Welcome to Dungourney

Dungourney is a magical little townland in County Cork, Ireland. Can you believe it's been around for hundreds of years? Wow! A long, long time ago, it was part of vast, old woodlands. Its name in Irish, 'Dún Guairne', means 'Fort of Guairne'. Guairne was probably an important person in the old times who had a fort there.

Now, here comes the fun part! In the 1800s, a big, bustling distillery was set up in Dungourney. A distillery is a place where they make drinks like whiskey. This place was so special that it even had its own railway! Imagine that - a train just for whiskey!

But, it's not all about whiskey. Dungourney has a famous sports history too. It's known for the ancient Irish sport of hurling, and the local team won the All-Ireland championship in 1897. That's like winning the world cup!

Even though it's a small townland, Dungourney has a big, rich history, from forts and forests, to whiskey and hurling. It's a special place with lots of stories to tell, just like your favourite book!

  1. What does 'Dún Guairne', the Irish name for Dungourney, mean?
  2. What special facility did the distillery in Dungourney have in the 1800s?
  3. What sport is Dungourney known for and when did the local team win the All-Ireland championship?
  4. Why do you think the townland of Dungourney might have been important in the past? Use evidence from the text in your answer.
  5. How does the history of Dungourney reflect the broader history of Ireland? Use evidence from the text in your answer.

All About Dungourney

Dungourney is a lovely small village in County Cork, Ireland. It's tucked away in the south of the country and is surrounded by lush green fields and rolling hills. If you were to visit, you would see pretty country lanes rather than busy streets, and there are no tall buildings, only cozy homes and farms.

One of the special things about Dungourney is its natural beauty. It's home to many different plants and animals. You might see foxes, rabbits, and a wide variety of birds. If you look closely in the spring, you might even spot some colourful wildflowers.

The Dungourney River flows through the village, providing a home for many fish and other water creatures. It's a wonderful spot for a picnic or a walk. You might even see some ducks swimming by! Near the village, there's also a big forest called Dromada More where you can go for an adventure.

In the village itself, you might notice a special place called the Jameson Heritage Centre, which used to be a whiskey distillery. It's not a playground, but it's a very important part of Dungourney's history. Always remember, Dungourney is a place with lots of nature and history to explore!.

  1. What are some of the different animals you might see in Dungourney?
  2. Describe the Dungourney River and explain its importance to the village.
  3. What is the Jameson Heritage Centre and why is it significant to the village's history?
  4. Use a map to identify where Dungourney is located in relation to other major cities in Ireland.
  5. Explore the area around Dungourney and find a geographical feature not mentioned in the text. What is it, and why did it catch your attention?

My Family and Dungourney

Hi! I'm Vinnie and I am 8 years old. I live in a place called Dungourney in Co. Cork, which is a really cool place! It's not too big, but I love it because I have lots of space to run around and play.

One of my favourite things about living here is the big church in the middle of the village - St. Peter's Church. It's really old and has a tall tower that I sometimes pretend is a castle. I also love the Dungourney River that flows nearby. It's fun to watch the ducks swimming there. My friends and I sometimes have picnics by the river when it's sunny.

We also have a GAA pitch where I love to play hurling. It's a sport that's very popular in Ireland. I'm not the best player yet, but I'm getting better. I'm on the under 8's team and we train every Saturday. I really enjoy it!

So, that's a bit about me and where I live. Dungourney is great and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!

  1. Can you tell me why Vinnie likes living in Dungourney?
  2. What does Vinnie pretend the tower of St. Peter's Church is?
  3. What activities does Vinnie do by the Dungourney River?
  4. What sport does Vinnie play and where?
  5. How does Vinnie feel about playing hurling?

The Logainm of Dungourney

Dungourney is a special place in County Cork, Ireland. Its name sounds a bit tricky, doesn't it? Well, it's because it's an Irish word! Dungourney comes from the Irish word 'Dún Guairne'. 'Dún' means 'fort' and 'Guairne' is the name of a person. So, Dungourney means 'Guairne's fort'.

Long ago, there was a person named Guairne who had his own fort there. Imagine having a fort of your own! We don't know much about Guairne, but he must have been important to have a fort named after him. Now, Dungourney is a beautiful village where people live, play, and go to school. It's not a fort anymore, but it's still a very important place.

Even though we don't have forts like Guairne's these days, we have buildings and places named after people. So, in a way, we're still carrying on the tradition of Guairne, aren't we? We name our places after people who are important to us, just like how Dungourney was named after Guairne.

  1. What does the name 'Dungourney' mean in English?
  2. Who was Guairne and what was named after him?
  3. How does Dungourney look like today?
  4. How are we still carrying on the tradition of Guairne?
  5. Can you think of a place that is named after a person? What can you tell us about it?

Slideshow - Dungourney
A full set of teaching plans for teaching about Dungourney