Castlerea

2025-09-18T20:22:57Z

2001:BB6:ABFB:3600:D162:74AF:72C:3D44: /* People */

{{Short description|Town in County Roscommon, Ireland}}
{{Other uses|Castlereagh (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox settlement
|settlement_type = Town
|name = Castlerea
|native_name = {{lang|ga|An Caisleán Riabhach}}
|native_name_lang = ga
|image_skyline = Castlerea Main Street.jpg
|image_caption = Main Street, Castelrea
|pushpin_map = Ireland
|pushpin_label_position = right
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Ireland
|coordinates = {{coord|53.7667|-8.5|dim:2000_region:IE|display=inline,title}}
|blank_name_sec1 = Irish Grid Reference
|blank_info_sec1 = {{iem4ibx|M670797}}
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = Ireland
|subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Ireland|Province]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Connacht]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Counties of Ireland|County]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[County Roscommon|Roscommon]]
|unit_pref = Metric
|elevation_m = 82
|population_as_of = [[2022 census of Ireland|2022]]
|population = 2,348
|population_footnotes = <ref name=cso2022>{{cite web | title = Census Interactive Map – Towns: Castlerea | url = https://visual.cso.ie/?body=entity/ima/cop/2022&boundary=C04160V04929&guid=ecaf77b3-a81a-4212-b38e-db84432e3f45 | website = visual.cso.ie | publisher = [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)|Central Statistics Office]] | access-date = 22 April 2025}}</ref>
|website =
|area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in the Republic of Ireland|Telephone area code]]
|area_code = +353(0)94
|postal_code_type = [[Eircode]] routing key
|postal_code = F45
}}
'''Castlerea''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|æ|s|əl|ˈ|r|i:}} {{respell|KASS|əl|REE}}; {{Irish place name|An Caisleán Riabhach|brindled castle}}) is a town in [[County Roscommon]], Ireland. It is located in the west of the county and had a population of 2,348 at the [[2022 census of Ireland|2022 census]].<ref name=cso2022/> Roughly translated from Irish, Castlerea is generally thought to mean 'brindled castle' (''Caisleán Riabhach''). An alternative translation is 'castle of the king' (''Caisleán [[Rí]]''). The town is built on the banks of the [[River Suck]] and the River Francis, both of which are tributaries of the [[River Shannon]].

== History ==
[[File:Castlerea - Clonalis House - 20190823040950.jpg|thumb|Clonalis House]]
[[Clonalis House]], located in the west of Castlerea, is the ancestral home of the Clan [[O'Conor Don|O'Conor]], the last of the [[List of High Kings of Ireland|High Kings of Ireland]]. The O'Connor [[dynasty]] produced eleven high kings of Ireland and twenty-four kings of [[Connacht]].

Theophilus Sandford, a member of [[Oliver Cromwell]]'s army in Ireland, received a large allocation of lands confiscated from the O'Connor family as part of the [[Act of Settlement 1652|Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652]]. This package included Castlerea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sandfordfamily.org.uk/theophilus-sandford/index.htm|title=Captain Theophilus Sandford|website=sandfordfamily.org.uk}}</ref> Castlerea developed under the Sandfords, who established a distillery (at its height producing more than {{convert|20000|impgal|L|order=flip|abbr=off|disp=or}} of whiskey annually), a brewery, and a tannery. Sandford's descendants continued in power through the 19th century. The estate was later acquired by the [[Irish Land Commission|Land Commission]] and the [[Congested Districts Board for Ireland|Congested Districts Board]]. The [[demesne]] in which it was set survives and is now enjoyed as a public park.

On 11 July 1921, Sergeant James King of the [[Royal Irish Constabulary]] was shot in Castlerea on St Patrick Street and died of his wounds shortly afterwards. The [[Truce of July 1921]] was declared later that day, making Sergeant King the last casualty of the [[Irish War of Independence]].<ref>[http://www.dcu.ie/~foxs/irhist/july_1921.htm Chronology of Irish History 1919 – 1923] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311052126/http://www.dcu.ie/~foxs/irhist/july_1921.htm |date=11 March 2007 }}, [[Dublin City University]]</ref>

On 17 June 2020, [[Detective]] [[Garda Síochána|Garda]] [[Colm Horkan]] was shot dead by a 43-year-old man in Castlerea when his [[SIG Sauer P226|firearm]] was snatched from him who then fired fifteen rounds at him.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/suspect-fired-15-shots-hitting-det-garda-colm-horkan-at-least-five-times-before-bullets-ran-out-39298259.html|title=Suspect fired 15 shots, hitting Det Garda Colm Horkan at least five times, before bullets ran out|work=[[Irish Independent]]|first1=Tom|last1=Brady|first2=Eavan|last2=Murray|date=19 June 2020|access-date=10 July 2020}}</ref> Horkan became the [[List of Gardaí killed in the line of duty|89th garda to be killed in the line of duty]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/garda-colm-horkan-is-89th-member-of-force-killed-in-line-of-duty-1.4282576|title=Garda Colm Horkan is 89th member of force killed in line of duty|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|date=18 June 2020|access-date=10 July 2020}}</ref>

