Strokestown

Strokestown was the site of the estate of the Mahon family, a prominent Anglo-Irish lineage, from about 1671 until 1982.

On 2 November 1847, Major Denis Mahon, a British Army officer who then held the estate, was assassinated by several local men, in an incident that became well-known across Ireland and Britain. The killing was motivated by the eviction of tenant farmers during the Great Famine. However, the killing of Mahon did not halt the evictions; over 11,000 tenants were removed from the estate during that period of the famine.

The Great Famine is commemorated by a museum in the town. Mary Lenahan, of Elphin Street, Strokestown, an ancestor of former Irish President Mary McAleese, was among 16 people recorded in the Strokestown Estate Famine Archive as having received grain meal gratuitously on 23 June 1846. The archive was deposited in November 2008 in the Maynooth Archive and Research Centre in Celbridge, County Kildare.[3]

"Strokestown" is a partial translation of the original Irish language name, Béal Atha na mBuillí, which meant "the mouth of the ford of the strokes"; “mouth” referred to the Bumlin River, running through the demesne. According to one theory, "strokes" referred to ancient clan battles that took place in the area; another theory has suggested that "strokes" signified the use of agricultural implements.[3] Béal Atha na mBuillí was usually anglicised as Bellanamully and Bellanamullia. The current, official Irish language name of Béal na mBuillí, which was adopted in the 1990s, originated as a version of the original name, reduced in length to fit on road signs.

Strokestown on Film, The Billy Chapman (1902–59) Collection is a DVD which consists of 31 short films of people and events in and around Strokestown. The films were shot over a five-year period starting in 1948. Included are sports days, Corpus Christi processions, weddings, agricultural shows, livestock fairs and FCA and fire brigade training.

Strokestown hosts a number of events throughout the year. Around April/May, Strokestown hosts the Strokestown Poetry Festival, a prestigious event that is known throughout the literary world. The second weekend in September, the Strokestown Agricultural Show is held, including horse competitions such as dressage, arts and craft competitions, handwriting competitions, and more. During October, the Féile Strokestown, a traditional music festival is held. During December, the Outdoor Christmas Market is held on Bawn Street.

• List of towns and villages in Ireland
• Market Houses in Ireland
• Scramogue Ambush

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Strokestown.

• Famine Museum
• Strokestown Website