Riverstown

For other uses, see Riverstown (disambiguation).

Riverstown, historically called Ballyederdaowen (Irish: Baile idir dhá Abhainn, meaning 'town between two rivers'),^[2] is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. Known for its musical tradition it is located at a bridging point of the River Unshin (Arrow), 17.2 km (10 miles) south of Sligo town and 4 km east of the N4 road.

Riverstown Irish: Baile idir dhá Abhainn
Village
Street corner in Riverstown
Riverstown Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 54°07′54″N 8°23′40″W
Country	Ireland
Province	Connacht
County	County Sligo
Elevation	74 m (243 ft)
Population  (2022)[1]	394
Irish Grid Reference	G742203

Amenities

Amenities and notable buildings in the area include the post office, Coopershill House and the Garda barracks (built c. 1890).^[3] There are also a number of pubs and shops.^{[citation needed]}

The local Church of Ireland church, Tawnagh parish church, dates to c. 1817.^[4] The Roman Catholic church in Riverstown, the Church of the Sacred Heart, was built in 1940.^[5]

Culture and community

Each year the village hosts the Riverstown Vintage Festival on the June Bank Holiday Weekend,^[6] and the James Morrison Traditional Music Festival during the August Bank Holiday Weekend.^[7]

During the 1990s, Riverstown and the Brookeborough Community Development Association launched the 'Riverbrooke Cross-Border Initiative' linking the two villages in a programme of cross-community/cross-border working.^[8][9]

Folk park

Sligo Folk Park, situated at the east end of the town, was created as the result of a community effort in the 1990s.^[10][11]

People

See also: Category:People from Riverstown, County Sligo

• El Marqués de Osorno, Viceroy of Peru, was a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator in Chile and Peru from 1788 to 1801. He was born Ambrose O'Higgins at Ballynary, about halfway between Riverstown and Ballinafad.^{[citation needed]}
• Michael Bowles (1909–1998), conductor and composer, born in Riverstown.^[12]
• James Morrison (1893–1947), South Sligo-style fiddler was born in the townland of Drumfin close to Riverstown.^[13]

Gallery

• 
  Riverstown Catholic church
• 
  John Stenson memorial in Riverstown
• 
  The James Morrison Teach Cheoil or the Morrison Cottage
• 
  Riverstown Church of Ireland
• 
  Riverstown Garda station

See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

References

1. "Census Mapping – Towns: Riverstown". Census 2022. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
2. "Baile idir Dhá Abhainn / Riverstown (see archival records)". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
3. "Riverstown Garda Station, Cooperhill, Riverstown, Sligo". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
4. "Tawnagh Parish Church of Ireland Church, Cooperhill, Riverstown, Sligo". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
5. "Church of the Sacred Heart, Ardkeeran [corran By.], Riverstown, Sligo". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
6. "Sligo Folk Park". 18 July 2021. Our Events. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. our Vintage & Heritage Day on the June Bank holiday weekend{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
7. "James Morrison". Retrieved 18 July 2021.
8. "Riverbrooke Cross-border Initiative - A Brief History". riverbrookeinitiative.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009.
9. "Riverbrooke crossborder initiative celebrates 15 years". Sligo Champion. Independent News & Media. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
10. "HISTORY – Sligo Folk Park". sligofolkpark.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
11. "Hope and history rhyme in Riverstown Folk Park". Independent.ie.
12. Klein, Axel (2013). "Bowles, Michael". In White, Harry; Boydell, Barra (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland. Dublin: UCD Press. p. 112.
13. "James Morrison Biography". jamesmorrisonfestival.com. Retrieved 17 July 2021.