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Drogheda

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Template:Infobox Irish Place Drogheda (Template:PronEng) or /ˈdrɔːdə/) (Droichead Átha in Irish, meaning "Bridge of the Ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km (35 mi) north of Dublin. Within legally defined boundaries, Drogheda is the second largest town in Ireland, behind its county neighbour, Dundalk; however, the town's total population (including suburbs and environs) is recorded to be 35,090, five inhabitants more than Dundalk.[1] The River Boyne, split the town in half between County Meath and County Louth until the enactment of the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 which saw a large area of Drogheda, south of the Boyne signed over to form part of an extended Co Louth. With the passing of the County of Louth and Borough of Drogheda (Boundaries) Provisional Order, 1976, County Louth again grew larger at the expense of County Meath. However the 2007 - 2013 Meath County Development Plan recognises the Drogheda environs as a primary growth centre on par with Navan. This plan in conjunction with ambitious plans for growth to the north of the town by Louth County Council will growth for Drogheda in the future, despite not obtaining Gateway status in the Irish government's National Spatial Strategy.

In recent years Drogheda has been shedding its industrial image, as an increasing number of people employed in the retail, services and technology sectors have been looking to the local economy instead of Dublin for employment.

History

Commemoration of Official Charter

The town is located close to the site of Newgrange, a burial mound constructed around 3200 BC. A trading post and settlement existed on the site of the town from Roman times and was known as Inver Colpa. The town itself was founded in 911 by the Danes and officially chartered as a town in 1194. The Irish Parliament moved to the town in 1494 and passed Poyning's Law a year later. The town was besieged twice during the Irish Confederate Wars (see the siege of Drogheda). On the second occasion it was taken by Oliver Cromwell in September 1649, as part of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Drogheda was the site of an infamous massacre of the Royalist defenders. The Battle of the Boyne, 1690, occurred some 4 miles west of the town, on the banks of the River Boyne, at Oldbridge.

Drogheda's coat of arms bears the star and crescent and has its origin with King Richard I (the Lionheart), in whose reign Drogheda was granted its charter in 1194 by Hugh de Lacy (after whom the de Lacy bridge in Drogheda is named). Another Norman element on Drogheda's coat of arms is its centrepiece, St. Lawrence's Gate. The three lions which flank the Norman barbican are also taken from King Richard's coat of arms. On the other side of the barbican is a ship denoting Drogheda's status as an important port. The town's motto Deus praesidium, mercatura decus translates as "God our strength, merchandise our glory".

The Earldom of Drogheda was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1661.

In 1837 the population of Drogheda area was 17,365 of whom 15,138 lived in the town [2].

The estate in the famous series "The Thorn Birds" was named after the town of Drogheda.

Arts and Entertainment

Drogheda has a thriving arts scene; it hosts the annual Samba festival every summer, where Samba bands from around the world converge on the town for a week of drumming and parades. It is also home to the Calipo theatre company which specialises in multi-media productions and has achieved considerable success in Ireland and abroad. The town also supports one of the largest and most successful youth theatres in Ireland (Droichead Youth Theatre) which has toured to Belfast, London, Italy, and Sweden. The addition of the Little Duke Theatre company in Duke Street, in the old Julian Blinds building, adds to this scene. The Municipal Centre in Stockwell Street acts as a base for most of the town's artists, under the umbrella of the Droichead Arts Centre, and featuring a gallery space and a theatre.

The former Garda (Police) station in West Street is now a satellite site of the Droichead Arts Centre.

The original Drogheda bypass bridge over the river Boyne, known as the "Bridge of Peace", is well-known regionally for its aerosol graffiti murals. Under the bridge, there are two large concrete supports that measure approximately 8 metres high, and 20 metres long. Starting in the 1980s with the breakdance craze, these supports were painted and sprayed with murals by aerosol artists. This activity at the time was technically illegal and frowned upon by the local authorities. Today the murals are frequently updated and limited sponsorship of the artists is provided by local businesses.

Drogheda's larger bars feature live music. Notable venues are The Pheasant on Duleek Street, McPhail's in Laurence Street, McHugh's on Cord Road , The New Central in Peter Street and The Market Bar on Magdalene Street. For traditional Irish music, Carberry's (Teach Uí Cairbre) pub near the North Quay has regular sessions by amateur and professional musicians alike.

