Aughrim (ˈɔːkrɪm; ) is a small
townA town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in
County WicklowCounty Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
,
IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It lies in a scenic valley in the east of
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
where the Ow and Derry rivers meet to form the Aughrim river. Aughrim is on the
R747The R747 road is a regional road in Ireland running north-west/south-east from the M9 near Ballitore in County Kildare to Arklow in County Wicklow, a distance of .File:IMG_R747westward5075w.jpg|thumb|350px|left|The R747 road...
regional roadA regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...
which runs between
ArklowArklow , also known as Inbhear Dé from the Avonmore river's older name Abhainn Dé, is a historic town located in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. Founded by the Vikings in the ninth century, Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion...
and
BaltinglassBaltinglass or Baltinglas is a town in south-west County Wicklow, Ireland. It is situated on the River Slaney near the border with County Carlow and County Kildare, on the N81 road. Its Irish name means "the way of Conglas", Conglas being a member of the mythological warrior collective, the Fianna...
.
The Rednagh Bridge south of the village was the site of an engagement during the
1798 rebellionThe Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
between Crown forces and the rebels.
Aughrim has won the Irish Tidy Towns Award for tidiest village in County Wicklow from 1996–2007, and won the
Irish Tidy Towns CompetitionTidy Towns is an annual competition, first held in 1958, organised by the Irish Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in order to honour the tidiest and most attractive cities, towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland...
in 2007.
There are a number of unusual granite terraced houses throughout the village, constructed - along with a
forgeA forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
, and town hall - at the behest of the Earl of Meath. Aughrim was a granite mining village, and this material is widely used, giving the village a distinctive and coherent architecture.
A plaque on the bridge commemorates
Anne DevlinAnne Devlin was an Irish republican who acted as housekeeper to Robert Emmet and who was also a cousin of two leading United Irish rebels, Michael Dwyer and Arthur Devlin.-Revolutionary involvement:Devlin was born in Rathdrum Co...
, who was employed by and supported
Robert EmmetRobert Emmet was an Irish nationalist and Republican, orator and rebel leader born in Dublin, Ireland...
, a revolutionary who was hanged in
1803-Births:*2 March - Mary Frances Clarke, founder of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary .*29 April - Paul Cullen, Cardinal and Catholic Primate of Ireland .*1 May - James Clarence Mangan, poet ....
for his leadership of an aborted uprising.
Aughrim is an important agricultural, horticultural and timber processing village, and has become a popular venue for walkers. The Sean Linehan Way provides woodland and riverside walking in the valleys of the Three Wells and Macreddin Brooks, and access to nearby Cushbawn Hill.
Sport
Aughrim is a sporting centre in Wicklow. The village is home to the county grounds of the Wicklow county
Gaelic Athletic AssociationThe Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
team. The current
Gaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
team is managed by
Mick O'DwyerMick O'Dwyer , is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played Gaelic football with his local club Waterville and was a member of the Kerry senior team from 1956 until 1974...
. The Angling for All fishing lake and
Aughrim riverThe Aughrim River flows from confluence of the Derry Water and River Ow south of the village of Aughrim in County Wicklow in Ireland. It flows in a generally easterly direction for approximately following the R747 regional road for its full length before joining the River Avoca in the Vale of...
provide
rainbowThe rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
and
brown troutThe brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
fishing. A
Paul McGinleyPaul McGinley is an Irish golfer who plays on the European Tour. He is most famous for holing the winning putt for the European team in the 2002 Ryder Cup. He currently resides in Sunningdale, England....
-designed golf course is open at nearby Macreddin.
Aughrim RugbyAughrim Rugby was officially founded on February 3, 2011 in Aughrim, County Wicklow, Ireland. Otherwise known as Aughrim RFC or The Red Kites....
Irelands newest rugby club is based at the Community & Sports Complex on the Rednagh Road. They cater for under 6 to under 12 mini rugby as of season 2011/2012.
People
Born in Aughrim:
- Shane Byrne, Irish rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
international.
Lived in Aughrim:
- Tara Blaise
Tara Blaise is an Irish female pop, folk, rock singer. The eldest of six children, Blaise was born in London, but at the age of three moved with her parents to Ireland and grew up in the rambling hills of Aughrim County Wicklow....
, singer.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- List of Market Towns in Ireland
Market houses are a notable feature of many Irish towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation making for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. Originally there were three, four or even five bays on the ground floor which were an open arcade. An upper floor was...
External links