Omeath

Omeath Ó Méith
—  Town  —
Omeath Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 54°05′24″N 6°15′30″W / 54.09°N 6.258333°W / 54.09; -6.258333Coordinates: 54°05′24″N 6°15′30″W / 54.09°N 6.258333°W / 54.09; -6.258333
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	County Louth
Population (2006)
- Urban	439
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
- Summer (DST)	IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference	J137168

Omeath (Irish: Ó Méith) is a village on the R173 regional road in County Louth, Ireland, close to the border with Northern Ireland. It is roughly mid way between Dublin and Belfast, very near the County Louth and County Armagh / County Down border. Omeath has a population of 439,^[1] and is approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) from Carlingford and about 8 km (5.0 mi) from Newry. Ff travelling by sea its nearest land neighbour is Warrenpoint on the south County Down coast.

Omeath is home to the Cúchulainn Gaels Gaelic Athletic Association club.

Name

The former Omeath railway station

It is named after Muireadheach Méith (méith= the fat) and was originally called Uí Méith Mara-by the sea - to distinguish it from another Ó Méith named after the same man.

Irish Language

Native Irish speakers existed in Omeath until just before the middle of the 20th century. Although the dialect is now dead, recordings have been made by German linguist Wilhelm Doegen for the Royal Irish Academy.^[2]

Transport

Omeath had a station on the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore railway, which opened on 1 August 1876 and finally closed on 1 January 1952.^[3]

A regular bus service runs through the village and links the village with Newry and Dundalk town.

In the summer months a regular daily foot passenger ferry service operates between Omeath and Warrenpoint Co. Down. Bikes and small motor cycles can avail of the daily ferry service during the summer months.

See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

References

1. ^ Louth County Council - Omeath Area Plan
2. ^ http://dho.ie/doegen/
3. ^ "Omeath station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf. Retrieved 2007-11-22. 

External links

• Omeath Online - Official Site of Omeath, Co. Louth, Ireland
• Omeath and Carlingford Parish Site