Rathmullan
Encyclopedia
Rathmullan is a small seaside village on the Fanad
Peninsula in County Donegal
, part of the Province of Ulster
in Ireland
. It is situated on the western shore of Lough Swilly
, 11 km north-east of Ramelton
and 12 km east of Milford
. Rathmullan was the scene of the Flight of the Earls
in 1607
.
There are also the ruins of a medieval 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 1607, Rathmullan was also said to have seen the last of the Gaelic Order
, most notably the Ó Neills, during the Flight of the Earls
to the continent. In 1617 the Friary was occupied by the Protestant Bishop of Raphoe
, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Andrew Knox, who turned it into a stronghold during the colonisation of Donegal.
In the 18th century Rathmullan was the location of the capture of Wolfe Tone, a leader of the 1798 Rising. In the 19th century there was an English battery situated near the pier to defend Lough Swilly from a possible invasion of France
during the Napoleonic Wars
. This battery still stands and today serves as a heritage centre.
This years 2007 festival took place on Sat 2nd and Sun 3 June.
Fanad
Fanad is a peninsula that lies between Lough Swilly and Mulroy Bay on the north coast of County Donegal in Ireland. It encompasses the parishes of Clondavaddog, Killygarvan and parts of Tullyfern and Aughinish. The peninsula includes the towns and villages of Milford, Kerrykeel , Tamney,...
Peninsula in County Donegal
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...
, part of the Province of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It is situated on the western shore 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....
, 11 km north-east of Ramelton
Ramelton
Ramelton is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its population is 1,088 .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, , an early Gaelic chieftain...
and 12 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:...
. Rathmullan was the scene of the Flight of the Earls
Flight of the Earls
The Flight of the Earls took place on 14 September 1607, when Hugh Ó Neill of Tír Eóghain, Rory Ó Donnell of Tír Chonaill and about ninety followers left Ireland for mainland Europe.-Background to the exile:...
in 1607
1607 in Ireland
-Events:* 14 September - Flight of the Earls: Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone and Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell flee to Spain to avoid capture by the English crown.*Lifford comes into the possession of Sir Richard Hansard during the Plantation of Ulster....
.
There are also the ruins of a medieval Carmelite Friary in Rathmullan which was built by Eoghan Rua MacSweeney in 1516. The Friary was sacked by the 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...
garrison from Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
in 1595
1595 in Ireland
-Events:*Rebellion of Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone .*March - Battle of Clontibret...
. In 1607, Rathmullan was also said to have seen the last of the Gaelic Order
Gaelic Ireland
Gaelic Ireland is the name given to the period when a Gaelic political order existed in Ireland. The order continued to exist after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans until about 1607 AD...
, most notably the Ó Neills, during the Flight of the Earls
Flight of the Earls
The Flight of the Earls took place on 14 September 1607, when Hugh Ó Neill of Tír Eóghain, Rory Ó Donnell of Tír Chonaill and about ninety followers left Ireland for mainland Europe.-Background to the exile:...
to the continent. In 1617 the Friary was occupied by the Protestant Bishop of Raphoe
Bishop of Raphoe
The Bishop of Raphoe is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Raphoe in County Donegal, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric.-History:...
, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Andrew Knox, who turned it into a stronghold during the colonisation of Donegal.
In the 18th century Rathmullan was the location of the capture of Wolfe Tone, a leader of the 1798 Rising. In the 19th century there was an English battery situated near the pier to defend Lough Swilly from a possible invasion of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. This battery still stands and today serves as a heritage centre.
Lough Swilly Deep Sea Fishing Festival
The sea is a large part of the lives of the people of Rathmullan and Lough Swilly Deep Sea Fishing Festival held in June is evidence of this.This years 2007 festival took place on Sat 2nd and Sun 3 June.
See also
- List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Donegal)
- List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland
- List of towns in Northern Ireland