{{short description |Town in County Wexford, Ireland}} {{for |the bridge in Warwick, England |Castle Bridge}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2020}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2010}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Castlebridge |native_name = {{lang|ga|Droichead an Chaisleáin}} |native_name_lang = ga |settlement_type = Town |image_skyline = Ardcolm Church of Ireland in Castlebridge - geograph.org.uk - 1281635.jpg |image_caption = Ardcolm Church of Ireland church in Castlebridge |pushpin_map = Ireland |pushpin_label_position = right |pushpin_map_caption = Location in Ireland |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = Ireland |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = Leinster |subdivision_type3 = County |subdivision_name3 = County Wexford |established_title = |established_date = |unit_pref = Metric |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = |population_as_of = 2016 |population_footnotes = <ref name="census2016">{{cite web |url =http://census.cso.ie/sapmap2016/Results.aspx?Geog_Type=ST2016&Geog_Code=B7970391-181D-47F5-9A39-794254BC2F48 | publisher = Central Statistics Office | work = Census 2016 | title = Sapmap Area - Settlements - Castlebridge-Blackwater | date = April 2016 | access-date = 22 March 2020 }}</ref> |population_total = 1840 |population_density_km2 = auto |timezone1 = WET |utc_offset1 = +0 |timezone1_DST = IST (WEST) |utc_offset1_DST = -1 |coordinates = {{coord|52.3833|-6.45|dim:100000_region:IE|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = 3 |blank_name = Irish Grid Reference |blank_info = {{iem4ibx|T054269}} |website = |footnotes = }}
'''Castlebridge''' ({{Irish place name|Droichead an Chaisleáin|no_translate=yes}})<ref name=logainm>{{cite web | url = https://www.logainm.ie/en/1416685 | title = Droichead an Chaisleáin/Castlebridge | website = Placenames Database of Ireland (logainm.ie) | access-date = 19 October 2021}}</ref> is a small town in County Wexford, Ireland, around 5 km north of Wexford town. It is just north of Wexford Harbour, on the R741 road. Castlebridge is a rapidly expanding suburb of Wexford Town: its population has almost tripled in 20 years, increasing from 783 in 1996 to a population of 1,840 in 2016.<ref name="census2016"/><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.citypopulation.de/en/ireland/towns/wexford/0239__castlebridge_blackwater/ | website = City Population | title = Castlebridge-Blackwater (Ireland) Census Town | access-date = 22 March 2020 }}</ref>
==History== The namesake castle, that originally stood in the town, was dismantled to build buildings such as the Church of Ireland church, which is one of the oldest buildings in Castlebridge. The river that flows through Castlebridge is, contrary to popular belief, actually a canal that replaced the original river. It was dug out by hand to allow sailing cots that loaded up in the various docks of Castlebridge to get to Wexford Town more quickly.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}
Fr James Dixon, the first Catholic priest permitted to minister in Australia, was born in Castlebridge in 1758.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dixon-james-1980 |title=Dixon, James (1758–1840) |last=Parsons |first=Vivienne |date=1966 |website=Australian Dictionary of Biography |publisher= |access-date=9 Oct 2021}}</ref>
==''Guinness Book of Records''== Castlebridge is the founding place of the ''Guinness Book of World Records''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://guinness.book-of-records.info/history.html |title=The History of the Book |work=Guinness Record Book Collecting |access-date=4 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225172648/http://guinness.book-of-records.info/history.html |archive-date=25 February 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 10 November 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, then the managing director of the Guinness Breweries, went on a shooting party in the North Slob, by the River Slaney in County Wexford, Ireland. He became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the golden plover or the red grouse (the former being correct).