121-500: The Dundalk Democrat is a regional newspaper printed in Dundalk , Ireland . Established in 1849, it primarily serves County Louth as well as County Monaghan and parts of County Armagh , County Down , County Cavan and County Meath . It comes out every Tuesday with three editions: The Town Edition , The County Edition and The Monaghan Democrat . The paper is owned by Iconic Newspapers , which acquired Johnston Press 's titles in
242-650: A féth fíada ('magic mist'). They are said to have travelled from the north of the world, but then were forced to live underground in the sídhe after the coming of the Irish. In some tales, such as Baile in Scáil , kings receive affirmation of their legitimacy from one of the Tuath Dé, or a king's right to rule is affirmed by an encounter with an otherworldly woman (see sovereignty goddess ). The Tuath Dé can also bring doom to unrightful kings. The medieval writers who wrote about
363-430: A "goddess of poets". Writing in the seventh century, Tírechán explained the sídh folk as "earthly gods" (Latin dei terreni ), while Fiacc's Hymn says the Irish adored the sídh before the coming of Saint Patrick . Several of the Tuath Dé are cognate with ancient Celtic deities: Lugh with Lugus , Brigid with Brigantia , Nuada with Nodons , and Ogma with Ogmios . Nevertheless, John Carey notes that it
484-474: A 'New Town' in the late 14th century under the reign of Richard II of England . Effectively a frontier town as the northernmost outpost of The Pale, Dundalk continued to grow as the 14th and 15th centuries progressed. The town was heavily fortified, as it was regularly attacked—with at least 14 separate assaults, sieges or demands for tribute by a resurgent native Irish population recorded between 1300 and 1600 (with more than that number being likely). In 1540,
605-512: A battle. He entrenched himself at Dundalk and declined to be drawn beyond the circle of his defences. With poor logistics and struck by disease, over 5,000 of his troops died. After the end of the Williamite War, the third Viscount Dungannon, Mark Trevor, sold the Dundalk estate to James Hamilton of Tollymore, County Down. Hamilton's son, also James, was created Viscount Limerick in 1719 and then
726-422: A desire to record their native culture and hostility to pagan beliefs, resulting in some of the gods being euhemerised . Many of the later sources may also have formed parts of a propaganda effort designed to create a history for the people of Ireland that could bear comparison with the mythological descent of their British invaders from the founders of Rome, as promulgated by Geoffrey of Monmouth and others. There
847-613: A group of manuscripts that originated in the West of Ireland in the late 14th century or the early 15th century: The Yellow Book of Lecan , The Great Book of Lecan and The Book of Ballymote . The first of these is in the Library of Trinity College and the others are in the Royal Irish Academy. The Yellow Book of Lecan is composed of sixteen parts and includes the legends of Fionn Mac Cumhail, selections of legends of Irish Saints, and
968-582: A group of stories of visits to the Irish Other World (which may be westward across the sea, underground, or simply invisible to mortals). The most famous, Oisin in Tir na nÓg belongs to the Fenian Cycle, but several free-standing adventures survive, including The Adventure of Conle , The Voyage of Bran mac Ferbail , and The Adventure of Lóegaire . The voyages, or immrama , are tales of sea journeys and
1089-401: A hole in the outer wall of the gaol, freeing Aiken and his men. On 14 August, Aiken led an attack on the barracks that resulted in its capture with five National Army and two Irregular soldiers killed. Aiken's men killed another dozen National Army soldiers in guerrilla attacks before the town was retaken without resistance on 26 August. Before withdrawing, Aiken called for a truce at a meeting in
1210-645: A hub on the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) network and with its maritime link to Liverpool from the Port of Dundalk. It later suffered from high unemployment and urban decay after these industries closed or scaled back both in the aftermath of the Partition of Ireland in 1921 and following the accession of Ireland to the European Economic Community in 1973. New industries have been established in
1331-399: A male heir, the family's landholdings were split. One of Theobold de Verdun's daughters, Joan, married the second Baron Furnivall , Thomas de Furnivall, and his family subsequently acquired much of the de Verdun land at Dundalk. The de Furnivall family's coat of arms formed the basis of the seal of the 'New Town of Dundalk'—a 14th-century seal discovered in the early 20th century, which became
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#17328515365101452-403: A result of the ongoing violence in the border region of North Louth / South Armagh . The barracks was renamed Aiken Barracks in 1986 in honour of Frank Aiken. Dundalk celebrated its 'official' 1200th year in 1989, meaning the Irish government recognised 789 as the year in which the first settlement was founded, with then President of Ireland, Dr. Patrick Hillery , attending a celebration at
1573-736: A succession of peoples, the fifth of whom was the people known as the Tuatha Dé Danann ("Peoples of the Goddess Danu"), who were believed to have inhabited the island before the arrival of the Gaels , or Milesians . They faced opposition from their enemies, the Fomorians , led by Balor of the Evil Eye. Balor was eventually slain by Lugh Lámfada (Lugh of the Long Arm) at the second battle of Magh Tuireadh. With
1694-511: A triad and connected with sovereignty and sacred animals. They guard the battlefield and those who do battle, and according to the stories in the Táin Bó Cúailnge , some of them may instigate and direct war themselves. The main goddesses of battle are The Morrígan, Macha, and Badb . Other warrior women are seen in the role of training warriors in the Fianna bands, such as Liath Luachra , one of
1815-583: Is a sea-serpent-like monster in Irish mythology and folklore. These monsters were believed to inhabit many lakes and rivers in Ireland and there are legends of saints, especially St. Patrick, and heroes fighting them. The three main manuscript sources for Irish mythology are the late 11th/early 12th century Lebor na hUidre (Book of the Dun Cow), which is in the library of the Royal Irish Academy , and
1936-568: Is located at Faughart. St Brigid's Church in Kilcurry holds what worshippers believe is a relic of the saint—a fragment of her skull. Most of what is recorded about the Dundalk area between the 5th century and the foundation of the town as a Norman stronghold in the 12th century comes from the Annals of the Four Masters and the Annals of Tigernach , which were both written hundreds of years after
