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Whats in Athboy?

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    #32
    Littlehorny
    Registered Users Posts: 2,351 ✭✭✭Littlehorny


    JupiterKid wrote: »
    This is interesting - how many Irish speakers would there be in Rathcairn? I can't see there being too many as most people have never even heard of the Gaeltacht area in Meath.

    Isn't it true that the Rathcairn Gaeltacht was created when farmers from the West of Ireland were relocated to Meath by the Land Commissiuon in the 1930s?

    Is Athboy itself within the Rathcairn Gaeltacht? The town could really do with a bit of sprucing up and modernisation.

    I would say about 2000 people live in Rathcairn, its a small rural area of land in the middle of the Athboy, Trim and Dunderry triangle so to speak. There is a church and a pub, also a national school and a secondary school.
    Rathcairn starts about two mile outside of Athboy and yes your right farmers from Galway did receive this land in the 30's and if local legend is to be believed many a scrap happend in the town when these "blow ins" arrived.
    Agree about the state of the town, it needs a good revamp and looks very rough and neglected at the moment.


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    #33
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,498 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    Rath Cairn was created when some of the big estates were divided by the land commission. The people came from Connaught, so the dialect is more Connaught than anything else. A lot of outsiders have come into the are since,so the gaeltacht is not as strong as it was.

    McIllhinneys of Athboy is the traditonal place to shop for a wedding outfit, but does has some nice bits and pieces,not just mammy of the bride stuff. Causey Farm is just outside Athboy, great craic for adults and kids.
    http://www.causey.ie/


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    #34
    meathstevie
    Registered Users Posts: 4,772 ✭✭✭meathstevie


    JupiterKid wrote: »
    I took a spin yesterday with a friend in my car after I finished work for the Easter hols and decided to head up the new M3 motorway and do a circuit route via Athboy and Trim back to Dublin.

    No offence but I found Athboy to be a rather frozen in time, slightly shabby place. My friend was reticent about going into a pub to use the jacks as he thought the place looked right out of the film Deliverance.:eek::pac:

    I thought the main street surface was atrocious and badly needs improving. Also the road through Athboy - the N51 - is an atrocious goat track of a road which badly needs widening and straightening out. The town could probably do with a bypass but I'd say that's a long way off.

    We left Athboy and headed for Trim - a beautiful gem of a town with the river, the impressive castle and other historical features. Trim seems a million miles away from Athboy.

    Isn't it true that there's a tiny Gaeltacht near Athboy?

    I think I know the pub you're talking about...it's my local :)


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    #35
    Littlehorny
    Registered Users Posts: 2,351 ✭✭✭Littlehorny


    meathstevie wrote: »
    I think I know the pub you're talking about...it's my local :)

    Which one do you think it is?


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    #36
    Tillie
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Tillie


    You know a town is not all about its infrastructure. Yes of course it helps to have all the conveniences needed to carry on a normal happy life but what matters most is to have a great community.

    I moved to Athboy about 10 years ago and I have to say I never regretted it. Yes the street was in an appalling state (now fixed), yes there are some pubs that need updating (isn't there in every town?). What I WILL say about Athboy though is the community spirit is amazing! There are so many clubs and organisations, there is music coming out of its pores, there are festivals, shows, sports events. There are parades. The town is steeped in history and its very easy to get a local historian to walk through the town with you and fill you in on the towns past (should you wish).
    The town has a lovely Fair Green, it has another space currently being developed with all weather playing pitches etc.

    Of course it has its issues too, it has crime, unemployment, it has derelict buildings. There are alot of things need improving. But the great thing about this town is that they recognise these issues and there are various community groups addressing them.

    So don't just drive through the town and decide it looks like a dump. Some of the most picturesque towns in the country won't come within a hairs breadth of the amount of personality that the town of Athboy has.

    Lots of people have said that the best thing about Athboy is the road out ... well my advise to you is to head on that road and don't come back because obviously its not the town for you :)


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