Dromiskin (historically ''Druminisklin'', from ) is a village and

townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...

County Louth County Louth ( ; ) is a coastal Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of County Meath, Meath to the ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. It is situated 10 km south of

Dundalk Dundalk ( ; ) is the county town of County Louth, Ireland. The town is situated on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the north-east coast of Ireland, and is halfway between Dublin and Belfast, close to and south of the bor ...

, about 1 km inland from the Irish coast. The village is in a

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...

of the same name.

History

The village was home to a monastery for hundreds of years, which was reputedly associated with

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (; or ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British culture, Romano-British Christian missionary and Archbishop of Armagh, bishop in Gaelic Ireland, Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Irelan ...

. The first bishop of Dromiskin was Lughaidh, son of Aengus mac Nadfraoch the first Christian king of Munster. St Patrick reputedly pierced Aengus's foot with his pastoral staff during the baptism.

Áed Findliath Áed mac Néill (died 879), called Áed Findliath ("fair-grey Áed"; Modern Irish: ''Aodh Fionnadhliath'') to distinguish him from his paternal grandfather Áed Oirdnide, was king of Ailech and High King of Ireland. He was also called Áed Olach ...

monarch of Ireland, son of

Niall Caille Niall mac Áeda (died 846), called Niall Caille (Niall of the Callan) to distinguish him from his grandson Niall mac Áeda (died 917), was High King of Ireland. Background Niall belonged to Cenél nEógain, a northern branch of the Uí Néill, ...

, retired to and died at Dromiskin. The ''Chronicon Scotorum'' records his death at

879 __NOTOC__ Year 879 ( DCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * April 10 – King Louis the Stammerer dies at Compiègne, after a reign of 18 months. He is succeeded by hi ...

O'Donovan The O'Donovan family is an ancient Irish nobility, Irish noble family. Their patronymic surname derives from Irish ''Ó Donnabháin'', meaning the grandsons or descendants of Donnubán, referring to the 10th century ruler of the Uí Fidgenti, ...

records his death as 876 and the ''Annals of Ulster'' place it at 878. The next few hundred years were turbulent times for Dromiskin. The constant plundering by both Vikings and Irish destroyed the Abbey and dispersed the monks. Annudh macRuaire rampaged through the territory in 1043 and Dromiskin was destroyed. The ecclesiastical site was abandoned and the monks took refuge in the neighbouring Abbey of Saint

Mochta Saint Mochta (or Mochtae, Mahew, Mochteus, Maucteus, Mauchteus; died 20 August 535, or A.D. 537), was the last surviving disciple of Saint Patrick. Life Mochta was, like Patrick, a native of Britain. His name is British, and Adomnán's ''Life ...

, the possessions of this ancient church being placed in the hands of the Prior of Louth Abbey. Dromiskin served as the home to the

Archbishops of Armagh The Archbishop of Armagh is an Episcopal polity, archiepiscopal title which takes its name from the Episcopal see, see city of Armagh in Northern Ireland. Since the Reformation in Ireland, Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic success ...

for a time. The Archbishops of Armagh lived at Dromiskin House. Archbishop

Milo Sweetman Milo Sweetman (died 1380) was a fourteenth-century Irish Archbishop of Armagh, who was noted for his fierce defence of the privileges of his archdiocese. Biography Sweetman was treasurer of the Diocese of Ossory by 1360, and in that year he was ...

is buried here. The old ninth-century round tower and parts of the Abbey still remain. From the tower, there is a view of all of

Dundalk Bay Dundalk Bay () is a large (33 km2), exposed estuary on the east coast of Ireland. The inner bay is shallow, sandy and intertidal, though it slopes into a deeper area 2 km from the transitional water boundary. Darver being a neighbouring village. The parish is bounded by the Fane River on the north and by the

Glyde River Glyde may refer to: * George Glyde (1821–1898), settler of Western Australia * Henry George Glyde (1906–1998), Canadian painter * Lavington Glyde (1825–1890), South Australian politician, perhaps not related to Samuel and William * Rosemar ...

on the south.

Demographics

Since the mid-1990s, Dromiskin, like many areas in County Louth, has seen an increase in population. In 2006, 992 people were living in Dromiskin. By 2016, the population of the village had increased to 1,195. According to 2016 census figures, 221 of the village's 391 private houses were built between 1991 and 2010.

Sport

The local

Gaelic football Gaelic football (; short name '')'', commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA, or football, is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score ...

club, St. Joseph's, was formed in 1961. It covers the entire parish of Darver & Dromiskin, and won the Senior county championship (Joe Ward Cup) in 1996 and 2006. As of 2011, the club was playing Intermediate level championship as well as Division 2 league football, having been relegated from League Division 1 in 2010. The club's Minor (U-18) team won the county championship for the first time in 2009 and retained the championship in 2010. St Peter's Athletic Club is located in the outskirts of the village.

Transport

Bus Éireann route 168, Annagassan to

serves Dromiskin Mondays to Fridays inclusive providing one journey in each direction.

Notable people

Henry Ó Mealláin Henry Ó Mealláin, O.F.M. (c. 1579 – after 1642) was an Irish Franciscan friar, and sometime Guardian of the Franciscan Friars of Armagh. Ó Mealláin was born in Dromiskin, County Louth, and educated at the Irish College of Salamanca. He ...

(c. 1579 – after 1642), Franciscan friar * William Boyle (1853–1923), dramatist and short story writer

References

External links

St. Peter's National School Website
{{Authority control Towns and villages in County Louth Townlands of County Louth Civil parishes of County Louth Towers in the Republic of Ireland