2057-508: Is not wholly accurate to describe all of them as gods in the medieval literature itself. He argues that the literary Tuath Dé are sui generis , and suggests "immortals" might be a more neutral term. Many of the Tuath Dé are not defined by singular qualities, but are more of the nature of well-rounded humans, who have areas of special interests or skills like the druidic arts they learned before traveling to Ireland. In this way, they do not correspond directly to other pantheons such as those of
2178-640: Is the Cailleach , said to have lived many lives that begin and end with her in stone formation. She is still celebrated at Ballycrovane Ogham Stone with offerings and the retelling of her life's stories. The tales of the Cailleach connect her to both land and sea. Several Otherworldly women are associated with sacred sites where seasonal festivals are held. They include Macha of Eamhain Mhacha , Carman , and Tailtiu , among others. Warrior goddesses are often depicted as
2299-483: Is the county town of County Louth , Ireland . The town is on the Castletown River , which flows into Dundalk Bay on the east coast of Ireland. It is halfway between Dublin and Belfast , close to the border with Northern Ireland . It is surrounded by several townlands and villages that form the wider Dundalk Municipal District. It is the seventh largest urban area in Ireland , with a population of 43,112 as of
2420-586: Is the oldest surviving manuscript written entirely in the Irish language; the early 12th-century Book of Leinster , which is in the Library of Trinity College Dublin ; and Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 502 ( Rawl. ), which is in the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford . Despite the dates of these sources, most of the material they contain predates their composition. Other important sources include
2541-622: The Annals of Ulster , which record that Brian Boru met the King of Ulster at " Dún Delgain " in 1002 to demand submission. 12th century versions of the Táin Bó Cúailnge feature " Delga in Muirtheimne ". The manor house built by Bertram de Verdon at Castletown Mount on the site of the earlier settlement is referred to as the " Castle of Dundalc " in the 12th century records of the Gormanston Register. Archaeological studies at Rockmarshall on
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#17328515365102662-650: The 2022 census . Having been inhabited since the Neolithic period, Dundalk was established as a Norman stronghold in the 12th century following the Norman invasion of Ireland , and it became the northernmost outpost of The Pale in the Late Middle Ages . The town came to be nicknamed the "Gap of the North" where the northernmost point of the province of Leinster meets the province of Ulster . The modern street layout dates from
2783-736: The Cooley peninsula indicate that the Dundalk district was first inhabited circa 3700 BC during the Neolithic period. Pre-Christian archaeological sites in the Dundalk Municipal District include the Proleek Dolmen (a portal tomb ) in Ballymascanlon , which dates to around 3000 BC, the nearby "Giant's Grave" (a wedge-shaped gallery grave ), Rockmarshall Court Tomb (a court cairn ), and Aghnaskeagh Cairns (a chambered cairn and portal tomb). The legends of Cú Chulainn , including
2904-608: The County Museum Dundalk and the Louth County Library. Sporting clubs include Dundalk Football Club (who play at Oriel Park ), Dundalk Rugby Club , Dundalk Golf Club, and several clubs competing in Gaelic games . Dundalk Stadium is a horse and greyhound racing venue and is Ireland's only all-weather horse racing track. Dundalk is an anglicisation of Irish : Dún Dealgan [ˌd̪ˠuːnˠ ˈdʲalˠəgənˠ] that
3025-602: The Dagda 's name is interpreted in medieval texts as "the good god". Nuada is cognate with the British god Nodens ; Lugh is a reflex of the pan- Celtic deity Lugus , the name of whom may indicate "Light"; Tuireann may be related to the Gaulish Taranis ; Ogma to Ogmios ; the Badb to Catubodua . The Ulster Cycle is traditionally set around the first century AD, and most of
3146-682: The Duke of Ormond (and known as Ormondists), in turn, laid siege to Dundalk and overran and plundered the town in March 1642, killing many inhabitants. The Ormondists held the town during the English Civil War until it was occupied by the Northern Parliamentary Army of George Monck . The Parliamentarians held it for two years before surrendering it back to the Ormondists. It was then retaken by
3267-782: The Easter Rising had changed the political landscape. 80 members of the Irish Volunteers had left Dundalk to take part in the Rising. After the countermanding order of Eoin MacNeill , members of the unit ended up in Castlebellingham , trying to evade the Dundalk RIC . There, they held several RIC men and a British Army officer at gunpoint until one of the Volunteers, believing the army officer
3388-529: The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) in 1876. The established and merchant classes prospered alongside a general population that suffered from poverty. A typhus epidemic struck in the 1810s, potato-crop failures in the 1820s caused famine, and a cholera epidemic struck in the 1830s. During the Great Famine of the 1840s, the town did not suffer to the same extent as the west and south of Ireland. Cereal-based agriculture, new industries, construction projects, and
3509-470: The Greeks or Romans . Irish goddesses or Otherworldly women are usually connected to the land, the waters, and sovereignty, and are often seen as the oldest ancestors of the people in the region or nation. They are maternal figures caring for the earth itself as well as their descendants, but also fierce defenders, teachers and warriors. The goddess Brigid is linked with poetry, healing, and smithing. Another
3630-506: The River Fane to the south, indicating that the district was a border area between separate kingdoms. Archaeological and historical research suggests that before the arrival of the Normans, the district was composed of rural settlements of ringforts located on the higher ground that surrounds the present-day town. There are references in the annals and folklore to a pre-Norman town located in
3751-504: The Togail Troí , an Irish adaptation of Dares Phrygius ' De excidio Troiae historia , found in the Book of Leinster. They also argue that the material culture depicted in the stories is generally closer to that of the time of their composition than to that of the distant past. The Mythological Cycle , comprising stories of the former gods and origins of the Irish, is the least well preserved of
