Waterville, County Kerry

The town's name in Irish, Coireán, means "little cauldron" or "little whirlpool",{{cite book| title = Illustrated Ireland guide | publisher = Irish Tourist Board | date = 1969 | page = 229 }} and refers to the shape of Ballinskelligs Bay on which the town sits. This name, however, has been transplanted onto the lake with the lake's Irish name being Loch Luíoch or Loch Luidheach.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

The Butler family built a house at the mouth of the River Currane in the latter part of the 18th century. They named their house and estate Waterville.{{cite web|url = http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-show.jsp?id=1814 | publisher = Landed Estates Database | website = landedestates.nuigalway.ie | title = House - Waterville (Butler) | access-date = 23 June 2020 }} The village that developed on the estate during the first half of the 19th century was also named Waterville.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

Evidence of ancient settlement in the area include a megalithic tomb at Eightercua. This four-stone alignment (stone-row) is located 1.5 km south-south-east of the village.{{cite web|url = http://www.megalithicireland.com/Eightercua%20Stone%20Row.html | website = megalithicireland.com | title = Eightercua Stone Row | access-date = 27 September 2019 }}

The first successful transatlantic cable was finally laid after a number of attempts in 1865 by the Anglo American Telegraph Company between Heart's Content in Newfoundland and Labrador and Valentia Island near Waterville.{{cite web|url = http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/Milestones:County_Kerry_Transatlantic_Cable_Stations,_1866 | publisher = IEEE Global History Network | website = ieeeghn.org | title = County Kerry Transatlantic Cable Stations, 1866 | access-date = 23 June 2020 }}{{cite web|url = http://www.oldcablehouse.com | website = oldcablehouse.com | title = Old Cable House, Waterville | access-date = 23 June 2020 }}

Waterville's role in transatlantic communication came later when in the 1880s, the Mackay-Bennett Commercial Cable Company laid their first Transatlantic telegraph cable from the nearby townland of Spunkane to Hazel Hill, near Canso, Nova Scotia. The cable station brought much activity to Waterville and additional housing was built to accommodate the telegraph company personnel who settled in the area.{{cite web|url = https://www.theringofkerry.com/waterville-station | website = theringofkerry.com | title = Waterville Transatlantic Telegraph Station | access-date = 23 June 2020 }} Waterville served as the principal European hub for the Commercial Cable Company.{{cite web|url = https://atlantic-cable.com/CableCos/CCC/index.htm | publisher = History of the Atlantic Cable & Undersea Communications | website = atlantic-cable.com | title = The Commercial Cable Company | access-date = 23 June 2020 }}

On 13 July 1866, SS Great Eastern steamed westward from Valentia Island laying telegraph cable behind her. The successful landing at Heart's Content, Newfoundland on 27 July, established the first telegraph link between Europe and North America.

Later, additional cables were laid from Valentia Island and new stations opened at Ballinskelligs (1874) and Waterville (1884) making County Kerry a focal point for intercontinental communication. The Commercial Cable Company were able to lay cables from Waterville to Canso, Nova Scotia, with onward connections. Connections from Waterville to Weston-super-Mare in England and Le Havre in France were soon established. During the Civil War, the communication system between Paris and New York went down on 7 August 1922 when IRA irregulars seized Waterville.{{cite news|newspaper = The Times | title = US Cable Cut | date = 8 August 1922}}

In July 2000, the cable stations received an International Milestone Heritage Site Award from the IEEE (Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers Inc USA) for their significance in the history of electrical science. The Kerry cable stations are recognised as World Heritage Communications Sites.{{Cite web|url=https://ethw.org/Milestones:County_Kerry_Transatlantic_Cable_Stations,_1866|title=Milestones:County Kerry Transatlantic Cable Stations, 1866 | publisher = Engineering and Technology History Wiki|website=ethw.org|access-date=27 September 2019}}

Waterville's cable station history is outlined in an exhibition in the Tech Amergin centre,{{Cite web|url=http://www.techamergin.com/|title=Tech Amergin | Community Arts and Education Centre, On The Ring of Kerry, Waterville, Co. Kerry, Ireland|access-date=27 September 2019}} and the remaining structures and locations feature in the Waterville Heritage Trail.{{cite web|url = http://watervilleheritagetrail.com/Waterville-Heritage-Trail.pdf | publisher = IRD Waterville Limited | website = watervilleheritagetrail.com | title = Waterville Heritage Trail | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160319131656/http://watervilleheritagetrail.com/Waterville-Heritage-Trail.pdf | archive-date = 19 March 2016 }}

