Rathmullan, County Donegal
| Rathmullan Irish: Ráth Maoláin | |
| County Donegal | |
|---|---|
 Rathmullan | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | C295275 |
| Location: | 55°5’39"N, 7°32’15"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 493 (2016) |
| Local Government | |
| Dáil constituency: |
Donegal |
Rathmullan is a small seaside village on the Fanad Peninsula in County Donegal. It is situated on the western shore of Lough Swilly, seven miles north-east of Ramelton and seven and a half miles east of Milford. Rathmullan serves as an important historical village as it was the scene of the Flight of the Earls in 1607, a major turning point in Irish history.
The name of the village is from the Gaelic Ráth Maoláin, meaning 'Maoláin's ringfort'.
Rathmullan has a range of local shops, a resource centre, The Looking Glass Spa Therapy, Drumhalla House, and also hotels such as Rathmullan House, two others having closed down.
About the village
There are also the ruins of the Carmelite Friary in Rathmullan which was built by Eoghan Rua MacSweeney in 1516. The Friary was sacked by the English garrison from Sligo in 1595. In 1617 the Friary was occupied by the Protestant Bishop of Raphoe, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Andrew Knox. A subsequent Bishop of Raphoe turned it into a fortified house in anticipation of a possible French invasion during the Napoleonic Wars.
In 1607, Rathmullan was also said to have seen the last of the Gaelic Order, most notably the Clan Ó Néill and the Clan Ó Domhnaill, during the Flight of the Earls to the Continent. This 'flight' took place from Portnamurray on the southern edge of the town.
The remains of a Martello Tower stand in the town, and this tower serves as a heritage centre. The tower was one of six originally built in 1812 as part of a defence along Lough Swilly against feared Napoleonic invasion. These Batteries were manned up until the end of the First World War to protect British warships which were moored in Lough Swilly.[1]
Churches
- Church of Ireland: St. Columb's (Parish of Killygarvan),[2]
- Presbyterian: Rathmullan Presbyterian Church.[3]
- Roman Catholic: St Joseph's Catholic Church,[4]
Lough Swilly Deep Sea Fishing Festival
The sea is a large part of the lives of the people of Rathmullan and the Lough Swilly Deep Sea Fishing Festival held in June celebrates this intimate connection.
In literature
Rathmullan is the setting for Brand King's novel An Irish Winter,[5] The story follows the gradually intertwining lives of Alice and Felix, who arrive in the village following traumatic upheavals in their private lives. Many features of the village are described in detail in the novel, with the beach getting special attention. The traditional new year's day cold water swim also features, along with wildlife such as seals and rooks, while a number of scenes are set in the Beachcomber Bar and An Bonnan Bui Café.
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References
- ↑ "Local history". http://stjosephsrathmullan.ie/localhistory.html.
- ↑ "St. Columb's Church". https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/40819009/st-columbs-church-or-ireland-church-church-road-rathmullan-and-ballyboe-rathmullan-donegal.
- ↑ "Rathmullan Presbyterian Church". https://www.presbyterianireland.org/Prayer/Prayer-for-Today/2020/January-2020/12-Jan-18-Jan/Rathmullan-Presbyterian-Church.aspx.
- ↑ "St. Joseph's Church". https://www.raphoediocese.ie/church/rathmullan/st-josephs-church/.
- ↑ King, Brand: 'An Irish Winter' (The Choir Press, 2020) ISBN 9781789630992; pages 302