Cúil Raithin

Coleraine's name derives from Irish Cuil Raithin, meaning 'nook of the ferns'. According to the ninth-century Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick, a local chieftain named Nadslua offered land by the River Bann to Saint Patrick, where boys were said to be burning ferns for amusement, giving rise to the place name. The medieval period saw Coleraine develop into a significant settlement: Thomas fitz ...