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3872-512: The Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley), an epic of early Irish literature, are set in the first century AD, before the arrival of Christianity to Ireland. Clochafarmore , the menhir that Cú Chulainn reputedly tied himself to before he died, is located to the west of the town, near Knockbridge . Saint Brigid is reputed to have been born in 451 AD in Faughart . A shrine to her
3993-421: The bards of nobility. Once the noble houses started to decline, this tradition was put to an abrupt end. The bards passed the stories to their families, and the families would take on the oral tradition of storytelling. During the first few years of the 20th century, Herminie Templeton Kavanagh wrote down many Irish folk tales, which she published in magazines and in two books. Twenty-six years after her death,
4114-608: The election of 1885 after a campaign of voter suppression and intimidation on both sides. Following the split in the Irish Parliamentary Party , the leading anti-Parnellite , Tim Healy , won the North Louth seat in 1892 , defeating Nolan (who had stayed loyal to Parnell). The campaign, predicted by Healy to be "the nastiest fight in Ireland", saw running battles and mass brawls in the streets between Parnellites, 'Healyites', and 'Callanites'—supporters of Philip Callan, who
4235-404: The island of Ireland . It was originally passed down orally in the prehistoric era . In the early medieval era , some myths were transcribed by Christian monks , who heavily altered and Christianised the myths. Irish mythology is the best-preserved branch of Celtic mythology . The myths are conventionally grouped into ' cycles '. The Mythological Cycle consists of tales and poems about
4356-673: The 19th century was dominated by the Irish Home Rule movement and Dundalk became a focal point of the politics of the time. The Irish National Land League held a demonstration in Dundalk on New Year's Day, 1881, stated by the local press to be the largest gathering ever seen in the town. As the Home Rule movement developed, the sitting Home Rule League MP, Philip Callan , fell out with party leader Charles Stewart Parnell , who travelled to Dundalk to oversee efforts to have Callan unseated. Parnell's candidate, Joseph Nolan , defeated Callan in
4477-551: The 20th Century. By the time of the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169 , Magh Muirthemne had been absorbed into the kingdom of Airgíalla (Oriel) under the Ó Cearbhaills. In about 1185 , Bertram de Verdun , a counsel of Henry II of England , erected a manor house at Castletown Mount on the ancient site of Dún Dealgan . De Verdon founded his settlement seemingly without resistance from Airgíalla (the Ó Cearbhaills are recorded as having submitted to Henry by this time), and in 1187 he founded an Augustinian friary under
4598-521: The Cycle of the Kings, or more correctly Cycles, as there are a number of independent groupings. This term is a more recent addition to the cycles, with it being coined in 1946 by Irish literary critic Myles Dillon . The kings that are included range from the almost entirely mythological Labraid Loingsech , who allegedly became High King of Ireland around 431 BC, to the entirely historical Brian Boru . However,
4719-689: The Emergency (as World War II was called in Ireland), there were three aeroplane crashes in what is now the municipal district. A British Hudson bomber crashed in 1941, killing three crew, and a P-51 Mustang fighter of the US Army Air Forces crashed in September 1944, killing its pilot. The worst of the wartime air crashes occurred on 16 March 1942. 15 allied airmen died when their Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber crashed into Slieve na Glogh, which rises above
4840-617: The Fianna Cycle is the Acallam na Senórach ( Colloquy of the Old Men ), which is found in two 15th century manuscripts, the Book of Lismore and Laud 610, as well as a 17th century manuscript from Killiney , County Dublin . The text is dated from linguistic evidence to the 12th century. The text records conversations between Caílte mac Rónáin and Oisín , the last surviving members of
4961-579: The Fianna, and Saint Patrick , and consists of about 8,000 lines. The late dates of the manuscripts may reflect a longer oral tradition for the Fenian stories. The Fianna of the story are divided into the Clann Baiscne, led by Fionn mac Cumhaill (often rendered as "Finn MacCool", Finn Son of Cumhall), and the Clann Morna, led by his enemy, Goll mac Morna . Goll killed Fionn's father, Cumhal , in battle and
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5082-660: The Fomorians in the Battle of Mag Tuired . This has been likened to other Indo-European myths of a war between gods, such as the Æsir and Vanir in Norse mythology and the Olympians and Titans in Greek mythology . Heroes in Irish mythology can be found in two distinct groups. There is the lawful hero who exists within the boundaries of the community, protecting their people from outsiders. Within
5203-465: The Free State government began installing border posts for the purpose of collecting customs duties. Almost immediately, the town started to suffer economic problems. The introduction of the border and tariffs exacerbated the effects of a global post-war slump . With a population of 14,000 at the time, unemployment was reported to be nearly 2,000 and it was reported that: "Up to a few years ago, Dundalk
5324-613: The Gaelic-speaking community in Scotland and there are many extant texts from that country. They also differ from the Ulster Cycle in that the stories are told mainly in verse and that in tone they are nearer to the tradition of romance than the tradition of epic. The stories concern the doings of Fionn mac Cumhaill and his band of soldiers, the Fianna . The single most important source for
5445-432: The Great Northern Brewery being reopened as 'the Great Northern Distillery' in 2015 by John Teeling , who had established and later sold the Cooley Distillery ; and locally-driven initiatives led to a flurry of foreign direct investment announcements in the latter half of the 2010s, particularly in the technology and pharmaceutical sectors. The town's association football club, Dundalk F.C. , first formed in 1903 by
5566-445: The Irish Parliamentary Party, in the closest contest of the election—O'Kelly winning by 255 votes. In the run-up to the election, the local newspapers had supported the Irish Party over Sinn Féin and complained afterwards that the area of Drogheda in County Meath that was included in the Louth constituency had tipped the contest in Sinn Féin's favour. Again, the campaign saw reports of widespread violence and intimidation tactics. There
