Finnea

Finnea Fiodh an Átha
Village
Finnea Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°46′57″N 7°23′44″W / 53.78260°N 7.39545°W / 53.78260; -7.39545Coordinates: 53°46′57″N 7°23′44″W / 53.78260°N 7.39545°W / 53.78260; -7.39545
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	County Westmeath
Elevation	66 m (217 ft)
Population
• Urban	317
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
• Summer (DST)	IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference	N399816

Finnea (Irish: Fiodh an Átha, meaning "wood of the ford"^[1]), which in English means 'wood of the ford' is a small village in County Westmeath on the border with County Cavan. It straddles the R394 road.

Transport

Bus Éireann route 447 provides a link to Castlepollard, Crookedwood and Mullingar on Thursdays only.^[2] The nearest railway station is Edgeworthstown railway station approximately 22 km. distant.

History

The village is known for its association with Myles "The Slasher" O'Reilly whose monument in the town (picture below) relates how he died on 5 August 1646 defending the Bridge of Finea against British forces. Percy French also mentioned the Bridge of Finea in his famous ballad 'Come Back Paddy Reilly'.

Finea lies on land between Lough Sheelin and Lough Kinale and the bridge crosses the River Inny flowing between them.

Finea is also the birthplace of writer Dermot Healy. Thomas Davis celebrated Finnea with his ballad 'The Flower of Finea'. Finea is also known for its scenery, fishing and game shooting which attract many foreign tourists.

Victoria Cross recipient, General Sir Mark Walker, was born in Gore Port, Finnea. He was the brother of Sir Samuel Walker, 1st Baronet, who was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland by Gladstone in 1892.

Demographics

The town had a population of 317 in the 2006 Census, a 21.9% increase from the 2002 Census.

Notable Residents

General Sir Mark Walker, recipient of the Victoria Cross and his younger brother Sir Samuel Walker, 1st Baronet, Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

Gallery

Slasher Monument
Finnea village, due north
Finnea village, due south

A painting by artist Bernard Reynolds of the river Inny at Finnea.

References

↑ A. D. Mills, 2003, A Dictionary of British Place-Names, Oxford University Press
↑ http://buseireann.ie/pdf/1202387669-447.pdf

Sources

Places in County Westmeath

County town: Mullingar

Towns	Athlone Mullingar

Villages	Ballinahown Ballykeeran Ballymore Ballynacargy Castlepollard Castletown Geoghegan Clonmellon Collinstown Coole Crookedwood Delvin Drumcree Drumraney Finnea Fore Glassan Horseleap Kilbeggan Killucan and Rathwire Kinnegad Milltownpass Moate Mount Temple Moyvoughly Multyfarnham Raharney Rathconrath Rathowen Rochfortbridge Rosemount Streamstown Street Tang Tubberclare Tyrrellspass

Baronies	Brawny Clonlonan Corkaree Delvin Farbill Fartullagh Fore Kilkenny West Moyashel and Magheradernon Moycashel Moygoish Rathconrath

List of townlands of County Westmeath List of civil parishes of County Westmeath Category:Geography of County Westmeath

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