BEGINNERS' BLAS 8
LOGAINMNEACHA/ PLACENAMES
We look at the history of the logainm CÚIL RAITHIN or COLERAINE.

Read Céara Ní Choinn's account of where this name comes from:
Hello all and fáilte ar ais go blas na bhfoghlaimeoiri!! Is mise Céara Ní Choinn for those of you who have been tuned into the programme since the start of the series you’ll know that I have been tracing the history of placenames in some of Ulster’s main town’s and cities. Agus ní éisceacht ar bith é an tseachtain seo ach an oiread.

An tseachtain seo I’m having a look at the biggest town of the Causeway coast Coleraine where I myself went to University to study Irish, Coleraine in the Irish language is Cúil Raithin meaning the nook or cranny of the ferns. Cúil means Corner or nook and Raithneach means ferns. Coleraine nó Cúil Raithin lies east of the Bann nó Bannda Abhann na Banna as it is known in Irish and can be dated back to the fifth century where an early Christian site was established. Now according to historians and theologians it is agreed that the earliest date for an arrival in Ireland of a missionary is 432 AD, in the fifth century when St Patrick or Paticius arrived here. We learned several weeks back that Ard Mhacha is the eccelesiastical capital of both of Ireland’s main Christian traditions and owes it’s origins to Naomh Pádraig Ardeaspuig na hÉireann who built his cathedral there in the fifth century. The schools and churches which grew up around Ard Mhacha or Macha’s height, formed the foundations of what is the modern city of Ard Mhacha. But Patrick didn’t just build a church there in Ard Mhacha it is said that he consecrated the site of a church at Coleraine nó Cúil Raithin i gCondae Dhoire and a stone on which he sat was shown at Dunseverick, on the shore of the north coast. Dunseverick nó Dún Sobhairce the ruins of which still remains The original site of the Early Christian monastery founded by St Patrick in the 5th century A.D still remains today, although the site has been substantially changed since then.
Prior to the Plantation of Ulster in the early 1600’s the present Condae Dhoire was known as the as the County of Coleraine. Clan Ui Chathain or the O’Kanes ruled this ancient province right up until the time of the plantation and were second in command to the O'Neill Chieftans of Ulster. The greater part of County Derry, which was called "O'Cathain or O'Kane's country". At an early period they also possessed part of Antrim, ruling from the Castle of Dunseverick, the ruins of which still remain.
So there we have it a brief rundown of the history of the ancient Cúil Raithin, the nook of ferns……I hope that you’ll join us again next week………

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