Raharney

Infobox Irish Place
name = Raharney
gaeilge = "Ráth Athairne"
crest

motto =
map

pin coords = left: 106px; top: 65px
north coord = 53.5225
west coord = 7.0925
irish grid =
area =
elevation = 109m
province = Leinster
county = County Westmeath
town pop = 232
rural pop =
census yr = 2002
web =
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Raharney ( _ga. Ráth Athairne, Aharny's fort) is a village in the east of the County Westmeath. It has a population of 232 (2002 Census). It is located on the R156 road about km to mi | 18 | abbr=yes | precision=0 from Mullingar and 60 from Dublin. It is in the Parish of Killucan, The village of Killucan is located a further km to mi | 3 | abbr=yes | precision=1 towards Mullingar (to the west). Major employers in the area include Shay Murtagh precast.

History

The village of Raharney exists because of its geographic location. It has a bridge on a river 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.

A feature of the village is an old, unused graveyard, perched on-top of a small hill on the bend of the river as it leaves the village.

port

In Raharney there is a Gaelic Athletic Association club, having been County Westmeath senior hurling champions on nine occasions; 1913, 1914, 1919, 1967, 1973, 1984, 1992, 1994 and 2006.

ee also

* List of towns in the Republic of Ireland