Rathangan, County Kildare
Encyclopedia
Rathangan is a town in the west of County Kildare
, Ireland, with a population of 1,718. It is located 65 km (40.4 mi) from the centre of Dublin, and 14 km (8.7 mi) from Kildare
, at the intersection of the R401
, R414
, and R419
regional road
s. The Slate River and the Grand Canal
run through the town.
Rathangan is situated beside the Bog of Allen
, and is in close proximity to the lowlands of the Curragh
. In recent years, the town has grown significantly to become a big commuter base for people working in Dublin.
or fort of Iomghain, from which the town gets its name, has been dated to between 600 and 700 AD, and is situated to the northwest of the modern town on the Clonbulloge road. The extension of the Grand Canal to Monasterevin
and Athy
in the late 18th century led to the current layout of the town, due to the building of houses for the canal engineers which were complemented by grander houses for the local gentry.
Lewis's Topographical Dictionary 1837: RATHANGAN, a market and post-town, and a parish, partly in the barony of EAST OPHALY, but chiefly in that of WEST OPHALY, county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, 14 ¾ miles (W.) from Naas, and 30 (S. W. by W.) from Dublin, on the road from Kildare to Edenderry; containing 2911 inhabitants, of which number, 1165 are in the town, which is entirely in the barony of West Ophaly, and near the Grand Canal, and in 1831 contained 215 houses.
It is a chief station of the constabulary police, and has a market on Monday, and fairs in June, and on 26 Aug. and 12 Nov.. The parish comprises 8872 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: the principal seat within its limits is Tottenham Green, that of Geo. Tottenham, Esq.
The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Kildare, being the corps of the prebend of Rathangan in the cathedral of Kildare, and in the patronage of the Duke of Leinster and the Bishop, of whom the former has the right of presentation for two turns and the latter for one: the tithes amount to £553. 16. 11. The glebe-house was erected in 1810, by aid of a loan of £625 and a gift of £100 from the late board of First Fruits; and there is a glebe comprising 29a. 2r. 26p. The church is a neat edifice with a handsome tower; the whole is in excellent order. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Kildare. The chapel is a spacious building: there is also a meeting-house for the Society of Friends. In a school under the National Board, and one supported by Lord Harberton, about 200 children are educated; and there are three private schools, in which are about 120 children. There is a dispensary in the town, supported in the usual manner..
Bord na Móna
's increased activity in the 1940s boosted the population and the number of transient workers, but the closure of the canal systems and the decline of bog based interests of the company led to a decline in the town's fortunes. This in turn led to an increase in emigration by the town's young people.
The upturn of Ireland's economy in the 1990s again led to increased prosperity, and the extension of the M7 through the nearby towns of Kildare
and Monasterevin has made Dublin more accessible, leading to a housing boom in the town.
Rathangan is on the border of Kildare
(Rathangan GAA
), tennis, soccer, and hurling
(cricket, rugby, polo, and chess are also played). Meggers, or horseshoe pitching, also takes place during the summer. Rathangan is famed for coarse angling for roach, bream, perch, and hybrids. Trout
have been caught in the Slate River on occasion.
, Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club
, The Blizzards
, The Walls
, Jack L, and John Spillane
have all performed in the town as part of the Lughnasa since 2004. In 2009 The Lughnasa Festival played host the biggest concert ever staged in Rathangan when international band The Waterboys
headlined the bill which also included Mundy
.
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland, with a population of 1,718. It is located 65 km (40.4 mi) from the centre of Dublin, and 14 km (8.7 mi) from Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
, at the intersection of the R401
R401 road
The R401 road is a regional road in Ireland, linking Kildare, County Kildare to Kinnegad in County Meath.The route is long.-References:* – Department of Transport...
, R414
R414 road
The R414 road is a regional road in Ireland, linking Monasterevin to Rathangan to Allenwood, all in County Kildare. The section from Rathangan to Allenwood takes it through the Bog of Allen and industrial peat works operated by Bord na Móna. The route is long.-References:* – Department of...
