Abbeyside

Abbeyside (Irish: Dún na Mainistreach, meaning "fort of the monastery") is an area in County Waterford, Ireland.[1] It lies on the east bank of the Colligan River.

Abbeyside

Irish: Dún na Mainistreach
Abbeyside Church from Abbeyside Cove
Abbeyside
Abbeyside shown within Ireland
Coordinates: 52°06′00″N 7°37′00″W
CountryIreland
CountyCounty Waterford
BaronyDecies-without-Drum
Civil parishDungarvan
Area
 • Total71.62 ha (177 acres)

History

MacGrath's Castle was a notable landmark in Abbeyside, overlooking Dungarvan Harbour, until it collapsed in January 1916. It was situated at Friar's Walk in Abbeyside, near the Augustinian abbey. It was a typical tower-house of six floors, two of them supported by stone vaults. The MacGrath family is said to have built it, and it is called MacCragh's Castle in the Civil Survey of 1654. By the mid-18th century the castle was still in a good state of preservation and retained its roof. Following the collapse, fragments of the walls remained up until the early 1960s, but these were removed and now there are no remains visible above ground.[2]

Sport

The local GAA club is Abbeyside/Ballinacourty GAA. The club plays both hurling and gaelic football and competes in both senior codes in the county.

The village also has a local soccer team, Abbeyside AFC, the team plays in the Waterford District league Division 1B, the club's most successful moment came in 2011 winning the 1B division.The club also have a u14 team youths and a division 3 team

Stage 2 of the 1998 Tour de France passed through Abbeyside.

Notable People
  • Ernest Thomas Sinton Walton (6 October 1903 – 25 June 1995), noted Physicist and Nobel Laureate was born in Abbeyside.[3] Walton was famous for his work with John Cockcroft on the splitting of the atom. The "Walton Causeway Park" in Abbeyside was dedicated in his honour. Walton himself attended the ceremony in 1989. After his death, a plaque was placed on the site of his birthplace in Abbeyside.
  • Louis Claude Purser (28 September 1854 – 20 March 1932), a noted classical scholar was born here.
  • Sarah Purser (22 March 1848 - 1943), a celebrated portrait painter was raised in Abbeyside.

References
  1. "Placenames Database of Ireland". Dublin City University. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  2. "MacGraths Castle". Waterford County Museum (by Willie Fraher, 26 July 2001). Retrieved 14 July 2008.
  3. Ernest T.S. Walton - Biography
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