Ramelton
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| Ramelton Ráth Mealtáin |
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| Location | ||
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| Irish grid reference B847228 |
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| Statistics | ||
| Province: | Ulster | |
| County: | County Donegal | |
| Dáil Éireann: | Donegal South West | |
| Dialling code: | 075, +000 353 74 | |
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Population (2006) |
1,088 | |
Ramelton (Gaelic: Ráth Mealtáin) 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, (Gaelic 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'Donnells, 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.
[edit] Famous People
- Dave Gallaher, All Blacks rugby captain
- Francis Makemie, clergyman
- Patsy Gallacher, Celtic F.C. Footballer
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 55°02′N 7°38′W / 55.033°N 7.633°W
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