Rathangan (; ) is a town in the west of County Kildare, Ireland. , the population was 3,263. It is located from the centre of Dublin, and from Kildare, at the intersection of the R401, R414, and R419 regional roads. The Slate River and the Grand Canal run through the town.
Rathangan is situated beside the Bog of Allen, and is in close proximity to the lowlands of the Curragh. In recent years, the town has grown significantly to become a big commuter base for people working in Dublin.
History
The rath or fort of Iomghain, from which the town gets its name, has been dated to between 600 and 700 AD, and is situated to the northwest of the modern town on the Clonbulloge road. Several Iomghains are documented in the history of this period and it is unclear who the fort is actually named for. Richard FitzGerald, 3rd Earl of Kildare died in Rathangan in 1329 aged twelve years. Rathangan Castle came under the control of forces loyal to Thomas FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Kildare during the Kildare Rebellion (1634–37) against the rule of Henry VIII. The rebellion was short lived and ended when Fitzgerald was arrested and executed in London for treason. The present day Church of Ireland stands in close proximity to the Rath. The Church of Ireland site was originally the site of the Catholic Church. A later Catholic Church, St Patrick's, was built in the early 19th Century. This building became a Community Centre in the latter part of the 20th Century and the Catholic Church moved location again to a new build in the 1950s.
Extensions of the Grand Canal to Monasterevin and Athy in the late 18th century led to the current layout of the town, due to the building of houses for the canal engineers which were complemented by grander houses for the local gentry. Society of United Irishmen forces led by Captain John Doorley captured the town briefly during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. A Yeoman and agent for the Duke of Leinster named James Spencer died during the four day battle after he was allegedly piked to death on his staircase. Another version purports that he was shot. Despite Spencer's position of privilege and his stance against Wolfe Tone Republicanism , that was taking hold of ordinary people in County Kildare at this time, local legend suggests that he was well liked and people were saddened by his death. Spencer's Court and Spencer's Bridge are named in his honour. The other notable casualty of the Battle of Rathangan and its aftermath was Captain Doorley of Lullymore himself . The rebel leader was executed by hanging following the recapture of the town. A monument to him and the other rebel leaders can be found in nearby Lullymore. No such monument exists in Rathangan itself. The residential estate of Doorley Park is named in his honour though.
George Pomeroy Colley, a Major General in the British Armed Forces during the First Boer War and later Governor and High commissioner of Southern Africa, was born in Rathangan in 1835. He spent his early childhood there before his schooling began in Surrey. The Pomeroy Park housing development is named after him.
Colonel Eamon Broy, also known as Ned Broy, lived in Rathangan from his birth in 1887. He served as a double agent in the Dublin Metropolitan Police and acted as an informant for the Irish Republican Army and specifically for Michael Collins during the Irish War of Independence. Later he would give his allegiance to Collins and the Irish Free State during the Irish Civil War. He became a Garda Síochána Commissioner and also held the distinguished position of President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.
Lewis's Topographical Dictionary 1837: RATHANGAN, a market and post-town, and a parish, partly in the barony of EAST OPHALY, but chiefly in that of WEST OPHALY, county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, 14 ¾ miles (W.) from Naas, and 30 (S. W. by W.) from Dublin, on the road from Kildare to Edenderry; containing 2911 inhabitants, of which number, 1165 are in the town, which is entirely in the barony of West Ophaly, and near the Grand Canal, and in 1831 contained 215 houses.
It is a chief station of the constabulary police, and has a market on Monday, and fairs in June, and on 26 Aug. and 12 Nov.. The parish comprises 8872 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: the principal seat within its limits is Tottenham Green, that of Geo. Tottenham, Esq.