Kells, County Meath

Not to be confused with Kells, County Antrim or Kells, County Kilkenny.

Kells (/ˈkɛlz/; Irish: Ceanannas)^{[lower-alpha 1]} is a town in County Meath, Ireland. The town lies off the M3 motorway, 16 km (10 mi) from Navan and 65 km (40 mi) from Dublin. Along with other towns in County Meath, it is within the commuter belt for Dublin,^[3][4][5] and had a population of 6,608 as of the 2022 census.^[2] It is best known as the site of Kells Abbey, from which the Book of Kells takes its name. George III was the big blown to the old castle and worked in this city.

Kells Ceanannas
Town
St Columba's Church of Ireland, Kells
Coat of arms
Motto(s):  Áineas Éireann "The delight of Ireland"
Kells Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53.7272°N 6.8769°W / 53.7272; -6.8769
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	County Meath
Barony	Upper Kells
Area [1]
• Total	2.8 km2 (1.1 sq mi)
Elevation	66 m (217 ft)
Population  (2016)[2]
• Total	6,608
• Density	2,400/km2 (6,100/sq mi)
Eircode routing key	A82
Telephone area code	+353(0)46
Irish Grid Reference	N738759

Name

The settlement was originally known by the Irish name Cenannus, later Ceannanas or Ceannanus, and it is suggested that the name "Kells" developed from this.^[6][7] An early name for a dún or fort at the settlement was Cúil Sibrille, this fort probably being located in the centre of present-day Kells.^[7] From the 12th century onward, the settlement was referred to in English and Anglo-Norman as Kenenus, Kenelles, Kenles, Kenlis, Kellis and finally Kells.^[6] It has also been suggested that Kenlis and Kells come from an alternative Irish name, Ceann Lios (meaning 'Head Fort'). Kells, Kenlis and Headfort all feature in the titles taken by the Taylor family.

In 1929, Ceanannas Mór became the town's official name in both Irish and English.^[6] Following the creation of the Irish Free State, a number of towns were renamed likewise. Ceanannas has been the official Irish-language form of the place name since 1969.^[6] In 1993, Kells was re-adopted as the town's official name in English.^[8]

References

1. For most of the 20th century the city's official name was Ceanannas Mór. In the late 20th century the town reverted to the more widely known English version of its name, Kells, and dropped Mór from the Irish version of the name.

1. "Population Density and Area Size 2016". Central Statistics Office (Ireland). Retrieved 24 March 2019.
2. "Census 2022 - F1015 Population". Central Statistics Office Census 2022 Reports. Central Statistics Office Ireland. August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
3. "Commuters living in misery". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
4. "Shoots of recovery yet to emerge for commuter-belt families seeking help". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
5. "Co Meath house prices: Dublin commuting — Kells, Trim and Ashbourne". The Sunday Times. 13 January 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
6. See archival records at "Ceanannas/Kells". Placenames Database of Ireland.
7. Simms, Anngret; Simms, Katharine (1990). Irish Historic Towns Atlas, No. 4: Kells. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. p. 1.
8. Local Government (Change of Name of Urban District) Order 1993 (S.I. No. 156 of 1993). Signed on 15 June 1993 by Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.