Stamullen
History
Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes the ruins of St Patrick's parish church (dated to the 13th century) and the nearby chapel of St Christopher (dated to the 15th century). Part of the Preston chapel of St Patrick's survives, including the tomb of William Preston, 2nd Viscount Gormanston, and his second wife Eleanor Dowdall. The ruins of these structures lie within Stamullen graveyard, which contains a number of unusual gravestones, including a cadaver monument (dated to c.1450) within St Christopher's chapel.
In October 1999, a real IRA training camp and underground firing range were discovered near the village.
Demographics
In the period between the 1996 and 2022 census, the population of Stamullen increased significantly (almost 9-fold), from 427 to 3,720 inhabitants. According to the 2016 census, more than 85% of homes in the village (869 of 1,018 households) were built between 1991 and 2010.
As of the 2006 census, Stamullen then had the second-lowest percentage of people in the over 65 age group and the lowest percentage of people in the 45-64 age group in any town in Ireland with a population over 1500.
Amenities
The village contains a supermarket, pub, three hairdressers, barbers, veterinary clinic, butcher, fast food outlet, laundromat and a coffee shop.
A Benedictine monastery was established in the town in 2012. This facility, the Silverstream Priory, falls within the Diocese of Meath. In March 2012, two American monks moved into Silverstream House, originally built in 1843 by the Preston family (the Viscounts Gormanston). The monastery's adherents celebrate the Liturgy in Latin, performs Gregorian chant, and Eucharistic Adoration.
Stamullen has a community centre which is also home to St Patricks GAA, Stamullen Football Club, Stamullen Badminton Club, and Stamullen Bowls Club. The village is also home to the M. Donnelly Stamullen Road Club Cycling Team. A free magazine is delivered each month to homes and businesses within the community.
Education
St. Patrick's National School, originally opened in 1954, was extended in the 1980s to increase capacity to 6 classrooms. Numbers declined for some time, but with the building boom starting in the late 1990s numbers started to climb again. A number of pre-fabs were built in advance of the granting of planning approval for a new building which opened in 2008. As of 2019, the school had an enrollment of more than 660 pupils.
See also
References
- ^ "Census 2022 - F1015 Population". Central Statistics Office Census 2022 Reports. Central Statistics Office Ireland. August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "Irish Local Names Explained by P.W. Joyce". booksulster.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2008.
- ^ "Stamullen/Stamullin - Church, Cadaver effigy, Double effigy". megalithicireland.com. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "Irish Cadaver Stones - Stamullen". headstonesymbols.co.uk. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "Garda chief pledges to halt the Real IRA". Irish Independent. 21 October 1999.
- ^ "Stamullen (Ireland) Census Town". City Population. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Stamullen". Census 2016 - Small Area Population Statistics. CSO. 2016.
- ^ "Census 2006 Principal Demographic Results". CSO. CSO. 2006.
- ^ "About Us - History". stamullenns.ie. Stamullen National School. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "Whole School Evaluation - Report - St. Patrick's National School, Stamullen" (PDF). education.ie. Department of Education. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2020.