Bruree Brú Rí | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 River Maigue at Bruree | |
  Bruree Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:52°25′27″N8°39′43″W / 52.42429°N 8.66202°W /52.42429; -8.66202 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Limerick |
| Government | |
| • Dáil Éireann | Limerick County |
| Population | |
• Total | 641 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Area code | 063 |
Bruree (Irish:Brú Rí, meaning 'abode of kings')[2] is a village in south-easternCounty Limerick, Ireland, on theRiver Maigue. It takes its name from the nearby ancient royal fortress, the alternative name of which from the earliest times into the High Middle Ages wasDún Eochair Maigue or the "fortress on the brink of the maigue". Other very old spellings and names includeBrugh Righ, andBrugh Ri. The village is in atownland andcivil parish of the same name.[2]
The village of Bruree is located on theMaigue river two kilometres off the mainN20Limerick-Cork road in southCounty Limerick. It forms one half of the parish of Rockhill-Bruree in theRoman Catholic Diocese of Limerick.[3][4] Rockhill and Bruree areelectoral divisions in the Cappamore-Kilmallocklocal electoral area.[5]
Bruree is six kilometres north-west ofKilmallock, eight kilometres north ofCharleville and twenty-seven kilometres south ofLimerick city. Neighbouring towns and villages includeKilmallock,Charleville, Effin,Athlacca, Banogue and Ballyagran.
Bruree was once a seat and alternative capital of the ancientKings of Munster. At some point later it came into the possession of theUí Fidgenti and was their capital until the late 12th century.[6] Before them it may have belonged to theDáirine orÉrainn, being named byGeoffrey Keating as a fortress built byCú Roí mac Dáire. An early king and semi-mythological ancestor of theEóganachta and Uí Fidgenti,Ailill Aulom, is then found at the fortress in theCath Maige Mucrama cycle. The historical Eóganacht kingÓengus mac Nad Froích is also found here in one legend.
On the 26 August, a month after the 1919 - 1921Irish War of Independence ended, workers in Bruree seized the mill they worked in and hoisted thered flag over the building & hung a banner over the building proclaiming "Bruree Workers Soviet Mills – We Make Bread Not Profits". Thesoviet lasted until 3 September 1921.[7] This was one of over 100 soviets that popped up in Ireland during the War of Independence and the Civil War, the most notable of which was theLimerick Soviet
The village also played a role in theIrish Civil War during theBattle of Kilmallock.
As in much ofCounty Limerick, the main sport in Bruree ishurling, butGaelic andassociation football are also played.
TheGaelic Athletic Association club in the parish isBruree GAA which is a member of the south division ofLimerick GAA. The club concentrates on hurling, but Gaelic football is also played. Bruree have won theLimerick Senior Hurling Championship on two occasions in 1893 and 2006 when they beatPatrickswell in the final.
The footballers of Bruree won the County Junior Football Championship in 2010 and reached the Munster final where they were beaten bySt. Mary's Cahirciveen ofCounty Kerry. They were relegated from the intermediate grade in 2012 and play at the junior grade.
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