Kilcoole

Infobox Irish Place
name = Kilcoole
gaeilge = Cill Chomghaill
crest

motto =
map

pin coords = left: 88px; top: 35px
north coord = 53.1063
west coord = 6.0645
irish grid = O293080
area =
elevation = 8 m
province = Leinster
county = County Wicklow
town pop = 3,252
rural pop =
census yr = 2006
web =
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Kilcoole (irish place name|Cill Chomghaill|Church of Comghaill) is a village located in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is three kilometres south of Greystones, 14 kilometres north of Wicklow, and approximately 25 kilometres south of Dublin. It was used as the set for the successful Irish television series "Glenroe", which ran through the 1980s and 1990s. The village is currently expanding rapidly, and is a dormitory town for many workers commuting to Dublin and Bray.

The village has a large industrial estate to the south. An area of marshland runs along the coast from Kilcoole north to Wicklow town, called the "Murragh". This area is home to many endangered species of plant and animal. The beach in Kilcoole is the summertime home of the Little Tern, one of the few places in Ireland where these birds nest. Within the village, is an area of flora known as the "Rock", a wild area of about a quarter of a hectare.

Kilcoole is in the Roman Catholic parish of Kilquade, and the parish church is located about two kilometres west of the village.

Education

Coláiste Chraobh Abhann is the community secondary college, located on the southern outskirts of Kilcoole village. It currently accommodates up to 500 students from Kilcoole and surrounding areas. Opened in September 2003, the college held its first state examinations in June 2006.

Kilcoole is also home to two national schools; "St Anthony's" and "St Bridgid's".

Sports

Golf

Druid's Glen Golf Course, which hosted the Irish open from 1996 to 1999, is located less than a kilometre from Kilcoole, on the Newtownmountkennedy road. [ [http://www.druidsglen.ie/ Golfing Holidays Ireland, Golf Course Wicklow, Dublin Golf Break- Druids Glen Golf Resort] ] Kilcoole Golf Course, a nine-hole parkland course, is also located near the village. It benefits from excellent drainage, allowing for year round golf. As a result, the need for temporary surfaces over the winter period is never encountered. It is largely flat but nonetheless challenging due to the course design. [ [http://www.kilcoolegolfclub.com/ Kilcoole Golf Club] ] Druids Heath Golf Course, another championship course, is also located in Druids Glen.

Soccer

Saint Anthony’s Football Club provides football for boys and girls from age six upwards. Almost 300 members make up their competing teams from under eight through under eighteen and adult. The club also runs a development squad for beginners with up to 30 players. [ [http://www.kilcoole.net/ Saint Anthony's Football Club] ]

Gaelic games

Kilcoole GAA has a long tradition in the community of Kilcoole for both hurling and Gaelic football, fielding teams for both men and women at junior and juvenile levels. [ [http://www.kilcoolegaa.com/ Kilcoole GAA] ]

Transport

Dublin Bus provides services between Kilcoole and Dublin on its 84 and 84X bus routes, with a journey time of about 80 minutes. Iarnród Éireann also has a station at the beach; Kilcoole railway station opened on 30 October, 1855. [cite web | title=Kilcoole station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | accessdate=2007-09-08] There are limited train services along this line; six trains a day stop in Kilcoole. Next to the railway station is a monument commemorating the landing of a consignment of guns for the Irish Volunteers at Kilcoole, by Sir Thomas Myles in August 1914. A more regular DART (Electric train) service runs from Greystones into Dublin city centre and beyond to Howth and Malahide.

See also

* List of towns in Ireland

References

External links

* [http://www.birdweb.net/murrough.html Birdweb.net]
* [http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/bwi/pages092003/consvwork/projects/eastcoastreserve.html Blackditch Wood nature reserve]
* [http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/bwi/images/blackditch/cn_murroughmap.jpgMurrough map]
* [http://www.druidsglen.ie Druid's Glen Golf Club]