5687-406: The Market Square. After the start of the Northern Ireland peace process , and the subsequent Good Friday Agreement , then U.S. president, Bill Clinton chose Dundalk to make an open-air address in December 2000 in support of the peace process. In his speech in the Market Square, witnessed by an estimated 60,000 people, Clinton spoke of "a new day in Dundalk and a new day in Ireland". The town
5808-428: The Mythological Cycle represents a Golden Age, the Ulster Cycle is Ireland's Heroic Age . Like the Ulster Cycle, the Fianna Cycle or Fenian Cycle, also referred to as the Ossianic Cycle, is concerned with the deeds of Irish heroes. The stories of the Cycle appear to be set around the 3rd century and mainly in the provinces of Leinster and Munster . They differ from the other cycles in the strength of their links with
5929-444: The North' (the Moyry Pass ) during the Nine Years' War . Following the Flight of the Earls , the subsequent Plantation of Ulster (and the associated suppression of Catholicism) resulted in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 . After only token resistance, Dundalk was occupied by an Ulster Irish Catholic army on 31 October. They subsequently tried and failed to take Drogheda and retreated to Dundalk. The Royal Irish Army , who were led by
6050-409: The Priory of St Leonard founded by Bertram de Verdun was surrendered to the Crown because of Henry VIII 's Dissolution of the Monasteries . During the subsequent Tudor conquest of Ireland , Dundalk remained the northern outpost of English rule. In 1600, the town was used as a base of operations for the English, led by Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy , for their push into Ulster through the 'Gap of
6171-547: The Republic of Ireland in 2014. The Dundalk Democrat is one of two non-free newspapers in Dundalk, the other being The Argus . The original offices of the Dundalk Democrat still stand at No. 3 Earl Street in the centre of Dundalk. It now operates from 16b Williamsons Mall, a short distance from its original location. This Ireland newspaper–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Dundalk Dundalk ( / d ʌ n ˈ d ɔː ( l ) k / dun- DAW(L)K ; Irish : Dún Dealgan )
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#17328515365106292-403: The Tuath Dé were Christians. Sometimes they explained the Tuath Dé as fallen angels ; neutral angels who sided neither with God nor Lucifer and were punished by being forced to dwell on the Earth; or ancient humans who had become highly skilled in magic. However, several writers acknowledged that at least some of them had been gods. There is strong evidence that many of the Tuath Dé represent
6413-589: The Tuatha Dé Danann ("the folk of the goddess Danu"), also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("god folk" or "tribe of the gods"). Early medieval Irish writers also called them the fir dé (god-men) and cenéla dé (god-kindreds), possibly to avoid calling them simply 'gods'. They are often depicted as kings, queens, bards, warriors, heroes, healers and craftsmen who have supernatural powers and are immortal. Prominent members include The Dagda ("the great god"); The Morrígan ("the great queen" or "phantom queen"); Lugh ; Nuada ; Aengus ; Brigid ; Manannán ; Dian Cécht
6534-415: The Tuatha Dé Danann were defeated by the Milesians. By the Middle Ages, the Tuatha Dé Danann were not viewed so much as gods as the shape-shifting magician population of an earlier Golden Age Ireland. Texts such as Lebor Gabála Érenn and Cath Maige Tuireadh present them as kings and heroes of the distant past, complete with death-tales. However, there is considerable evidence, both in the texts and from
6655-441: The Ulster Cycle is the Táin Bó Cúailnge . Other important Ulster Cycle tales include The Tragic Death of Aife's only Son , Bricriu's Feast , and The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel . The Exile of the Sons of Usnach , better known as the tragedy of Deirdre and the source of plays by John Millington Synge , William Butler Yeats , and Vincent Woods , is also part of this cycle. This cycle is, in some respects, close to
6776-402: The Windmill Bar and shot dead. The British authorities subsequently suppressed the Dundalk Examiner newspaper for reporting on the incident, and smashed its printing presses. Volunteers from the area led by Frank Aiken were more active in Ulster, and were responsible for the derailing of a military train at Adavoyle railway station , 13 km north of Dundalk, which killed three soldiers,
6897-402: The Wooing Of Étain and Cath Maige Tuireadh , the (second) Battle of Magh Tuireadh . One of the best known of all Irish stories, Oidheadh Clainne Lir , or The Tragedy of the Children of Lir , is also part of this cycle. Lebor Gabála Érenn is a pseudo-history of Ireland, tracing the ancestry of the Irish back to before Noah . It tells of a series of invasions or "takings" of Ireland by
7018-469: The action takes place in the provinces of Ulster and Connacht . It consists of a group of heroic tales dealing with the lives of Conchobar mac Nessa , king of Ulster, the great hero Cú Chulainn , who was the son of Lug ( Lugh ), and of their friends, lovers, and enemies. These are the Ulaid , or people of the North-Eastern corner of Ireland and the action of the stories centres round the royal court at Emain Macha (known in English as Navan Fort), close to
7139-407: The annals to battles fought in the district such as the 'Battle of Fochart' in 732, which are folklore . Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn recounts the mythical tale of a 10th-century naval battle in Dundalk Bay. Sitric, son of Turgesius and ruler of the Lochlannaigh in Ireland, had offered Cellachán Caisil , the King of Munster , his sister in marriage. But it was a trick to take
7260-400: The arrival of the Gaels, the Tuatha Dé Danann retired underground to become the fairy people of later myth and legend. The Metrical Dindshenchas is the great onomastics work of early Ireland, giving the naming legends of significant places in a sequence of poems. It includes a lot of important information on Mythological Cycle figures and stories, including the Battle of Tailtiu, in which
7381-455: The arrival of the railway all contributed to sparing the town of its worst effects. Nevertheless, so many people died in the Dundalk Union Workhouse that the graveyard was quickly filled. A second graveyard was opened on the Ardee Road—the Dundalk Famine Graveyard—which is known to contain approximately 4,000 bodies. It was closed in 1905 and was left derelict until the 21st century when local volunteers worked to restore it. The latter part of
