Easky Iascaigh
Location
WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 54°17′19″N 8°57′42″W / 54.2886, -8.9617
Irish grid reference G374381
Statistics
Province:	Connacht
County:	County Sligo
Elevation:	1 m
Population (2006)  - Town:  - Environs:	240  1,233
Website: http://www.westsligo.com/easkey/

Easkey or Easky (Irish: Iascaigh, meaning abounding in fish) is a village situated in County Sligo, Ireland. It is located on the Atlantic coast, 26 miles from Sligo and 15 miles from Ballina, County Mayo. The village name derives from the Gaelic term for fish ('iasc') and 'Iascaigh' literally means "abounding in fish," due to the Easkey River that lies adjacent to the village itself. Easkey, as a parish, was originally called "Imleach Iseal." The area is popular in terms of its highly attractive scenery and the village has attracted a wide variety of tourists interested in water sports such as surfing, kayaking and fishing. The village boasts many attractive walking routes around the river estuary and coastline (with splendid views of the Slieve League and Benbulbin mountains) and through the local woods situated in the townland of Fortland. Archaeologists have become increasingly interested with the rugged coastline around Easkey, as it holds fossil structures that date back for millions of years. Bullet for locations in Ireland, displays location and not area. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... GPS redirects here. ... The Irish national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Ireland. ... When under Gaelic rule, Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the túatha. ... Statistics Area: 17,713. ... For much of its history, the island of Ireland was divided into 32 counties (Irish language contae or condae, pronounced IPA: ). Two historical counties, County Desmond and County Coleraine, no longer exist, while several county names have changed. ... Statistics Province: Connacht County Town: Sligo Code: SO Area: 1,837 km² Population (2006) 60,894[1] Website: www. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... Statistics Province: Connacht County Town: Sligo Code: SO Area: 1,837 km² Population (2006) 60,894[1] Website: www. ... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one_fifth of its surface. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference G685354 Statistics Province: Connacht County: Elevation: 13 m Population (2006)  - Town:  - Rural:   17,892 [1]  24,096[1] Website: www. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Surfing (disambiguation). ... Sea Kayaking at Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, Australia Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. ... For the computer security term, see Phishing. ... Slieve League cliffs Located on the coast of County Donegal, Ireland, Slieve League is one of the tallest sea cliffs in Europe. ... Benbulbin (alternatively spelt Benbulben or Benbulben) (Irish: Binn Ghulbain [GE]) is a large rock formation in Ireland. ...

History

The village and surrounding area are steeped in history.

Roslea Castle

Built in 1207, the castle became home to the O'Dowd chieftains of Tireragh (the barony of much of West Sligo). The castle was originally built for Oliver McDonnell who came to the area to marry an O'Dowd widow. A dominant landmark in West Sligo, the castle is situated adjacent to Easkey pier. Much of the original structure of the castle has been lost over time, yet the main body of the castle remains. It is 63 feet in height, the highest part is known as the "Sailor's Bed." ODowd is an uncommon Irish surname. ...

The Split Rock

On the R297, heading towards Sligo in the townland of Kileenduff lies the Ice Age boulder known locally as the "Split Rock." Local legend holds that the rock was split as a result of an argument between two giants on the Slieve Gamph mountains (Ox Mountains), one of whom was Fionn MacCumhaill. It is said that the rock will close if one walks through the rock 3 times. This legend was proven by top Irish scientists on 24th May 2008 to be true, and signs have been erected in the immediate area to ward off any tourists and to avoid any accidents due to the rock closing. Gardai man the rock on split shifts, which is quite a surprising sight for tourists who pass through the area. Fionn mac Cumhaill (pronounced /fʲiːn̪ˠ mˠak kuwaːlʲ/ in Irish or /fɪn mɘ kuːl/ in English) (earlier Finn or Find mac Cumail or mac Umaill, later Anglicised to Finn McCool) was a mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, occurring also in the mythologies of Scotland...

Easkey Abbey

Unusually, the centre of the village is dominated by the structure of the Old Abbey and graveyard which dates back to Medieval times. The graveyard was in use up until Roslea cemetery opened in 1888 and holds some uniquely designed tombstones. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ...

