Coolafancy (Irish: Cúl na Fuinse, meaning 'recess of the ash-tree')[2] is a townland and village in County Wicklow, Ireland. The area of Coolafancy is often referred to as Crosspatrick on maps. It is located roughly between Tinahely and Carnew, close to the neighbouring village of Coolboy. Coolafancy contains the only primary national school in the area, St. Mary's National School. The school serves the village itself and also the village of Coolboy and surrounding areas like Hillbrook, Coolroe, Cummer and Cummerduff. The name Coolafancy is sometimes written as Coolnafancy or simply Coolfancy. Coolafancy is in the civil parish of Crosspatrick.[3][4]

Coolafancy
Cúl na Fuinse
Village
Main Street
Main Street
Coolafancy is located in Ireland
Coolafancy
Coolafancy
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 52°45′50″N 6°25′55″W / 52.764°N 6.432°W / 52.764; -6.432
CountryIreland
ProvinceLeinster
CountyCounty Wicklow
Area
 • Total
3.66 km2 (1.41 sq mi)
Elevation
136 m (446 ft)
Irish Grid ReferenceT054691

Location and access

edit

It is located near the R748 road, which links the town of Aughrim with Carnew (via the R747). The village is situated near the southern point of the Wicklow Way which winds through the Wicklow Mountains. Annagh Hill, Croghan Mountain, and Kilcavan Gap are located nearby.

History

edit

The history of Coolafancy, as with so many other areas nearby, was dominated by the FitzWilliam family in the 19th century. The family lived in nearby Coolattin House. The Coolattin estate once comprised 88,000 acres (360 km2), had 20,000 tenants and occupied almost a quarter of County Wicklow.

The village currently only has a Roman Catholic church, but once had a Church of Ireland church named Crosspatrick Church which stood until 1973.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Map of Coolafancy".
  2. ^ "Cúil na Fuinse / Coolafancy". logainm.ie. Irish Placenames Commission. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Civil Parish of Crosspatrick, Co. Wexford". Irish Townlands (townlands.ie). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  4. ^ Samuel Lewis (1837). "Crosspatrick, a parish". A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. Retrieved 8 September 2024 – via Library Ireland.