, and R419
R419 road
The R419 road is a regional road in Ireland, linking Portlaoise, County Laois to Portarlington to Rathangan, County Kildare.The route is long.-References:* – Department of Transport...
regional road
Regional road
A regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...
s. The Slate River and the Grand Canal
Grand Canal of Ireland
The Grand Canal is the southernmost of a pair of canals that connect Dublin, in the east of Ireland, with the River Shannon in the west,via Tullamore and a number of other villages and towns, the two canals nearly encircling Dublin's inner city. Its sister canal on the Northside of Dublin is the...
run through the town.
Rathangan is situated beside the Bog of Allen
Bog of Allen
The Bog of Allen is a large raised bog in the centre of Ireland between the rivers Liffey and Shannon.The bog's 958 square kilometers stretch into County Offaly, County Meath, County Kildare, County Laois, and County Westmeath. Peat is mechanically harvested on a large scale by Bórd na Móna,...
, and is in close proximity to the lowlands of the Curragh
Curragh
The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge and Kildare. This area is well-known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the famous Japanese Gardens. Also...
. In recent years, the town has grown significantly to become a big commuter base for people working in Dublin.
History
The rathRingfort
Ringforts are circular fortified settlements that were mostly built during the Iron Age , although some were built as late as the Early Middle Ages . They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland...
or fort of Iomghain, from which the town gets its name, has been dated to between 600 and 700 AD, and is situated to the northwest of the modern town on the Clonbulloge road. The extension of the Grand Canal to Monasterevin
Monasterevin
Situated 63 km from Dublin on the R445 road, Monasterevin has been relieved of much through traffic by the opening in 2004 of a new section of the M7 motorway bypassing the town on the N7 Dublin to Limerick route...
and Athy
Athy
The town developed from a 12th century Anglo-Norman settlement to an important British military outpost on the border of the Pale.The first town charter dates from the 16th century and the town hall was constructed in the early 18th century...
in the late 18th century led to the current layout of the town, due to the building of houses for the canal engineers which were complemented by grander houses for the local gentry.
Lewis's Topographical Dictionary 1837: RATHANGAN, a market and post-town, and a parish, partly in the barony of EAST OPHALY, but chiefly in that of WEST OPHALY, county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, 14 ¾ miles (W.) from Naas, and 30 (S. W. by W.) from Dublin, on the road from Kildare to Edenderry; containing 2911 inhabitants, of which number, 1165 are in the town, which is entirely in the barony of West Ophaly, and near the Grand Canal, and in 1831 contained 215 houses.
It is a chief station of the constabulary police, and has a market on Monday, and fairs in June, and on 26 Aug. and 12 Nov.. The parish comprises 8872 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: the principal seat within its limits is Tottenham Green, that of Geo. Tottenham, Esq.
The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Kildare, being the corps of the prebend of Rathangan in the cathedral of Kildare, and in the patronage of the Duke of Leinster and the Bishop, of whom the former has the right of presentation for two turns and the latter for one: the tithes amount to £553. 16. 11. The glebe-house was erected in 1810, by aid of a loan of £625 and a gift of £100 from the late board of First Fruits; and there is a glebe comprising 29a. 2r. 26p. The church is a neat edifice with a handsome tower; the whole is in excellent order. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Kildare. The chapel is a spacious building: there is also a meeting-house for the Society of Friends. In a school under the National Board, and one supported by Lord Harberton, about 200 children are educated; and there are three private schools, in which are about 120 children. There is a dispensary in the town, supported in the usual manner..
Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna , abbreviated BNM, is a semi-state company in Ireland, created in 1946 by the Turf Development Act 1946. The company is responsible for the mechanised harvesting of peat, primarily in the Midlands of Ireland...
's increased activity in the 1940s boosted the population and the number of transient workers, but the closure of the canal systems and the decline of bog based interests of the company led to a decline in the town's fortunes. This in turn led to an increase in emigration by the town's young people.
The upturn of Ireland's economy in the 1990s again led to increased prosperity, and the extension of the M7 through the nearby towns of Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
and Monasterevin has made Dublin more accessible, leading to a housing boom in the town.
Sports
The primary sporting activities in Rathangan are Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
(Rathangan GAA
Rathangan GAA
Rathangan GAA Club is a Gaelic football club based in Rathangan, County Kildare, Ireland. It was founded in 1889 and had many difficulties early on as there were many different local teams in the parish...
