Letterkenny — Letterkenny

During the seventeenth century plantation of Donegal, 1000 acres in Letterkenny was granted to Captain Crawford. Near to his house Sir George Merbury 'hath erected a market town called Letterkenny, consisting of 50 thatched houses whereof 13 have clay and stone walls, and one watermill (DG053-044)' (Treadwell 1954-5, 41). This settlement was described in the 1654 Civil Survey of Donegal as 'there is therein a Towne called Litterkenny wch hath a Markett every ffryday,and two faires in the yeare wth a Larg dwelling Stone house (DG053-042002-) haveing a Bawne (DG053-042001-) of fower fla[n]ckers a fair Church (DG043-043001-) And a bridg[e] (DG053-042004-) at the End of the sd. towne over the sd. River of Swolly'. The seventeenth century town of Letterkenny had a constable and stocks (Hunter 1981, 67) which suggests that there was gaol in the old town. According to the Down Survey (1655-6) barony map the barony of Kilmacrenan had 'Three Considerable Townes therein The first being a Markett Towne namely Latterkenny'. The 19th century C of I church known as Conwal church and graveyard appear to have been built on the site of the 17th century parish church (DG053-043001-) and graveyard (DG053-043002-) which contains seventeenth century graveslabs (DG053-043003/004-). Site of historic town can be located on the footprint of the modern town along with evidence of placenames such as Fort Well (DG053-042003-) and Castle Garden which refer to the seventeenth century plantation bawn (DG053-042001-) located in the historic town of Letterkenny. Castle Street running S from the C of I church down towards the Market Square originally ran down to the castle which appears to have been located near the S angle of Mount Southwell. On the latest ed. OS 6-inch maps there is an area marked as Castle Gardens and Fort Well. These two placenames appear to mark the location of the seventeenth century house and bawn. There is a large two storey house beside Castle Gardens which may have been built on the site of the castle. There is a large stone wall enclosing this house which may have been part of the 17th century plantation castle. Bibliography Treadwell, V. W. (1954-5), 'The Plantation of Donegal - A Survey', Donegal Annual, 41. Hunter, R. J. (1981), 'Ulster Plantation Towns, 1609-41' pp. 55-80, in The Town in Ireland (eds.) D. Harkness and M. O'Dowd. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: : 19 July 2010