Key Dates in the History of Dungarvan

1204 On 31 August Domhnall Ó Faoláin gave the cantred of Dungarvan to King John

1215 In July, Dungarvan granted charter by King John

1242 Henry III granted Dungarvan the right to hold a yearly fair.

1290 The Augustinians established an Abbey at Abbeyside

1463 The castle & town granted to Earl of Desmond for 60 years.  Described as 'The most great and ancient honor belonging to the King In Ireland.'

1528 Henry VIII granted the town to Piers Butler, Earl of Ossory.

1582 The town in burned and destroyed.

1610 Charter from James I

1618 Edward Carew sold manor and castle to Sir Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork for £4000.

1642 Sir William St. Leger attacked the town, many killed.

1647 Lord Inchiquin laid siege to Dungarvan.  'No inhabitants or stuff in any of the houses'  Sir Philip Percival

1649 Oliver Cromwell in Dungarvan.  General Michael Jones died at Church Street.

1659 Census of Ireland. 213 in Dungarvan. 44 in Abbeyside.  charter renewed by Richard Cromwell.

1689 James II grants Town Charter.

1700 New Church of Ireland built.

1715 Historian Charles Smith born in Dungarvan.

1746 Publication of Charles Smith's History of Waterford City & County.  Panoramic engraving of Dungarvan.

1750 Phinisk Acquaduct constructed to bring water supply to Dungarvan town.

1799  United Irishman, Edmond Power hanged from the Old Market House.

1801 Duke of Devonshire begins the expansion of Dungarvan with construction of new square, causeway and bridge.

1807 First Christian Brother's school opened in Dungarvan.

1816 Dungarvan bridge opened.

1819 Fever Hospital opened at Strandside North, Abbeyside.

1821 Presentation Convent erected in Church Street.

1823 Augustinian church begun in St. Augustine Street.

1824 Rev. R.H. Rynald's History of Waterford City & County.

1828 St. Mary's Parish Church opened.
 The Fenian James F.X. O'Brien born in Main Street.

1829 The Courthouse built.

1832 The public baths built at Still Lane at the Lookout.

1834 Abbeyside church completed.

1836 Christian Brothers new school at Rice's Street/Mitchel St.

1841 Dungarvan Workhouse built.

1852 The Munster Citizen printed by John Power, Mary Street.

1854 Town's Improvement Act adopted, Town Commissioners elected.

1854 29 January - First town commissioners elected.  Edward J. Longan elected Town Clerk.

1858 Dungarvan Gas works established.  New Presentation convent opened at Mitchel Street.

1859 Edward Brenan discovers mammoth bones at Shandon Sisters of Mercy acquire former Presentation convent in Church Street.

1860 Town Hall (later Provincial bank), Bridge Street, built.

1863 William Williams designed new Dungarvan coat of arms.

1869 Dungarvan Rambler's Cycling Club founded.

1870 Joseph Hansard printed a History of Waterford City & County.

1871 Augustinian Priory built at Main Street.

1872 Dungarvan Gazette printed by Joseph Hansard of Main St.

1875 Dungarvan Brass Band founded.

1876 New Town Hall opened in St. Augustine Street.  Dungarvan Literary Society founded.

1878 Waterford, Dungarvan, Lismore railway opened.

1879 Merrick & Ruddell open first department store, Main St.

1885 Dungarvan street names changed and renamed after Irish patriots.  Dan Fraher acquires Gaelic Field at shandon.

1891 Abbeyside School built.

1894 Town Park created.

1895 The ship 'Moresby' wrecked in Dungarvan Bay.

1899 Dungarvan Urban District Council established.

1903 Rev. Richard Henebry unviels monument to Edmund Power in the park on 20 March.

1903 On 6 October, Nobel Prize winner Ernest Thomas Sinton Walton born at Epworth Cottage in Abbeyside.

1904 First volunteer fire brigade founded.  Augustinian school built in Main Street.  Bon Sauveur sisters open Carriglea Convent.

1906  Coláiste na Rinne founded.

1910 Telephone introduced to Dungarvan.

1912 Dungarvan Observer founded.

1914 First cinema opened by the bridge - Dan Crotty's.

1915 First Dungarvan Agricultural Show.

1919 Thomas Power opens Power's Brewery at Fair Lane. 

1921 Dungarvan Electric Light & Power Co intruduce electricity to Dungarvan.

1921 Dungarvan Co-operative Creamery Ltd founded.

1922 Dungarvan Castle and Ballinacourty Coastguard station burned by Republicans.

1923 Civic Guards established in Dungarvan.

1927 Edmond Keohan published the first history of Dungarvan.

1929 E.S.B. takes over public lighting from Dungarvan Electric Light Co.

1931 First library established in the Town Hall.

1933 Plans for new technical school drawn up by Mr. Bowen.

1935 Dicken's Leather Co. opened.

1938 Dungarvan Leader founded.

1945 Ormonde Cinema, O'Connell St. opened.

1947 Swimming pool built.

1950 Apple Factory at Shandon established.

1953 An Tóstal in Dungarvan.  Tom Tobin published Echoes from Decies.

1966 C.B.S. primary school opened.

1967 Closure of Dungarvan railway.

1973 Augustinian College opened at Duckspool.

1980 C.B.S. Monastery demolished.

1982 C.B.S. secondary school opened.

1984 Old Market House converted to Library/Museum.

1987 New Bridge over the river Colligan opened.

1999 New Library at Davitt's Quay opened.  Civic offices opened.

2000 Old Market House Arts Centre officially opened.  Dungarvan Museum officially opened in Old Town Hall.

2003 Coláiste Cathal Naofa, Youghal Road, opened.

 

Author: William Fraher