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#17328515365107502-509: The boy Fionn was brought up in secrecy. As a youth, while being trained in the art of poetry, he accidentally burned his thumb while cooking the Salmon of Knowledge, which allowed him to suck or bite his thumb to receive bursts of stupendous wisdom. He took his place as the leader of his band and numerous tales are told of their adventures. Two of the greatest of the Irish tales, Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne ( The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne ) and Oisín in Tír na nÓg form part of
7623-468: The centre of Dundalk. From that point, north Louth ceased to be an area of strategic importance in the war. Guerrilla attacks continued—mostly acts of sabotage, particularly against the railway. In January 1923, six anti-treaty prisoners were executed by firing squad in Dundalk for bearing arms against the state. The partition of Ireland turned Dundalk into a border town and the Dublin–Belfast main line into an international railway. On 1 April 1923,
7744-433: The centre of the town carried out by the Ulster Volunteer Force killed two people and injured 15. There were several incidents of British military incursions into North Louth. The town was also the scene of several killings connected to the INLA and its internal feuds and criminal activity. On 1 September 1973, the 27 Infantry Battalion of the Irish Army was established with its headquarters in Dundalk barracks, as
7865-437: The civil war. Even though the Bellews were seen as Papists , Sir John Bellew appears to have held onto much of his family's legacy landholdings. When the Williamite War in Ireland began in 1689, the Williamite commander Schomberg landed in Belfast and marched unopposed to Dundalk but, as the bulk of his forces were raw and undisciplined as well as inferior in numbers to the Jacobite Irish Army , he decided against risking
7986-425: The cycle. The Diarmuid and Grainne story, which is one of the cycle's few prose tales, is a probable source of Tristan and Iseult . The world of the Fianna Cycle is one in which professional warriors spend their time hunting, fighting, and engaging in adventures in the spirit world. New entrants into the band are expected to be knowledgeable in poetry as well as undergo a number of physical tests or ordeals. Most of
8107-600: The earliest known version of the Táin Bó Cúailnge ("The Cattle Raid of Cooley"). This is one of Europe's oldest epics written in a vernacular language. Other 15th-century manuscripts, such as The Book of Fermoy , also contain interesting materials, as do such later syncretic works such as Geoffrey Keating 's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn ( The History of Ireland ) ( c. 1640 ). These later compilers and writers may well have had access to manuscript sources that have since disappeared. Most of these manuscripts were created by Christian monks , who may well have been torn between
8228-521: The early 18th century and owes its form to James Hamilton (later 1st Earl of Clanbrassil ). The legends of the mythical warrior hero Cú Chulainn are set in the district, and the motto on the town's coat of arms is Irish : Mé do rug Cú Chulainn cróga ("I gave birth to brave Cú Chulainn"). The town developed brewing, distilling, tobacco, textile, and engineering industries during the 19th century. It became prosperous and its population grew as it became an important manufacturing and trading centre—both as
8349-415: The early part of the 21st century, including pharmaceutical, technology, financial services, and specialist foods. There is one third-level education institute — Dundalk Institute of Technology . The largest theatre in the town, An Táin Arts Centre (named after the epic of Irish mythology ), is housed in Dundalk Town Hall , and the restored buildings of the nearby former Dundalk Distillery house both
8470-405: The events they record. According to the annals, the area that is now Dundalk was known as Magh Muirthemne (the Plain of the Dark Sea). It was bordered to the northeast by Cuailgne (Cooley) and to the south by the Ciannachta . It was ruled by a Cruthin kingdom known as Conaille Muirtheimne (who were aligned to the Ulaid ) in the early Christian period. There are several references in
8591-430: The first Earl of Clanbrassil in 1756. The modern town of Dundalk owes its form to Hamilton. The military activity of the 17th century had left the town's walls in ruins. With the collapse of the Gaelic aristocracy and the total takeover of the country by the English, Dundalk was no longer a frontier town and no longer had a need for its 15th-century fortifications. Hamilton commissioned the construction of streets leading to
8712-564: The first Earl of Roden. Portions of the Roden Dundalk estate were sold under the auspices of the various land acts of the 19th and early 20th centuries, culminating in the Irish Free State government lands purchase acts of the 1920s. The remaining freeholds and ground rents were sold in 2006, severing the links between the Earls of Roden and the town of Dundalk. During the 18th century, Ireland
8833-564: The forces of Oliver Cromwell , who had landed in Ireland in August 1649 and sacked Drogheda . After the massacre in Drogheda, Cromwell wrote to the Ormondist commander in Dundalk warning him that his garrison would suffer the same fate if it did not surrender. The Duke of Ormond ordered the commander to have his men burn the town before his retreat, but they did not do so such was their haste to leave. For
8954-835: The four cycles. It is about the principal people who invaded and inhabited the island. The people include Cessair and her followers, the Formorians, the Partholinians, the Nemedians, the Firbolgs, the Tuatha Dé Danann , and the Milesians. The most important sources are the Metrical Dindshenchas or Lore of Places and the Lebor Gabála Érenn or Book of Invasions . Other manuscripts preserve such mythological tales as The Dream of Aengus ,
9075-576: The god-like Tuatha Dé Danann , who are based on Ireland's pagan deities, and other mythical races like the Fomorians . Important works in the cycle are the Lebor Gabála Érenn ("Book of Invasions"), a legendary history of Ireland, the Cath Maige Tuired ("Battle of Moytura"), and the Aided Chlainne Lir (" Children of Lir "). The Ulster Cycle consists of heroic legends relating to the Ulaid ,
9196-468: The gods of Irish paganism . The name itself means "tribe of gods", and the ninth-century Scél Tuain meic Cairill (Tale of Tuan mac Cairill ) speaks of the Tuath Dé ocus Andé , "tribe of gods and un-gods". Goibniu, Credne and Luchta are called the trí dé dáno , "three gods of craft". In Sanas Cormaic ( Cormac's Glossary), Anu is called "mother of the Irish gods", Nét a "god of war", and Brigid
