Bastardstown () is a townland and neighbourhood in the civil parish of Kilmore, County Wexford, Ireland. Bastardstown townland had a population of 36 people as of the 2011 census. The place is often noted for its vulgar name, and several news outlets consider it to be one of Ireland's most vulgar place names.
The name Bastardstown dates back to the 1530s, originating from residents Richard Caine and William Seyntloo. "Bastard" was probably a nickname for the land's owner. Like the rest of the barony of Bargy, it was invaded in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland and heavily settled by Anglo- and Cambro-Norman colonists. In 2008, journalist Tom Galvin visited the townland for his column in the Evening Herald. He thought the only reason to go there is to say that you did.
Name The name "Bastardstown" for the place is first recorded in the 1530s, in records of the Dublin Castle administration relating to residents named Richard Caine and William Seyntloo. "Bastard" was probably the nickname of someone who owned the land after the Norman invasion of Ireland led the barony of Bargy, in which Bastardstown is located, to be heavily settled by Anglo- and Cambro-Norman colonists. Many Bargy townlands bear the surname of medieval proprietors. A bastard was a person of illegitimate birth and the surname Bastard developed in medieval times from several founders' personal nicknames. The Irish name is a direct translation of the English—, "town[land] of [person named] Bastard".
The word bastard in later centuries became a vulgar general term of abuse. The place is often noted for its vulgar name. The Irish Mirror, BelfastLive, Irish Star, TheJournal.ie, Irish Parcels and DublinLive consider Bastardstown to be one of Ireland's most vulgar place names, with Irish Parcels making a road trip map of Ireland's most obscene place names with Bastardstown included, and BelfastLive and Irish Mirror putting Bastardstown on the top of their most obscene Irish place names lists.
Demographics and tourism
In 2008, journalist Tom Galvin visited the townland for his column in the Evening Herald. He wrote that "the only purpose of a visit to Bastardstown is to say you were there". The only confirmation that he was in the townland was a notice on a wall of an application for planning permission.
+Population of Bastardstown at censuses Year 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911 1926 2011 2016 Population 179 164 130 121 115 84 76 75 63 36 42 References
Bastardstown Beach The townland is coastal and has a beach named Bastardstown Beach or Seaview.
Artist Orla Barry exhibited a set of 1997–1999 photographs of Bastardstown Beach under the title "Findlings". This evokes , a German word which can mean either a glacial erratic, such as are found on the beach, or a foundling, a type of abandoned child recalling the "bastard" of the beach's name.
Like many other beaches in County Wexford, Bastardstown Beach is heavily affected by coastal erosion, with The Irish Times writer Ronan McGreevy considering it to have the worst coastal erosion in County Wexford. In June 2024, the Irish Government gave €668,921 to Wexford County Council to add another layer of large boulders to protect the road and houses near the coast.
See also Place names considered unusual
Notes
References