Omeath (Irish: Ó Méith) is a village in County Louth, close to the border with Northern Ireland. It is roughly mid way between Dublin and Belfast, very near the County Louth and County Armagh / County Down border. Omeath has a population of 439 and is named after Muireadheach Méith (méith= the fat). Originally it called Uí Méith Mara-by the sea - to distinguish it from another Ó Méith named after the same man.
Native Irish speakers existed in Omeath until just before the middle of the 20th century. Although the dialect is now dead, recordings have been made by German linguist Wilhelm Doegen for the Royal Irish Academy.
The Location
Omeath had a station on the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore railway, which opened on 1 August 1876 and finally closed on 1 January 1952. Omeath station is well preserved. The platform edge can still be seen beyond the station building.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
The Newry & Greenore Railway opened on 1 May 1873 to connect the town of Newry with the London & North Western Railway's port at Greenore, etsablished in 1867 with ferry service to Heysham and Fleetwood in Lancashire. From 1873 ferry service was also provided between Greenore and Holyhead in North Wales. The name was changed to the Dundalk, Newry & Greenore Railway in 1873, and the line opened to Dundalk in 1876 and was closed in 1951 shortly after the withdrawal of the ferries.
The railway had five locomotives. All were Ramsbottom 0-6-0 saddle tanks, similar to those used on the L&NWR. They were built at Crewe and modified for the Irish broad gauge.
Parking
There is free public parking at the bottom of Station Road, at Omeath Pier, which is only a minute walk away from the cache location. In summer time it can be very busy though on the weekends.
The Cache
The cache is a small tablock box with room for few small swaps and TBs.