9317-543: The greatest glory of the Kings' Cycle is the Buile Shuibhne ( The Frenzy of Sweeney ), a 12th century tale told in verse and prose. Suibhne, king of Dál nAraidi , was cursed by St. Ronan and became a kind of half-man, half bird, condemned to live out his life in the woods, fleeing from his human companions. The story has captured the imaginations of contemporary Irish poets and has been translated by Trevor Joyce and Seamus Heaney . The adventures, or echtrae , are
9438-588: The healer; and Goibniu the smith. They are also said to control the fertility of the land; the tale De Gabáil in t-Sída says the first Gaels had to establish friendship with the Tuath Dé before they could raise crops and herds. They dwell in the Otherworld but interact with humans and the human world. Many are associated with specific places in the landscape, especially the sídhe : prominent ancient burial mounds such as Brú na Bóinne , which are entrances to Otherworld realms. The Tuath Dé can hide themselves with
9559-648: The iconography of the Gundestrup Cauldron . However, these "nativist" claims have been challenged by "revisionist" scholars who believe that much of the literature was created, rather than merely recorded, in Christian times, more or less in imitation of the epics of classical literature that came with Latin learning. The revisionists point to passages apparently influenced by the Iliad in Táin Bó Cuailnge , and to
9680-429: The kin-group or tuath , heroes are human and gods are not. The Fianna warrior bands are seen as outsiders, connected with the wilderness, youth, and liminal states. Their leader was called Fionn mac Cumhaill, and the first stories of him are told in fourth century. They are considered aristocrats and outsiders who protect the community from other outsiders; though they may winter with a settled community, they spend
9801-696: The king prisoner and he was captured and held hostage in Armagh. An army was raised in Munster and marched on Armagh to free the king, but Sitric retreated to Dundalk and moved his hostages to his ship in Dundalk Bay as the Munster army approached. A fleet from Munster commanded by the King of Desmond , Failbhe Fion, attacked the Danes in the bay from the south. During the sea battle, Failbhe Fion boarded Sitric's ship and freed Cellachán, but
9922-468: The later Voyage of St. Brendan . While not as ancient, later 8th century AD works, that influenced European literature, include The Vision of Adamnán . Although there are no written sources of Irish mythology, many stories are passed down orally through traditional storytelling. Some of these stories have been lost, but some Celtic regions continue to tell folktales to the modern-day. Folktales and stories were primarily preserved by monastic scribes from
10043-449: The military barracks and gaol to free prisoners was planned for 21 June 1798. The attack failed because of a thunderstorm, which dispersed the gathered United Irish volunteers, and two of the jailed leaders—Anthony Marmion and John Hoey—were subsequently tried for treason and hanged. Following the Act of Union , which came into force on 1 January 1801, The 19th century saw industrial expansion in
10164-520: The modern town of Armagh . The Ulaid had close links with the Irish colony in Scotland , and part of Cú Chulainn's training takes place in that colony. The cycle consists of stories of the births, early lives and training, wooing, battles, feastings, and deaths of the heroes. It also reflects a warrior society in which warfare consists mainly of single combats and wealth is measured mainly in cattle. These stories are written mainly in prose. The centerpiece of
10285-546: The months before the outbreak of the war, the G.N.R. converted nine of its carriages into a mobile 'ambulance train', which could hold 100 wounded soldiers. Ambulance Train 13 was kept in service for the duration of the war before being decommissioned in 1919. The war came to Dundalk weeks before the Armistice , when the S.S. Dundalk was sunk by a German U-boat on 14 October 1918 on a voyage from Liverpool to Dundalk. 20 crew-members were killed, while 12 were rescued. Meanwhile,
10406-544: The most important of which is the epic Táin Bó Cúailnge ("Cattle Raid of Cooley"). The Fenian Cycle focuses on the exploits of the mythical hero Finn and his warrior band the Fianna , including the lengthy Acallam na Senórach ("Tales of the Elders"). The Cycles of the Kings comprises legends about historical and semi-historical kings of Ireland (such as Buile Shuibhne , "The Madness of King Sweeny"), and tales about
10527-410: The mythological cycle. Some of the characters from the latter reappear, and the same sort of shape-shifting magic is much in evidence, side by side with a grim, almost callous realism. While we may suspect a few characters, such as Medb or Cú Roí , of once being deities, and Cú Chulainn in particular displays superhuman prowess, the characters are mortal and associated with a specific time and place. If
10648-599: The native Irish gods with their homes in burial mounds. The third group are the gods that dwell in the sea and the fourth group includes stories of the Otherworld. The gods that appear most often are the Dagda and Lugh. Some scholars have argued that the stories of these gods align with Greek stories and gods. The Fomorians or Fomori ( Old Irish : Fomóire ) are a supernatural race, who are often portrayed as hostile and monstrous beings. Originally, they were said to come from under
10769-781: The nomination of new freemen and the nomination of parliamentary candidates, therefore disenfranchising the local populace. In the late 18th century, the United Irishmen movement, inspired by the American and French revolutions, led to the Rebellion of 1798 . In north Louth, the authorities had successfully suppressed the activities of the United Irishmen prior to the rebellion with the help of informants, and several local leaders had been rounded up and imprisoned in Dundalk Gaol. An attack on
10890-460: The origins of dynasties and peoples. There are also mythological texts that do not fit into any of the cycles; these include the echtrai tales of journeys to the Otherworld (such as The Voyage of Bran ), and the Dindsenchas ("lore of places"). Some written materials have not survived, and many more myths were likely never written down. The main supernatural beings in Irish mythology are
11011-608: The outbreak of the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1968 and the town's position close to the border saw the town's population swell, as nationalists/Catholics fleeing the violence in Northern Ireland settled in the area. As a result of the ongoing sectarianism in the north, there was sympathy for the cause of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and Sinn Féin , and the town was home to several IRA members. It
