Raharney Explained

Settlement Type:Village
Raharney
Native Name Lang:ga
Pushpin Map:Ireland
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Ireland
Coordinates:53.524°N -7.095°W
Blank Name Sec1:Irish Grid Reference
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Ireland
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Leinster
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:County Westmeath
Unit Pref:Metric
Elevation M:75
Population As Of:2016
Population:221
Population Footnotes:[1]

Raharney [2] is a village in east County Westmeath, Ireland. It had a population of 221 according to the 2016 census.[1]

Raharney is on the R156 road about 18km (11miles) from Mullingar and about 67 km from Dublin. It is in the parish of Killucan; the village of Killucan is a further 3km (02miles) west.

Geography

The village of Raharney has a bridge over the River Deel and is the last settlement of the county on the edge of bogland that separates Westmeath from County Meath. The bridge links the roads that run north–south alongside the River Deel on one side and alongside the bog on the other (road from Delvin and on through Riverdale). The River Deel is a tributary of the Boyne. The roads into the village all slope down towards the river, suggesting that before the bridge was built there was a ford at this point. Looking westward to Mullingar the town is located in the gap between three large lakes. Raharney, therefore, lies on the route of a path of what probably was, in the past, difficult terrain through the midlands. The three east–west roads were the Athboy-Delvin-Mullingar road, the Clonard-Kinnegad-Athlone/Mullingar road and Trim-Raharney/Killucan-Mullingar road.

History

Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ringfort and bullaun sites in the townlands of Raharney, Raharney Little, Cloghanstown and Joristown Upper.[3] Raharney Ringfort, protected under the National Monuments Act, is National Monument number 572.[4]

There is an old, unused graveyard, located on top of a small hill on the bend of the river as it leaves the village. This ecclesiastical enclosure, in Grange Beg townland, is known locally as Kilcolumb church and graveyard.[5]

Within the village is a Catholic church dedicated to St. Brigid. This church, built,[6] is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath.[7]

Public transport

Bus Éireann route 115A provides a commuter link to Dublin via Ballivor, Summerhill and Maynooth with one journey in the morning and an evening journey back Mondays to Fridays inclusive.[8] Until August 2013, Bus Éireann route 118 provided a daily commuter service to Dublin and Mullingar.

Sport

Raharney Hurling Club is the local parish Gaelic Athletic Association club,[9] and has won the Westmeath Senior Hurling Championship on thirteen occasions. The club's camogie team has won the Westmeath camogie final several times.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Census 2016 Sapmap Area: Settlements Raharney. Census 2016. Central Statistics Office Ireland. 2016. 28 January 2020.
  2. Web site: Ráth Fhearna/Raharney. Logainm.ie.
  3. Web site: Recorded Monuments . PDF . Archaeology.ie . 2016-09-10.
  4. Web site: Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 - Chapter 14 - Cultural Heritage . westmeathcoco.ie . 31 July 2024 .
  5. Web site: Westmeath Graveyard Report - Audit & Gap Survey of Headstone Recording . westmeathculture.ie . 31 July 2024 .
  6. Web site: Saint Brigid's Catholic Church, Raharney, Raharney, Westmeath . buildingsofireland.ie . 31 July 2024 .
  7. Web site: St. Brigid’s Church, Raharney . raharneychurch.ie . 31 July 2024 .
  8. Web site: Dublin Airport - Bus Éireann - View Ireland Bus and Coach Timetables & Buy Tickets. www.buseireann.ie.
  9. Web site: Club Secretaries – Official Westmeath GAA website - GAA News & Results. westmeathgaa.ie.