Fountainstown (Irish: Baile Mhóntáin, historically anglicised as Ballymontane)[2] is a coastal village in County Cork, Ireland, situated approximately 23 km south of Cork city. A seaside village, it is separated by small promontory headland from the nearby village and beach at Myrtleville.
Fountainstown
Baile Mhóntáin (Irish) | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Ringabella Bay from Fountainstown | |
  Fountainstown Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 51°46′33″N 08°18′41″W / 51.77583°N 8.31139°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | Cork |
| Elevation | 30 m (100 ft) |
| Population | 993 |
| (includes the nearby village of Myrtleville) | |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | W785582 |
Places of interest
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Fountainstown is a seaside village and its beach received Blue Flag status in 1991.[3] It overlooks Ringabella creek to the south.[4][5]
Close to the village centre is Fountainstown House, a stately home which was originally built in 1699[6] by the Roche family - a Norman family who may have acquired lands at Fountainstown in the 15th or 16th century.[5] The house has 12 bedrooms and was restored in 1995.[6]
Fountainstown's pitch and putt club, established in 1936,[7] is sometimes considered to be the home of the sport's first course,[8][9] and described by the European Pitch and Putt Association as the origin point of "modern day organised competitive Pitch and Putt".[10] The club was initially established by "Fountainstown Developments Limited", a company with most of the town's residents as shareholders.[11] This club, known locally as "Fountainstown Sports Club",[12] declined in the 1950s and 1960s, due to a "lack of interest and insufficient willing hands", before being revived in 1973.[7] New rounds of funding helped revitalise the club grounds in the 2020s.[13] Adjoining the pitch and putt fields are tennis courts, with the tennis club having been established at the same time as the pitch and putt one.[14] The Fountainstown Developments company has also organised sailing, swimming and fishing activities.[11] The clubhouse has been used for social activities including dancing and Catholic masses.[13]
The coast road between Fountainstown and nearby Myrtleville is used as a walk or promenade.[15] Near the start of this road, on the Fountainstown side, is Angelas Shop & Coffee Dock. This small shop has been operation since 1989 with beach and angling supplies, sweets and coffee, and was named one of Cork's "iconic business" by Evening Echo in 2022, with its owner receiving the Cork Person of the Year award.[16] The shop owner also sponsored local annual road bowling tournaments.[17]
Transport
editFountainstown is served by a number of bus routes, with 12 services a day to Cork, each operating via Carrigaline and Douglas, and several services operating via Crosshaven.[18][19]
The nearest airport is Cork Airport.
References
edit- ^ "Census 2016 - SAPMAP Area - Settlements - Fountainstown". Census 2016. CSO. 2016. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ "Baile Mhontáin - Fountainstown". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Fountainstown flag". Southern Star. 27 July 1991.
- ^ "Munster flies high with most Blue Flag beaches". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 23 May 2017. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ a b "About Fountainstown - Ringabella Creek". fountainstown.com. Fountainstown Community Association. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ a b Barker, Tommy (14 October 1994). "Our house beside the seaside...". Irish Examiner.
- ^ a b McMahon, Leo (27 December 1987). "50 years of pitch and putt". Southern Star.
- ^ "Pitch and Putt's Roots are Deep-set in Cork's History". Evening Echo. 27 December 1969 – via fountainstown.com.
- ^ "Pitch and Putt - Cork County Board". ppui.ie. Pitch and Putt Union Of Ireland. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Birthplace of Pitch and Putt Launches Website". fippa.org. Federation of International Pitch and Putt Associations. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ a b F, M (20 August 1975). "A surging sea of ideas at Fountainstown". Irish Examiner.
- ^ O'Neill, Pat (5 August 1986). "Golden year for Fountainstown club". Irish Examiner.
- ^ a b Maher, Tara (9 May 2023). "Breathing new life into Cork's 'Funky Town'". Evening Echo.
- ^ "Joy after the 52 years for Fountainstown". Irish Examiner. 10 March 1989.
- ^ "About Fountainstown - Walks". fountainstown.com. Fountainstown Community Association. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Award for iconic businesses". Evening Echo. No. 30 May 2022.
- ^ "Youths Bowling". Southern Star. 2 October 1993.
- ^ "Timetable - Route 220" (PDF). buseireann.ie. Bus Éireann. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Timetable - Route 220X" (PDF). buseireann.ie. Bus Éireann. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
See also
edit
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