Midleton

File:Midleton Library, Main Street Midleton-Mainistir na Corann, Town Parks Townland - geograph.org.uk - 1903194.jpg, completed in 1789]]

In the 1180s advancing Normans led by Barry Fitz Gerald established an abbey at a weir on the river to be populated by Cistercian Monks from Burgundy. The abbey became known as "Chore Abbey" and "Castrum Chor", taking its name from the Irish word {{lang|ga|cora}} (weir), although some say that "Chor" comes from "Choir" or "Choral". The abbey is commemorated in the Irish name for Midleton, {{lang|ga|Mainistir na Corann}}, or "Monastery at the Weir", and of the local river Owenacurra or {{lang|ga|Abhainn na Cora}} meaning "River of the Weirs". St John the Baptist's Church, belonging to the Church of Ireland was erected in 1825 and today still stands on the site of the abbey.

The town gained the name Midleton or "Middle Town" as the main midway town, 10 miles between Cork and Youghal. It was incorporated as a market town and postal depot in 1670, receiving its charter from Charles II, as the "borough and town of Midleton".{{cite web|url=https://iar.ie/archive/midleton-charter/|title=Midlton Charter|publisher=Irish Archives Resource|access-date=28 November 2023}}

Alan Brodrick, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and Lord Chancellor of Ireland was made the first Baron and Viscount Midleton in 1715 and 1717, respectively.{{cite book |last1=Hutchinson |first1=John |title=A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices |date=1902 |publisher=the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple |location=Canterbury |page=31 |edition=1 |chapter=Brodrick, Alan}} Midleton Market House, now Midleton Library, in Main Street was completed in 1789.{{cite web|url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/20830110/midleton-library-81-main-street-townparks-midleton-cork|title=Midleton Library, Main Street, Midleton, County Cork| publisher=National Inventory of Architectural Heritage |access-date=28 November 2023}}

The town is home to the Old Midleton Distillery which was established by James Murphy in 1825.{{Cite book|title=The Lost Distilleries of Ireland|last=Townsend|first=Peter|publisher=Neil Wilson Publishing|year=1997–1999|isbn=9781897784877|location=Glasgow}} The distillery operated independently until 1868, when it became part of the Cork Distilleries Company, which was later amalgamated into Irish Distillers in 1967. In 1988, Irish Distillers was the subject of a friendly takeover by the French drinks conglomerate Pernod Ricard. The Old Midleton Distillery, which boasts the world's largest pot still – a copper vessel with a capacity of 140,000 litres, was in operation until 1975 when production was transferred to a new purpose-built facility, the New Midleton Distillery. The New Midleton Distillery produces a number of Irish whiskeys, including Jameson Whiskey, Redbreast, and Paddy. It also produces vodka and gin. In 1992, the old distillery was restored and reopened as a visitor centre.{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishdistillers.ie/2012/04/24/taoiseach-officially-marks-irish-distillers-expansion-midleton-distillery/|title=Taoiseach Officially Marks Irish Distillers' Expansion at Midleton Distillery|date=24 April 2012|website=Irish Distillers|access-date=17 August 2018|archive-date=17 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817225530/http://www.irishdistillers.ie/2012/04/24/taoiseach-officially-marks-irish-distillers-expansion-midleton-distillery/|url-status=live}} Known as the Jameson Experience, the visitor centre hosts a number of attractions, including Ireland's largest working water-wheel (with a diameter of 7m).{{cite book|title=Illustrated guide to Ireland|last=Shepherd|first=S|publisher=Reader's Digest|year=1992|location=London|display-authors=etal}}

File:Main Street, Midleton, Co. Cork (27224504002).jpg

At the top of the main street stands a monument to 16 Irish Republican Army men killed on 20 February 1921 during the Irish War of Independence. Twelve IRA personnel were killed during an unsuccessful ambush of British forces at the nearby town of Clonmult, while four more were captured and two of those later executed.[http://homepage.eircom.net/~corkcounty/Timeline/Clonmult.htm Clonmult Ambush details] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723013225/http://homepage.eircom.net/~corkcounty/Timeline/Clonmult.htm |date=23 July 2010 }}, omepage.eircom.net; accessed 20 August 2014.

