Moyvane
| Moyvane Irish: Maigh Mheáin | |
| County Kerry | |
|---|---|
 Countryside west of Moyvane | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | R069397 |
| Location: | 52°30’5"N, 9°22’13"W |
| Data | |
| Local Government | |
Moyvane, also sometimes known as Newtownsandes,[1] is a small village in County Kerry. It is situated off the N69 road between Listowel to the south-west and Tarbert to the north. The village of Knockanure stands to the immediate south.
The name 'Moyvane is from the Irish Maigh Mheáin, meaning 'Main or middle plain'.[1]
The parish is in the Barony of Iraghticonnor.
History
Newtownsandes was an estate village, named from its former ownership by the Sandes family. The name 'Moyvane' is a modern attribution, since 1939,[2] adopted by the village in that year when a plebiscite was held by Father O'Sullivan, who was the parish priest at the time.[3] The name it older through, being the name of a townland about two miles south-west of the actual village, in an area which resembles a flat plain landscape that extends for miles around.
Before 1939, the village was called "Newtownsandes" and is still referred to locally as "Newtown" – which is especially true of the older generation.[3] The village is still marked some maps as "Newtownsandes".[2] The name "Newtownsandes" comes as its having been on the lands of George Sandes, who was a notorious landlord (and agent of another) in the 1880s and who still tenaciously held on to his estates towards the end of the Land War when most of his peers had already given theirs up.[3]
Around 1886, after Sandes forcefully evicted some of his tenants, the name of the village was changed to "Newtowndillon" after John Dillon. However, this name failed to stick and the name remained unchanged until 1916 when another name-change was attempted: this time to "Newtownclarke" after the 1916 Easter Rising leader Thomas Clarke.[3]
Nature trail
There is a nature walk in the area,[4] the Moyvane Nature Trail, which was created to connect the woods where the Moyvane and Knockanure woods meet, about seven miles north east of Listowel and five miles south of Tarbert.[5]
Society and art
- Theatre: Marian Hall, which hosts performances of music, drama, and storytelling are sometimes held in the Marian Hall.[3]
"The Village Hall" is a verse by Gabriel Fitzmaurice which tells the tale of the old shows that took place in the performance hall prior to the new one being established.[3] "Willie's Car" is a poetic description of a popular village character written by Dan Keane.[3]
Sport
- Gaelic games: Moyvane GAA
- Football: Newtown Athletic
- Badminton
- Basketball
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Maigh Mheáin / Newtownsandes: Placenames Database of Ireland
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Moyvane still stuck with Newtownsandes". Irish Times. 12 December 2000. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/moyvane-still-stuck-with-newtownsandes-1.1120634. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Welcome to Moyvane Village". http://www.moyvane.com/.
- ↑ "Tidy Towns Competition 2012 - Adjudication Report". 2012. http://www.tidytowns.ie/u_reports/2012/2012%20County%20Kerry%20Moyvane%20347.pdf.
- ↑ "Moyvane Village Walk & Nature Trail". Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120212044950/http://www.moyvane.com/Moyvane_Walk_Brochure.pdf. Retrieved 2013-02-21.