== Sport ==
[[File:St. Kevin's GAA club Castlerea, Club CLG Naomh Caoimhín Chaisleán Riabhach (2020).jpg|thumb|St. Kevin's GAA club]]
The local [[association football]] (soccer) club is Castlerea Celtic, and the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] (GAA) club is [[Castlerea St. Kevin's GAA|St Kevin's]]. Castlerea Cavaliers is a basketball club with ladies and men teams.{{fact|date=April 2025}}

The Castlerea Enterprise Hub located in the town business park is also home to the town's gym and to Castlerea Boxing Club. Castlerea is home to the boxers [[Aoife O'Rourke]] and [[Lisa O'Rourke]], who have collectively won a number of World and European titles.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://iaba.ie/orourke-sisters-make-boxing-history/ | website = iaba.ie | title = O'Rourke sisters make boxing history | date = 14 March 2025 }}</ref>

== Amenities ==
[[File:Suckvalleyway.jpg|thumb|Sign for the [[Suck Valley Way]]. Castlerea serves as the trailhead for the walk]]
Amenities in the town include Castlerea golf club, established in 1905 and moved to its current location in 1907. It is a 9-hole course. There is an outdoor swimming pool, a playground, a public library, a soccer pitch and a [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] (GAA) pitch at O'Rourke Park. The GAA club also owns a squash court and a handball court in the town. The Neighbourhood Youth Project (NYP) is a social venue for teenagers in the town. St Patrick's Church (built in 1896) is the Catholic church of the town.{{fact|date=April 2025}}

The demesne is a large public park accessible off Main Street and home to some trees planted by notable figures, including former US ambassador to Ireland [[Jean Kennedy Smith]].{{fact|date=April 2025}} The town serves as the trailhead for the [[Suck Valley Way]], with the 105-kilometre long trail beginning and ending in the town. Castlerea also serves as the trailhead for the [[Lung Lough Gara Way]]. Also, the [[Beara-Breifne Way]] also passes through the town.

== Education ==
The schools in the town are all located in the same area; they include two primary schools (St Anne's Convent National School and St Paul's Boys National School), St Michael's Special Needs School (which serves all ages), and Castlerea Community School (for second-level students). Castlerea Community School instructs approximately 500 students. It provides [[Leaving Certificate Applied]] classes as well as the [[Junior Certificate]] and [[Leaving Certificate]] state examinations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.castlereacs.com/programmes/ | title=Programmes – Castlerea Community School }}</ref>

== Transport ==
[[File:Passing trains at Castlerea station (geograph 6123439).jpg|thumb|Castlerea Railway Station]]
The main road through the town is the national secondary road [[N60 road (Ireland)|N60]], from [[Roscommon]] town onward to [[County Mayo]]. Other roads include the [[R361 road (Ireland)|R361]] to [[Boyle, County Roscommon|Boyle]] and the [[R377 road (Ireland)|R377]] to [[Castleplunket]].

The [[Castlerea railway station]] opened on 15 November 1860.<ref>{{cite web | title= Castlerea station| work=Railscot – Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | access-date=7 September 2007}}</ref> The railway station resides on the Westport-Dublin main line and connects to [[Dublin Heuston]], [[Ballina railway station|Ballina]] and [[Westport railway station, Mayo|Westport]].

