Tullow

Anglo-Norman landowner Hugh de Lacy built a castle in Tullow {{Circa|1181}} at the site of a crossing on the river Slaney.{{Cite web |url=https://www.libraryireland.com/biography/HughDeLacy.php |title=Hugh De Lacy |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Library Ireland |last=Webb |first=Alfred |orig-date=1878}} The castle was captured by Oliver Cromwell in 1650.{{Cite web |url=https://www.libraryireland.com/topog/T/Tullow-Rathvilly-Carlow.php |title=A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Library Ireland |last=Lewis |first=Samuel |orig-date=1837}} There are no extant remains of the castle and the circumstances of its demolition are uncertain.{{Cite web |url=https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/architecture/architecture-in-co.-carlo/towns-and-villages-tullow/ |title=Towns and Villages: Tullow |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Ask About Ireland}} The castle may have been pulled down during the reign of Queen Anne and the stones used in the construction of a barracks in the town.

A monastery and school was founded in the fifth century in Tullow by St Fortchern (or {{Lang|ga|Fortiarnán|italic=no}}), a pupil of St Patrick and St Lommán. Although there are no traces of the monastery today, a granite font and cross base at St. Columba's Church in Tullow may be associated with it.{{Cite journal |title=Fortiarnán: Trailblazer of the Irish Saints |journal=Carloviana |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/14Of1jr7RWjQNId3wwC8jbW_SIbhm2OnD/view |last=McQuinn |first=Christopher P. |issue=60 |pages=6–10 |year=2011}} Tullowphelim holy well is located on Barrack Street in Tullow. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. It is reputed to be the site of the monastery founded by St Fortiarnán. The current shrine dates to the 1920s. A pattern was held annually on 8 September until about 1800.{{Cite web |url=http://www.megalithicireland.com/Tullowphelim%20Holy%20Well,%20Carlow.html |title=Tullowphelim Holy Well |access-date=2023-06-25 |website=Megalithic Ireland}} The Book of Lecan and the Book of Ballymote mention that Saint Darchaorthainn (Derchartainn) and her sister St. Eithne the daughters of Cormac were nuns at Tullow and are believed to be buried in the vicinity.{{Cite web |last=tullowhistorian |date=2022-02-21 |title=Early Christianity in Tullow and neighbouring parishes |url=https://tullowhistorian.wordpress.com/2022/02/21/early-christianity-in-tullow-and-neighbouring-parishes/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Tullow Historian |language=en}} They along with Fortchern and Toranann are regarded as the patron saints of Tullow.{{Cite web |last=tullowhistorian |date=2022-02-21 |title=Early Christianity in Tullow and neighbouring parishes |url=https://tullowhistorian.wordpress.com/2022/02/21/early-christianity-in-tullow-and-neighbouring-parishes/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Tullow Historian |language=en}}

Tullow was also the site of an Augustinian friary.{{Cite web |url=https://www.libraryireland.com/topog/T/Tullow-Rathvilly-Carlow.php |title=A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland |access-date=2023-06-25 |website=Library Ireland |last=Lewis |first=Samuel |orig-date=1837}} During the dissolution of the monasteries, the land belonging to the friary was granted to James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond. Similarly to Tullow Castle, the friary buildings were demolished but the exact date is uncertain.{{Cite web |url=https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/architecture/architecture-in-co.-carlo/towns-and-villages-tullow/ |title=Towns and Villages: Tullow |access-date=2023-06-25 |website=Ask About Ireland}} The Abbey Cemetery is located within the site of the former monastery.

There is a statue of Father John Murphy, one of the leaders of the 1798 Rebellion, who was captured near Tullow and executed in the Market Square on 2 July. There is a small museum with information about this period and other local history located in the former Tullow Methodist church on Bridge Street.{{Cite web |url=https://www.discoverireland.ie/carlow/tullow-museum |title=Tullow Museum |access-date=2023-06-25 |website=Discover Ireland}}

Bishop Daniel Delany founded the Brigidine Sisters in Tullow in 1807.{{Cite web |url=https://brigidine.org.au/about-us/our-beginnings/ |title=Our Beginnings |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Brigidines}}

Saint Patrick's are the GAA club in Tullow who currently compete in the Carlow Junior A Football Championship and have been crowned champions on ten occasions. They also compete in the Carlow Intermediate Hurling Championship.

Parkville United AFC, who play at Hawkins Lane Tullow, compete in the Carlow premier division and Slaney Rovers AFC from Rathvilly, who play at Tullow town pitch.

Tullow RFC are the local rugby team. Former Ireland international player Seán O'Brien played with the club.{{cite web | title = SEAN O'BRIEN Ireland | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/player/27724.html | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 3 January 2022}}

There is quote in Brendan Behan's Borstal Boy that mentions Tullow: "Littlewood was twenty and married. We thought he was as old as the Hills of Tullow."

File:Street scene with statue of Father John Murphy, Tullow, Co. Carlow - geograph.org.uk - 203187.jpg

The town was at one time connected to the Irish railway network, on a branch line from Naas in County Kildare. Tullow railway station opened on 1 June 1886, closed for passenger and goods traffic in 1947 and finally closed on 1 April 1959.{{cite web | title=Tullow station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | access-date=2007-11-24}}

Bus Éireann route 132 provides a once a day each way (Mondays to Fridays inclusive) commuter link to Dublin via Tallaght. There are also a limited range (usually one/two journeys a day each way) of Bus Éireann Expressway services linking the town to Dublin, New Ross, Waterford and Rosslare Europort. JJ Kavanagh and Sons route from Hacketstown to Carlow also serves the town. The main stopping place for buses is on the Square.

A local weather station operates in Tullow, which records all local weather and provides a five-day local forecast.[http://www.carlowweather.com CarlowWeather.com] Tullow recorded the lowest temperature in 2010 at −17.7 °C. It is also based in a basin so the weather patterns are slightly different.

Tullow Oil is one of Europe's largest independent exploration and production companies with worldwide operations.

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

• Christabel Bielenberg, author of The Past is Myself, lived in Tullow.
• Herbie Brennan, author of the young adult Faerie Wars series, lives in Tullow.
• Daniel Delany, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, founded the Brigidine Sisters in 1807 and the Patrician Brothers in 1808.
• Denis Donoghue, literary critic, was born in Tullow.
• Seán O'Brien, professional rugby union player for Leinster and Ireland is from Ardristan, Tullow and played for local teams - Tullow CS and Tullow RFC

• List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Carlow)
• List of towns and villages in Ireland
• Market Houses in Ireland

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Tullow}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929042028/http://www.tullowtown.ie/ Tullow town]
• [http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/t/tullow/index.shtml Disused stations]

{{County Carlow}}

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Category:Towns and villages in County Carlow