Arklow is a town in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. The town is overlooked by Ballymoyle Hill. It was founded by the Vikings in the ninth century. Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion. Its proximity to Dublin led to it becoming a commuter town with a population of 13,163 as of the 2016 census.
Arklow is at the mouth of the River Avoca, the longest river wholly within County Wicklow. The town is divided by the river, which is crossed by the Nineteen Arches Bridge, a stone arch bridge linking the southern or main part of the town with the northern part, called Ferrybank. The Nineteen Arches Bridge is the longest handmade stone bridge in Ireland, and a plaque on the south end of the bridge acknowledges this.
Environment
As of 2007, the River Avoca was classified as “seriously polluted” by the Irish EPA as a result of the discharge of sewage directly into the river[24] in addition to a long history of industrial pollution in the area from early mining operations and more recent chemical industries. In previous centuries, Arklow was renowned for oyster beds.
Raw effluent from the town still travels through the drainage system built in the 1930s and 1940s, and enters the River Avoca untreated via several sewage outfall pipes along the river. A sewage treatment plant has long been proposed for the area, and was first awarded planning permission in 1993. This was challenged unsuccessfully to An Bord Pleanála, however subsequently no funding arrived from government, and the planning permission lapsed. A further ten-year planning permission was granted in 1999. This too was unsuccessfully challenged to An Bord Pleanála, with conditional planning approval given in 2005. As of 2019, planning permission was again confirmed for a “high-tech” waste water treatment facility.
Services and development
A recycling centre is located in one of the town’s industrial estates. It is run by Wicklow County Council.
A few kilometres into the Irish Sea is the Arklow Bank Wind Park. Opened in 2004, this wind farm is made up of a test of seven GE 3.6 MW machines, with 106m turbines.
Sports
The local Gaelic football club, Arklow Geraldines Ballymoney GAA, was founded in 1999 and is based at Pearse Park. Arklow Rock Parnells GAA club, founded in 1953, is primarily involved in hurling and camogie and plays at Parnell Park.
The town’s association football clubs include Arklow Town F.C. (founded in 1948), Arklow United F.C. (Ferndale Park), and Arklow Celtic F.C. (Celtic Park).
Arklow Rugby Club plays its home games at The Oval, and Arklow Rowing Club is based on the town’s South Quay.
There is a 18 hole links golf course at Arklow Golf Club (founded 1927).
Culture
The Seabreeze Festival is a three-day event in mid-July. The festival includes a number of live shows and events at various venues throughout the town, ending in a fireworks display.
Arklow has been both the birthplace and place of residence for many artists such as George Campbell who was born there son of the self-taught artist Gretta Bowen.
Lilian Davidson drew sketches and painted scenes of the town and beaches. One such work, The Netter, Arklow depicts a scene of a man repairing a net by the harbourside with the harbour in the background; on the reserve-side of the painting is a sketch of children playing on the south beach.
Music
Arklow is the title setting for Van Morrison‘s 1974 song “Streets of Arklow“, one of eight songs he wrote on a three-week vacation back to Ireland, and featured on his album Veedon Fleece. The “Battle of Arklow” is a hornpipe and non-traditional set dance tune, and is often played at feiseanna and other Irish dance competitions.
Arklow is also the home town of pop group Moloko‘s lead singer Róisín Murphy.
The Arklow Silver Band were featured on the track Red Hill Mining Town by U2, on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree.
The “Arklow Music Festival” is held in the town annually. It was established in 1970. The festival lasts a week and it involves people coming to compete from all around the country. They compete in solo forms and group forms.
