Rathvilly (barony)

Rathvilly Ráth Bhile (Irish)[1]
Barony
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	Carlow
Area
• Land	181.32 km^2 (70.01 sq mi)

Rathvilly (Irish: Ráth Bhile^[1]) is a barony in County Carlow, Ireland.

Etymology

Rathvilly barony takes its name from the village of Rathvilly, which derive from the Irish language Ráth Bhile, meaning "rath of the sacred tree".^[1]

Location

Rathvilly is found in north-east County Carlow. It contains the rivers Slaney and Derreen.

Rathvilly barony is bordered by the following baronies: to the west by Carlow; to the south by Forth; to the north by Upper Talbotstown; to the east by Ballinacor South; to the southeast by Shillelagh; and to the northwest by Kilkea and Moone.

History

In the 5th century, Crimthan, King of Leinster, lived at Rathvilly. The territory was that of the Uí Felmelda Tuaid, a Uí Cheinnselaig sept descended from Feidlimidh son of Enna Ceansalagh and brother of Crimthan. The MacKeoghs here were chief bards of the Kings of Leinster. An O'Neill family was cantered here.^[2]

List of settlements

Below is a list of settlements in Rathvilly barony:

• Clonmore
• Hacketstown
• Rathvilly
• Tullow

References

1. Logainm Irish Place Name Database - Rathvilly
2. Rootsweb - Roman Catholic Parishes of County Carlow