Ashbourne (Irish: Cill Dhéagláin, meaning 'Déaglán's church')[2] is a town in County Meath, Ireland.

[6] Archaeological excavations in the area around Ashbourne have revealed evidence of settlement back to neolithic times.

In the townland of Rath, to the north of the town centre, a Bronze Age settlement was found during the construction of the M2 motorway.

Archaeological excavations on the site of the Lidl supermarket revealed indications of the original medieval town, with several house remains, associated field systems, fish traps and mill races.

[2] Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, set about building fortified houses, called mottes and baileys, in case the native Irish would regroup and attack.

They became one of the most influential and wealthy non-aristocratic families in Ireland during the 16th century, with two gaining the high political office of Chancellor of the Exchequer, while another became High Sheriff of Meath; Richard Segrave ( died 1598) and his son Patrick Segrave were both judges of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland).

With the final subjugation of the native Irish after 1690, and the imposition of religious persecution in the Penal Laws, a new land-owner named Thomas Carter gained possession of the Killeglan lands.

Government regulations allowed for considerable spending on roads, and the subsequent improvements ensured greater post-coach services.

[citation needed] On 28 April 1916, a group of Fingal Volunteers attacked the Royal Irish Constabulary barracks at Ashbourne.

This event is documented in Ríocht na Mídhe, the journal of the Meath Archaeological and Historical Society, and other sources.

The group were estimated to number 45 men and were under the command of Thomas Ashe, a national school teacher in Lusk with Richard Mulcahy acting as second-in-command.

[citation needed] However, before they could emerge, a supporting convoy of cars and RIC reinforcements arrived from the direction of Slane.

Ashe's force spread out and rushed along Slane road to stop the RIC convoy from reaching Rath Cross.

Thomas Ashe and his men were sentenced to death for their part in the attack, but this was later commuted to penal servitude for life.

The memorial, designed by Con O'Reilly and Peter Grant, commemorates the battle and John Crenigan and Thomas Rafferty who were killed.

[citation needed] On Easter Monday 2016, Rath Cross was the location of one of a number of 1916 centenary commemoration events.

[citation needed] In September 2016, the monument was expanded with the addition of two side figures; one representing the Volunteers in uniform, the other a family.

Almost one-fifth of all non-Irish born in the town are originally from Lithuania, and Lithuanian language services are held in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

The road is a six-lane dual-carriageway from the M50 until exit 2, Cherryhound in County Dublin, where it becomes a motorway from there to the Rath roundabout, 1.5 km north of Ashbourne.

[16] The Roman Catholic parish of Ashbourne extends south to Newtown Commons, east to Greenoge, north to Rath and west to Harlockstown.

These include a Gaelic Athletic Association club, Donaghmore Ashbourne GAA, which was originally founded as 'Donaghmore' in 1923 at the Wootton.

[citation needed] The community centre is used by sporting organisations, including St Andrews Athletics Club.