placenamesCoolquoy
Cúil Chaoith
Coolquoy, also written Coolquay, combines a long local school history with a more recent tradition of chocolate making.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- Cúil Chaoith · Irish · main form · validated name
- Coolquoy · English · main form
Place & story
The first Kilcoskan school
Kilcoskan National School began in 1864 on land provided by Reverend Crofts of Kilsallaghan. Its first building contained one classroom, with the teacher's living quarters above, reached by exterior stone steps. Around twenty pupils initially attended. A second classroom was fitted out in the 1930s, but overcrowding soon prompted discussion of a replacement. The original school stood less than half a kilometre from its successor. [2]
The school built in 1948
The Monks family provided land for the replacement Kilcoskan school, organised by parish priest Father Kevlihan and supported by local fundraising. It was ready in 1948. A classroom and reception area followed in 2004, while a larger project completed in 2015 refurbished the original rooms and added mainstream classrooms, small-group teaching rooms and autism provision. These building phases record successive responses to changing educational needs. [2]
Chez Emily’s Irish–Belgian beginnings
Ferdinand Vandaele and Helena Hemeryck established Chez Emily Handmade Chocolates on 1 July 1996 after moving from Belgium to Ireland. Their enterprise developed from family recipes, combining Belgian chocolate with local ingredients. The production base at Coolquay is distinct from the firm's shop in Ashbourne. It represents a modern craft business within the rural settlement, connecting the district with a particular Belgian food-making tradition. [3] [4]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Coolquoy. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- The Story of Kilcoskan National School Past,Present and Future · Kilcoskan National School
- The Story of Chez Emily · Chez Emily
- Chez Emily Fine Handmade Chocolates · Fáilte Ireland,Discover Ireland
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2021-02-17. How this page was prepared.