User:DamoMcG

Lisdowney (Irish: Lios Dúnadhaigh ‘Fort of Dúnadhach’.) is a small town in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is situated along the river Nore in the north of the county. It is located in the province of Leinster in the south-east of the island of Ireland. Lisdowney situated 3 1/2km west of Ballyragget in the north of Kilkenny and has a population of 210 people.


 * http://www.cso.ie/Census/documents/2006_prelim_table04.pdf**

And contains St Bridgid's Church giving name to the R. C. union or district, which latter comprises the parishes of Aharney, Sheffin, Balleen, and Coolcashin, and parts of Rathbeagh and Grange.

Geography

The River Nore flows near the town, which nestles in a wide alluvial valley between the Castlecomer Plateau and several hills to the west, including 'Knockmannon' and 'The Ballock'. The Nore passes by one of the most significant ancient sites in North Kilkenny 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of Ballyragget at Rathbeagh.

The statistical Ballyragget Geographical Area is recorded by the CSO as containing 26.67 square kilometres (10.30 sq mi). To the north lies the town of Durrow in County Laois, to the south the River Nore flows on towards Kilkenny City. The town itself is dominated by a large medieval keep, fallen into disrepair, and its adjoining walls. This tower dates roughly from the time of Queen Elizabeth I. A large Catholic Church also sits on a rise overlooking the town's central square.

Demographics

Statistics available from the Central Statistics Office of Ireland show that Lisdowney's population had reached 210 persons in the 2006 census. The figures show that there was a 12.3% increase in population from 2002 to 2006. The Ballyragget Electoral Area contained 15,417 people in 2006. These figures correspond to a section of North Kilkenny, including Lisdowney, Castlecomer, Freshford and Urlingford. The majority of residents in Ballyragget are nominally Roman Catholic, although there are minority Protestant and non-religious populations.

Local economy Agriculture and the Agri-Food industry are the largest employers, with the large Glanbia factory across the river dominating the town's industry for the past forty years. The plant at Ballyragget is the largest multi-purpose integrated dairy plant in Europe, and Glanbia plc can trace its roots to the Avonmore co-operative founded in Ballyragget in the 1960s. A large percentage of the town's residents are employed in the services sector in nearby Kilkenny City and in Carlow, with some also commuting to Dublin.

Culture

People

Lisdowney is the birthplace of Ted Carroll, hurling with his local club Lisdowney and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1961 until 1971.

Politics Local politics is at present dominated by Fine Gael and Labour, with four of the five local authority seats having gone to those parties in the 2004 local elections. Fianna Fáil retains strong historical support in the region however, and local politics is best described as conforming to the 'Civil War' cleavage common to many other rural towns in Ireland. At national level, Ballyragget, as part of the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency, is represented by five Teachtaí Dála in Dáil Eireann. The current representatives, who were elected on the 24 May 2007 for a five year term, are:
 * Bobby Aylward (Fianna Fáil)
 * Phil Hogan (Fine Gael)
 * John McGuinness (Fianna Fáil)
 * M.J. Nolan (Fianna Fáil)
 * Mary White (Green Party)