Youghal

Youghal (pronounced {{IPA|}} or {{IPA|}}; Irish Eochaill {{IPA|}}) is a seaport in County Cork, Ireland. Youghal is located on the estuary of the River Blackwater, and in the past was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout. The name of the town derives from the yew woods (Eochaill) which were once plentiful in the area. As of the 1996 census, the population was 5,630.

History and architecture

Youghal received its charter of incorporation in 1209, but the history of settlement on the site is much longer, with a Norse settlement being present in the 9th century, the Church of Coran in the town's western suburbs dating from the 5th century, and evidence of Neolithic habitation at nearby Newport.

Related Topics:
1209 - Norse - 9th century - 5th century - Neolithic

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Notable buildings in the town include St Mary's Collegiate Church, thought to have been founded by St Declan around 450. The church was rebuilt in Irish Romanesque style c. 750, and a great Norman nave was erected in c. 1220. It is one of the few remaining medieval churches in Ireland to have remained in continuous use as a place of worship, by the town's small Church of Ireland congregation. The Vikings used Youghal as a base for their raids on monastic sites along the south coast of Ireland, and a stone in St Mary's Collegiate Church still bears the etched outline of a longboat. The church also contains many monuments, including the tomb of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork.

Related Topics:
St Declan - Romanesque - Norman - Church of Ireland - Vikings - Longboat - Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork

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The town's walls date to at least the 13th century and are among the best preserved in Ireland. The first record of the walls is a charter of 1275, granted by King Edward I, for their repair and extension. In 1777, the town's Clock Gate was built on the site of Trinity Castle, part of the town's fortifications. The Clock Gate served the town as gaol and public gallows until 1837, with prisoners being executed by being hanged from the windows. Tynte's Castle is a late 15th-century urban tower house. There are also 17th-century almshouses, constructed by Richard Boyle. The Mall House and its promenade were built in 1779, and is now used as Youghal's Town Hall. The town's Water Gate was built in the 13th century to provide access through the town walls to the docks. Also known as Cromwell's Arch, it was from here that Oliver Cromwell left Ireland in 1650, having overwintered in the town after his bloody campaign to put down rebellion and ensure support for his war in England.

Related Topics:
13th century - 1275 - King Edward I - 1777 - 1837 - 15th-century - 17th-century - 1779 - Oliver Cromwell - 1650

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