[citation needed] Sir William Courtenay, the local landlord, held 10,500 acres (42 km2) of land in Newcastle West in the late 16th century.

[citation needed] The motto that goes with the town coat of arms is "As Dúchas Dóchas", which may be translated as 'Our Hope springs from our Traditions'.

[citation needed] On 1 August 2008, up to 20 homes were badly affected by overnight flash flooding in Newcastle West, in an incident described as a 'freak' occurrence.

A number of people had to be rescued from their houses after the River Arra burst its banks following heavy rain.

seeing the expanding of the town as a services centre for West Limerick, also bringing an increase in population.

Many people who work in Limerick City live in Newcastle West and its environs and commute the 42 kilometres (26 mi) daily.

[citation needed] Employers include Pallas Foods, Rettig Myson, Ballygowan Spring Water and Filtertek.

[5] and IrishTourism.com,[6] Retail outlets and supermarkets in the area include Dooley's SuperValu, a Tesco, an Aldi, and a Lidl.

Newcastle West is forty minutes drive from Limerick City and an hour from Killarney.

[8] The town was connected to the railway network until 1975, as part of the "North Kerry" line, from Limerick city to Tralee, via Rathkeale and Listowel.

It closed for passenger traffic on 4 February 1963, regular goods traffic on 2 December 1974 and finally closed on 3 November 1975, although occasional passenger special trains, diesel and steam hauled, had operated into the 1970s.

[9] The station had an unusual layout, with two turntables and water columns for steam locomotives, the result of the lines from the Rathkeale and Abbeyfeale directions having been built by different companies.

[12] Ardagh, Dromcolliher, Broadford, Carrigkerry, Kilmeedy, Castlemahon, Feenagh, Ballingarry, Knockaderry, Feohanagh and Killeedy are all villages within 10 miles of Newcastle West.