John D'Alton in his history of Drogheda quotes Dean Nicholas Bernard how: The town of Drogheda then with great joy set to brewing the captured grain for beer "having drunk nothing but water for a week". In this raid they also burned: This missal and another book called the Black Book of Llanthony, both now lost, had previously belonged to the library of Henry Draycott. The destroyed house is recorded in 1640 as the property of John Draycott of Mornanstowne and Valeran Weisley of Dingen, along with 308 Irish acres. Its ruins located on Church Road, were recorded as a large, irregularly-shaped building described in gothic lettering as a 'Ruin' on the 1836 ed. of the Ordnance Survey 6" map. It was believed locally to have been the site of a former monastery. The Ozanam Home now sits on the site of 'Mornington House', Coney Hall, latterly the principal residence in the area and owned by the Brabazon family. A plaque dedicated to James Brabazon, Esq., who died in 1794, which shows his links to the
Earls of Meath Earl of Meath is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1627 and is held by the head of the Brabazon family. History The Brabazon family descends from Edward Brabazon, 1st Baron Ardee, Sir Edward Brabazon, who represented County ...
, is found on the ivy-covered wall of the early church in the old graveyard of Mornington. The family's association went back to their seventeenth-century ancestor, a Captain James Brabazon who was wounded at the
Battle of Aughrim The Battle of Aughrim () was the decisive battle of the Williamite War in Ireland. It was fought between the largely Irish Army (Kingdom of Ireland), Irish Jacobitism, Jacobite army loyal to James II of England, James II and the forces of Will ...
on the Williamite side. Another significant family in the area were the Weslies, later Earls of Mornington.


Title of "Earl of Mornington"

The title
Earl of Mornington Earl of Mornington is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1760 for the Anglo-Irish politician and composer Garret Wellesley, 2nd Baron Mornington. On the death of the fifth earl in 1863, it passed to the Duke of Wellington; s ...
has been one of the greatest British aristocratic titles for centuries. Originally a
British peerage A Peerage is a form of The Crown, crown distinction, with Peerages in the United Kingdom comprising both hereditary title, hereditary and life peer, lifetime titled appointments of various Imperial, royal and noble ranks, ranks, which form ...
title it is now a
courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but is rather used by custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some context ...
. The current holder of the earldom is Arthur Darcy Wellesley (born 2010), the son of Arthur Gerald Wellesley, Marquess of Douro, and his wife Jemma, who is the sister of
Jodie Kidd Jodie Elizabeth Kidd (born 25 September 1978) is an English fashion model and television personality. Early life Named after Jodie Foster, Kidd was born in 1978 and is the daughter of the businessman and former showjumper Johnny Kidd. She is ...
. The connection to Mornington of the Wellesley, Wesley, Weslie, or, Weisle family name goes back to at least the sixteenth century, as Lewis says on the suppression of Colp Abbey a place called 'Weisle's Farm' in Mornington was paying tithes to the Abbey. Gerald Weslie, late of Dangan, "Irish Papist", who died in 1603, is mentioned in an inquisition of 1624 as having been in possession of "the manor of ''Marinerstown'' or ''Mornanton'' counting two messages and 120A and of a capital fishery commonly called the lord's fishery". Richard Colley (later
Richard Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington Richard Colley Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington ( – 31 January 1758) was an Irish peer, best remembered as the grandfather of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Biography Richard Colley (as he was christened) was born around 1690, the son ...
) inherited Dangan and Mornington in 1728 from his cousin Garret Wesley. His son was the 1st Earl of Mornington, the father of Field-Marshal The 1st Duke of Wellington.


Use of the name Mornington in other contexts

The many Mornington places in Australia and across the world were named in honour of the second Earl, a brother of the Duke of Wellington. This has led to its use for the Mornington Crescent game on
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'' is a BBC radio comedy panel game. Billed as "the antidote to panel games", it consists of two teams of two comedians being given "silly things to do" by the host. The show was launched in April 1972 as a parody of ...
taken from the Camden street Mornington Crescent, London also named for the second Earl. The name has been given to a number of ships in connection with the Earls of Mornington, such as Mornington (ship) and Earl of Mornington (ship). The famous jockey Herbert Mornington, or Morny, Cannon was born the same day in 1873 that his father Tom Cannon won the Somersetshire Stakes at
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
on a colt named MorningtonBirmingham Daily Post (Birmingham, England), Thursday, 22 May 1873 and named after that event. The name has also been used in the title of the play "Of Mornington" by
Billy Roche Billy Roche (born 11 January 1949) is an Irish playwright and actor. He was born and still lives in Wexford and most of his writings are based there. Originally a singer with The Roach Band, he turned to writing in the 1980s. He has written a n ...
, the play's revered snooker cue being handcrafted at the fictitious 'Beecher's of Mornington'. Mornington is a surname still in use, although rare. The motto of the Mornington family is Virtutis Fortuna Comes.


References


External links


Lewis ''Topographical Dictionary of Ireland'' 1837
{{Authority control Towns and villages in County Meath