Leitrim, County Down

This article is about the hamlet in County Down. For other uses, see Leitrim.

Leitrim
  • Irish: Liatroim
  • Leitrim / Liatroim
Leitrim from the view of Mccartans road, July 2022
Leitrim is located in County Down
Leitrim
Location within County Down
Population150 (only includes Leitrim townland.) (2011 Census)
District
County
CountryNorthern Ireland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCASTLEWELLAN
Postcode districtBT31
Dialling code028
PoliceNorthern Ireland
FireNorthern Ireland
AmbulanceNorthern Ireland
UK Parliament
NI Assembly
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
Down
54°17′08″N 5°59′54″W / 54.285506°N 5.9982461°W / 54.285506; -5.9982461

Leitrim (from Irish Liatroim 'grey ridge'), is a small village in County Down, Northern Ireland, approximately 3 miles from Castlewellan, near Dromara, in the parish of Drumgooland. It is set between the Dromara Hills (Slieve Croob) and the Mourne Mountains. It is claimed to be home to the MacCartan clan of Kinelarty. [1]

Former Inn stables at Leitrim

Within the centre of Leitrim village there is a Catholic church,[2] a shop and a bar. Along the Backaderry road there is also a pre-school, [3] an animal feed factory and the local Gaelic club.

Leitrim's Gaelic club (Liatroim Fontenoys GAC) is reputed to be the oldest in Down – being founded in 1888.[citation needed] Leitrim has developed friendly rivalries with Kilcoo GAC and Castlewellan GAC. Most years Leitrim will hold a festival in and around the club grounds.

Although there is only one village named Leitrim in south down, near Hilltown there is a small forest area and camping site named Leitrim lodge. [4]

History

Legananny Dolmen, a megalithic dolmen or cromlech, is located nearby on the slopes of Slieve Croob.[5]

Leitrim railway station, which opened on 24 March 1906, was closed on 2 May 1955.[6]

  • Shop, bar and church on the crossroads at Leitrim
    Shop, bar and church on the crossroads at Leitrim
  • The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Leitrim
    The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Leitrim
  • Bridge at the centre of the village
    Bridge at the centre of the village
  • 1916 Easter Rising Memorial at the Leitrim crossroads
    1916 Easter Rising Memorial at the Leitrim crossroads

Notable people

  • Tom Herron, Northern Irish motorcyclist. Although Born in Lisburn, County Antrim, Herron spent most of his childhood in Leitrim. After Herron's death he was buried at Leitrim Presbyterian church, not far outside the village.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Banbridge". Travel Now. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  2. ^ "Drumgooland parish website - The church of immaculate conception, Leitrim".
  3. ^ "Education authority of Northern Ireland - Leitrim community playgroup".
  4. ^ "Leitrim Lodge Glamping Pods, Mourne Mountains".
  5. ^ "Banbridge". Travel Now. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  6. ^ "Leitrim station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  7. ^ "Tom Herron Tribute".