11132-519: The patronage of St Leonard . He was awarded the lands around what is now Dundalk by Prince John on the death of Murchadh Ó Cearbhaill in 1189. On de Verdun's death in Jaffa in 1192 at the end of the Third Crusade , his lands at Dundalk passed to his son Thomas and then to his second son Nicholas after Thomas died. In 1236, Nicholas's daughter Roesia commissioned Castle Roche , 8 km north-west of
11253-437: The poems are attributed to being composed by Oisín . This cycle creates a bridge between pre-Christian and Christian times. It was part of the duty of the medieval Irish bards, or court poets , to record the history of the family and the genealogy of the king they served. This they did in poems that blended the mythological and the historical to a greater or lesser degree. The resulting stories from what has come to be known as
11374-409: The present-day Seatown area, east of the town centre. This area was alternatively called Traghbaile and later Sraidbhaile in Irish. These names could have derived from the folkloric tale of the death of Bailé Mac Buain—hence Traghbaile , meaning 'Bailé's Strand', or Sraid Baile mac Buain , meaning the street town of Bailé Mac Buain. Dundalk continued to be referred to as 'Sraidbhaile' in Irish into
11495-593: The present-day town centre, on a large rocky outcrop with a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. It was completed by her son, John, in the 1260s. Castle Roche was destroyed in 1315 by the armies of Edward Bruce , brother of the Scottish king Robert the Bruce , as they made their way south through Ulster during the Bruce campaign in Ireland . They then attacked the town and massacred its population. After taking possession of
11616-668: The remainder of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland , the town was again used as a base for operations against the Irish in Ulster. After the Restoration of the monarchy, the Corporation of Dundalk was granted a new charter by Charles II on 4 March 1673. The forfeiture of property and settlements carried out during the Restoration saw much of the land of Dundalk granted to Marcus Trevor, 1st Viscount Dungannon , who had fought for both sides in
11737-584: The sea or the earth. Later, they were portrayed as sea raiders, which was probably influenced by the Viking raids on Ireland around that time. Later still they were portrayed as giants. They are enemies of Ireland's first settlers and opponents of the Tuatha Dé Danann, although some members of the two races have offspring. The Fomorians were viewed as the alter-egos to the Tuath Dé The Tuath Dé defeat
11858-535: The summers living wild, training adolescents and providing a space for war-damaged veterans. The time of vagrancy for these youths is designated as a transition in life post puberty but pre-manhood. Manhood being identified as owning or inheriting property. They live under the authority of their own leaders, or may be somewhat anarchic, and may follow other deities or spirits than the settled communities. The church refused to recognize this group as an institution and referred to them as "sons of death". The Oilliphéist
11979-495: The town (see Economy ) and the construction of several buildings that are landmarks in the town. The first railway links arrived when the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway opened a line from Quay Street to Castleblayney in 1849, and by 1860 the company operated a route northwest to Derry. Also in 1849, the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway opened Dundalk railway station . Following a series of mergers, both lines were incorporated into
12100-463: The town centre; his ideas stemming from his visits to Continental Europe. In addition to the demolition of the old walls and castles, he had new roads laid out eastwards of the principal streets. When the first Earl died in 1758, the estates passed to his son, the second Earl of Clanbrassil , who died without an heir in 1798. The Earl of Roden inherited the Dundalk estate because the second Earl's sister, Lady Anne Hamilton, had married Robert Jocelyn,
12221-466: The town including at Castletown Mount, which is evidence of settlements from early Christian Ireland . This indicates that the area was regularly subject to raids and the discovery of a type of pottery known as 'souterrain ware', which has only been found in north Louth, County Down and County Antrim , suggests that these areas shared cultural ties separate from the rest of early historic Ireland. The number of souterrains drops significantly on crossing
12342-569: The town's coat of arms in 1968. The 'new town' that was established in the 13th century is the present-day town centre; the 'old town of the Castle of Dundalk' being the original de Verdun settlement at Castletown Mount 2 km to the west. The de Furnivalls then sold their holdings to the Bellew family, another Norman family long established in County Meath. The town was granted its first formal charter as
12463-514: The town, Bruce proclaimed himself King of Ireland . Following three more years of battles across the north-eastern part of the island, Bruce was killed and his army defeated at the Battle of Faughart by a force led by John de Birmingham , who was created the 1st Earl of Louth as a reward. Later generations of de Verduns continued to own lands at Dundalk into the 14th century. Following the death of Theobald de Verdun, 2nd Baron Verdun in 1316 without
12584-707: The townland of Jenkinstown. On 24 July 1941, the Luftwaffe dropped bombs near the town. There were no casualties and only minor damage was caused. The town continued to grow in size after the war—in terms of area, population and employment—despite economic shocks such as the dissolution of the G.N.R. in 1958. The accession of Ireland to the European Economic Community in 1973, however, saw factory closures and job losses in businesses that struggled due to competition, collapsing consumer confidence, and unfavourable exchange rates with cross-border competitors. The downturn resulted in an unemployment rate of 26% by 1986. In addition,
12705-548: The train's guard, and dozens of horses. The Anglo-Irish Treaty turned Dundalk, once again, into a frontier town. In the new Irish Free State , the split over the treaty led to the Irish Civil War . Before the outbreak of hostilities, Éamon de Valera toured Ireland making a series of anti-treaty speeches. He visited Dundalk on 2 April 1922 and before a large crowd in the Market Square, he said that those who had negotiated
