Johnstown, County Kilkenny
| Johnstown Irish: Baile Sheáin | |
| County Kilkenny | |
|---|---|
 Johnstown Village Green | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | S300664 |
| Location: | 52°44’57"N, 7°33’25"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 450 (2022) |
| Local Government | |
| Dáil constituency: |
Carlow–Kilkenny |
Johnstown, also historically known as Coorthafooka[1] (from the Gaelic Cúirt an Phúca; 'Fairy's court'), is a small town in County Kilkenny, at the junction of the R639, R502 and R435 roads. It was bypassed in December 2008 by the M8 motorway. It is in Kilkenny's Barony of Galmoy.
The village was laid out in the early 1700s by the Hely family of Foulkscourt Castle. The Hely family were descended from Sir John Hely (who died 1701), Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas.
About the village
Ballyspellan Spa Well is a nearby mineral spa which was visited by Jonathan Swift in 1728. A poem[2] praising its medicinal qualities was penned by Thomas Sheridan and a retort was produced by Swift. In 1806.
A Viking Age brooch was found in Ballyspellan[3] and is now on display in the National Museum of Ireland.
Grangefertagh is a 6th Century Round tower two miles north-east of the village.[4] It is associated with St Ciarán of Saigir and was attacked by the Norsemen in 865.
Foulkscourt Castle, is a Norman-era tower house north-west of the village.
Sport
- Hurling: Fenians Johnstown GAA
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Johnstown, County Kilkenny) |
- Information on Johnstown, County Kilkenny from GENUKI
- Edward Law - Kilkenny History - Miscellaneous Houses
References
- ↑ Placenames Database of Ireland
- ↑ "Holdings: Ballyspellan spa. With a poem in its praise by...". http://sources.nli.ie/Record/PS_UR_059182.
- ↑ "Brooch". http://www.museum.ie/en/list/artefacts.aspx?article%3De5501687-07db-4fe8-913e-616a1f125962.
- ↑ "Fertagh Irish Round Tower". http://www.roundtowers.org/fertagh/index.htm.
- Carrigan, William (1905), The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory, Sealy, Bryers & Walker, https://books.google.com/books?id=L4UNAAAAYAAJ