Raphoe
Raphoe
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Raphoe (
The Burn Dale (also known in English as the Burn Deele) is a burn (a small river) that flows a short distance to the south of Raphoe. The Burn Dale eventually flows, via the village of Ballindrait, into the River Foyle just north of Lifford.
Name
Raphoe, historically Raffoe,
History
The rich agricultural land around Raphoe has been inhabited and cultivated for thousands of years, and evidence of this can be seen through monuments such as the Beltany stone circle, just outside the town. The stone circle is one of the largest in Ireland with a diameter of 44 metres (144 ft) and made up of more than sixty stones in all. The site is believed to date to around 2000 BC, and that it was originally an enclosed cairn. Its name is believed to be linked to the Celtic festival of fertility Beltane.[4] Around 550 AD Columba (also known as Colmcille), one of the three patron saints of Ireland, founded a monastic settlement in the area. This site was further developed by his kinsman Eunan, (Irish form of the name Adamnan), who gives his name to the town's cathedral and is the patron saint of the Diocese of Raphoe.
In 1198, John de Courcy, a Norman knight who had invaded Ulster in 1177, returned to County Donegal to devastate Inishowen and on his way destroyed churches at Ardstraw, County Tyrone, and Raphoe.[5]
The design of the modern town is traced to the
Raphoe Castle
Built in the 1630s as the Bishop's Palace, the 'castle', which is now a ruin, was laid siege to during the
Raphoe Cathedral
St. Columcille and St. Eunan, ninth abbot of Iona, had churches at Raphoe in the fifth and sixth centuries. Several ninth-century blocks of stone can be found in the porch and in the north wall of the present cathedral. The southeast corner dates from the twelfth century. The latest building dates from the 1730s. The communion plate is also noteworthy.
Notable bishops include Bishop George Montgomery, first Protestant bishop, 1605 to 1610, a Scot, who was mainly involved in reclaiming church lands, and Bishop Andrew Knox, 1611 to 1633, who set about repairing and rebuilding the cathedral. A stone inscribed "And. Knox II. Epi. Cura", set in the porch, commemorates him. Bishop John Leslie had formerly been a soldier and had his own private army which he led into battle. Bishop Philip Twysden, 1747–1752, spent little time in Raphoe but squandered the family fortune in London; according to later reports, he was shot whilst robbing a stagecoach.[citation needed]
Sandy Montgomery, a kinsman of Bishop Montgomery, lies within the churchyard. His inscription reads, "Here lyeth the Body of Alexander Montgomery Esq., who departed this Life 29 September 1800, aged 78. He Represented this once Independent Country, 32 years".[6]
Beltany Stone Circle
On the summit of Beltany Hill, just over 1.5 kilometres (1 mi) from Raphoe, there stands one of the finest stone circles in Ireland. Reputedly older than Stonehenge, it consists of 64 standing stones out of an original 80. The stones range in height from 1.2–2.7 m (4–9 ft) while the diameter of the circle is 45 m (145 ft). Southeast of the circle is a standing stone two metres (6+1⁄2 ft) high. Beltony is a corruption of Baal tine, the fire of Baal; this suggests that the inhabitants of this area worshipped Baal, the sun god, and ruler of nature. Tradition tells us that the principal ceremonies were performed at the summer solstice; a sacred fire was lit in the centre of the circle of stones, which represented the stars and fire of the sun god Baal.[8]
Religion
The town lends its name to both the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland dioceses, which covers nearly all except the very southern section of
Transport
The nearest railway station is operated by
Education
Raphoe has two secondary schools and two primary schools. The Royal and Prior School is of the Protestant ethos and Deele College is non-denominational.[10]
Recent history
In recent years, Raphoe has come under the media spotlight following the establishment of the
On 27 August 2005, the first main
Notable people
- Roman Catholic bishop and martyr
- Dr Ezekiel Nesbitt (1712–1798) – Physician; President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
- Ulster-Scotslandowner, gambler and convicted murderer
- Sir James Hawkins-Whitshed, 1st Bt. (1762–1849) – Royal Navy officer; served in the American, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars; Admiral of the Fleet
- Sir Gerry Robinson (1948–2021) – businessman; former non-executive chairman of Allied Domecq and the ex-Chairman/Chief Executive of Granada plc
- Finn Harps
- Frank McBrearty Snr, businessman targeted by police misconduct
- Frank McBrearty Jnr, politician; former county mayor of County Donegal
- Chloe Magee (born 1988) – professional badminton player and Olympic competitor
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Dunduff Castle, South Ayrshire
References
- ^ "Census 2016 Sapmap Area: Settlements Raphoe". Central Statistics Office (Ireland). Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
- ^ a b Placenames Database of Ireland Archived 2 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine (see archival records)
- ^ In and Around Raphoe published 1999
- ^ Noonan, D: "Castles & Ancient Monuments of Ireland", page 137. Aurum Press, 2001
- ^ DeBreffny, D & Mott, G (1976). The Churches and Abbeys of Ireland. London: Thames & Hudson. pp. 60–61.
- ^ a b [1] Archived 25 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Noonan 2001, p.146.
- ^ Beltony Stone Circle Archived 24 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Askaboutireland.ie. Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
- ^ "Raphoe station" (PDF). Railscot – Irish Railways. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2007.
- ^ Deele College Raphoe | (074) 91 45493 – Archived 25 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Deelecollege.ie (2013-04-23). Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
- ^ Irish Examiner: 'Morris Tribunal condemns garda negligence'; 2 June 2005. Viewed 2008-04-14 Archived 22 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "RTÉ News: 'Royal Black Preceptory holds Donegal parade'; 27 August 2005. Viewed 2008-04-14". RTÉ.ie. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
- ^ "Oakfield Park – Trains". Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.