In the Irish language, it is "An Caislean Gearr" which roughly translates into "the short Castle".
Men of great wit and historical knownledge, Paddy Joe Casserly (R.I.P) and his buddy Luke Ryan (R.I.P.), used to assert that there were seven castles in Castlegar.
- Brucky (up by Mc Hughs bar, which is under new ownership)
- Ballybrit ( in the racecourse).
- Ballindooley of course.
- Menlo Castle
- Cloonacauneen Castle.
- Castlegar village. (handball alley)
- Merlin Park, near the grounds of the hospital.
The Parish of Castlegar.
The Parish is fairly large by most standards and stretches from Merlin park all the way down to the Lough Corrib and areas such as Menlo and Curraghmore.
Originally, Castlegar used to include the modern areas of Mervue and Renmore.
Castlegar is roughly anything from two to four miles from Galway City.
Recent times
The economic upturn in Ireland and Galway has changed almost everything.
- Some of those who had to leave in the depressing 1980's, have returned.
- General farming practices have changed as the property boom has consumed the local lands for other purposes.
- Some families who were relatively poor some thirty years ago, are now in the financial position of rubbing shoulders with the rich of the world.
- Some families, of course, are no better off than they were, in a relative sense.
- Gone is the day of bringing spuds and vegetables to the market in Woodquay; it is even possible that vegetables and spuds are delivered to living descendents of such market gardening families.
- Casltegar has many new housing estates, in the past few years, as well as sporadic single dwellings. The majority of new housing estates are in the Doughiska, Casltegar village/Headford road (Bothar na Choiste), and Menlo areas.
- Castlegar can now be described as cosmopolitan.
Castlegar Hurling and Camogie.
Hurling and camogie were the main sports of the Castlegar people, though there is still a handball alley in Castlegar village.
See this photograph of the 1980 hurling team.
Proposals have been put forward in recent years, to re-locate Castlegar pitch to another location. Currently, this playing pitch is close to the old Dublin road, at Doughiska and close to Roscam.
Tug of war.
Tug of war was another passtime or social/competitive event which Castlegar used to do pretty well at. The flimsy mocassins of today, would not last long nor would they provide the traction that was needed. Hog nail boots were needed, common, and rarely spared.
Graveyards in Castlegar.
This may have changed in recent years, but here is the way it was:
- Terryland or Castlelawn.
- Carrowbrowne.
- Menlo (Galway city side of the pier).
- Tuam Road.
- Killeen
- Lisheen (by the back gates of the racecourse)
- Roscam (now in the parish of Renmore, but formely in Castlegar).
It can be argued that there is a graveyard beside Castlegar Church, and another beside Mervue Church (in so far that some are buried there). There may even be one in the old grounds of Merlin park hospital (or where that now is).
Castlegar Grotto.
Adjacent to Castlegar Church, this grotto has a stone arch-like structure with a statue of Our Lady, mounted on it. Nearby are the graves of
- Archdeacon J.J. Hyland. Parish priest in Castlegar between 1965 and 1980. Known locally as Father Hyland.
- Monsignor Joseph Mithchell, parish priest in Castlegar from 1929 to 1965.
- Father Roland.
Schools in Castlegar.
More later. Please use the contact form if you wish for anything to be added, or changed. If you have any photographs, for example?
Other areas in Castlegar.
Businesses.
There are plenty of industrial estates which cater for business in Castlegar. Such services include;
List of Industrial Estates / Business Centres in Castlegar.
- North Point. Just recently opened on the Tuam road.
- Parkmore
- Ballybrit Industrial Estate.
- City North Business Park on the Tuam road where the An Post sorting office is located.
- Lyons's Estate.
Housing Estates
- Ashbrook
- Glenburren
- Barr Aille
Business and people living elsewhere in Ireland.
Mc Dermott Travel agency in Westport. |
Article Details
