Delvin

Delvin Dealbhna or Dealbhna Mhór
—  Town  —
Delvin Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°36′38″N 7°05′33″W / 53.6106°N 7.0925°W / 53.6106; -7.0925Coordinates: 53°36′38″N 7°05′33″W / 53.6106°N 7.0925°W / 53.6106; -7.0925
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	County Westmeath
Government
- Dáil Éireann	Westmeath
- EU Parliament	East
Elevation	115 m (377 ft)
Population (2006)
- Urban	416
- Rural	752
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
- Summer (DST)	IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference	N601626

Delvin (Irish: Dealbhna or Dealbhna Mhór) is a small town in east County Westmeath, Ireland located on the N52 road at a junction with the N51 to Navan. The town is 20 km (12 mi) from Mullingar (along the N52) and is the setting of the book Valley of the Squinting Windows by Delvin native Brinsley MacNamara, described under the fictitious name of "Garradrimna". The word Delvin comes from Delbhna.

Old ruin of Delvin/Nugent Castle
in the Main Street (1181)

Delvin Castle and Clonyn Castle

The original Delvin Castle (or Nugent Castle), now a ruin, is believed to have been built in 1181 by Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath for his brother-in-law, Gilbert de Nugent. De Nugent came to Ireland with de Lacy in 1171 and settled on some land in Delvin. De Nugent was granted the title Baron of Delvin. The ruins of Nugent Castle remain near the center of the town. A second castle was built several centuries later, hundreds of metres from the centre of the Delvin settlement of that time.^{[citation needed]}

Clonyn Castle is situated on dominant ground south of Delvin between the N52 and the Collinstown road. An alternative access to the castle grounds exists on the Collinstown Road opposite the church. This access is also used by Delvin Golf Club members.

The Barony of Delvin remained with the Viscounts Gormanston throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was not until the 1990s that the Barony was once again deeded to a de Vere. Richard II granted Robert de Vere, the 9th Earl of Oxford and 10th Lord Chamberlain the Marquessate of Dublin and the whole of Ireland at this time, when the de Vere's took right to Kilkea Castle. (The Barony of Delvin was contained in the earldom of Oxford, by Aubery de Vere, until it was broken up by Robert de Vere's Irish dominions in 1392).^{[citation needed]} The Viscounts Gormanston stood down on behalf of Lady Wendy DeVere Knight-Wilton in the 1990s giving assignment on behalf of her husband, so the deed of the barony could pass to Raymond John DeVere-Austin, also known as Raymond Austin (the DeVere family name was joined to Austin on his marriage to Wendy DeVere Knight-Wilton in 1984). The present holder, Baron DeVere-Austin of Delvin, carries the feudal title forward.^{[citation needed]}

Church of the Assumption (1881)

Amenities/Facilities

The 18-hole Delvin Castle Golf Club is located near the town. There are a bank, school, church, hotel/guest house, a few shops and a take-away in the town. There are also a few pubs on the Main Street. The town expanded and work on a development in the centre of the village recommenced. Plans were unveiled for the provision of a new sports and leisure facility within the village. Some outdoor facilities are expected to be available by Summer 2007, while plans for the multi-purpose indoor leisure complex are being prepared.^{[citation needed]}

Delvin Garradrimna Book Fair

The 2nd annual Delvin Garradrimna Book Fair will take place on Sunday May 1 2011 between 12.00-6.00 pm at Delvin Sales Yard. It is our intention, like last year, to turn the Sales Yard into Ireland's biggest book store for just one day, where as the 3,000 visitors who attended last year can testify to the bargains they received on the day. Watch this space as more information on the day will become available

See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland
• Sir Thomas Chapman, 7th Baronet
• Actress Mary McEvoy who played Biddy Byrne in Glenroe is from Delvin.
• Nationalist politician Laurence Ginnell

External links

• Delvin Village website
• Nugent Castle
• Picture of the Castle