Lough Ramor

Infobox lake
lake_name = Lough Ramor
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location = County Cavan
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basin_countries = Ireland
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Lough Ramor is a lake associated with Virginia, County Cavan, from the earliest records "Vita Tripartita" identified as the territory of Cenal Muinreamhair. The literal meaning of the term Muinreamhair is 'fat-neck' and appears to be derived from a prehistoric or mythical ancestor warrior, connoting great strength. Loch Muinreamhair also appears in early manuscripts of the Four Masters.

Early Christian settlements

References to an early Christian foundation in the Loch Muinreamhair region are found in the Martyrology of Donegal, enters at 6th February the festival of Saints Brandubh and Coluim of Loch Muinreamhair. There is a similar entry in the Felire of Gorman and other undated Irish Calendars. It is therefore inferred that these personages flourashed shortly after the introduction of Christianity during the fifth century. It is also assumed that an island or crannog was used as the initial foundation for the early church in Loch Muinreamhair. One such island has the remains of mediaeval ecclesiastical associations, its early name is not recorded, but since the early eighteenth century it has been known locally as Woodward's Island, after a prominent Kells family who built a villa upon the island.

The mediaeval island church belonged to the Augustinian Abbey of St. Mary's in Ceannannus (Kells), an Anglo-Norman institution, not to be confused with the early Columban Abbey of Ceannannus that was founded by Saint Columcille. There was a local tradition that some of the early period monks who lived on the island were killed by robbers who plundered the church. The Augustinians acquired the site probably during the 13th century, after the ecclesiastical diocese boundaries were changed to include the new diocese of Kilmore in the territory then known as east-Breifne.

As neither saints Brandubh or Coluin are mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters. The name Brandubh (literally interpreted as Black Raven) is mentioned in in more regal terms from being the King of Leinster, who died in the year 601. Saint Patrick introduced Christianity to the valley of the Blackwater, a century before St.Columcille came to the region. However it is nowhere recorded that St.Patrick ever ventured toward Ramor, though his influence did extend there as evident from the holy wells and early churches dedicated to him.

A warlike race of people called Luigni and Gailanga ruled over the Blackwater and Ramor regions, where it may be inferred that St.Patrick sent missionaries into the territory and that Saints Brandubh and Coluin were these early missionaries.

Early civilisations

There is ample evidence of early civilisation in the Lough Ramor region dating back to 2000BC, where there once stood a Neolithic dolman, burial site, in the townland of Ballaghanea. Other stone markings dating from the period of the Bronze Age have been identified in Munterconnacht.The island ecclesiastical site, described above, comes into prominence during 845, when the Four Masters describes the territory of the Luigni of Sliabh Guire. They were a warlike tribe introduced from the western seaboarfd and established during the third century, one of a chain of 'buffer states' to guard the frontiers of the kingdom of Tara. Traces ring forts of many raths, lios and ring forts abound the region. Maelseachlainn, King of Meath led an attack to exterminate a band of marauders who established a stronghold on the island. The chronicles describe the event:

"The demolition of the island of Loch Muinreamhair by Maelseachlainn, son of Maelruanaidh against a crowd of 'sons of death' of the Luigni and Gailenga who were plundering the districts at the instigation of the foreigners (Norsemen) and they were destroyed by him."

A similar mention is entered in the Annals of Ulster given as the year 846. But local tradition tells of the robbers fighting amongst themselves for a share of the spoils from various plundering raids including the island church, may be an echo down through the centuries that fierce battles did however take place upon a hillock known locally as "Cnoc Fola", the hill of blood.

The Virginia GAA team Ramor United is named after the loch, as is a local theatre.

ee also

*List of Irish loughs