Castlerahan
{{Short description|Barony in County Cavan, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Castlerahan
| native_name = Caisleán Raithin (Irish)
| settlement_type = Barony
| image_skyline = Lough Ramor cavan.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = View of Lough Ramor
| image_map =Baronies of Cavan.jpg
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Barony map of County Cavan, 1900; Castlerahan is in the southeast, coloured peach.
| subdivision_type = Sovereign state
| subdivision_name = Ireland
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Ulster
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = Cavan
| area_magnitude =
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 280.36
| area_total_sq_mi =108.25
| area_land_km2 =
| area_land_sq_mi =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_sq_mi =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
}}
Castlerahan ({{Langx|ga|Caisleán Raithin}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/10|title=Caisleán Raithin/Castlerahan|website=Logainm.ie}}) is a barony in County Cavan, Ireland.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uPejqKxcEjIC&q=Castlerahan&pg=PA135|title=General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes, and Baronies of Ireland: Based on the Census of Ireland for the Year 1851|date=22 February 1984|publisher=Genealogical Publishing Com|isbn=9780806310527|via=Google Books}} Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units. They acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century before being superseded by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AWYDAAAAQAAJ&q=Castlerahan&pg=PA373|title=A new gazetteer; or topographical dictionary of the British islands and narrow seas|first=James A.|last=Sharp|date=22 February 1852|publisher=LONGMAN, BROWN|via=Google Books}}{{cite book |author=General Register Office of Ireland |title=Census of Ireland 1901: General topographical index |chapter-url=http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/PageBrowser?path=Browse/Census%20(by%20date)/1901/Ireland&active=yes&mno=453&tocstate=expandnew&tocseq=3800&display=sections&display=tables&display=pagetitles&pageseq=first-nonblank |series=Command papers |volume=Cd. 2071 |year=1904 |publisher=HMSO |pages=966–978 |chapter=Alphabetical index to the baronies of Ireland}}
Etymology
Castlerahan barony takes its name from Castlerahan townland, from Castlera[c]han, an ancient hillfort located at {{Coord|53.824|-7.188|display=it}}. The name is derived from Irish Caisleán Raithín, "stone fort of the little ringfort," although other writers link it with raithean, "bracken", or with a Norse Gael leader named Raithin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/4165|title=Caisleán Raithin/Castlerahan|website=Logainm.ie}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.libraryireland.com/topog/C/Castlerahan-Castlerahan-Cavan.php|title=CASTLERAHAN, a parish - Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)|website=www.libraryireland.com}}
Geography
Castlerahan is located in the southeast of County Cavan, the area surrounding Lough Ramor.{{Cite web|url=http://sources.nli.ie/Record/PS_UR_075590|title=Historical notes on Virginia and Lough Ramor|first=Philip|last=O'Connell|date=22 February 1920|website=sources.nli.ie}}
History
File:Breifne700AD.png in AD 700; Castlerahan is seen near to the "Luigne" tribe.]]
The Luigni tribe lived in the area since the 8th century. It contains the parish of Munterconnaught, named for Cu Connaght Ua Raghallaigh (O'Reilly).{{Cite web|url=http://sites.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/baronies.htm|title=The Baronies of Ireland - History|website=sites.rootsweb.com}} The barony of Castlerahan was created by 1609 in the Plantation of Ulster, and was archaically spelled Castlerachan.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A04VAAAAYAAJ&q=castlerachan&pg=PA171|title=The confiscation of Ulster ... commonly called the Ulster plantation|first=Thomas|last=MacNevin|date=22 February 1846|publisher=J. Duffy|via=Google Books}}
The barony gives its name to Castlerahan GAA, based in Ballyjamesduff.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/everyone-told-us-old-best-gone-team-207086|title="Everyone told us we were too old and that the best was gone from this team"|website=SportsJOE.ie}}
List of settlements
Below is a list of settlements in Castlerahan: