Ráth Chairn (English: Rathcarne or Rathcarran ) is a small village and the Gaeltacht (Irish -speaking area) in County Meath, Ireland. It is about 55 km northwest of Dublin.
Ráth Chairn Gaeltacht was founded in 1935 when 41 families from Conamara settled on land previously acquired by the Irish Land Commission. Each family was provided with a Land Commission house and a farm of about 8.9 hectares (22 acres), a sow, piglets and basic implements. Another 11 families joined the original settlers in 1935. A total of 443 people moved from Connemara to Ráth Chairn area. In 1967 Ráth Chairn official recognition as a Gaeltacht, following a local campaign. [1] Today, and the nearby village of Baile Ghib represent Meath Gaeltacht.
A cooperative (the “Ráth Chairn cooperation Society”) was founded in 1973. Ráth Chairn has since grown to a village with a Catholic church, meeting hall for plays, Corchumann Ráth Chairn and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta (also used by Coláiste na bhFiann during the summer months ), sports facilities, an all-Irish primary and secondary school, a library and a pub (an Breadán Feasa).
Several facilities in Ráth Chairn host children and adults who want to learn Irish and residential Irish language courses are run for teenagers during the summer months. [2]
Notable people
- Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh, TV Personality
- Darach Ó Cathain, Sean nos singer
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
References
- Jump up ^ RathCairn.com – History
- Jump up ^ colaistenabhfiann.ie