# Edenderry

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Town in County Offaly, Ireland

This article is about the town in County Offaly. For other uses, see [Edenderry (disambiguation)](/source/Edenderry_(disambiguation)).

Town in Leinster, Ireland

Edenderry Éadan Doire Town JKL Street in Edenderry is named for James Warren Doyle (a.k.a. James Kildare & Leighlin) Coat of arms Motto: Esto Fideles - The Faithful Edenderry Location in Ireland Coordinates: 53°20′42″N 7°03′04″W / 53.345°N 7.05116°W / 53.345; -7.05116 Country Ireland Province Leinster County County Offaly Elevation 84 m (276 ft) Population (2022)[1] • Total 7,888 Time zone UTC±0 (WET) • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (IST) Eircode R45 Telephone area code 046 Irish Grid Reference N633328

‹ The [template](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Template) *[Historical populations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Historical_populations)* is being [considered for merging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Templates_for_discussion/Log/2026_June_24#Template:Infobox_demographics). ›

Historical population Year Pop. ±% 1831 1,283 — 1841 1,850 +44.2% 1851 1,804 −2.5% 1861 1,661 −7.9% 1871 1,873 +12.8% 1881 1,555 −17.0% 1891 1,577 +1.4% 1901 1,611 +2.2% 1911 2,208 +37.1% 1926 2,092 −5.3% 1936 2,093 +0.0% 1946 2,996 +43.1% 1951 2,596 −13.4% 1956 2,729 +5.1% 1961 2,794 +2.4% 1966 2,902 +3.9% 1971 3,116 +7.4% 1981 3,666 +17.7% 1986 3,753 +2.4% 1991 3,940 +5.0% 1996 3,825 −2.9% 2002 4,559 +19.2% 2006 5,818 +27.6% 2011 6,490 +11.6% 2016 7,359 +13.4% 2022 7,888 +7.2% [2][3][1]

**Edenderry** ([/ˌiːdənˈdɛri/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English); [Irish](/source/Irish_language): *Éadan Doire*, meaning 'hill-brow of the oak wood'[4]) is a town in eastern [County Offaly](/source/County_Offaly), [Ireland](/source/Republic_of_Ireland). 55 km west of [Dublin](/source/Dublin) city centre, it is near the borders with Counties [Kildare](/source/County_Kildare), [Meath](/source/County_Meath) and [Westmeath](/source/County_Westmeath). The [Grand Canal](/source/Grand_Canal_of_Ireland) runs along the south of Edenderry, through the [Bog of Allen](/source/Bog_of_Allen), and there is a short spur to the town centre.

The [R401 road](/source/R401_road_(Ireland)) from [Kinnegad](/source/Kinnegad) to the north and the [R402](/source/R402_road_(Ireland)) from [Enfield](/source/Enfield%2C_County_Meath) to the east meet at the northeastern end of the Main Street. At the Grand Canal they split, with the R402 continuing westwards towards [Tullamore](/source/Tullamore) and the R401 heads south to [Rathangan](/source/Rathangan%2C_County_Kildare) and [Kildare](/source/Kildare) Town.[5]

## History

[Edenderry Town Hall](/source/Edenderry_Town_Hall)

Blundell Castle Ruins

In the 16th century, Edenderry was known as Coolestown, after the family of Cooley or Cowley, who had a castle here. It was defended in 1599 against the Confederates, during the [Nine Years' War](/source/Nine_Years'_War_(Ireland)). This subsequently passed by marriage to the [Blundell](/source/Viscount_Blundell) family and was sacked in 1691 by the army of [James II](/source/James_II_of_England).[6]

The Blundells' land passed subsequently to the [Marquess of Downshire](/source/Marquess_of_Downshire), who reversed the earlier opposition of the Blundell sisters to the establishment of a branch to the Grand Canal to Edenderry and paid for the £692 cost of the project,[7] which was completed in 1802.

