Keady
Keady is a large
village in
County Armagh in
Northern Ireland, south of
Armagh city and very close to the border with the
Republic of Ireland. It had a population of 2,960 people in the
2001 Census. The
Keady River runs strong through the heart of the village, as once it drove the millwheels.
In the centre of the town stands the Old Mill, which has been converted into a modern Visitor Centre, Cafe and community enterprise resource. The building is complete with its own millwheel and acts as the entrance to a beautiful riverside walk.
The name Keady is recorded as long ago as
1674 in a letter from Symore Richardson to the Provost of
Trinity College, Dublin (the district was part of a grant of county Armagh lands to that college). However, the town did not emerge as an important centre until the mid
18th century when the use of waterpower led to the growth of great
linen mills and factories. By
1837, Keady was noted as being the centre of an important flourishing linen trade by
Samuel Lewis in his
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. The Keady Monument was erected by the local people to honour William Kirk, who through his mills at Keady and
Darkley, provided so much economic prosperity in the area. The town was also became a centre of tailoring before
World War I, and the arrival of the railway brought the town great commercial benefit, although the lines for both goods and passenger traffic have since closed. Until recently Keady retained its links with clothing manufacture, with a major textiles firm employing many local people, this has since closed. Situated on the river which flows from Clay Lake to the River Callan, Keady is noted chiefly for the 'Keady trout Lakes'. It is also of interest to the industrial archaeologist as the centre of a district with many derelict watermills. Tassagh Glen, just outside the town has a mill and viaduct of monumental proportions. The newly restored mill in the centre of town offers the visitor a unique glimpse into Keady's industrial heritage.
*
Tommy Makem, singer
*
Dessie O'Hare, the "Border Fox"
Keady is classified as an intermediate settlement by the
NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 2,250 and 4,500 people).On Census day (
29 April 2001) there were 2,960 people living in Keady. Of these:
*25.6% were aged under 16 years and 15.5% were aged 60 and over
*48.8% of the population were male and 51.2% were female
*94.2% were from a
Catholic background and 5.6% were from a
Protestant background
*6.2% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.
For more details see:
NI Neighbourhood Information Service*
County Armagh.com*
Culture Northern Ireland*
Keady History*
Keady Michael Dwyers Gaelic Football Club*
St Patricks High School*
St Patricks High School Forums*
List of villages in Northern Ireland*
List of towns in Northern Ireland
