- Gowran
Infobox Irish Place
name = Gowran
gaeilge = Gabhrán
crest
motto =
map
pin coords = left: 56px; top: 66px
north coord = 52.633333 | west coord = 7.066667 | irish grid =
area = | elevation =
province =Leinster
county =County Kilkenny
population =
census yr =
web = www.kilkennycoco.ie|Gowran ("Gabhrán" in Irish) is a
village and formertown inCounty Kilkenny , Ireland.Gowran Park race course is located nearby.History
Gowran was a place of importance prior to the Norman invasion and a
royal residence of the Kings of Ossory, sometimes recorded as the Kings of Gowran. KingRobert the Bruce with hisarmy of Scots andUlster men took the town in 1316.James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormonde built Gowran Castle in 1385 close to the site of the present castle andtown wall s were erected circa 1415. King James I made Gowran aparliamentary borough in 1608. The townsurrender ed toOliver Cromwell on 21 March 1650 following asiege , Colonel Hammond, his officers and garrison wereexecute d on their surrender. In 1688 James II granted ACharter of Incorporation to the town and of 18Burgess es listed, six were Kealy's. A Magdelanhospital was built outside the walls circa 1578 "For the relief of poor leprous people".Churches
In the centre of the village is the historic St Marys
Collegiate Church which contains monuments from the 14th to 17th centuries. [http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/HistoricSites/East/StMarysChurchGowranKilkenny/image,144,en.jpeg] This collegiate church, was built in the late 13th century on the site of an earliermonastery . It was served by a "college"—clerics who lived in acommunity but who did not submit to the rule of a monastery. They lived in a house, now destroyed, beside the church. The church was a large and elaborate structure, with an aislednave —the main part of the church where thecongregation —and a longchancel —the section of the church where the altar was placed—and has high quality architectural sculpture used throughout. In the latemiddle ages a massive tower was inserted between the nave andchancel , and in the 19th century this tower was incorporated into the parish church which was built in place of the chancel and which now takes up about half of the building. There were also several other changes made to the church at various periods. St Mary's is now a National Monument.The
Catholic church is the Church of the Assumption.Transport
Gowran railway station opened on 14 November 1850 and finally closed on 1 January 1963. [cite web | title=Gowran station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | accessdate=2007-10-15]
People
* Gowran is home to
D.J. Carey who was born there. He is a renowned sportsman and playedhurling for Kilkenny until his retirement in 2006. He is regarded as an icon of the sport and has won most of the major honours in the game. D.J now runs a successful business just outside the village calledD.J Carey Enterprises . his wife and children live in Rockfield.
* Other noted residents and former residents are Capt Padraig Quinn (Spanish Civil War veteran).
* Kilkenny hurlersKevin Fennelly and Lester Ryan
* The ancestors ofWalt Disney are from Gowran.
* Colonel Dan Bryan, head of theIrish Army 's intelligence unit G2 during "The Emergency" (World War II ), was born in Dunbell near Gowran.Economy
Business within the village include:
*Gowran Park Horse Racing &Golf Course [http://www.gowranpark.ie/]
* HardingFireplace s, [http://www.hardingfireplaces.com/]
* Automotive Calibration [http://www.calibration.biz/ie]
* LoughlinsPublic House and Undertakers.port
*Gowran is internationally known for its picturesque
racecourse ,Gowran Park , which hosts the Thyestes Chase (TheGrand National of the South), one of the prestigioussteeplechase s in Ireland which has been won by three timeCheltenham Gold Cup Winner,Arkle in 1964 andAintree Grand National winnersHedgehunter andNumbersixvalverde . It has 16National Hunt and Flat meetings all year round. Gowran Park is also home to one of the most challenging golf courses in Kilkenny and is a venue for meetings, conferences, weddings and parties.
*Young Irelands Gaelic Athletic Association Club are based just outside the village on theGoresbridge Road. SeniorCounty Hurling Champions in 1996 and 2002, they were also runners up in 1997, 2003 and 2004.
*There is a popularPitch and Putt course in the village.References
*O'Kelly, Owen (1985), The Place Names of County Kilkenny. Published by Kilkenny Archaeological Society
*Prim, John G A. (2002), Nooks and Corners of the County Kilkenny. Published by Grangesilvia Publications, Kilkenny
*O'Neill, Gerry. (2005), Kilkenny GAA Bible. Produced by Kilkenny GAA Yearbook Committeeee also
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.