By 1716 the manufacture of woollen cloth was thriving, first established by [Quakers](/source/Quakers), which employed around 1,000 people.[8] By 1911 the town had grown to 2,204 people. Other industries included the factory of Daniel Alesbury, who made a variety of woodwork as well as the first car manufactured in Ireland, the [Alesbury](/source/Alesbury), in 1907. [Edenderry Town Hall](/source/Edenderry_Town_Hall) was completed in 1830.[9]

## Demographics

The population of Edenderry doubled in the period between the census of 1996 (when it had a population of 3,825 people)[10] and the [2022 census](/source/2022_census_of_Ireland) (which recorded a population of 7,888 people).[1]

## Education

There are two [secondary schools](/source/Secondary_school) in the town, St. Mary's Secondary School and Oaklands Community College, as well as five [primaries](/source/Primary_school), Gaelscoil Éadan Doire, St. Mary's Primary School, Scoil Bhríde Primary School, Saint Patrick's Primary School, and Monasteroris National School.[11] There is also a Youthreach centre,[12] for students aged 15 and older.

## Local organisations

Organisations and businesses operating in the area include the [Offaly Express](/source/Offaly_Express) newspaper, Edenderry Chamber of Commerce [13] and [Eden FM Community Radio](http://www.edenfm.ie)

Local sports clubs include Edenderry Rugby Club,[14] [Edenderry GAA](/source/Edenderry_GAA) club,[15] Edenderry Town AFC,[16] and Highfield Golf Club.[17]

## Notable people

- [Neil Delamere](/source/Neil_Delamere), comedian[18]

- [Frantic Jack](/source/Frantic_Jack), rock band[19]

- [Josef Locke](/source/Josef_Locke) (1917–1999), tenor, lived in Edenderry[20]