Two houses designed by Augustus Pugin, later the architect of the Houses of Parliament in London, stand at the bottom of Main Street. They now form one building and house a public bar.{{Cite web|url=http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=CO®no=20830049|title=McDaids, 55,56 Main Street, Midleton, County Cork|website=National Inventory of Architectural Heritage|access-date=11 January 2019|archive-date=12 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112044248/http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=CO®no=20830049|url-status=live}}

In 2015, a large steel sculpture called Kindred Spirits was installed in Bailick Park. This sculpture commemorates a famine relief donation, made in 1847 by Native American Choctaw people, during the Great Famine.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/a-famine-time-kindness-repaid-in-cork-to-native-american-indians-315377.html |title=A famine-time kindness repaid in Cork to Native American Indians |author=Sharon O’ Reilly-Coates |date=March 2, 2015 |work=Irish Examiner |accessdate=March 23, 2016}}

In December 2015 (during Storm Frank){{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20373773.html | work = Irish Examiner | title = Video & Pics: Flooding victims say they 'have never seen water like it before' after Storm Frank | date = 31 December 2015 | accessdate = 19 October 2023 }} and in October 2023 (during Storm Babet){{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/regionals/cork/news/storm-babet-business-owners-in-cork-town-did-not-anticipate-flooding/a1708255904.html | work = The Corkman | title = Storm Babet: Business owners in Cork town did not anticipate flooding | date = 19 October 2023 | accessdate = 19 October 2023 }} a number of businesses were flooded in Midleton, including on the town's main street.{{cite news |last1=Kelleher |first1=Olivia |title='Help is on the way', Varadkar tells flood-affected Midleton traders |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/10/19/help-is-on-the-way-varadkar-tells-flood-affected-midleton-traders/ |access-date=19 October 2023 |publisher=Irish Times |date=19 October 2023}}

File:Church of the Holy Rosary, Midleton -152635 (40905104443).jpg

{{Main|Midleton College}}

Elizabeth Villiers, former mistress of William of Orange, founded the private school named Midleton College in 1696. The school is traditionally associated with the Church of Ireland. Past pupils include Isaac Butt, founder of the Home Rule League, Reginald Dyer, perpetrator of the Amritsar Massacre{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/the-evil-cottonian-who-let-the-school-down-753414|title=The 'Evil Cottonian' who let the school down|last=Service|first=Tribune News|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en|access-date=2 March 2020}} and John Philpot Curran, lawyer.{{cite web|url=https://www.dib.ie/biography/curran-john-philpot-a2320|title=Curran, John Philpot|publisher=Dictionary of Irish Biography|access-date=28 November 2023}}

Local employers include retail, light manufacturing, food production, tourism and whiskey distilling industries.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} At nearby Whitegate is the state's first gas-fired power station as well as Ireland's only oil refinery. Many Midleton residents also commute to jobs in Cork city, Carrigtwohill or Little Island.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

Traditionally the main commercial and retail area of the town was on Main Street and this continues to provide shopping – primarily with local ownership.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}} The commercial part of Midleton has also expanded to the old site of Midleton Mart, now called Market Green. A number of multinational retailers have outlets in Midleton, including Tesco, Lidl, Boots and Aldi. The Market Green shopping centre is located at the northern end of the town. This development includes a five-screen cinema, Tesco and other stores and there is a hotel nearby. A SuperValu supermarket is also located at the northern end of the town opposite the so-called 'Gooses Acre'. On Saturdays, the park next to SuperValu is the site for the Midleton Farmers' Market.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

Midleton is also the home of the Old Midleton Distillery, a tourist attraction which includes the largest pot-still in the world.

The town is located in a fertile valley below hills to the north with Cork Harbour and the coast to the south. In times past, the channel from the Harbour to nearby Ballinacurra ({{langx|ga|Baile na Cora}}, meaning "Town at the Weir"), was navigable by barges up to 300 tonnes. Due to silting over the years, the channel is now extremely shallow.

In the 20 years between the 1996 and 2016 census, the population of the Midleton area effectively doubled, from 6,209 to 12,496 people.{{cite web | url = https://www.citypopulation.de/en/ireland/towns/cork/0675__midleton/ | website = City Population | title = Midleton (Ireland) Agglomeration | access-date = 3 April 2020 | archive-date = 8 December 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191208064425/http://citypopulation.de/en/ireland/towns/cork/0675__midleton/ | url-status = live }}

As of the 2022 census, of Midleton's 13,906 inhabitants, 71.01% were white Irish, less than 0.5% white Irish travellers, 16.30% other white ethnicities, 3.36% black, 3.11% Asian, 2.45% other ethnicities, and 3.35% did not state their ethnicity. In terms of religion the area was 67.12% Catholic, 10.36% other stated religions, 18.47% with no religion, and 4.05% not stated.

File:A train for Cork stands in Midleton Station (geograph 4910466).jpg ]]

Midleton railway station is on the Cork Suburban Rail network and is one of two termini (the other being Cobh) into and out of Cork Kent railway station. Passengers interchange at Cork Kent for trains to Dublin and Tralee.

