Castlerahan
Barony in County Cavan, Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Castlerahan (Irish: Caisleán Raithin[1]) is a barony in County Cavan, Ireland.[2] Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units. They acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century before being superseded by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898.[3][4]
Castlerahan
Caisleán Raithin (Irish) | |
|---|---|
View of Lough Ramor | |
 Barony map of County Cavan, 1900; Castlerahan is in the southeast, coloured peach. | |
| Sovereign state | Ireland |
| Province | Ulster |
| County | Cavan |
| Area | |
• Total | 280.36 km2 (108.25 sq mi) |
Etymology
Castlerahan barony takes its name from Castlerahan townland, from Castlera[c]han, an ancient hillfort located at 53.824°N 7.188°W. The name is derived from Irish Caisleán Raithín, "stone fort of the little ringfort," although other writers link it with raithean, "bracken", or with a Norse Gael leader named Raithin.[5][6]
Geography
Castlerahan is located in the southeast of County Cavan, the area surrounding Lough Ramor.[7]
History
The Luigni tribe lived in the area since the 8th century. It contains the parish of Munterconnaught, named for Cu Connaght Ua Raghallaigh (O'Reilly).[8] The barony of Castlerahan was created by 1609 in the Plantation of Ulster, and was archaically spelled Castlerachan.[9]
The barony gives its name to Castlerahan GAA, based in Ballyjamesduff.[10]
List of settlements
Below is a list of settlements in Castlerahan: