Coachford

Coachford does not feature on the 1811 Grand Jury Map of Cork, but is mentioned in the Freeman's Journal, dated 10 January 1822, and the area and its environs were known as "Magourney". The village developed rapidly during the Famine (when it was a centre of relief within the mid Cork area) and subsequently. By 1888, the Cork & Muskerry Light Railway had a terminus at Coachford, adding to local business, accessibility and vibrancy. By the end of the 19th-century, the village also had a creamery, complimenting its agricultural hinterland.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}

By the 1950s, a Vocational School was established, known today as Coachford College (sometimes referred to as Coachford Community College). The 2011-15 Aghabullogue-Coachford-Rylane Community Council commissioned URS consultants to draw up a "Village Design Statement" (VDS) for the three villages in 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://coachfordnews.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/acr_vds|title=ACR Village Design Statements|date=22 February 2014}}

Mrs. Mary (or Maria) Lindsay, Leemount House, Coachford, an elderly widow, was executed by the IRA (along with her driver, James Clarke), on 9 March 1921. Attempting to prevent bloodshed she, along with a Roman Catholic priest, tried to persuade members of the IRA against a planned ambush. The IRA ignored them and she then warned the British Army of a planned ambush in nearby Dripsey, for which six IRA volunteers were later executed.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jKxvCefUoiAC&q=Mrs+Lindsay+and+her+chauffeur&pg=PA177|title=Morality and Political Violence - C.A.J. Coady|isbn=9781139465274|access-date=29 April 2015|last1=Coady|first1=C. A. J.|date=8 October 2007}}{{cite web|url=https://gcd.academia.edu/NiallMeehan/Papers/81451/After_the_War_of_Independence_some_further_questions_about_West_Cork_April_27-29_1922|title=After the War of Independence, some further questions about West Cork, April 27-29 1922|publisher=Gcd.academia.edu|date=1 January 1970|access-date=29 April 2015|last1=Meehan|first1=Niall}}{{cite web|url=http://homepage.eircom.net/~corkcounty/Timeline/Dripsey.htm|title=Dripsey ambush|publisher=Homepage.eircom.net|date=22 March 1922|access-date=29 April 2015}} She and her driver were shot and her home, Leemount House, burned down, after the British authorities refused to commute the executions of the six IRA volunteers. A character ("Lady Fitzhugh") based on Mrs. Lindsay was played by Dame Sybil Thorndike in the 1959 film, Shake Hands with the Devil, which starred James Cagney, Don Murray and Michael Redgrave. An IRA man named Frank Busteed later claimed credit for the killings and for burning down Mrs. Lindsay's home.[http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/execution-of-elderly-protestant-woman-a-basis-for-pension-claim-1.1949942 "Execution of elderly Protestant woman a basis for pension claim"], irishtimes.com; accessed 9 September 2015.

Near Rooves Bridge is a monument to Captain Tadhg Kennefick of the Irish Republican Army, who was killed during the Irish Civil War by the Free State Army. On his way home to his mother's funeral, he was stopped at a checkpoint where Free State soldiers tied him to the back of a truck near a hamlet called Peake and dragged him a distance of four miles (6 km) to the bridge where he was shot by soldiers and his body dumped in a ditch. Local people who witnessed this recovered his body. A monument now stands on the site where his body was recovered. {{Citation needed|date=January 2012}}

Close to Coachford is Mullinhassig Waterfall. It is about {{convert|3|mi|km}} west of Coachford just off the Macroom Road.

About {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} south of Coachford on the road to Bandon is Rooves Bridge, constructed over the River Lee in the 1950s to replace the old bridge which was submerged due to the building of the hydroelectric dam at Inniscarra about {{convert|6|mi|km}} down river. Rooves Bridge is the longest bridge spanning the River Lee. {{citation needed|date=February 2014}}

The village is the home of Aghabullogue GAA,{{cite web|url=http://www.aghabulloguegaa.com|title=Aghabullogue GAA & Camogie Clubs Home Page|publisher=Aghabulloguegaa.com|access-date=29 April 2015}} best known for capturing Cork's first hurling All-Ireland title in 1890 when they defeated Castlebridge, Wexford in the final.

A local amateur drama group, the Coachford Players, was established in 1987 and performs a full-length play each year.[http://jmccaf01.wix.com/coachford Coachford Players webpage]; accessed 9 September 2015.{{better source needed|date=April 2021}}

The village is also home to a tennis club, soccer club, a pub, and a Centra.

File:Coachford College.jpg

The village and its environs are served by Coachford National School and Coachford College.{{cite web|url = http://coachfordnationalschool.ie/ | website = coachfordnationalschool.ie | title = Coachford National School }} The latter is a co-educational secondary school which, as of 2017, had an enrollment of over 610 students.{{cite web|url = https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-Publications/Subject-Inspection-Reports-List/70960D_Subject%20Inspection_5022_20170601.pdf | publisher = Department of Education | website = education.ie | title = Department of Education and Skills - Subject Inspection Report - Coachford College | date = 18 May 2017 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20210711093437/https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-Publications/Subject-Inspection-Reports-List/70960D_Subject%20Inspection_5022_20170601.pdf | archivedate = 11 July 2021 }} An extension was completed in 2002 and provided the college with a sports hall. In October 2020, funding was allocated for the extension and refurbishment of facilities at Coachford College.{{cite web|url = https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/great-news-two-cork-schools-19061268 | website = corkbeo.ie | title = Great news as two Cork schools to receive €33 million investment for new buildings and refurbishment | date = 6 October 2020 | accessdate = 26 April 2021 }}

Coachford was formerly connected by railway to Cork City with a narrow gauge railway, opened in 1888 by the Cork and Muskerry Light Railway. The line was closed in 1934 by the GSR. Coachford railway station opened on 19 March 1888, but finally closed on 31 December 1934.{{cite web|title=Coachford station|work=Railscot - Irish Railways|url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf|access-date=17 September 2007}}

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

{{Reflist}}

• [http://coachfordnews.wordpress.com Coachford Community Association online]

{{County Cork}}

Category:Towns and villages in County Cork