The town has been fighting back against coastal erosion since the early 20th century.{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Tadhg |title=Council hears of Kerry seaside village's battle with coastal erosion |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/news/council-hears-of-kerry-seaside-villages-battle-with-coastal-erosion/a1742786217.html |access-date=22 March 2024 |publisher=Irish Independent |date=22 March 2024}}

Charlie Chaplin and his family first visited the town in 1959. They then returned to holiday in the town every year for over ten years. The community continued the connection to Chaplin by obtaining permission from the Charlie Chaplin estate to hold the inaugural Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival in the spirit of Charlie Chaplin. The first festival was held in August 2011.{{cite web|last=McNamara |first=Eimhin |url=http://www.chaplinfilmfestival.com/ | title=Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival| publisher=Chaplinfilmfestival.com |access-date=2011-11-10}}

The Tech Amergin adult education centre (named after Amergin Glúingel, a mythical explorer to the area) is used as a venue for events, shows and exhibitions, and vocational training.{{cite web|url=http://www.techamergin.com |title=Adult Education Centre, and events venue |publisher=Techamergin.com |access-date=2011-11-10}}

File:Waterville Golf Links - 18th hole.jpg

Waterville Golf links was voted the 35th best golf course in UK and Ireland, in 2022.{{cite web|url = https://www.top100golfcourses.com/golf-courses/britain-ireland?page=5| publisher = Top 100 Golf Courses | website = top100golfcourses.com| title = Top 100 Golf Courses: Britain & Ireland | date = May 2022 | access-date = 18 September 2024 }} The newer Hogs Head Golf Club was named "Best New International Course" in 2018 by Golf Magazine.{{cite web|url = https://golf.com/travel/best-international-course-2018-hogs-head/| publisher = Golf Magazine | website = golf.com | title = Best new international course of 2018: Hogs Head Golf Club | date = 29 November 2018 | access-date = 23 June 2020 }}

Waterville GAA is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club. The club's facilities have been rebuilt and include a gym and public running track.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

File:Statue of Mick O'Dwyer in Waterville.jpg

• Charlie Chaplin and his family visited the town as a favoured holiday spot. There is a statue of Chaplin in the centre of the village in his memory.
• Brian Lucey, Irish economist.{{cite news |last1=Nolan |first1=Donal |title=Waterville native launches attack on 'bad bank' |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/news/waterville-native-launches-attack-on-bad-bank/27386637.html |access-date=31 May 2024 |agency=The Kerryman |publisher=Independent News & Media |date=2 September 2009}}
• Mick O'Dwyer, Gaelic footballer and manager, was from the area.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/mick-o-dwyer-second-coming-of-football-guru-1.197289|title=Mick O'Dwyer: second coming of football guru|work=The Irish Times|first=Ian|last=O'Riordan|date=26 September 1998|quote=From the small village of Waterville, O'Dwyer has become the biggest name in Gaelic football, both as player and manager.}} There is also a statue to O'Dwyer in the town.
• The Marquess of Lansdowne, the Hartopps and the Butlers were landowners and landlords in the area. Both the Hartopps and Butlers were considered helpful to tenants and created local employment. In a tourist guide of the 1860s, the Hartopp Arms Hotel and Butler's Arms were described as "stately" and "comfortable" respectively.{{cite book | url = https://archive.org/details/aweekatkillarne01hallgoog | author = Samuel Carter Hall | title = A Week at Killarney | year = 1865 | page = [https://archive.org/details/aweekatkillarne01hallgoog/page/n215 158] | quote = The stately hotel is "The Hartopp Arms;" the comfortable inn is "The Butler's Arms," kept by "honest Tom Denehy;" the traveller will have his choice }} The Hartopp Arms, later known as the Southern Lake Hotel, was demolished and the Waterville Lake Hotel constructed in its place at the beginning of the 1970s.
• John Moores, the future owner of Littlewoods football pools, mail order and stores was based in Waterville between November 1920 and May 1922 when employed as a telegraphist.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}
• Samantha Power, an Irish-born American diplomat, has relatives from the village, owns a holiday home in the area, and was married in Waterville.{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40211249.html| publisher = Irish Examiner | website = irishexaminer.com |first = Martha | last = Brennan | title = Samantha Power pays tribute to Cork mother with 'Dancing Queen' pick on Desert Island Discs | date = 21 January 2021 | accessdate = 27 April 2022 }}

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.chaplinfilmfestival.com/ Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival website]
• [http://www.waterville-insight.com Waterville - Ring of Kerry]
• [http://www.visitwaterville.ie South West Kerry Communities]

{{County Kerry}}

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Category:Towns and villages in County Kerry

Category:Iveragh Peninsula