Rahoneen
Townland (administrative area) in County Kerry, Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rahoneen (Irish: Ráth Eoghainín) is a small townland in the civil parish of Ardfert in County Kerry, Ireland.[1][2] It is approximately 1.17 square kilometres (0.45 sq mi) in area and,[2] as of the 2011 census, had a population of 29 people.[3]
Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a ringfort at Rathcrihane (Ráth Creacháin; 'ringfort of Creachán').[4] This ringfort, also known as McKenna's Fort, became known as Casement's Fort after Roger Casement was captured in the area in 1916.[5] Casement was discovered at McKenna's Fort on 21 April 1916. He had been put ashore from U19 at nearby Banna Strand as part of a plan to transport a consignment of German weapons ahead of the 1916 Easter Rising.
A ruined tower house, in Rahoneen townland, overlooks Carrahane Bay.[6] The tower house, known as Rahoneen Castle, was historically associated with the Bishop of Ardfert.[6][7] Writing in 1841, the topographer John O'Donovan (1806–1861) suggested that the castle was destroyed during the 17th-century Cromwellian invasion of Ireland.[6]
