Ramelton
Encyclopedia
Ramelton is a town in County Donegal
, Ireland
. Its population is 1,088 (2006).
Ramelton is situated at the mouth of the River Lennon, 11 km north of Letterkenny
and 4 km east of Milford
, on the western shores of Lough Swilly
. The town is named from Ráth Mealtáin, (Irish for "the fort of Mealtan"), an early Gaelic chieftain. The fort is said to lie under the ruins of a medieval castle of the O'Donnell
s, the ruling family of West Donegal before their exile to mainland Europe in 1607.
Ramelton was settled by English
and Scots
planters during the Ulster Plantation
of the 17th century and is the site of the oldest Presbyterian church in Ireland.
The town was the setting for the 1995 television program "The Hanging Gale", which told of the Potato Famine
of the 19th century. The town hosts the Lennon Festival, a village fair, since 1970. Ramelton is a Fáilte Ireland
designated Heritage Town.
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Its population is 1,088 (2006).
Ramelton is situated at the mouth of the River Lennon, 11 km north of Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
and 4 km east of Milford
Milford, County Donegal
Milford or Millford, historically called Ballynagalloglagh , is a small town and townland in County Donegal, Ireland. The population at the 2006 census was 829.-History and name:...
, on the western shores of Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly in Ireland is a glacial fjord or sea inlet lying between the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula, in County Donegal. Along with Carlingford Lough and Killary Harbour it is one of three known glacial fjords in Ireland....
. The town is named from Ráth Mealtáin, (Irish for "the fort of Mealtan"), an early Gaelic chieftain. The fort is said to lie under the ruins of a medieval castle of the O'Donnell
O'Donnell
O'Donnell , which is derived from the forename Domhnaill were an ancient and powerful Irish family, kings, princes, and lords of Tír Chonaill in early times, and the chief allies and sometimes...
s, the ruling family of West Donegal before their exile to mainland Europe in 1607.
Ramelton was settled by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scots
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
planters during the Ulster Plantation
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
of the 17th century and is the site of the oldest Presbyterian church in Ireland.
The town was the setting for the 1995 television program "The Hanging Gale", which told of the Potato Famine
Irish Potato Famine (1845–1849)
In Ireland, the Great Famine was a period of mass starvation, disease and emigration between 1845 and 1852. It is also known, mostly outside Ireland, as the Irish Potato Famine...
of the 19th century. The town hosts the Lennon Festival, a village fair, since 1970. Ramelton is a Fáilte Ireland
Fáilte Ireland
Fáilte Ireland is the National Tourism Development Authority of the Republic of Ireland. This authority was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act of 2003 and replaces and builds upon the functions of Bord Fáilte, its predecessor organization...
designated Heritage Town.
Famous people
- Dave GallaherDave GallaherDavid "Dave" Gallaher was a New Zealand rugby union footballer, best known as the captain of "The Originals", the first New Zealand national rugby union team to be known as the All Blacks....
, All BlacksAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
Rugby captain - Conrad LoganConrad LoganConrad Joseph Logan is an Irish football goalkeeper currently playing for Rotherham United on loan from Leicester City. He was educated at St. Eunan's College in Letterkenny, Co...
, professional footballer - Francis MakemieFrancis MakemieThe Rev. Francis Makemie was an Irish clergyman, considered to be the founder of Presbyterianism in United States of America.Makemie was born into the Ulster-Scots community in Ramelton, County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. He went on to become a clergyman and...
, clergyman, often referred to as the founder of Presbyterianism in the United States - The town is also associated with the Russell and Buchanan families, ancestors of James BuchananJames BuchananJames Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
, fifteenth President of the US
See also
- County DonegalCounty DonegalCounty Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
- List of towns and villages in Ireland