Bettystown

Bettystown Baile an Bhiataigh
Village
Neptune Hotel, Bettystown
Bettystown Location in Ireland
Coordinates:
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	County Meath
Elevation	2 m (7 ft)
Population (2011)
• Urban	10,889
	as part of Laytown- Bettystown-Mornington
Irish Grid Reference	O156734

Beach of Bettystown

Bettystown (Irish: Baile an Bhiataigh), previously known as Betaghstown transliterated to Beattystown/Bettystown, is a small, rapidly expanding, village in an area known as East Meath within County Meath, Ireland. Together with the neighbouring villages of Laytown and Mornington it comprises the census town of Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington with a combined population of 10889 at the 2011 Census.

During the boom years of the Celtic Tiger, with increasing property prices in Dublin, Bettystown expanded to cater for large numbers of commuters to Dublin. In 2007, it was announced that in revisions to Dáil Constituency boundaries for 2012, Bettystown and Laytown as far as the River Nanny would be ceded from the three-seat constituency of Meath East to the five-seat constituency of Louth.

Transport & communications

The Dublin and Drogheda Railway line opened on 25 May 1844 with a station at Bettystown. However, this station was to close soon after in November 1847 and since then the village has been served by Laytown railway station also opened on the Dublin and Drogheda Railway line on 25 May 1844 (renamed as Laytown & Bettystown in 1913). The opening of the M1 motorway between Dublin and Northern Ireland as well as the frequent rail service from Laytown to Dublin have made commuting a realistic option. Bus Éireann route 190 provides several daily services between Laytown and Drogheda via Bettystown and Mornington.

Amenities

Bettystown contains three supermarkets, two pharmacies, several take away food outlets and restaurants, three pubs and the East Meath Credit Union. There are a number of local schools, both primary and secondary.

Education

There are two primary schools in Laytown/Bettystown which follow a Catholic ethos. They are Scoil Oilibhear Naofa Junior School and Scoil an Spioraid Naomh Senior School. Scoil Oilibhear Naofa is a recently built state-of-the-art school and the Department of Education has plans for a complete redevelopment of Scoil an Spioraid Naomh.

There are also two multi-denominational schools outside the town that service East Meath and South Drogheda. They are Le Cheile Educate Together National School and Gaelscoil an Bhradain Feasa. These schools teach an ethical programme and a basic type of comparative religion. If parents want the children to have faith formation in any particular religion, they have to arrange that in after school classes.

A new secondary school (Colaiste na hInse) has been built in Laytown which services the East Meath area.

Leisure facilities

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Leisure facilities in the Bettystown area include Funtasia, an amusement park, a tennis club and a golf course.

The resident professional at Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club is R. J. Browne who has been at the club for many decades. He has been coach to many players including Des Smyth and Darren Clarke. The course par is 71 and course record is 64. The club celebrated 100 years in 2009. Several club members have been capped for Ireland: Declan Branigan, Des Smyth, Val Smyth and Robert Cannon.

In 2010 Johnny G and Johnny M, both of whom live in the village, formed the vocal group "The Odd Couple", a versatile and entertaining duo who play regular gigs in the vicinity.

Originally, the 'Wild Atlantic Way' was designated to start in the car park beside Pat's Centra supermarket, but when authorities refused this due to the non-proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, riots broke out on the beach. As darkness fell the party-goers drifted off to buy ice creams.

Archaeological finds and myths

On the beach at Bettystown, one of Ireland's most notable historical finds was made. In 1850 a peasant woman claimed to have found the Tara Brooch in a box buried in the sand. The Tara Brooch is now on display in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.

External links

• Meath Tourism, for information on Accommodation, Heritage, Things to Do, Angling, Horse Racing and Maps

See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland