Muine Bheag
Muine Bheag or Muinebheag (), also known in English as Bagenalstown ( ), is a small town in County Carlow which rises from the south of the River Barrow and continues to gently rises towards its neighbouring town of Borris. A small wildlife sanctuary exists between the man-made canal and the river barrow. This town has a very attractive architectural culture. Many buildings around the historic market square are from the 19th and 20th century. Modern redevelopment has become a huge hindrance on this towns unique historical identity. These old buildings can be seen providing a large range of functions  within the town such as retail and residential. Many old Georgian houses have a modern shop front but still provide their original residential functions on the second story.   History and name. The town grew within the townland of Moneybeg, or "Muine Bheag" in Irish (meaning "small thicket"). In the 18th century there was a small hamlet there. Walter Bagenal decided to build a town on the site, named "New Versailles" and modelled after Versailles in France. However, shortly after the building began the coach route from Dublin was changed so that coaches now crossed the River Barrow at Leighlinbridge instead . Bagenal abandoned his plans, having built only a courthouse. It was not until the arrival of the railway in 1846 that the settlement began to grow into a town. In 1911 the town became the first in Ireland to install dual language street signs, which remain in place today. In the aftermath of Ireland's independence in 1920, the town commissioners chose to drop the English name "Bagenalstown" in favour of the Irish "Muine Bheag". The decision proved an ineffective one, and "Bagenalstown" remains in common use among locals. In a 1975 plebiscite 77% of residents polled voted to change  the name back, but the proposal failed due to insufficient voter turnout. The motto on the town's coat of arms is "The Irrepressible Number" and its Irish equivalent "Uimhir Gan Choisc". Historic industry and town function. Muine Bheag history is rich with the milling industry. Rudkins Mill marked the start of this industry. It was erected by Henry Rudkins between the end of the 17th century and the start of the 18th century. Shortly after the opening of Rudkins mill another mill was opened by Owen Murphy. This would be more commonly known as Lodge Mills. In 1792 the  Barrow Navigation Company began their plan to. With the construction of the canal in 1792 this allowed up to 40 tonnes boats to use this transport link to transport goods directly to Dublin. In 1845 record numbers were recorded as 111,225 passengers and 286,601 tonnes of goods were transported along this route. Many of the boats that were used for transporting goods on this canal were owned by corn buyers and maltsters. This allowed them to efficiently transport the goods they needed direct from the Rudkins Mill and Lodge Mill. Muine Bheag very quickly transitioned into a highly prosperous town . It very quickly became recognised for being a post, boat, mill and marketplace. The tradition of milling was also joined by salt and gas works in Muine Bheag in the 18th and 19th century. This industry very quickly declined once the railway had been introduced. In 1852 only a small number of trading boats remained on this river. However, in the current day the canal is only used as a tourist attractions. Places of interest. Near Muine Bheag is Ballyloughan Castle, which comprises a twin-towered gatehouse and the hall and foundations of one of the corner towers of a  large castle dating from about 1300. Ballymoon Castle is 3 km (2 mi) east of Muine Bheag, and is thought to date from the 13th century. Community groups. The 1st Bagenalstown BP Scout Group was set up in 2009 and meets in the McGrath hall. Their activities include hiking, camping, kayaking and games. Muine Bheag hosts a floral festival every August. Sport. Muine Bheag is the local GAA club, formed in 2018 after the amalgamation of three former clubs. Muine Bheag has had a long tradition in cricket. The Bagenalstown Cricket Club was first formed in 1843 by the local  millers, and is still in use. The club's logo is a grinding wheel, which was used in early milling. There is a swimming pool on the approach road to the town from Leighlinbridge. The racehorse Danoli, described in 1995 as "the most popular racehorse in Ireland" was trained near the town by Thomas Foley. Education. Muine Bheag has three primary schools and two secondary schools. Transport. The town is on the River Barrow. It is at the junction of the R705 and R724 regional roads and lies on the eastern side of the R448. It is connected to the  railway network on the Dublin – Kilkenny section of the Dublin-Waterford railway line. This connects the town to nearby Carlow, as well as Kilkenny to the southwest. Muine Bheag railway station opened on 24 July 1848. It was permanently closed for goods traffic on 6 September 1976 and renamed "Muine Bheag" in 1988. International relations. The town was twinned with the town of Pont-Péan, Brittany in 1999. The twinning charter, which is written in Irish, English and French, commits the two towns to "developing social, economic, cultural, touristic, and sporting links" between the two communities.