October 2006 saw the opening of the town's first dedicated municipal art gallery and visual arts centre, the Highlanes Gallery, housed in the former Franciscan Friary on St. Laurence Street. The Highlanes Gallery holds Drogheda's important municipal art collection which dates from the 17th century as well as visiting exhibitions in a venue which meets key international museum and gallery standards.

Drogheda today

Drogheda in 2005, overlooking the river and St Peter's Church.

With the expansion of the Irish economy in the 1990s, during the "Celtic Tiger" years, Drogheda has become one of the primary locations for people who work in Dublin to buy a house. Property prices in the capital are prohibitive for first time home buyers. With the expansion of transport infrastructure in the area around Drogheda i.e. the Swords and Balbriggan bypasses, the Boyne River Bridge and the increased number of commuter trains serving the town, Drogheda is now an attractive location for Dubliners to buy their first house and commute to work, the downtown area of Drogheda has been transformed over the past two years, two large shopping centres have opened, and large numbers of national and international retails have opened stores, the town's main street is currently under going a major face lift. The Boyne Cable Bridge in particular has dramatically increased the profile of the region as a location for out-of-town retail parks.

The de Lacy pedestrian bridge

On the south quay in the space of the former Lakeland Daries premises (an old industrial area), the Scotch Hall Shopping Centre and the D hotel was completed in November 2005. A new pedestrian bridge extends from the north quay, at Mayoralty Street, into the complex, phase two which is about to commence construction which will extend further down along the river front, it will have an extension to the Shopping Centre and Hotel, new apartments, cinema, and a riverside plaza.

Local economy

The local economy of Drogheda, like that of many other towns in Ireland, is changing rapidly. The old industrial industries based around linen and textiles, brewing, shipping, and manufacturing have now disappeared or are in decline.

There are still a number of large employers in the town including Boyne Valley Foods, Irish Cement (Ireland's largest cement works), International Flavours & Fragrances (IFF) and Becton Dickinson.

Recently additions to the local ecomony include:

  • IDA Business & Technology Park: a 25 hectare (63 acre) with direct access onto the Dublin / Belfast motorway developed and landscaped for the needs of both the IT and financial and internationally traded services sectors.
  • International Fund Services, a leading provider of fund accounting and administration services to the hedge fund industry globally, is to establish a hedge fund administration operation in Drogheda, Co. Louth with the creation of up to 235 jobs.
  • 8 Enterprise Incubation units for high tech startup companies are now provided in the Milmount complex.

Transport, communications & amenities

The town is located close to M1 (E1 Euro Route 1) (main Dublin - Belfast motorway). Drogheda acquired rail links to Dublin in 1844, Navan in 1850 and Belfast in 1852. Passenger services between Drogheda and Navan were ended in 1958, however the line remains open for freight (Tara Mines/Platin Cement) traffic. In 1966 Drogheda station was renamed "McBride". Drogheda railway station opened on 25 May 1844.[3]

Sport

In December 2005 the town's soccer team, Drogheda United, won the national FAI Carlsberg Cup for the first time in its history by beating Cork City F.C. 2-0 in the final at Lansdowne Road. On Saturday 22 April 2006 Drogheda United won the Setanta Cup at Tolka Park becoming the champions of all Ireland. Drogheda United is known as "The Drogs" by their fans. On 19 October 2007, Drogheda United won the League of Ireland for the first time in the club's history, with a 2-1 win over Cork City. The winning goal was a 30 yard shot scored in the last minute by young Englishman Guy Bates, who had been released by Darlington and was once a trainee at his local club Newcastle United.

Ottoman humanitary aid during the Great Famine

In 1845, the onset of the Great Irish Famine resulted in over 1,000,000 deaths. Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid declared his intention to send 10,000 sterling to Irish farmers but Queen Victoria requested that the Sultan send only 1,000 sterling, because she had sent only 2,000 sterling. The Sultan sent the 1,000 sterling but also secretly sent 3 ships full of food. The English courts tried to block the ships, but the food arrived in Drogheda harbor and was left there by Ottoman sailors. [4]


Points of interest

People

Soccer Players

Others

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census 2006 – Volume 1 – Population Classified by Area" (PDF). Central Statistics Office Census 2006 Reports. Central Statistics Office Ireland. 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ Entry for Drogheda in Lewis Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)
  3. ^ "Drogheda station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  4. ^ Why crescentstar on Drogheda Utd emblem?
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