Dundalk (Dun
Dealgan) means Dealgan's Fort. A town located mid-way between Belfast and Dublin
on the east coast of Ireland in the barony of Upper Dundalk, the county of Louth
(An Lu) and province of Leinster. Population around 26,000.
The town has been an urban centre since the late 12th century when it was
granted a charter by the Norman knight Bertram de Verdon.
The name Dundalk comes from the Gaelic Dun Dealgan. Dealga being a local
chieftain of pre-Celtic origin, the fort was located at Castletown mount.
Around 3500 BC a group of people known as Neolithic people came to Ireland.
One of the lasting features they left behind is the Proleek Dolmen (the cap
stone weighs in at 40 tons!!) at Ballymascanlon, on the northern side of Dundalk.
The Celts arrived in Ireland around 500 BC having colonized most of Europe.
The group that settled in North Louth were known as the Conaille Muirtheimhne
and took their name from Conaill Carnagh, legendary chief of the Red Branch
Knights of Ulster. Their land now forms upper and lower Dundalk.
In 1169 the Norman Army arrived in Ireland and set about conquering areas if
Ireland. In 1185 a Norman nobleman named Bertrum De Verdon erected a manor house
at Castletown Mount. The town of Dundalk was developed as it lay close to an
easy bridging point over the Castletown river.
In the 17th century Lord Limerick, Earl of Clanbrasil created the modern town
we know today. He was responsible for the construction of streets leading to the
town centre. His ideas came from many visits to Europe.
In the 19th century the town grew in importance and many industries
were set up in the local area. This development was helped considerably by the
construction of a railway linking Dublin with Belfast, the expansion of the
docks area or "Quay" and the setting up of a board of commissioners to
run the town.
The town continued to grow in the 20th century. Many industries prospered and
provided employment for generations of townspeople. Today many fine
international companies have facilities in Dundalk, from food-processing to
high-tech computer companies like Heinz, National Pen, Panasonic, Quantum,
Acurray, Simm Strible and two important breweries: The Great Northern Brewery
and Cambricville (McArdle Moore)
It is also a home for many fine first and second level schools including the
Excellent Regional Technical College
By
Kris
kris@thecorrswave.cjb.net
