Rathmichael facts for kids

Church of Ireland Parish Church

Rathmichael is a lovely suburb located south-east of Dublin, in the area called Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. It's close to the southern edge of what used to be County Dublin. You'll find it west of Shankill, with the M50/M11 motorways generally separating the two. Rathmichael is also a civil parish in the old area known as Rathdown.

What Does Rathmichael Mean?

The name Rathmichael comes from an older Irish name, Ráth Mhichíl. This name probably came from Ráth Mhic Táil. This means "Mac Táil's Ringfort". A ringfort is an ancient circular fort.

Exploring Rathmichael's Location and Nature

Rathmichael is a wealthy area with lots of large houses and gardens. These homes are spread out, with open green spaces in between. The land gently rises towards the west, leading to Carrickgollogan hill. This hill is part of the Dublin Mountains.

You can see the tall chimney of the old lead mines from Rathmichael. The ruins of Puck's Castle are also on the side of Carrickgollogan. Many small streams in the area join together to form the Wood Brook. This stream, also called Crinken Stream, then flows into the sea north of Bray.

Rathmichael's Ancient History

Near the remains of what was once one of Ireland's biggest ringforts, you'll find old church ruins. People believe this church was named after a saint called Mac Táil. Over time, his name was changed to "Michael."

The remains of the round tower

At one end of the church, there are parts of an Irish round tower. This tower is about 2 metres (6.5 feet) tall. It measures about 51 feet (15.5 metres) around its base. Locals call the tower "The Skull Hole." This is because skulls and bones from the nearby graveyard were put there. This happened when the graveyard was cleared to make more space for burials.

There's also a cool story about an underground passage. People say it leads from the round tower all the way to the sea. The legend tells of a piper who went into the passage playing his instrument. He was never seen again! Parts of a passage, possibly an underground tunnel called a souterrain, have been found near the tower. This whole site is now a special National monument in Ireland.

Things to Do and See in Rathmichael

Rathmichael has a few interesting places. There are two schools for children. One is Rathmichael Parish National School, which is connected to the local Church of Ireland. The other is St. Anne’s National School. Aravon Preparatory School was also here for 151 years, making it Ireland's oldest of its kind, but it closed in 2013.

You can also find Old Conna Golf Club on Ferndale Road. The historic Rathmichael Church and its graveyard are here too. The oldest house in southern County Dublin, The Old Glebe House, is also in Rathmichael. It's even thought that Jonathan Swift might have written parts of his famous book, Gulliver's Travels, while staying there!

Famous People from Rathmichael

Some well-known people live or have lived in Rathmichael.

• Pádraig Harrington is a famous international golfer. He won the British Open in 2007 and 2008. He also won the USPGA tournament in 2008.
• Kyle Good and Alan Sothern are both international field hockey players for Ireland. They both went to Rathmichael Parish National School.