Lisdoonvarna
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Lisdoonvarna Lios Dúin Bhearna
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Lisdoonvarna Main Street
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 Lisdoonvarna
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| Coordinates: 53°01′49″N 9°17′22″W / 53.0303°N 9.2894°WCoordinates: 53°01′49″N 9°17′22″W / 53.0303°N 9.2894°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Clare |
| Elevation | 94 m (308 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Urban | 739 |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | R133984 |
Lisdoonvarna (Irish: Lios Dúin Bhearna, meaning "fort of the gapped keep") is a spa town of 739 people (2011 census) in County Clare in Ireland. The town is famous for its music and festivals. Although the music festival was discontinued in the 1980s, Lisdoonvarna still hosts its annual matchmaking festival each September.
Lisdoonvarna is located in the area of County Clare known as the Burren, on the N67 road between Ballyvaughan and Ennistymon. The Aille river flows through the town, where it is joined by the Gowlaun and Kilmoon streams.
The town is in the civil parish of Kilmoon. Nearby townlands in this parish include Ballyinsheen Beg, Ballyinsheen More, Rathbaun and Rooska.
The town takes its name from the Irish Lios Dúin Bhearna meaning the "lios dúin", or enclosured fort, of the gap (bearna). It is believed that the fort referred to in this name is the green earthen fort of Lissateeaun ("fort of the fairy hill"), which lies 3 km to the northeast of the town, near the remains of a Norman-era castle.
The present town is a comparatively new one by Irish standards, dating mainly from the start of the 19th century.
The spa official opened in 1845, but the town was visited before by people partaking of the waters. Even by the 1880s, however, the facilities were quite primitive. The wells were privately owned, by the Guthrie family. The wells were later developed and baths built by the new owner, a Dr. Westropp, who lived in a house overlooking the spa.
On 11 September 1887 the house of landowner Mike Walsh was attacked by "moonlighters" (members of one of the organized bands of desperados that carried on a system of agrarian outrages in Ireland). A detachment of the Royal Irish Constabulary defended the house and its owner and there was heavy fighting in and around the house. Head Constable Whelehan was killed. All the moonlighters were captured. Seven constables, four acting constables and two head constables received the Constabulary Medal for valour.
The spa prospered into the 20th century. In 1920, it was called the "Homberg of the Irish priests".
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Wikipedia