Hollywood, County Wicklow

Hollywood
Cillín Chaoimhín
Town

Hollywood village
Hollywood

Location in Ireland

Coordinates: 53°05′26″N 6°36′07″W / 53.09056°N 6.601956°W / 53.09056; -6.601956Coordinates: 53°05′26″N 6°36′07″W / 53.09056°N 6.601956°W / 53.09056; -6.601956
Country Ireland
Province Leinster
County County Wicklow
Elevation 186 m (610 ft)
Population (2006)
 • Rural 672
Time zone WET (UTC+0)
 • Summer (DST) IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference N938055

Hollywood, historically known as Killinkeyvin[1] (Irish: Cillín Chaoimhín, meaning "Kevin's little church"), is a village in west County Wicklow, Ireland. It is situated on the Wicklow Gap road, near its junction with the N81 national secondary road. It is located approximately 30 minutes from Co. Dublin, by car. It is known for its pre-1950's themed fair which takes place in August of every year. A population of less the 100 people registered in the 2002 Census, though the community draws from a larger area which consists of about 500 people.

Etymology

Cillín Chaoimhín is the associated Irish name for Hollywood; its literal translation being Kevin's Small Church. Another, older Irish name is Cnoic Rua, literally meaning Red Hill. This may be a reference to the red berries of holly trees on the hills above the village or it may in fact be a reference to the presence of Wicklow heather. Another possibility is that the original name for Hollywood may have been Holy Wood, as a reference to Saint Kevin's passage through.

History

Tutty's of Hollywood.

The village has a long association with 6th Century Saint Kevin and many pilgrims passed through, following in Saint Kevin's footsteps, on their way to the monastic settlement at Glendalough, until the practice ceased in the early 1900s. Local landmarks include Saint Kevin's Chair,[2] and Saint Kevin's Cave.[3] Saint Kevin's Way is a 30 km pilgrim path from Hollywood to Glendalough, and it is the good way to enjoy part of the Wicklow Mountains National Park.[4]

Surroundings

Sign in Hollywood, Co. Wicklow

The Church of Ireland in the village church has a vaulted roof from the 17th century. About 3 km northeast of the village is the picturesque Poulaphouca, where the Liffey cascades in three stages. The Poulaphouca Reservoir (also known as Blessington Lakes), which cover about 5,000 acres (20 km2) or 20 km², were formed 50 years ago by the building of the Poulaphouca Dam and hydroelectric power station, and today serve the purpose of providing the power and water that supply County Dublin.

The Bronze Age Piper's Stones, are 3.5 km to the southwest of Hollywood on the N81.[5] The site is signposted.

Hollywood, like its namesake in California, has an illustrious past in the entertainment industry. It has provided the picturesque setting for some of the filming of several movies, including King Arthur, Dancing At Lughnasa, and Michael Collins. An imitation of the iconic Hollywood sign overlooks the village from a nearby hill.[6]

Sports

Gaelic games play a strong role in the community, the local club being Hollywood GAA club who play in the Wicklow Senior Football Championship.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Placenames Database of Ireland
  2. ↑ Saint Kevin's Chair
  3. ↑ Saint Kevin's Bed or Cave
  4. ↑ St Kevin’s Way, Co. Wicklow on the Heritage Council website
  5. ↑ The Piper's Stones
  6. ↑ "Welcome to the real Hollywood". Irish Examiner. 2011-08-30. Retrieved 2016-01-09.
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