Killeagh

The name Killeagh derives from the Irish Cill Ia, which may refer to a "grey church" or the "church of Aedh" (Abban).{{cite web|url = https://killeaghinch.ie/history/ | website = killeaghinch.ie | publisher = Killeagh Inch Community Council | title = The History of Killeagh | accessdate = 10 June 2025 }} According to some sources, a Saint Abban founded a nunnery at Killeagh in the 7th century, near the site of the current Church of Ireland (Anglican) church.{{cite book | chapter = Killeagh | chapter-url = https://www.libraryireland.com/topog/K/Killeagh-Imokilly-Cork.php| title = A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland | editor-first= Samuel | editor-last = Lewis | publisher = Lewis | date = 1837 | via = libraryireland.com }} Other evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of castle, burnt mound, holy well and bullaun stone sites in the neighbouring townlands of Lagile and Aghadoe.{{cite book | title = Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork | place = Dublin | publisher = Government Stationery Office | editor-first = Denis | editor-last = Power | date = 1994 | url = https://archive.org/details/archaeologicalin0000powe/ | via = archive.org }}

File:Dromdihy House (1) (geograph 3036144).jpg

Several buildings in the area are included in the Record of Protected Structures maintained by Cork County Council. These include Killeagh mills, Saint John & Saint Virgilius Catholic church, Killeagh's Church of Ireland church and Dromdiah House.{{citation |url = https://www.corkcoco.ie/sites/default/files/2022-06/volume-2-heritage-amenity.pdf | publisher = Cork County Council | title = Cork County Development Plan 2022 - Volume Two - Heritage and Amenity - Record of Protected Structures| accessdate = 10 June 2025 | pages = 22, 23 }} The latter, which is located to the north of the village, was built in the 1830s by members of the Davis family and is now in ruin.{{cite web|url = https://landedestates.ie/property/3527 | publisher = University of Galway | work = Landed Estates Database | title = Dromdihy | accessdate = 10 June 2025 }}{{cite web|url = https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/20829001/dromdihy-house-dromdihy-killeagh-cork | publisher = National Inventory of Architectural Heritage | website = buildingsofireland.ie | title = Dromdihy House, Dromdihy, Killeagh, Cork | accessdate = 10 June 2025 }}

Amenities in Killeagh include a primary school, church, convenience stores, post office, pharmacy, Garda station, veterinary clinic and public houses. It is served by daily bus services between Waterford, Youghal and Cork City.{{fact|date=June 2025}}

Leisure amenities in the area include the Killeagh GAA grounds and Glenbower Wood.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/go-walk-glenbower-wood-killeagh-co-cork-1.2018914|title=Go Walk: Glenbower Wood, Killeagh, Co Cork|first=Tony|last=Doherty|website=The Irish Times}} Glenbower Wood is situated along part of the Dissour River valley to the north of the village.

The May Sunday Festival is a tradition in the village since the 1830s, when the De Capel Brooke family opened their estate (now Glenbower Wood) to the villagers to show off their improvements to the house and grounds.{{cite news | url=https://www.echolive.ie/corklives/arid-40171524.html | title=May Sunday tradition returns to Cork village | newspaper=The Echo | first=Ellie | last=O'Byrne | date=2 May 2018 | accessdate=30 June 2021 }}

Since 2017, Killeagh has been home to Greywood Arts, an artist's residency and events centre.{{Cite web|url=https://greywoodarts.org/|title=Greywood Arts|website=greywoodarts.org}}

The local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club, Killeagh GAA, won the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship in 2001.{{cite web | url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-20337863.html | publisher = Irish Examiner | website = irishexaminer.com | title = Killeagh and Youghal set for a derby thriller | first = Denis | last = Hurley | date = 19 June 2015 | accessdate = 30 April 2022 }} The song "Killeagh" by Kingfishr, which reached number 1 in the Irish Singles Chart in mid-2025,{{cite web|url = https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/kingfishr-killeagh/ | website = officialcharts.com | title = Killeagh by Kingfishr | accessdate = 10 June 2025 }} refers to the GAA club.{{cite web|url = https://www.corkindependent.com/2025/04/02/kingfishr-puts-killeagh-in-the-global-spotlight/ | work = Cork Independent | first = Daniel | last = O'Neill | title = Kingfishr puts Killeagh in the global spotlight | date = 2 April 2025 | accessdate = 10 June 2025 | quote = The song called 'Killeagh' was inspired by bassist Eoin Fitzgibbon's sporting past in his local hurling club. Named after the GAA hurling club }}

The population of Killeagh increased significantly between the 2002 census and 2016 census. The 2002 census recorded a population of 426, increasing to 521 (a 22.3% increase) by the 2006 census.{{Cite web|url=http://beyond2020.cso.ie/Census/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=1760|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930013200/http://beyond2020.cso.ie/Census/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=1760|url-status=dead|publisher=Central Statistics Office | website = beyond2020.cso.ie | title = Table 12 - Alphabetical list of Towns with their population, 2002 and 2006 |archivedate=30 September 2007}} By the 2016 census, the population had grown to 899.{{cite web | title=Census 2016 - Small Area Population Statistics - Killeagh Demographics | url=http://census.cso.ie/sapmap2016/Results.aspx?Geog_Type=ST2016&Geog_Code=ECB150BC-2C08-4E5D-BA10-F837AC5C6A34| publisher = Central Statistics Office | work = census.cso.ie | date = 2016 }} As of 2022, the population had dropped slightly to 895. Of these, 78% were white Irish, 10% were other white ethnicities, 1% black of black Irish, 2% were Asian, 1% were other ethnicities and 8% did not indicate an ethnicity. As of the 2022 census, 71% of Killeagh respondents indicated that they were Catholic, 7% were other stated religions, 13% had no religion, and over 8% did not indicate any religion.

• Mark Landers, All-Ireland winning captain of Cork in 1999.
• Joe Deane, winner of three All-Ireland hurling medals with Cork.{{cite web|url = https://www.the42.ie/joe-deane-cancer-match-marty-mcgrath-1443859-May2014/ | website = the42.ie | first = Fintan | last = O'Toole | title = Life after cancer - Joe Deane, Marty McGrath and John McGrath on how GAA helped them | date = 3 May 2014 | accessdate = 10 June 2025 }}

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• [https://killeaghinch.ie/ Killeagh/Inch Community Council website]
• [https://glenbower.com/history/history-of-the-wood/ History of Glenbower Wood]

Category:Towns and villages in County Cork

Category:Civil parishes of County Cork