Ráth Cairn

Infobox Irish Place
name = Ráth Cairn
gaeilge =
crest

motto =
map

pin coords = left: 50px; top: 65px
north coord = 53.6108
west coord = 6.8632
irish grid = N800567
area =
elevation = 61 m
province = Leinster
county = County Meath
town pop = 447
rural pop = 447
census yr = 2006
web =
|

_ga. Ráth Cairn (also _ga. "Ráth Chairn"; _en. Rathcarne or "Rathcarran") is a small Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking area) in County Meath, Ireland. It is about 55 km northwest of Dublin.

The Ráth Cairn Gaeltacht was founded in 1935 when 27 families from Conamara were settled on land previously acquired by the Irish Land Commission. Each family was provided with a Land Commission house and a farm of approximately 8.9 hectares (22 acre), a sow, piglets and basic implements. A further 11 families joined the original settlers in 1935. In all, 443 people moved from Connemara to the Ráth Cairn area. In 1967 Ráth Cairn received official recognition as a Gaeltacht following a campaign. [ [http://www.rathcairn.com/stair.html RathCairn.com - History] ]

A cooperative (the "Ráth Cairn Cooperation Society") was formed in 1973. Ráth Cairn has since grown into a village with a Catholic church, sports facilities and pub. Projects undertaken or assisted by the co-op include the construction of a community centre, a second level school, and others.

Several facilities in Ráth Cairn host children and adults wishing to learn Irish, and residential Irish language courses are run for teenagers in the summer months. [ [http://www.colaistenabhfiann.ie colaistenabhfiann.ie] ]

Notable people

*Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh, television personality
*Darach O'Cathain, Sean nós Singer

References