Ramelton

Ramelton Ráth Mealtáin
—  Town  —
Ramelton Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 55°03′03″N 8°14′08″W / 55.050941°N 8.235626°W / 55.050941; -8.235626Coordinates: 55°03′03″N 8°14′08″W / 55.050941°N 8.235626°W / 55.050941; -8.235626
Country	Ireland
Province	Ulster
County	County Donegal
Population (2006)
• Urban	1,088
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
• Summer (DST)	IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference	B847228

Ramelton (Irish: Ráth Mealtáin) is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its population is 1,088 (2006).

Ramelton is situated at the mouth of the River Lennon, 11 km north of Letterkenny and 4 km east of Milford, on the western shores of Lough Swilly. The town is named from Ráth Mealtáin, (Irish for "the fort of Mealtan"), an early Gaelic chieftain. The fort is said to lie under the ruins of a medieval castle of the O'Donnells, the ruling family of West Donegal before their exile to mainland Europe in 1607.

Ramelton was settled by English and Scots planters during the Ulster Plantation of the 17th century and is the site of the oldest Presbyterian church in Ireland.

The town was the setting for the 1995 television program "The Hanging Gale", which told of the Potato Famine of the 19th century. The town hosts the Lennon Festival, a village fair, since 1970. Ramelton is a Fáilte Ireland designated Heritage Town.

Famous people

• Dave Gallaher, All Blacks Rugby captain
• Conrad Logan, professional footballer
• Francis Makemie, clergyman, often referred to as the founder of Presbyterianism in the United States
• The town is also associated with the Russell and Buchanan families, ancestors of James Buchanan, fifteenth President of the US
• Ethan Keeney, professional bowler.
• Myles Trearty, town farmer.

See also

• County Donegal
• List of towns and villages in Ireland

External links

• ramelton.net
• rameltontidytowns.com

v t e Places in County Donegal County town: Lifford Towns Ballybofey Ballyshannon Buncrana Bundoran Carndonagh Convoy Donegal Dungloe Killybegs Letterkenny Lifford Moville Ramelton Raphoe Stranorlar Villages Annagry Ardara Ballintra Ballyliffin Bridgend Bruckless Burtonport Carrigans Carrigart Castlefin Churchill Cloghan Clonmany Creeslough Crolly Doochary Dunfanaghy Dunkineely Fahan Falcarragh Fintown Frosses Glen Glencolmcille Glenties Greencastle Gweedore Inver Kerrykeel Kilcar Killea Killygordon Laghy Lettermacaward Loughanure Malin Manorcunningham Milford Mountcharles Muff Narin Newtowncunningham Pettigo Portnablagh Quigley's Point Rathmullan Rossnowlagh St Johnston Teelin Townlands Ardagh Bunbeg Burt Carnamoyle Clonglash Derrybeg Downings Drumardagh Drumrainy Gartan Gortahork Kilmacrenan Kincasslagh Magheroarty Porthall Portsalon Ranafast Termon Urris Islands Arranmore Cruit Glashedy Gola Inishbofin Inishtrahull Totten Rutland Tory List of townlands in County Donegal Category:Mountains and hills of County Donegal Category:Rivers of County Donegal Category:Geography of County Donegal

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