Edenderry
Edenderry (; Irish: Éadan Doire, meaning 'hill-brow of the oak wood') is a town in eastern County Offaly, Ireland. 55 km west of Dublin city centre, it is near the borders with Counties Kildare, Meath and Westmeath. The Grand Canal runs along the south of Edenderry, through the Bog of Allen, and there is a short spur to the town centre. The R401 road from Kinnegad to the north and the R402 from Enfield to the east meet at the northeastern end of the Main Street. At the Grand Canal they split, with the R402 continuing westwards towards Tullamore and the R401 heads south to Rathangan and Kildare Town.
Edenderry
Éadan Doire | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 JKL Street in Edenderry is named for James Warren Doyle (a.k.a. James Kildare & Leighlin) | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Motto: Esto Fideles - The Faithful | |
  Edenderry Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 53°20′42″N 7°03′04″W / 53.345°N 7.05116°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Offaly |
| Elevation | 84 m (276 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 7,888 |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (IST) |
| Eircode | R45 |
| Telephone area code | 046 |
| Irish Grid Reference | N633328 |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1831 | 1,283 | — |
| 1841 | 1,850 | +44.2% |
| 1851 | 1,804 | −2.5% |
| 1861 | 1,661 | −7.9% |
| 1871 | 1,873 | +12.8% |
| 1881 | 1,555 | −17.0% |
| 1891 | 1,577 | +1.4% |
| 1901 | 1,611 | +2.2% |
| 1911 | 2,208 | +37.1% |
| 1926 | 2,092 | −5.3% |
| 1936 | 2,093 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 2,996 | +43.1% |
| 1951 | 2,596 | −13.4% |
| 1956 | 2,729 | +5.1% |
| 1961 | 2,794 | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 2,902 | +3.9% |
| 1971 | 3,116 | +7.4% |
| 1981 | 3,666 | +17.7% |
| 1986 | 3,753 | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 3,940 | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 3,825 | −2.9% |
| 2002 | 4,559 | +19.2% |
| 2006 | 5,818 | +27.6% |
| 2011 | 6,490 | +11.6% |
| 2016 | 7,359 | +13.4% |
| 2022 | 7,888 | +7.2% |
| [2][3][1] | ||
Edenderry (/ˌiːdənˈdɛri/; Irish: Éadan Doire, meaning 'hill-brow of the oak wood'[4]) is a town in eastern County Offaly, Ireland. 55 km west of Dublin city centre, it is near the borders with Counties Kildare, Meath and Westmeath. The Grand Canal runs along the south of Edenderry, through the Bog of Allen, and there is a short spur to the town centre.
The R401 road from Kinnegad to the north and the R402 from Enfield to the east meet at the northeastern end of the Main Street. At the Grand Canal they split, with the R402 continuing westwards towards Tullamore and the R401 heads south to Rathangan and Kildare Town.[5]
History
[edit]
In the 16th century, Edenderry was known as Coolestown, after the family of Cooley or Cowley, who had a castle here. It was defended in 1599 against the Confederates, during the Nine Years' War. This subsequently passed by marriage to the Blundell family and was sacked in 1691 by the army of James II.[6]
The Blundells' land passed subsequently to the Marquess of Downshire, who reversed the earlier opposition of the Blundell sisters to the establishment of a branch to the Grand Canal to Edenderry and paid for the £692 cost of the project,[7] which was completed in 1802.
By 1716 the manufacture of woollen cloth was thriving, first established by Quakers, which employed around 1,000 people.[8] By 1911 the town had grown to 2,204 people. Other industries included the factory of Daniel Alesbury, who made a variety of woodwork as well as the first car manufactured in Ireland, the Alesbury, in 1907. Edenderry Town Hall was completed in 1830.[9]
Demographics
[edit]The population of Edenderry doubled in the period between the census of 1996 (when it had a population of 3,825 people)[10] and the 2022 census (which recorded a population of 7,888 people).[1]
Education
[edit]There are two secondary schools in the town, St. Mary's Secondary School and Oaklands Community College, as well as five primaries, Gaelscoil Éadan Doire, St. Mary's Primary School, Scoil Bhríde Primary School, Saint Patrick's Primary School, and Monasteroris National School.[11] There is also a Youthreach centre,[12] for students aged 15 and older.
Local organisations
[edit]Organisations and businesses operating in the area include the Offaly Express newspaper, Edenderry Chamber of Commerce [13] and Eden FM Community Radio
Local sports clubs include Edenderry Rugby Club,[14] Edenderry GAA club,[15] Edenderry Town AFC,[16] and Highfield Golf Club.[17]
Notable people
[edit]- Neil Delamere, comedian[18]
- Frantic Jack, rock band[19]
- Josef Locke (1917–1999), tenor, lived in Edenderry[20]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Census Interactive Map – Towns: Edenderry". Census 2022. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ http://www.cso.ie/census and www.histpop.org. Post 1971 totals are for Edenderry urban and Edenderry environs. For a discussion on the accuracy of pre-famine census returns see J. J. Lee “On the accuracy of the pre-famine Irish censuses” in Irish Population, Economy and Society edited by JM Goldstrom and LA Clarkson (1981) p54, and also “New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700-1850” by Joel Mokyr and Cormac Ó Gráda in The Economic History Review, New Series, Vol. 37, No. 4 (November 1984), pp. 473-488.
- ^ "Sapmap Area - Settlements - Edenderry". Census 2016. CSO. 2016. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- ^ P.W. Joyce (1972). Irish Place Names. EP Publishing.
- ^ S.I. No. 54/2012 — Roads Act 1993 (Classification of Regional Roads) Order 2012 Irish Statute Book. 2012-02-28.
- ^ Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. 1837.
- ^ Mairead Evans & Therese Abbott. Safe Harbour, Grand Canal at Edenderry. Edenderry Historical Society.
- ^ Michael Murphy (2004). Edenderry, A Leinster Town. Offaly County Council.
- ^ "Edenderry Town Hall, JKL Street, O'Connell Square, Edenderry, County Offaly". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Demographic context" (PDF). Offaly County Council Development Plan 2009 - 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
- ^ "Schools". Edenderry Parish. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
- ^ "Loetb website". Laois and Offaly Education Board. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ Edenderry Chamber of Commerce
- ^ Edenderry Rugby Club
- ^ "Edenderry GAA Club". Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
- ^ "Edenderry Soccer Club". Archived from the original on 25 February 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
- ^ "Highfield Golf Club". Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- ^ Reynolds, Dierdre (7 December 2014). "'I just think all performers are a bit weird...me included' - Neil Delamere". Irish Independent. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
- ^ "Frantic Jack Tour hits Brandon's". The Clare Champion. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "A robust performer with a Derry air". The Irish Times. 16 October 1999. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
He performed a number of "come-back" concerts through the 1980s...though he lived a largely quiet life with his wife Carmel (nee Dignam), in Edenderry, Co Offaly
External links
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