== People ==
* [[John F. Cryan]], U.S. politician, was born in Castlerea.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidernj.com/remembrance-things-past-tribute-john-f-cryan-1929-2005/|title=Remembrance of Things Past: A Tribute to John F. Cryan 1929-2005|date=5 February 2019|first=Tom|last=Barrett|publisher=Insider NJ}}</ref>
* [[Thomas Finnegan]], former Catholic Bishop of Killala, was born in the village of Cloonfellive near Castlerea.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bfinnegan.html | title=Bishop Thomas Anthony Finnegan [Catholic-Hierarchy] }}</ref>
* [[Luke 'Ming' Flanagan]], former [[Teachta Dála|TD]], and now an [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]], comes from Castlerea.<ref name=IT_26062010>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0626/1224273343794.html |title=From Ming the Merciless to Ming the Mayor |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=26 June 2010 |access-date=28 September 2010 |archive-date=4 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204171358/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0626/1224273343794.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Gerry Gannon]], builder and property developer, is a native of Castlerea.{{fact|date=April 2025}}
* [[John Gunning (journalist)|John Gunning]], sports journalist working in Japan<ref name="IrishNews">{{cite news|author=Loughran, Neil |url=https://www.irishnews.com/sport/othersports/2020/03/28/news/sumo-1879007/|title='It's probably a bit like the Jamaican bobsleigh team... maybe they'll make a Cool Runnings of Irish sumo film one day'|newspaper=[[The Irish News]]|date=28 March 2020|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref>
* [[Aidan Heavey]] arrived in England from Castlerea in 1993 and became chief executive of [[Tullow Oil]] and one of Britain's most influential Irish businessmen.<ref>[http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/catchall/2006/07/16/the-hit-list-98487-17392358/ Irish stars make it big in Britain]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
* [[Douglas Hyde|Dr Douglas Hyde]], the first [[President of Ireland]] and founder of the [[Gaelic League]], was born at Longford House in Castlerea.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Longford House, Longford, Castlerea, Roscommon |url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/31926002/longford-house-longford-castlerea-roscommon |website=buildingsofireland.ie|publisher=National Inventory of Architectural Heritage|language=en-IE|access-date=11 March 2023}}</ref>
* [[Aoife O'Rourke]], boxer, [[2025 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships|2025 World Championship]] gold medalist, [[2019 Women's European Amateur Boxing Championships|2019 European Championship]] gold medalist, competed at the [[Boxing at the 2020 Summer Olympics|2020]] and [[Boxing at the 2024 Summer Olympics|2024]] Olympics, double Olympian, Castlerea native.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aoife O'Rourke |url=https://olympics.ie/athlete/aoife-orourke/ |publisher=[[Olympic Federation of Ireland]] |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref>
* [[Lisa O'Rourke]], boxer, [[2022 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships|2022 World Championship]] gold medalist, Castlerea native.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hundreds gather in Castlerea to welcome home the O'Rourke sisters |url=https://roscommonherald.ie/2022/05/21/hundreds-gather-in-castlerea-to-welcome-home-the-orourke-sisters/ |date=22 May 2022 |newspaper=Roscommon Herald |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref>
* [[Stephen Rochford]], GAA player and manager from County Mayo, previously worked at the bank in Castlerea.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.mayonews.ie/sports/26601-the-rochford-files | website = mayonews.ie | title = The Rochford files | date = 14 October 2015 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20170826071632/https://www.mayonews.ie/sports/26601-the-rochford-files | archivedate = 26 August 2017 | quote = Stephen Rochford [..] turned 37 last Friday and is Branch Manager of AIB in Castlerea. He lives in Ballinrobe }}</ref>
* [[John Waters (columnist)|John Waters]], former journalist and author of several books including 'Jiving at the Crossroads', was born and raised on Main Street in Castlerea.<ref name="autobio">{{cite web|url = http://www.johnwaters.ie/content/biography | title = Biography | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20181023160736/http://www.johnwaters.ie/content/biography |archive-date=23 October 2018 | website = johnwaters.ie}}</ref>
* Sir [[William Wilde]], a surgeon, historian and father of [[Oscar Wilde]], was born in Castlerea in 1815.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.libraryireland.com/biography/SirWilliamWilde.php|title= Sir William Robert Wills Wilde| work = A Compendium of Irish Biography | date = 1878 | first = Arthur | last = Webb |via = Library Ireland|access-date = 31 October 2014}}</ref>
* [[Matthew Young (bishop)|Dr Matthew Young]], a [[List of Bishops of Clonfert (Church of Ireland)|Bishop of Clonfert]] ca. 1798, a natural philosopher, and a mathematician was a native of Castlerea.<ref>{{cite DNB|wstitle=Young, Matthew |no-icon=1 | first = Richard | last = Garnett | volume = 63 }}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Castlerea.jpg|Castlerea Demesne
File:Castlerea train station sign (2024).jpg|Castlerea Train Station bilingual sign
File:Plaque at former Hells Kitchen pub Castlerea (2018).jpg|Plaque at Hells Kitchen Bar and Restaurant
Plaque in honour of John F. Cryan, Castlerea (2018).jpg|Plaque in honour of John F. Cryan in Castlerea
</gallery>

== Twinning ==

Castlerea is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
* {{flagdeco|USA}} [[Newark, New Jersey]], United States.
* {{flagdeco|France}} [[Soulac-sur-Mer]], France.

== See also ==
* [[List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland|List of towns and villages in Ireland]]
* [[List of market houses in the Republic of Ireland|Market Houses in Ireland]]
* [[Castlerea Prison]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Castlerea}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121120044141/http://www.firebird.net/roscommon/castlerea.htm County Council Community and Enterprise] (archived 2012)

{{County Roscommon}}
{{Ó Conchobhair}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns and villages in County Roscommon]]
[[Category:O'Conor dynasty]]

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Castlerea