Rathkeale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rathkeale Ráth Caola
Town
Rathkeale main street, with former Central Cinema
Rathkeale Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	County Limerick
Elevation	45 m (148 ft)
Population  (2016)	1,441
Irish Grid Reference	R360420

Rathkeale (Irish: Ráth Caola, meaning Caola's ringfort) is a town in west County Limerick, Ireland. A ringfort is an old circular fort, often surrounded by an earth bank. Rathkeale is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of Limerick city. It sits on the River Deel and is located on the N21 road which leads to Tralee, County Kerry.

Rathkeale is known for its diverse population. A large number of Irish Travellers live here. Irish Travellers are a group of people who have a nomadic way of life and a distinct culture. Since 1995, nearly half of the town's residents have been members of the Traveller community. The town also has the largest group of people whose ancestors were German Palatines. These families came to Ireland from Germany in the early 1700s.

The town offers many facilities for its residents. It has places to shop, a museum, and two primary schools. There is also a community college called Coláiste na Trócaire, which opened in 1995. For religious worship, Rathkeale has a large Catholic church named St. Mary's. You can also find the ruins of an Augustinian Abbey and the Holy Trinity Church of Ireland church.

History of Rathkeale

Rathkeale in the late 1800s or early 1900s

Castle Matrix, Rathkeale around 1900

Castle Matrix

On the edge of Rathkeale, you can find Castle Matrix. This old tower house was built in the 1400s by Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Desmond. It was a strong fortress back then. Later, it became the home of Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Desmond. Today, the castle displays art and keeps important historical records. It is one of several significant properties owned by the Desmond family in County Limerick. Other Desmond properties include those in Adare, Askeaton, and Newcastle West.

German Palatine Settlers

The Holy Trinity Church cemetery has many gravestones with names of Irish Palatine families. These families were refugees who came from Rheinland-Pfalz, a region in Germany, in 1709. Many of their descendants now live in North America. The area around Rathkeale, especially the townlands of Killeheen, Ballingrane, and Courtmatrix, has the largest number of Palatine descendants in Ireland today. The old railway station in Rathkeale has been turned into the Irish Palatine Museum.

Getting Around Rathkeale

Bus Services

Rathkeale is served by Bus Eireann, Ireland's national bus company. You can catch routes 13 and 14 here. These buses travel between Limerick and Tralee, and Limerick and Killarney, respectively.

Old Railways and New Trails

Rathkeale used to have a railway station. It opened on January 1, 1867. Passenger trains stopped running on February 4, 1963, and the station closed completely on December 2, 1974. The old railway line from Limerick to Tralee is now a special path called the Great Southern Trail. This is a greenway or rail trail for cyclists and walkers. It follows the route of the former railway line between Rathkeale and Abbeyfeale.

Sports in Rathkeale

GAA Sports

Rathkeale has a large training facility for the GAA called Mick Neville Park. Limerick GAA owns this facility. County teams use it for training and some matches. It also hosts many club games throughout the GAA season.

Football and Hurling

Rathkeale A.F.C. is a local football club. They play in the Limerick Desmond League Premier Division. Their home ground is at Holy Cross, just outside the town. Rathkeale GAA has both hurling and football teams. Their home ground, known as "the bog garden," is also located just outside the town.

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