Omeath

Omeath
Ó Méith
Town

Looking across Carlingford Lough to Omeath
Omeath

Location in Ireland

Coordinates: 54°05′24″N 6°15′30″W / 54.09°N 6.258333°W / 54.09; -6.258333Coordinates: 54°05′24″N 6°15′30″W / 54.09°N 6.258333°W / 54.09; -6.258333
Country Ireland
Province Leinster
County County Louth
Population (2011)
 • Urban 503
Time zone WET (UTC+0)
 • Summer (DST) IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference J137168
Website www.omeath.ie

Omeath (Irish: Ó Méith) is a village on the R173 regional road in County Louth, Ireland, close to the border with Northern Ireland. It is roughly midway between Dublin and Belfast, very near the County Louth and County Armagh / County Down border. Omeath has a population of 439,[1] in 2006, 503 in 2011 and is approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) from Carlingford and about 8 km (5.0 mi) from Newry. By sea, its nearest land neighbour is Warrenpoint on the south County Down coast.

Omeath is home to the Cúchulainn Gaels Gaelic Athletic Association club.

Name

The former Omeath railway station

It is named after Muireadheach Méith (méith= the fat) and was originally called Uí Méith Mara, by the sea, to distinguish it from another Ó Méith named after the same man.

Irish language

Native Irish speakers existed in Omeath until just before the middle of the 20th century. Although the dialect is now extinct, recordings have been made by German linguist Wilhelm Doegen for the Royal Irish Academy.[2]

Transport

Omeath railway station was on the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore railway, which opened on 1 August 1876 and finally closed on 1 January 1952.[3]

A regular bus service runs through the village and links the village with Newry and Dundalk town. Bus Éireann operate the route which is numbered 161. There are four weekday journeys to Dundalk via Carlingford and Greenore. There are three journeys to Newry with an additional morning journey on schooldays. There is no service on Sundays.[4]

In the summer months a regular daily foot passenger ferry service operates between Omeath and Warrenpoint Co. Down. Bikes and small motor cycles can avail of the daily ferry service during the summer months.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Louth County Council - Omeath Area Plan
  2. ↑ http://dho.ie/doegen/
  3. ↑ "Omeath station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
  4. ↑ http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1291382290-161.pdf
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