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Scotstown Baile an Scotaigh | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Road signage on the approach to Scotstown | |
  Scotstown Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:54°16′40″N7°04′02″W / 54.277714°N 7.067356°W /54.277714; -7.067356 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Ulster |
| County | County Monaghan |
| Elevation | 72 m (236 ft) |
| Population | 361 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
Scotstown (Irish:Baile an Scotaigh)[2] is a village in thetownland of Bough (Irish:An Bhothach, meaning 'place of huts')[3] in northCounty Monaghan,Ireland. Scotstown is located in theparish ofTydavnet, along the Monaghan section of theRiver Blackwater, Scotstown being the village closest to the river's source. Scotstown is centred in thetownland of Bough, but extends into Carrowhatta, Teraverty, Drumdesco and Stracrunnion townlands.
Several theories exist around the origin of theEnglish Language name, either deriving from the fact that a lot ofScots were located there during thePlantation of Monaghan (County Monaghan not having been part of thePlantation of Ulster), or it may have been named after a local landowner, George Scott, in the 1660s. Older documents, includingThom'sIrish Almanac of 1862,[4] alternate between referencing the village as Scottstown and Scotstown.
With regard to itsIrish language names, the traditional name ofAn Bhoth orAn Bhothach comes from thetownland of Bough, where the village is centered, with the likely meaning of tent or hut,[5] suggesting humble origins for the village. This is the name appearing on signs as you enter the village. OnOrdnance Survey maps and road signs, the village also carries the nameBaile an Scotaigh, which literally means 'town of the Scot'. This is a comparatively rare occurrence of the Irish form being a translation of the English form, as opposed to the Irish form being the original.[citation needed]An Bhoth is used by the localGaelic Athletic Association club and the local school.
Acrannóg in the local Hollywood lake was the headquarters of Patrick Mac Art Moyle MacMahon. In 1591,Lord Deputy Fitzwilliam broke up the MacMahon lordship in Monaghan when "The MacMahon", hereditary leader of the sept, resisted the imposition of an Englishsheriff; he was hanged and his lordship divided. Patrick Mac Art Moyle MacMahon became one of the independent leaders of the divided MacMahon lordship. The MacMahons generally fought amongst themselves during most of theNine Years' War (1594–1603), and Patrick Mac Art Moyle MacMahon, along with other MacMahon leaders, ultimately surrendered toBaron Mountjoy in 1601. Although the MacMahon's retained most of their land after the war, unable to raise taxes they would eventually give up their land as payment for those taxes.
ACatholic church was built in the neighbouringtownland of Drumdesco in 1785 (rebuilt in the 1820s), referred to locally as UrbleshannyChapel, but officially dedicated toSt Mary. Church registers go back to 1835 for births and 1825 for marriages. It is one of the three catholic churches in the Parish of Tydavnet. St. Mary's has an adjoiningcemetery with graves dating back to the late 18th century. Urbleshanny chapel served as apro-cathedral for the CatholicDiocese of Clogher from 1801 to 1824, whileDr. James Murphy was bishop. At the time it was noted to have no ceiling, no boards on the floor, and only partially fitted with pews. A tradition in Urbleshanny after weddings was to hold a race for a bottle of whiskey, and there is still a place near the chapel called Whiskey Hollow were these races were said to have taken place. AnotherPresbyterian cemetery exists close to the village centre, but is no longer in use.
The villagenational school is also called Urbleshanny and is located in Carrowhatta. Urbleshanny National School opened on the current site in 1932.[6] An earlier school, of the same name, is reputed to have been the earliest Catholic school in the Diocese of Clogher, having been set up in 1791, just after thepenal laws were repealed.[6]
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the lowlands surrounding Scotstown were favoured by the landed classes, and as a consequence, they have left some ornamental woodland behind, including Hollywood and Mullaghmore.
During the 18th century, Scotstown developed as a small market centre and by the 1830s, Scotstown was known to have a thriving fair, which centred on thevillage green, and the green is still an open space today. Records show that traders came to sellcalico, printed and course linens, stockings, socks, combs, brushes, cutlery and other hardware. Also in the 18th century, Scotstown served as a depot for quarried stones coming from a number of locations in theSliabh Beagh mountains.
It is on record in 1938 as having ablacksmith. Scotstown also had aRoyal Irish Constabulary (RIC) barracks, with probably 4 officers stationed here. Electric power first arrived in Scotstown in 1948.
North Monaghan is a staunchlyRepublican area. ThePartition of Ireland in the early 1920s has had a huge impact on the people and their way of life for generations. In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, duringThe Troubles, Scotstown and its surrounding hinterland was known for having a large number of active members of theProvisional IRA. The area was always of significant interest to both theGarda Síochána (a force usually known simply as 'the Garda') and theBritish Crown forces.
One of the most notorious members of the Provisional IRA in the area,Séamus McElwain, fromKnockatallon, was killed whilst attempting to ambush a British Army Patrol close to the neighbouring village ofRoslea in the south-east ofCounty Fermanagh on 26 April 1986.[7][8] His subsequent funeral at Urbleshanny Chapel in Scotstown was a huge event, withGerry Adams andMartin McGuinness in attendance, and over 4,000 people attending to pay their respects. The local battalion of the Provisional IRA put on a huge show of strength at the funeral and performed athree-volley salute over the coffin.[9] A memorial to him was erected by the local people at Corlatt,Knockatallon.
Scotstown GAA is the localGaelic football club, which has had some success in the past, and is currently ranked 3rd in towns winning theUlster Senior Club Football Championship. Its last victory was in 2013 and before that was 1989.Seán McCague, a native of Scotstown, was also GAA president from 2000 to 2003.
Formerly, Scotstown had two furniture manufacturers, which provided employment directly within the village. It also has fourpublic houses, a small grocery shop/post office, apharmacy and several other small retail outlets.[citation needed]
During October, Scotstown hosts a traditional music festival,Scoil Cheoil na Botha, which features workshops, concerts and sessions.[10]
Each summer, the Tydavnet Parish Show is held near Scotstown in the townland of Drumshevra.[11]
Local Link bus route MN1 links the village withMonaghan several times daily from Monday to Sunday inclusive.[12]
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Just outside Scotstown is Hollywood Park recreational area, centred on a lake. A local voluntary committee purchased the lake and its surrounds in 1969, and since then have developed the park with the support of various funding agencies, private donations andMonaghan County Council. The lake itself is stocked withbream,rudd (which locals call roach),perch andpike.
A number of marked mountain trails are maintained in the nearbySliabh Beagh area. A tourism centre and hotel have been opened inCorlat as a staging point for these walks.
A commemorative "famine stone", marking the location wherepotato blight was first noticed in County Monaghan, can be seen in the nearby townland ofSheskin.
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Places inCounty Monaghan | ||
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