12826-508: The treaty "had run across to Lloyd George to be spanked like little boys". Frank Aiken attempted to keep his division neutral during the split over the treaty but on 16 July 1922, Aiken and all of the anti-treaty elements among his men were arrested and imprisoned at Dundalk military barracks and Dundalk Gaol in a surprise move by the pro-treaty Fifth Northern Division, now part of the National Army . On 27 July, anti-treaty 'Irregulars' blew
12947-608: The wider Celtic world, that they were once considered deities . Even after they are displaced as the rulers of Ireland, characters such as Lugh , the Mórrígan , Aengus and Manannán Mac Lir appear in stories set centuries later, betraying their immortality. A poem in the Book of Leinster lists many of the Tuatha Dé, but ends "Although [the author] enumerates them, he does not worship them". Goibniu , Creidhne and Luchta are referred to as Trí Dé Dána ("three gods of craftsmanship"), and
13068-466: The women who trained the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill . Zoomorphism is an important feature. Badb Catha, for instance, is "the Raven of Battle", and in the Táin Bó Cúailnge , The Morrígan shapeshifts into an eel, a wolf, and a cow. Irish gods are divided into four main groups. Group one encompasses the older gods of Gaul and Britain. The second group is the main focus of much of the mythology and surrounds
13189-553: The wonders seen on them that may have resulted from the combination of the experiences of fishermen combined and the Other World elements that inform the adventures. Of the seven immrama mentioned in the manuscripts, only three have survived: The Voyage of Máel Dúin , the Voyage of the Uí Chorra , and the Voyage of Snedgus and Mac Riagla . The Voyage of Mael Duin is the forerunner of
13310-481: The workers of the Great Northern Railway, received European-wide recognition when it became the first Irish side to win points in the group stage of European competition in the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League . In April 2023, Joe Biden , who has ancestry in north Louth, became the second sitting US president to visit the town. Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths indigenous to
13431-420: Was adopted by the first Norman settlers of the area in the 12th century. It means "the fort of Dealgan" ( Dún being a type of medieval fort and Delga being the name of a mythical Fir Bolg Chieftain). The site of Dún Dealgan is traditionally associated with the ringfort known to have existed at Castletown Mount before the arrival of the Normans. The first mention of Dundalk in historical sources appears in
13552-508: Was also a tendency to rework Irish genealogies to fit them into the schemas of Greek or biblical genealogy. Whether medieval Irish literature provides reliable evidence of oral tradition remains a matter for debate. Kenneth Jackson described the Ulster Cycle as a "window on the Iron Age", and Garret Olmsted has attempted to draw parallels between Táin Bó Cuailnge , the Ulster Cycle epic and
13673-517: Was controlled by the minority Anglican Protestant Ascendancy via the Penal Laws , which discriminated against both the majority Irish Catholic population and Dissenters . Mirroring other boroughs around the country, Dundalk Corporation was a 'closed shop', consisting of an electorate of 'freemen' (mostly absentee landlords of the Ascendancy). The Earl of Clanbrassil controlled the procedures for both
13794-613: Was in this period that Dundalk earned the nickname ' El Paso ', after the town in Texas on the border with Mexico. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher asked Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement what his reaction would be if the British bombed Dundalk to stop the IRA from launching attacks in Northern Ireland. On 19 December 1975, a car bombing in
13915-506: Was interrupted by the local Sinn Féin members, who raised a tricolour beside the Maid of Erin monument and chanted "God Save Ireland" during a rendition of "God Save the King"—giving the party visibility in the town for the first time. Approximately 2,500 men from Louth volunteered for Allied regiments in World War I and it is estimated that 307 men from the Dundalk district died during the war. In
14036-410: Was killed by Sitric who put Failbhe Fion's head on a pole. Failbhe Fion's second in command, Fingal, seized Sitric by the neck and jumped into the sea where they both drowned. Two more Irish captains each grabbed one of Sitric's two brothers and did the same, and the Danes were subsequently routed. There is a high concentration of souterrains in north Louth, particularly along the western periphery of
14157-541: Was no strategic military action in north Louth during the Irish War of Independence . Activity consisted of acts of sabotage and attacks on the RIC to seize arms. Arson attacks were a feature of the period in particular. Crown forces committed reprisal attacks in response, hardening support for Sinn Féin. In the aftermath of a shooting of an RIC auxiliary on 17 June 1921, brothers John and Patrick Watters were taken from their home at
14278-414: Was one of the most prosperous and go-ahead towns in Ireland... [but] it is a matter of common local knowledge that distress to an acute degree is prevalent". The Anglo-Irish trade war , in the midst of a global depression, made things more difficult still. The industrial situation stabilised, however, as the protectionist policies adopted allowed local industries to increase employment and prosper. During
14399-478: Was reaching for a hidden weapon, fired at the captives, killing RIC constable Charles McGee. After the Rising ended, the Volunteers went on the run and most were captured. Four were sentenced to death for the murder of Constable McGee but were released in the general amnesty of 1917. In the 1918 Irish general election , Louth elected its first Sinn Féin MP when John J. O'Kelly defeated the sitting MP, Richard Hazleton of
14520-555: Was slow to benefit from a 'peace dividend', and in the first decade of the new millennium the two Diageo-owned breweries and the Carroll's tobacco factory were among several factories to close—finally severing the links to the town's industrial past. By 2012, the town was being painted as "one of Ireland's most deprived areas" after the global downturn following the Financial crisis of 2007–2008 . Indigenous industry started to recover, with
14641-459: Was trying to regain his seat. The local Sinn Féin cumann was founded in 1907 by Patrick Hughes. It struggled to grow beyond a handful of members because of the dominance of the existing political factions. In 1910, on the accession of George V to the English throne, the local High Sheriff , accompanied by police and soldiers, led a proclamation to the new king at the Market Square. The ceremony
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