Rathdowney Totally Explained

Everything about Rathdowney totally explained

ť There is another Rathdowney in Queensland, Australia, named after the Irish town.

Rathdowney (Ráth Domhnaigh in Irish) is a town in southwest County Laois, Ireland. It lies some 32 km southwest of Portlaoise in the Irish midlands, at the point where the R433 regional road from Abbeyleix to Templemore is crossed by the R433 from Borris-in-Ossory to Johnstown.
   The town's name arises from that of a nearby ringfort, or ráth, which was levelled in 1830. Brewing was a major industry in Rathdowney until 1966. The town is also home to the Rathdowney Designer Outlet Shopping Centre.
   There is reason to believe that the area may have been inhabited in Neolithic times.
   The town is mentioned three times in the Annals of the Four Masters. See below

874 Flaithri, son of Maelduin, Lord of Rath-Tamhnaighe (Rathdowney) died
909 Maelpadraig, son of Flaithri, Lord of Rath-Tamhnaighe, died
1069 Gillamoula, grandson of Bruaideadh, Lord of Rath-Tamhnaighe, died

People

John Moyney (1895 – 1980), an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, was born in Rathdowney.

Another Victoria Cross recipient, James Pearson, was also from Rathdowney.

John Maher's novel The Luck Penny (Brandon 2007) is set in Rathdowney, in 1849. It is loosely based on the life of the Church of Ireland minister and Assyriologist Dr Edward Hincks. Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Dermot Boyle GCB, KCVO, KBE, AFC (1904-1993) Dermot Boyle came from Agmacarthy,a few miles outside Rathdowney. He was chief of the Air Staff from 1956 to 1959. He was Air Secretary to Sir Winston Churchill in the wartime cabinet, where he shared quarters with a Templemore man, Brendan (later Viscount) Bracken.
   Thomas Prior 1680-1751. He founded the Royal Dublin Society in 1731 and is buried in the Church of Ireland parish church in Rathdowney. He wrote an important book called "The Absentees of Ireland" and was an early proponent of Catholic emancipation and of land reform.
   Living Rathdowney authors.
   Dr James Ryan is a novalist. His three books to date are; Home from England (1996), Dismantling Mr Doyle (1998) and Seeds of Doubt (2001).
   Vera Ryan is his sister. She has written; Vivienne Roche (Works) 1991, Movers and Shapers. Irish Art since 1960, (2004); and Movers and Shapers, Irish Visual Art 1940 - 2006 (2006)
   Kevin Cahill has written one operetta 'Dado' (1975), one opera liberetta (incomplete) Russia (1988). He is the author of 'The Principles of Business Systems. BIM Portsmouth (1970), Trade Wars (1986), Who Owns Britain and Ireland (2001) and Who Owns the World (2006).
   Rev Dr Bridget Mary Meehan, ordained a catholic priest in the USA in 2006 is a prolific author of religious works, with 14 books in print. (To follow)

Sport

Rathdowney GAA is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club.Further Information

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