), tennis, soccer, and hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
(cricket, rugby, polo, and chess are also played). Meggers, or horseshoe pitching, also takes place during the summer. Rathangan is famed for coarse angling for roach, bream, perch, and hybrids. Trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
have been caught in the Slate River on occasion.
Culture
The Rathangan Lughnasa festival is held during the August Bank Holiday weekend, to celebrate the arts and crafts, music, literature, history, and sports of the town. Damien DempseyDamien Dempsey
Damien Dempsey is an Irish singer and songwriter who mixes traditional Irish folk with contemporary lyrics to deliver social comment on the positive and negative aspects arising from Ireland's Celtic Tiger society.-Early life:...
, Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club
Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club
An Emotional Fish is an alternative rock band from Dublin, Ireland. An Emotional Fish were formed in 1988, and consisted of Gerard Whelan , Martin Murphy , David Frew , and Enda Wyatt . Their musical influences include David Bowie, Iggy Pop, T...
, The Blizzards
The Blizzards
The Blizzards are an Irish band from Mullingar in County Westmeath. They were formed by Niall Breslin in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy , Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran and Aidan Lynch...
, The Walls
The Walls
The Walls are an Irish rock band. They were formed in 1998 by two ex-members of The Stunning.-Members:* Steve Wall* Joe Wall* Carl Harms * Rory Doyle...
, Jack L, and John Spillane
John Spillane
John Spillane is a singer-songwriter from Cork, Ireland. He graduated from University College Cork with a degree in Irish and in English.-Background:Spillane grew up in the Cork suburb of Bishopstown, in a large family of boys...
have all performed in the town as part of the Lughnasa since 2004. In 2009 The Lughnasa Festival played host the biggest concert ever staged in Rathangan when international band The Waterboys
The Waterboys
The Waterboys are a band formed in 1983 by Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland and England. Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Spiddal, New York, and Findhorn have all served as homes for the group. The band has played in a...
headlined the bill which also included Mundy
Mundy
Mundy is an Irish singer-songwriter. 'Mundy' is a nickname given to Enright, as it not only refers to his name Edmund, but it is how he pronounces the word "Monday".-Biography:...
.
People
- Brian DowlingBrian DowlingBrian Patrick Robert Dowling is an Irish television presenter who rose to fame after being crowned the winner of the second series of UK reality television show Big Brother in 2001. He also won Ultimate Big Brother in 2010, making him the ultimate Big Brother housemate...
; winner of Big BrotherBig Brother (UK)Big Brother UK is the British version of the Dutch Big Brother television format, which takes its name from the character in George Orwell's 1948 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four...
in 2002 and Ultimate Big Brother in 2010, ex-presenter of SMTV, and The MintThe Mint (game show)The Mint was a live, late night, interactive quiz show with celebrity guests and live studio contestants filmed in a large extravagant set designed to look like the inside of a mansion. The programme, which was dogged by criticism that its questions were ambiguous and arbitrary, aired on ITV and...
. - JedwardJedwardJohn Paul Henry Daniel Richard Grimes and Edward Peter Anthony Kevin Patrick Grimes are an Irish hip pop duo. They are identical twins and perform under the name Jedward...
, twin duo who gained fame on the UK talent show The X FactorThe X Factor (UK)The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
. - British military strategist and diplomat, Major-General Sir George Pomeroy ColleyGeorge Pomeroy ColleyMajor-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley KCSI CB CMG was a British Army officer who became Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Natal and High Commissionerfor South Eastern Africa....
KCSI CB CMG Governor of South Africa.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Rathangan GAARathangan GAARathangan GAA Club is a Gaelic football club based in Rathangan, County Kildare, Ireland. It was founded in 1889 and had many difficulties early on as there were many different local teams in the parish...
. - Bog of AllenBog of AllenThe Bog of Allen is a large raised bog in the centre of Ireland between the rivers Liffey and Shannon.The bog's 958 square kilometers stretch into County Offaly, County Meath, County Kildare, County Laois, and County Westmeath. Peat is mechanically harvested on a large scale by Bórd na Móna,...
.