The railway line to Midleton was opened on 10 November 1859 by the Cork & Youghal Railway, a company that was later taken over by the Great Southern & Western Railway. Midleton was the location of the railway works for this company.

The line between Midleton and Cork was closed for regular use between 1963 and 2009. Occasional use (mainly transport of beet from Midleton to the Mallow Sugar Factory) continued for many years after 1963, but even the sporadic usage of the line came to an end in 1988, with the final train to use the track being a passenger excursion for Midleton GAA supporters to Dublin for the final of the All Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship (in which Midleton played). The reopening of the line was completed by Iarnród Éireann on 30 July 2009.{{Cite web |url=http://www.irishrail.ie/projects/glounthaune_midleton_railway.asp |title=Irish Rail – Projects – Glouthaune – Midleton |access-date=20 October 2007 |archive-date=6 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606125141/http://www.irishrail.ie/projects/glounthaune_midleton_railway.asp |url-status=live }}

The nearest airport is Cork Airport.

Bus Éireann run bus services to and from Midleton, including to Cork City Bus Station, Whitegate, Waterford, Ballinacurra, Carrigtwohill, Little Island, Glounthaune and Tivoli.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}

Midleton GAA is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club, and Midleton RFC the local rugby club. Martial arts groups include the Midleton Aikido Club [which has been teaching Aikido in East Cork since 2006] and Midleton Taekwondo Club.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}} Midleton F.C. is the local soccer team, and there is also a cricket club.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

{{See also|Category:People from Midleton}}

• Richard Bettesworth, lawyer and politician{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}
• Edward Bransfield, reputed (disputed) discoverer of Antarctica, was born in Ballinacurra near Midleton{{cite web | url = https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/irish-explorer-who-discovered-antarctica-honoured-in-home-village-1.4151811 | work = The Irish Times | title = Irish explorer who discovered Antarctica honoured in home village | date = 25 January 2020 | access-date = 21 September 2020 | archive-date = 21 April 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210421124354/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/irish-explorer-who-discovered-antarctica-honoured-in-home-village-1.4151811 | url-status = live }}
• Alan Brodrick, lawyer and politician{{Cite ODNB|id=3491|title=Brodrick, Alan, first Viscount Midleton}}
• Tom Horan, Australian cricketer{{cite web|url = https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLESHISTORY/articles/000002/000286.shtml | publisher = CricketEurope Magazine | website = cricketeurope.com | title = The Irish who played for Australia | access-date = 21 September 2020 }}
• James Martin, Australian politician and judge{{cite Australasia|Martin, His Honour the Hon. Sir James}}
• Colm O'Neill, Gaelic footballer{{cite web | url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-30996011.html | publisher = Irish Examiner | website = irishexaminer.com | title = Colm O'Neill: 'That moment was the difference between being loved and having a lynch mob on your trail' | date = 24 April 2020 | access-date = 15 February 2023 }}
• Shane O'Neill, professional soccer player{{cite web | url = https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/ireland-face-missing-out-on-rising-us-star-shane-o-neill-1.2099554 | work = The Irish Times | title = Ireland face missing out on rising US star Shane O'Neill | date = 11 February 2015 | access-date = 21 September 2020 | archive-date = 2 December 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201202050902/https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/ireland-face-missing-out-on-rising-us-star-shane-o-neill-1.2099554 | url-status = live }}
• David Stanton, politician{{cite web|url = https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/David-Stanton.D.1997-06-26/ |title = David Stanton | website = oireachtas.ie | access-date = 15 February 2023 }}
• Nora Twomey, Academy Award nominated director and animator{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-30844728.html | publisher = Irish Examiner | website = irishexaminer.com | title = When life really gets animated for Cork animator Nora Twomey | date = 24 May 2018 | access-date = 21 September 2020 }}
• Elizabeth Villiers, English-born courtier who founded Midleton College{{cite web | url = http://www.midletoncollege.ie/secondary-school-cork/about/history | website = midletoncollege.ie | title = Midleton College – History | access-date = 21 September 2020 | archive-date = 22 October 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201022030200/https://www.midletoncollege.ie/secondary-school-cork/about/history | url-status = live }}

• List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Cork)
• List of towns and villages in Ireland
• Market Houses in Ireland
• Midleton (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
• Midleton Very Rare

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

{{EB1911 poster|Midleton}}

• [http://www.midletonchamber.com/ Midleton Chamber of Commerce website]

{{County Cork}}

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Category:Towns and villages in County Cork

Category:Former urban districts in the Republic of Ireland

Category:Former boroughs in the Republic of Ireland