Goresbridge
| Goresbridge Irish: An Droichead Nua | |
| County Kilkenny | |
|---|---|
 Goresbridge over the River Barrow | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | S681536 |
| Location: | 52°37’47"N, 6°59’39"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 361 (2011) |
| Local Government | |
| Dáil constituency: |
Carlow–Kilkenny |
Goresbridge is a small village in the east of County Kilkenny, on the River Barrow which here marks the border of County Carlow to the west. The village is named after its bridge, built in 1756 by Colonel Ralph Gore, which crosses the Barrow here.
The village is to be found three miles from Gowran on the R702 Kilkenny to Enniscorthy road, and approximately twelve miles east of Kilkenny.[1] It in the Barony of Gowran.[2]
King Charles II granted Arthur Gore the townland of Barrowmount. The Battle of Goresbridge was fought here in June 1798.[3]
The population according to the 2011 census was 361.
History
Goresbridge was located in historic Gaelic kingdom of Ossory (Osraige). Following the Nine Years' War, the Interregnum and the Restoration, King Charles II gave grants of land which had been forfeited by the Roman Catholic owners. Here, Arthur Gore obtained from the King a grant of the townland of Barrowmount in parish of Grangesilvia.[1][4] and by the end of the 17th century the Gore family were well established.[4]
Goresbridge was named for the family and the New Bridge built in 1756 by Colonel Ralph Gore.[5][1][4] On the 1846 Ordnance Survey map of Ireland the village is referred to it as Newbridge.
Gore's Bridge
Gore's Bridge has nine-arch granite bridge crossing of the River Barrow between County Kilkenny and County Carlow. Built in 1756 by Colonel Ralph Gore, the Earl of Ross.[3]
This mid-eighteenth-century elegantly-composed landmark was built using unrefined Carlow granite.[3] It represents an important element of civil engineering and transport heritage[3] and formed a vital link between the two counties.[1]
Battle of Goresbridge
The Battle of Goresbridge occurred during the Irish Rebellion on 23 June 1798 at Gore's Bridge.[1][3] During the Wexford Rebellion, and just days Battle of Vinegar Hill, Wexford insurgents attempted to use the Gore's Bridge.
The locally stationed Wexford Militia[1] were defeated, they lost their cavalry,[1] twenty eight soldiers were captured, and the rest fled to Kilkenny.[1] There is a carved granite memorial adjacent to the bridge.[1]
Railway
Goresbridge railway station opened on 26 October 1870, closed for passenger traffic on 26 January 1931 and for goods traffic on 27 January 1947, finally closing altogether on 1 April 1963.[6] Kilbride Coaches services Goresbridge from Graiguenamanagh or Kilkenny twice a day, except Sundays[7]
See also
- Mount Loftus, the nearby manor house
References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 (Kilkenny County Council 2005, Goresbridge Local Area Plan 2005 (PDF))
- ↑ Tighe 1802, Towns not corporate − New Bridge, or Gore's-bridge
- ↑ Jump up to: 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 NIAH, Gore's Bridge Reg. No. 12311002.
- ↑ Jump up to: 4.0 4.1 4.2 Comerford, Michael (1886) (in en). Collections relating to the dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin: Volume 3. J. Duffy and Sons. pp. 331–336. ISBN 9781376897029. https://books.google.com/books?id=cncHAQAAIAAJ.
- ↑ Lewis 1837, p. 665
- ↑ "Goresbridge station". Railscot - Irish Railways. http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf.
- ↑ "Kilbride Coaches timetable". https://kilbridecoaches.com/routes/graiguenamanagh-kilkenny/.