Rathmullan () is a seaside village and

townland A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic orig ...

on the Fanad Peninsula in

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrcon ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

. It is situated on the western shore of Lough Swilly, north-east of

Ramelton Ramelton (; ), also Rathmelton, is a town and townland in County Donegal, Ireland. , its population was 1,266. History Ramelton is situated at the mouth of the River Lennon, 11 km north of Letterkenny and 4 km south of Milford, on ...

and east of Milford. Rathmullan has historical significance as the scene of the

Flight of the Earls The Flight of the Earls ( ir, Imeacht na nIarlaí)In Irish, the neutral term ''Imeacht'' is usually used i.e. the ''Departure of the Earls''. The term 'Flight' is translated 'Teitheadh na nIarlaí' and is sometimes seen. took place in Se ...

in 1607, a major turning point in Irish history.

Places of interest

There are also the ruins of the

Carmelite , image = , caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites , abbreviation = OCarm , formation = Late 12th century , founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel , founding_location = Mount Ca ...

Friary A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...

in Rathmullan which was built by Eoghan Rua MacSweeney in 1516. The Friary was sacked by the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

garrison from

Sligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the largest urban ce ...

1595 Events January–June * January – Mehmed III succeeds Murad III, as sultan of the Ottoman Empire. * January 17 – During the French Wars of Religion, Henry IV of France declares war on Spain. * April 8 (March 29 O.S. ...

. In 1617 the Friary was occupied by the Protestant Bishop of Raphoe, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Andrew Knox. A subsequent Bishop of Raphoe turned it into a fortified house in anticipation of a possible French invasion during the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...

. In 1607, Rathmullan was also said to have seen the last of the Gaelic Order, most notably the Clan Ó Néill and the Clan Ó Domhnaill, during the

the Continent Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous continent of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by ...

. This 'flight' took place from Portnamurray on the southern edge of the town. There are the remains of a Martello Tower or battery in the town which serves as a heritage centre. The tower was one of six originally built in 1812 by the British as part of a defence along Lough Swilly against feared Napoleonic invasion. These Batteries were manned up until the end of the First World War to protect British warships which were moored in Lough Swilly.

Facilities

Facilities in Rathmullan include shops, a resource centre, The Looking Glass Spa Therapy, Drumhalla House, and also hotels such as Rathmullan House, Fort Royal (closed down in 2015) and the Water's Edge (now closed). There are three churches in Rathmullan: St. Joseph's Catholic Church, St. Columb's

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the sec ...

(Parish of Killygarvan), and the Rathmullan Presbyterian Church.

Lough Swilly Deep Sea Fishing Festival

The sea is a large part of the lives of the people of Rathmullan and ''Lough Swilly Deep Sea Fishing Festival'' held in June is evidence of this. The 2007 festival took place on Sat, 2 June, and Sun, 3 June. Rathmullan, County Donegal

Notable people

Ian Anderson Ian Scott Anderson (born 10 August 1947) is a British musician, singer and songwriter best known for his work as the lead vocalist, flautist, acoustic guitarist and leader of the British rock band Jethro Tull. He is a multi-instrumentalist ...

, former President of the Legislative Council of the Isle of Man. * Mary McAlister * Hugh Law,

Lord Chancellor of Ireland The Lord High Chancellor of Ireland (commonly known as Lord Chancellor of Ireland) was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801, it was also the highest political office of ...

, died here in 1883. *Anne Byrne (née Proctor), Pre-Pregnancy Midwife (Glasgow), born here in 1942 (Died 2016). First Donegal person to receive an honorary MBE in 2001.

Literature

Rathmullan is the setting for Australian/British author Brand King's novel An Irish Winter, published in 2020. The story follows the gradually intertwining lives of Alice and Felix, who arrive in the village following traumatic upheavals in their private lives. Many features of the village are described in detail in the novel, with the beach getting special attention. The traditional new year's day cold water swim also features, along with wildlife such as seals and rooks, while a number of scenes are set in the Beachcomber Bar and An Bonnan Bui Cafe.

References