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Bunaíodh Gaeltacht Ráth Chairn timpeall 1935 nuair a chuir seacht gclann is fiche as Conamara, go háirithe as cheantar na n-oileán agus ón gCeathrú Rua, fúthu ar thalamh a bhí faighte ag Coimisiún na Talún i gContae na Mí. Ba é ceann de na smaointe b’fhadradharcaí i gcursaí athbheochana na Gaeilge riamh.

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The Ráth Chairn Gaeltacht was established in 1935 when 27 families from Connemara, mostly from Ceantar na nOileán (one of the Western Seaboard areas designated as a “Congested District” in terms of over-population and economic viability) were settled on land previously acquired by the Land Commission. It was one of the more visionary ideas of language revival thinking.

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Tugadh teach Coimisiúin, feirm dhá acra is fiche, capall, cráin mhuice is bainbh agus uirlisí bunúsacha talmhaíochta do ghach clann. Sa bhliain 1937 tháinig aon chlann déag eile chun cur fúthu i Ráth Chairn. San iomlán, d’aistrigh 443 duine ó Chonamara go gabháltais nua i gceantar Rath Cairn le linn na tréimhse seo. Ba í an t-aon áis phobail amháin a tugadh don phobal nualonnaithe seo ná an Scoil Náisiúnta, Scoil Uí Ghrámhnaigh, atá in úsáid fós. Seachas sin fágadh an Ghaeltacht nua seo ar a conlán féin.

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Each family was provided with a Land Commission house and a farm of approximately 22 acres, a sow, piglets and basic implements. A further 11 families joined the original settlers in 1937. In all 443 persons moved from Connemara to new holdings in the Ráth Chairn area of County Meath during this period. The only communal structure provided to the resettled Connemara community was a National School, Scoil Uí Ghrámhnaigh, still in use today. Otherwise the new Gaeltacht community was left to fend for itself.

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Ní go dtí 1967 a bhain Rath Cairn amach aitheantas oifigiúil mar Ghaeltacht, tar éis feachtais chearta sibhialta a d’eagraigh Craobh Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta Rath Cairn. Is i 1973 a bunaíodh Chomharchumann Rath Cairn chun pleanáil agus forbairt a dhéanamh don cheantar.

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It was not until 1967 that Ráth Chairn gained official recognition as a Gaeltacht, following a successful civil campaign by Craobh Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta, Ráth Chairn. In 1973 Comharchumann Ráth Chairn (Ráth Chairn Co-Operation Society) was formed to plan and undertake developmental activities in the area.

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Tá Ráth Chairn ina bhaile beag anois le lárionad pobail agus clubteach (An Bradán Feasa), meánscoil, lárionad fiontraíochta, eaglais Chaitliceach agus áiseanna eile lena n-áirítear grúpscéim uisce, siopa, bialann, páirc imeartha, agus ionad taispeántais.

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As a result, Ráth Chairn has grown to a small village embracing a community centre and clubhouse (An Bradán Feasa), a second level College, an enterprise centre, a Catholic church, and other facilities including a group water scheme, sports field and changing rooms, shop, restaurant and interpretative display centre.