Finnea Explained

Finnea
Native Name:Irish: Fiodh an Átha
Native Name Lang:ga
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Ireland
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Ireland
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Ireland
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Leinster
Subdivision Type3:County
Subdivision Name3:County Westmeath
Unit Pref:Metric
Population Density Km2:auto
Utc Offset1:+0
Timezone1 Dst:IST (WEST)
Utc Offset1 Dst:-1
Coordinates:53.7826°N -7.3955°W
Elevation M:66
Blank Name:Irish Grid Reference

Finnea [1] is a small village in County Westmeath on the border with County Cavan. It straddles the R394 road, in the northern portion of Ireland.

Transport

Bus Éireann route 447 provides a link to Castlepollard, Crookedwood and Mullingar on Thursdays only.[2] The nearest railway station is Edgeworthstown railway station approximately 22 km. distant.

History

The village is known for its association with Myles "The Slasher" O'Reilly whose monument in the town (pictured) relates how he died on 5 August 1646 defending the Bridge of Finnea against English-Scottish forces. Percy French also mentioned the Bridge of Finnea in his ballad "Come Back Paddy Reilly".

Finnea lies on land between Lough Sheelin and Lough Kinale, and the bridge crosses the River Inny flowing between them.

Finnea is also the birthplace of writer Dermot Healy. Thomas Davis celebrated Finnea with his ballad 'The Flower of Finnea'. Finnea is also known for its scenery, fishing and game shooting which attract many foreign tourists.

Victoria Cross recipient, General Sir Mark Walker, was born in Gore Port, Finnea. He was the brother of Sir Samuel Walker, 1st Baronet, who was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland by Gladstone in 1892.

Demographics

The area had a population of 317 in the 2006 Census, a 21.9% increase from the 2002 Census.

Notable residents

See also

Notes and References

  1. A. D. Mills, 2003, A Dictionary of British Place-Names, Oxford University Press
  2. Web site: Timetable - Route 447 . 18 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121025090049/http://buseireann.ie/pdf/1202387669-447.pdf . 25 October 2012 .