<ref>{{cite book|author=Fionn Davenport|title=Ireland|year=2010|page=193|isbn=9781742203508|publisher=Lonely Planet|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RfL3QnPMi9oC&pg=PA193|access-date=4 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513022833/https://books.google.com/books?id=RfL3QnPMi9oC&pg=PA193|archive-date=13 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> That evening at Castlebridge House, he realised that it was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freespace.virgin.net/james.robertson/history2.htm |title=Early history of Guinness World Records |page=2 |year=2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701200438/http://freespace.virgin.net/james.robertson/history2.htm |archive-date=1 July 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Publication of the Guinness Book of Records: 27 August 1955|first=Richard|last=Cavendish|journal=History Today|volume=55|date=August 2005}}</ref> Beaver knew that there must be numerous other questions debated nightly in pubs throughout Ireland, but there was no book in the world with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove popular.<ref>{{cite book|title=Guinness World Records 2005|year=2004|page=6|isbn=1892051222|publisher=Guinness; 50th Anniversary edition}}</ref>
In 2019, Diageo and the Pattison Group, who own the rights to the Guinness Book of Records, were described as being "really taken" with Castlebridge House, which has been left derelict, with feasibility studies now in operation by Wexford County Council amid interest by Diageo and the Pattison Group to assess the damage and plan for its eventual restoration, which, in collaboration with Diageo and the Pattison Group, is hoped to become a tourist attraction for the home of the Guinness Book of Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexfordpeople/record-book-makers-interested-in-castlebridge-house-38335560.html |title=Record Book makers interested in Castlebridge House |year=2019 }}</ref> This was further emphasised by the commencement of the first annual ''Castlebridge Record Makers Family Fun Festival'' in 2019, with exhibits on the history of the book and its importance to Castlebridge.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexfordpeople/news/festival-for-the-record-books-38397872.html |title=Festival for the record books |year=2019 }}</ref>
==Public transport== Wexford Bus operate an hourly service, route 877 "The Bridge Loop", to/from Wexford since February 2019 Mondays to Saturdays inclusive.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://bookings.wexfordbus.com/Timetable.aspx?TimeTableRoute=15 | website = wexfordbus.com | title = Route 877 timetables: The Bridge Loop | access-date = 22 March 2020 | archive-date = 7 August 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200807232517/https://bookings.wexfordbus.com/Timetable.aspx?TimeTableRoute=15 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Bus Éireann route 379 (Wexford - Gorey via Kilmuckridge and Courtown) serves Castlebridge on Mondays and Saturdays.
==Sport== The centre of Castlebridge contains a 60x30 foot handball alley. The handball club has produced a number of county and Irish champions and members have competed at World Championships in the United States.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} Nearby, opposite the Old School (now Castlebridge Community Centre), is the local soccer club, Bridge Rovers FC.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}
Patrick Breen, who lived in Castlebridge but was originally from Bannow in the south of the county, was the first Wexford person to become President of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 1924 until 1926. He was one of only two Wexford people who headed the Gaelic Athletic Association.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.gaa.ie/the-gaa/history/gaa-presidents | publisher = Gaelic Athletic Association | website = gaa.ie | title = History - GAA Presidents | date = 5 January 2016 | access-date = 22 March 2020 }}</ref> He also founded the Irish Handball Council and the past pupils union of St. Peters College. He is buried in Castlebridge cemetery.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}
==Community== thumb|Brick production in Castlebridge Community groups situated in the area include the Castlebridge Gospel Choir, which was founded in 2003. Local businesses include the Porter House, which was named 'Pub of the Year' in 2017,<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.irishpubawards.ie/porter-house-castlebridge-co-wexford-irelands-pub-year/ | website = irishpubawards.ie | title = The Porter House, Castlebridge Co Wexford is Ireland's Pub of the Year | date = 11 November 2017 | access-date = 22 March 2020 }}</ref> which has since closed down, several fast food restaurants, a local Londis supermarket, a furniture shop, antiques store and post office.
==See also== * List of towns and villages in Ireland
==References== {{Commons category|Castlebridge}} {{Reflist}}
{{County Wexford}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Towns and villages in County Wexford