Easkey Bridge

The bridge provides access to the main village from the Sligo side of the area. It was built in 1847 after the old bridge was washed away in a storm in 1844. It contains the Bullance stone, which is built into the bridge wall and is a symbolic drinking trough, which qualified the village to hold a "Fair Day". The water is reputedly a cure for skin infections. Hangings took place at the bridge in the 19th century. A similar type bridge is located south of the village in the local woods. This is known as "Fortland Bridge."

The parish of Easkey, including the townlands of Rathlee, Killeenduff and Owenbeg are littered with numerous forts and mounts which date back to ancient times.

Water Sports

Surfing

Surfing is an extremely popular attraction in Easkey. The village is widely known as one of the finest surfing areas in the world. What makes Easkey renowned is that it has two reef breaks, the left just by the river mouth (known as "Easkey left"), and the right to the east of the castle (known as "Easkey right"). The waves in Easkey break over rocks rather than on sand which makes the waves more attractive to surfers because they are hollowed and faster than beach breaks. The surfing area in Easkey faces in such a way that the prevailing winds, which are south-westerly, are offshore.

In 1979, the Pro/Am Surfing World Championships came to Easkey. Various national surfing events continue to be held here.

In 1995 the Irish Surfing Association established its headquarters in the Easkey Surf and Information Centre on Main Street. The building, now known as "Easkey House" is located in the centre of Easkey village. It houses the headquarters of the Irish Surfing Association and the Seventh Wave Surf School.

Kayaking

The Easkey River has proven to be a popular river for kayaking and canoeing. In 2003, Easkey hosted the World Kayaking Championships, which firmly put the area on the international circuit as a premier kayaking location. Canoeing is the recreational or sporting activity of paddling a canoe or kayak. ...

Fishing

The Easkey River is a highly attractive river for fishing of salmon and trout. The river rises in Lough Easkey in the Ox Mountains and moves through bogland and various terrains before flowing past the village. Anglers from many parts of the West and North-West of Ireland are attracted to fishing there. Notable for fishing on the river is the former Republic of Ireland football manager Jack Charlton. The acclaimed actor Sean Connery has also been noted fishing on the river. John Jack Charlton, OBE, DL (born Ashington, Northumberland, May 8, 1935) was a footballer who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and who won the World Cup with England. ... Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born August 25, 1930) is an Academy Award-, Golden Globe-, and BAFTA Award-winning Scottish actor and producer who is perhaps best known as the first actor to portray James Bond in cinema, starring in seven Bond films. ...

The Pulitzer Prize winning American poet William Morris Meredith, Jr. resided in the area during his visit to County Sligo in the summer of 2006, for the W. B. Yeats International Summer School. The Pulitzer Prize is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in print journalism, literary achievements, and musical composition. ... William Morris Meredith, Jr. ... William Butler Yeats, 1933 photograph, author unknown. ...

Local Amenities

The village itself has a restaurant, take-away, local pubs, shops, a post-office, Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland churches, butchers, a newly designed community centre, family and resource centre, physiotherapists and a hairdressers. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Church of Ireland (Irish: ) is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating seamlessly across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ...

To the east of the village is the local vocational school, Colaiste Iascaigh. The parish of Easkey has 3 primary schools situated in the townlands of Rathlee, Killeenduff and Owenbeg. The main national school situated in the village was controversially closed due to lack of numbers due to the erection of a telephone mast beside the local Garda barracks. Ironically, the building is now used as a pre-school.

Gaelic Football

The parish holds a very strong tradition in Gaelic football with Easkey G.A.A. club being founded in 1886, just two years after the formation of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The club is generally regarded as one of the strongest in County Sligo. They hold 5 Sligo Senior Football Championship titles, the last arriving back in 1966, building on previous wins in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1941. They reached the 1999 Championship final but were defeated by Tourlestrane. The club holds a strong tradition of club players representing the Senior Sligo G.A.A. team down through the decades. The captain of the 2007 Sligo team that won their first provincial Senior Connacht Championship for 32 years is Noel McGuire, a native of the parish and long-serving player on the Easkey team. Gaelic Football (Irish: Peil, Peil Gaelach or Caid ), commonly referred to as football, or Gaelic , is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. ... For other uses, see GAA (disambiguation). ... For details of the 2006 Championship, check Sligo Senior Football Championship 2006. ...

