Rathmullan

Rathmullan

*Ráth Maoláin*
Rathmullan Ráth Maoláin
Village
	Rathmullan Beach
	Rathmullan Location in Ireland
	Coordinates: 55°05′39″N 07°32′15″W / 55.09417°N 7.53750°W
Country	Ireland
Province	Ulster
County	County Donegal
Government
• Dáil constituency	Donegal
Population (2016)	493
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid Reference	C295275

Rathmullan (Irish: Ráth Maoláin, meaning 'Maolán's ringfort')^[2] is a seaside village and townland on the Fanad Peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland. It is situated on the western shore of Lough Swilly, 11 kilometres (7 mi) north-east of Ramelton and 12 km (7 mi) east of Milford. Rathmullan was the point of departure during the Flight of the Earls in 1607, a major turning point in Irish history.

History

Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes court tomb and ringfort sites in the neighbouring townlands of Crevary Upper and Rathmullan and Ballyboe.^[3]^[4]

Within Rathmullan village is a ruined Carmelite friary, dating to 1516, which was built by Eoghan Rua MacSweeney.^[4] The friary was sacked by the English garrison from Sligo in 1595. In 1617, the friary was occupied by the Protestant Bishop of Raphoe, Andrew Knox. A subsequent Bishop of Raphoe turned it into a fortified house in anticipation of a possible French invasion during the Napoleonic Wars.

On 14 September 1607, 99 aristocrats of the Gaelic Order, including of Clan Ó Néill and Clan Ó Domhnaill, left Rathmullan for the European continent, an episode known as the Flight of the Earls. On 14 September 2007, president Mary McAleese visited the village to mark the 400th anniversary of the event. She unveiled a sculpture by John Behan that represents the plight of the men who were led by the Gaelic aristocrats.^[5]

There are the remains of a Martello tower or battery in the village which serves as a heritage centre. The fortification was one of six originally built c. 1813 by the British as part of a defence along Lough Swilly against feared Napoleonic invasion.^[6] These batteries were manned up until the end of the World War I to protect British warships that were moored in Lough Swilly.^[7]

Amenities

There are three churches in Rathmullan: St. Joseph's Catholic Church,^[8] St. Columb's Church of Ireland (Parish of Killygarvan),^[9] and the Rathmullan Presbyterian Church.^[10]

Other facilities in Rathmullan include shops, a resource centre, a spa, a wedding venue (Drumhalla House), and a hotel.^{[citation needed]}

Events

The annual Lough Swilly Deep Sea Fishing Festival is held locally in June. The 2007 festival took place on Saturday 2 June and Sunday 3 June.^{[citation needed]}

Literature

Rathmullan is the setting for Australian/British author Brand King's novel An Irish Winter,^[11] published in 2020. A number of features of the village are described in the novel, including the local beach.^{[citation needed]} The traditional New Year's Day cold water swim also features, while a number of scenes are set in the Beachcomber Bar and An Bonnan Bui Cafe.^{[citation needed]}

Notable people

Ian Anderson (1925–2005), former President of the Legislative Council of the Isle of Man.^{[citation needed]}
Mary McAlister (1896–1976), Irish-born Scottish nurse who became an MP for the UK Labour Party.^{[citation needed]}
Hugh Law (1818–1883), Lord Chancellor of Ireland, died here in 1883.^[12]

References

^ "Census 2016 Sapmap Area: Settlements Rathmullen". Central Statistics Office (Ireland). Retrieved 6 June 2018.
^ "Ráth Maoláin/Rathmullan". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
^ Cody, Eamon, ed. (2002), Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume VI, County Donegal, Dublin: Government Stationery Office
^ ^a ^b Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century, Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983
^ "McAleese unveils Flight of Earls statue". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
^ "Rathmullan Fort, Kerrs Bay Road, Rathmullan And Ballyboe, Rathmullan, Donegal". buildingsofireland.ie. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
^ "Local history". St. Joseph's School, Rathmullan. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
^ "St. Joseph's Church". Diocese of Raphoe. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
^ "St. Columb's Church". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
^ "Rathmullan Presbyterian Church". Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
^ King, Brand (30 June 2020). An Irish Winter. The Choir Press. ISBN 9781789630992.
^ Lee, Sidney, ed. (1892). "Law, Hugh" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 32. London: Smith, Elder & Co.