## See also

- [List of towns and villages in Ireland](/source/List_of_towns_and_villages_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cso2022_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cso2022_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-cso2022_1-2) ["Census Interactive Map – Towns: Edenderry"](https://visual.cso.ie/?body=entity/ima/cop/2022&boundary=C04160V04929&guid=b7613ab1-959d-45c7-b63f-a4aff4b3eaf9). *[Census 2022](/source/2022_census_of_Ireland)*. [Central Statistics Office](/source/Central_Statistics_Office_(Ireland)). Retrieved 7 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [http://www.cso.ie/census](http://www.cso.ie/census) and www.histpop.org. Post 1971 totals are for Edenderry urban and Edenderry environs. For a discussion on the accuracy of [pre-famine](/source/Great_Famine_(Ireland)) census returns see [J. J. Lee](/source/J._J._Lee_(historian)) “On the accuracy of the pre-famine Irish censuses” in Irish Population, Economy and Society edited by JM Goldstrom and LA Clarkson (1981) p54, and also “New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700-1850” by Joel Mokyr and [Cormac Ó Gráda](/source/Cormac_%C3%93_Gr%C3%A1da) in The Economic History Review, New Series, Vol. 37, No. 4 (November 1984), pp. 473-488.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sapmap2016_3-0)** ["Sapmap Area - Settlements - Edenderry"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180113150313/http://census.cso.ie/sapmap2016/Results.aspx?Geog_Type=ST2016&Geog_Code=C601C623-78A3-4A04-A82A-064EFB055792). *Census 2016*. [CSO](/source/Central_Statistics_Office_(Ireland)). 2016. Archived from [the original](http://census.cso.ie/sapmap2016/Results.aspx?Geog_Type=ST2016&Geog_Code=C601C623-78A3-4A04-A82A-064EFB055792#SAPMAP_T1_100) on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** P.W. Joyce (1972). *Irish Place Names*. EP Publishing.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [S.I. No. 54/2012 — Roads Act 1993 (Classification of Regional Roads) Order 2012](http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2012/en/si/0054.html) *[Irish Statute Book](/source/Irish_Statute_Book)*. 2012-02-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** *Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland*. 1837.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Mairead Evans & Therese Abbott. *Safe Harbour, Grand Canal at Edenderry*. Edenderry Historical Society.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Michael Murphy (2004). *Edenderry, A Leinster Town*. Offaly County Council.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Edenderry Town Hall, JKL Street, O'Connell Square, Edenderry, County Offaly"](https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/14804022/edenderry-town-hall-oconnell-square-edenderry-edenderry-co-offaly). National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 23 January 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Demographic context"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081030030920/http://www.offaly.ie/NR/rdonlyres/A4AD027E-87E4-4353-917B-47C75D92768F/1095/Chapter2ContextandChallenges_FEB08.pdf) (PDF). *Offaly County Council Development Plan 2009 - 2015*. Archived from [the original](http://www.offaly.ie/NR/rdonlyres/A4AD027E-87E4-4353-917B-47C75D92768F/1095/Chapter2ContextandChallenges_FEB08.pdf) (PDF) on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 28 June 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sch-1_11-0)** ["Schools"](http://www.edenderryparish.ie/schools/). *Edenderry Parish*. Retrieved 19 August 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sch-2_12-0)** ["Loetb website"](https://www.loetb.ie/edenderry-fetc). *Laois and Offaly Education Board*. Retrieved 1 June 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [Edenderry Chamber of Commerce](http://www.edenderrychamber.ie/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [Edenderry Rugby Club](http://www.edenderryrugby.com)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Edenderry GAA Club"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130516060516/http://www.edenderrygaa.com/). Archived from [the original](http://www.edenderrygaa.com/) on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Edenderry Soccer Club"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100225140229/http://www.edenderrytownafc.com/). Archived from [the original](http://www.edenderrytownafc.com/) on 25 February 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Highfield Golf Club"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131103181210/http://www.highfield-golf.ie/). Archived from [the original](http://www.highfield-golf.ie/) on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Indy-1_18-0)** Reynolds, Dierdre (7 December 2014). ["'I just think all performers are a bit weird...me included' - Neil Delamere"](http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/theatre-arts/i-just-think-all-performers-are-a-bit-weirdme-included-neil-delamere-30796311.html). Irish Independent. Retrieved 5 December 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Frantic Jack Tour hits Brandon's"](https://clarechampion.ie/frantic-jack-tour-hits-brandons/). *[The Clare Champion](/source/The_Clare_Champion)*. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-It-1_20-0)** ["A robust performer with a Derry air"](http://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-robust-performer-with-a-derry-air-1.239469). [The Irish Times](/source/The_Irish_Times). 16 October 1999. Retrieved 11 August 2024. He performed a number of "come-back" concerts through the 1980s...though he lived a largely quiet life with his wife Carmel (nee Dignam), in Edenderry, Co Offaly

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Edenderry, County Offaly](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Edenderry,_County_Offaly).

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for ***[Edenderry](https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Edenderry#Q1016311)***.

v t e Places in County Offaly County town: Tullamore Towns Banagher Birr Clara Cloghan Daingean Edenderry Ferbane Tullamore Villages and Townlands Ballinagar Ballyboy Ballycumber Belmont Blue Ball Bracknagh Brosna Cadamstown Clareen Clonahenoge Clonbullogue Clonmacnoise Clonony Clonygowan Coolderry Crinkill Croghan Cushina Doon Dunkerrin Durrow Geashill Horseleap Kilcormac Killeigh Killoughey Killurin Kinnitty Moneygall Mountbolus Mucklagh Pollagh Rahan Rath Rhode Shannonbridge Shannon Harbour Shinrone Walsh Island Landforms Arderin Barcam Bog of Allen Boora bog Carroll's Hill Farbreague Clara Bog Croghan Hill Esker Riada Grand Canal Raheenmore Bog River Brosna River Camcor River Shannon Silver River Stillbrook Hill Wolftrap Mountain Yellow River Topics Education in County Offaly Geography of County Offaly History of County Offaly List of National Monuments in County Offaly List of townlands of County Offaly Media in County Offaly Mountains and hills of County Offaly Politics of County Offaly Religion in County Offaly Rivers of County Offaly Transport in County Offaly Counties of Ireland

Authority control databases International VIAF WorldCat National United States Israel Geographic MusicBrainz area Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edenderry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edenderry) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edenderry?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.