See also

• List of towns in the Republic of Ireland

This is a link page for cities and towns in the Republic of Ireland, including larger villages, and villages and townlands of note, as well as towns, townships or urban centres in Dublin. ...

External links

• Official Website
• Easkey G. A. A. Website

v • d • e Places in County Sligo, Ireland County seat: Sligo Boroughs1 Sligo Statistics Province: Connacht County Town: Sligo Code: SO Area: 1,837 km² Population (2006) 60,894[1] Website: www. ... -1... A county town is the capital of a county in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference G685354 Statistics Province: Connacht County: Elevation: 13 m Population (2006)  - Town:  - Rural:   17,892 [1]  24,096[1] Website: www. ... Look up Borough in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference G685354 Statistics Province: Connacht County: Elevation: 13 m Population (2006)  - Town:  - Rural:   17,892 [1]  24,096[1] Website: www. ... Unincorporated towns2 Ballymote · Collooney · Easky · Strandhill · Tubbercurry Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For the hamlet in Canada, see Ballymote, Ontario. ... Collooney (Cúil Mhuine in Irish) is a town in County Sligo, Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 54. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 54. ... Villages3 Achonry · Aclare · Ballaghnatrillick · Ballinafad · Ballintogher · Ballysadare · Banada · Beltra · Carney · Castlebaldwin · Cliffoney · Cloonacool · Coolaney · Dromore West · Drumcliffe · Enniscrone · Geevagh · Grange · Gorteen · Kilglass · Keash · Monasteraden · Mullaghmore · Riverstown · Rosses Point · Skreen · Tourlestrane Masouleh village, Gilan Province, Iran. ... Achonry (Achadh Conaire in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Aclare (Áth an Chláir in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Connacht County: Elevation: 140 m Population (2002)  - Town:  - Rural:   -  - Ballaghnatrillick (Irish: ) is a village in County Sligo, Republic of Ireland. ... Ballinafad (Béal Átha an Trí Liag in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Ballysadare, commonly spelled Ballisodare locally, (Baile Easa Dara in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Beltra (Béal Trá in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Carney (Fearann Uí Chearnaigh in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Castlebaldwin (Béal Átha na gCarraigíní in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Cliffoney (Cliafuine in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Cloonacool (Cluain na Cúile in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Coolaney (Cúil Áine in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 54. ... Drumcliffe (Droim Chliabh in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Inishcrone or Enniscrone (Irish: Inis Crabhann) is a small coastal village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Geevagh (Irish : Ghaobhach) is a village in the south east corner of County Sligo, Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference G664502 Statistics Province: Connacht County: Elevation: 28 m Population (2002) 225  Grange (Irish: ) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Gorteen (Goirtín in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Kilglass (Cill Ghlas in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference G672001 Statistics Province: Connacht County: Population (2002) 100  Monasteraden (Irish: ) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference G709576 Statistics Province: Connacht County: Elevation: ,1 m Population (2002) 137  Mullaghmore (Irish: ) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Riverstown (Baile Idir dhá Abhainn in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Rosses Point (An Ros in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland and also the name of the surrounding peninsula. ... Skreen (An Scrín in Irish) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland, but also shares its name with a village in County Meath which is locally spelt Skryne. ... Toorlestraun (Tuar Loistreáin in Irish, meaning Fields of Scorching Corn), more commonly spelled Tourlestrane locally, is a village and parish in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Townlands Aughris · Ballynary · Carrickbanagher · Carrowhubbock South · Killeenduff · Kilmactigue · Rathbraughan · Tullavilla A townland is a small geographical unit of land used in Ireland and Scotland, and believed to be of Gaelic or Goidelic origin. ... Ballynary is the name of a townland on the eastern shore of Lough Arrow in the southern corner of Co. ... Carrickbanagher (Irish: Carraig Beannchar) is a townland in County Sligo, Ireland located between the towns of Collooney and Ballymote. ... Carrowhubbock South ([[:]]) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. ... Killeenduff is a townland within the boundaries of the Roman Catholic parish of Easky, County Sligo in the Republic of Ireland. ... Rathbraughan is a townland in County Sligo, Ireland just north of Sligo Town. ... 1 A CDP with defined boundaries.  2 A CDP with undefined boundaries and a population above 1,000.  3 A CDP with undefined boundaries and a population below 1,000.