Kesh

Kesh
Fermanagh
Location
Grid reference:	H1863
Location:	54°31’19"N, 7°43’23"W
Data
Population:	972  (2001)
Dialling code:	028
Local Government
Council:	Fermanagh and Omagh
Parliamentary constituency:	Fermanagh and South Tyrone

Kesh is a village in Fermanagh, on the Kesh River about a mile from Lower Lough Erne. The 2001 cenus recorded a population of 972 people.

The name 'Kesh is from the Irish language, in which Ceis means a wicker bridge, which refers to the crossing in the middle of the village.

Because of its location close to Lough Erne the village has been a popular tourist resort. It has two caravan parks, a small attractive marina and other related industries both within its boundaries and the surrounding area.

The village is about five miles from the border with the Republic of Ireland and 22 miles from the Atlantic coast resort of Rossnowlagh in County Donegal, thus adding to its popularity with holiday makers, day-trippers and weekenders.

History

The village is unusual in that it is not built around a parish church or chapel. Instead, the two Church of Ireland parishes of Magherculmoney and Tubrid meet at the river and their respective parish churches are each about two miles either side of the village.

Kesh began as a ford or crossing place on the Glendarragh River. In the past Lough Erne came very much closer to the village than it does today. Before the first great Erne Drainage in the 1880s the lake was about eight feet higher and especially in time of flood may almost have reached Kesh. The rath on Rosscah Hill above the late Joe Robert's house, (a former rectory of Drumkeeran Parish) indicates original settlement here probably as far back as the Iron Age c 2000 years ago. There are two raths on this hill but the nearer to the house is believed to be a decorative feature made at the time of the construction of the house in the late 1700s. The large standing stone in Rosculban may be a relic of the Iron Age as well.

After a time the ford was augmented with a wicker bridge for which the Gaelic word is ceis, which gave the village its name. The name had been spelt in varying ways but generally as Kish or Cash until relatively modern times. An ancient saying in the locality which may refer to basket making and osier working in the area, states that anyone gifted with a big behind, "had an ass on them like a Kesh creel".

Crevenish Castle

Main article: Crevenish Castle

The remains of Crevenish Castle are south-east of the village on the Crevenish Road, or 'the back road' as the locals call it. During its time it was home to the Blennerhasset and Maguire families in the 1600 and 1700s.

Old Memoirs

According to the O.S. Memoirs of 1834, Kesh had a police force of one constable and four subconstables and had a recently established weekly market as well as five fair days per year. It had a population of 120. A riding post arrived daily from Enniskillen at 12 o'clock and departed again at 1 p.m. A walking penny post was established at Kesh for letters to Pettigo.

Local attractions

• The Lough Erne Hotel, originally a Royal Irish Constabulary barracks then a tapestry house and now the only hotel in Kesh by the Glendurragh River at the top of the main street. Still has the old Jail doors intact from the 1800s
• Belleek Pottery, world famous producer of Parian china, which is about half an hour's drive away
• Crevenish Castle remains
• The Boa Island carved stones, graveyard and enclosure are Scheduled Historic Monuments sited in the townland of Dreenan 5 miles from Kesh
• Castle Archdale Estate and marina, a large amenity that includes gardens, walks, water sports and other facilities; the complex also has a large caravan and camping park
• Castle Caldwell is about 20 minutes from Kesh on the Belleek road
• Drummoney Falls, a local beauty spot on the northern side of the village
• Drumrush Lodge, a restaurant and caravan park that also has a private marina that offers a full range of water sports
• Lough Erne is nearby and linked with Kesh by a navigable river terminating at the marina in the middle of the village beside the Lough erne Hotel
• The Manor House Hotel six miles away in Killadeas, provides golf and water sports facilities as well as a private leisure club and swimming pool
• Muckross, an inland lakeside 'beach' which used to be popular with families is now taken over almost exclusively by jet-skiers. It is south of Kesh, about 1.0 mile (1.6 km) from the village on the shore of Lough Erne
• North Fermanagh Club, a football (during winter) and cricket (during summer) venue on the Crevenish Road
• The scenic route out of Kesh offers views of Lower Lough Erne

Kesh Carnival

A local village carnival takes place every year in the middle of August. It is run by locals now named the 'Maid of the Lough Erne', for locals and attracts a small but appreciative crowd during its two weekend events when there is a 'duck derby' at the Lough Erne Hotel, in 2012 they are celebrating its 30th year of the duck derby, historic car rally, tug-of-war competition and various evening functions usually based in or around the Mayfly Inn and the Lough Erne Hotel by the river.

2001 census

Kesh is classified as a small village or hamlet by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (with population between 500 and 1,000). The 2001 census recorded 972 people living in Kesh:

• 83.1% were from a Protestant background
• 15.8% were from a Roman Catholic background
• 23.7% were aged under 16 years and 17.6% were aged 60 and over
• 49.2% of the population were male and 50.8% were female
• 2.3% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Kesh)

• The Lough Erne Hotel
• The Manor House Hotel
• Drumrush Lodge
• Loaneden Caravan Park
• Entry on Enniskillen.com