Bellewstown

Summary

Bellewstown (Irish: Baile an Bheileogaigh) is a village located 8 km south of Drogheda, on the Hill of Crockafotha in County Meath in Ireland.

Bellewstown
Baile an Bheileogaigh
Village
Medieval church at Bellewstown
Medieval church at Bellewstown
Bellewstown is located in Ireland
Bellewstown
Bellewstown
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°38′38″N 6°20′53″W / 53.6439°N 6.3481°W / 53.6439; -6.3481
CountryIreland
ProvinceLeinster
CountyMeath
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid ReferenceN862596

It takes its name from the Anglo-Irish Bellew family, who were the dominant local landowners from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century.

Bellewstown village edit

Amenities in Bellewstown include a primary school, Catholic church, pub, GAA grounds, racecourse, and golf course.

Bellewstown Races edit

 
Farmland, looking towards Bellewstown Hill

In 1780, George Tandy, a former mayor of Drogheda and brother of James Napper Tandy, persuaded King George III to sponsor a race at Bellewstown. The race was called His Majesty's Plate and was valued at £100.

The tradition of summer horse racing at Bellewstown Racecourse dates back centuries. The first record of racing here appears in the August edition of the Dublin Gazette and the Weekly Courier in 1726. There was originally a cricket ground in the middle of the race track. Racing continues to occur on an annual basis, taking place during the course of the summer. Until relatively recently there was just one meeting a year at Bellewstown over three days in July. There are currently four meetings a year, comprising one day in April, three days in July, three days in August and two days in September. The track is a one-mile and one-furlong left-handed course, featuring both flat and hurdle racing.

Race Distances - Flat 5 furlongs, 1 mile, 1 and a half miles, 1 mile 6 furlongs and 2 miles 1 furlong.

National Hunt - all Hurdles races - 2 miles 1 furlong, 2 miles 4 furlongs and 3 miles.

No Steeplechases are held at the course.

Associations edit

One of the many pen names used by poet James Clarence Mangan was 'P.V. M'Guffin, Bellewstown'.[1]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ John McCall, The life of James Clarence Mangan, (Dublin, 1884)