Derrygonnelly
Encyclopedia
Derrygonnelly is a small village
and townland
in County Fermanagh
, Northern Ireland
. Near Lower Lough Erne
, the village was home to 594 people (at the 2001 Census
) and dates to the Plantation
era.
The village has a long history of Irish traditional music
and each year in early October there is a celebration of local talent in memory of the late musicians Eddie Duffy
and Mick Hoy. Musicians come from all over Ireland and from further afield to enjoy this festival which bases itself in any of Derrygonnelly's four pubs.
town. The area hosted fairs from the late 18th century but the village itself only really developed as late as 1812 when the long, flat main street was built along the Sillees River
. The main road to Enniskillen
was known as the Famine Road as it was made during the 1846 famine as a relief scheme.
.
Approximately one mile to the northwest of the village are the ruins of Carrick Church
; built by Gilbert O'Flanagan in 1483 "In Honour of God and Mary". The church's graveyard was used by the locals until around 1930. Also just north of the village is a small ruined church that combines medieval
and Renaissance
features, built in 1627 by Sir John Dunbar. His coat of arms is located over the doorway. Other 17th century ruins in the nearby area include Monea Castle
and Tully Castle
, the latter having been sacked and burned by Rory Maguire on Christmas Day during the 1641 rebellion
. As well as Lower Lough Erne to the north, Derrygonnelly is surrounded by small lakes and is split by the Sillees River, which is popular with canoeists.
4 miles (6.4 km) outside the village towards Garrison are the Correl Glens and Lough Navar Forest Drive. The Forest Drive is a 7 miles (11.3 km) walk through Lough Navar Forest incorporating a beautiful viewpoint at the top looking over Lower Lough Erne, as far as the Donegal
coast to the west and the Sperrin Mountains in County Tyrone
to the north and east. The drive is also open to motor vehicles. On the opposite side of the road lies Correl Glens, which features another popular walking route, with some small waterfalls near the entrance.
team are the Derrygonnelly Harps
who play on their home ground of Canon Maguire Park. The club was founded in 1924. The team has enjoyed much underage success in recent years, and at senior level have gained three New York Gold Cups (the County Championship), one in 1995, 2004 and the most recent in 2009. There are teams fielded at every level of mens' and ladies' football. Currently the club is undergoing even more redevelopments with the improvement of facilities.
On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 594 people living in Derrygonnelly. Of these:
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
in County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Near Lower Lough Erne
Lough Erne
Lough Erne, sometimes Loch Erne , is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne. The river begins by flowing north, and then curves west into the Atlantic. The southern lake is further up the river and so is named Upper...
, the village was home to 594 people (at the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
) and dates to the Plantation
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
era.
The village has a long history of Irish traditional music
Folk music of Ireland
The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
and each year in early October there is a celebration of local talent in memory of the late musicians Eddie Duffy
Eddie Duffy
Eddie Duffy , was a traditional Irish musician. He was renowned for his slow airs on the flute, which he accomplished by playing in exactly the same style as he sang, with memorable effect...
and Mick Hoy. Musicians come from all over Ireland and from further afield to enjoy this festival which bases itself in any of Derrygonnelly's four pubs.
History
Derrygonnelly was founded by General Archdale as a PlantationPlantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
town. The area hosted fairs from the late 18th century but the village itself only really developed as late as 1812 when the long, flat main street was built along the Sillees River
Sillees River
The Sillees River is located in south west County Fermanagh. Its origins lie in Lough Ahork, which is located in Lough Navar Forest...
. The main road to Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
was known as the Famine Road as it was made during the 1846 famine as a relief scheme.
Places of interest
The old creamery in Derrygonnelly has been converted into a residential environmental education centre, Tir Navar, run by the Field Studies CouncilField Studies Council
The Field Studies Council is an educational charity based in the UK. It opened its first Field Centre in 1947 at Flatford Mill, and now operates 17 Field Centres in various locations in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland offering both residential and non-residential field courses...
.
Approximately one mile to the northwest of the village are the ruins of Carrick Church
Carrick Church
Situated in Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, Carrick Church is approximately one mile to the north-west of the village of Derrygonnelly, on the shore of Carrick Lough. The Church is a late medieval structure built by the local chieftain of the time, Gilbert O'Flanagan II, and his wife Margaret in 1483...
; built by Gilbert O'Flanagan in 1483 "In Honour of God and Mary". The church's graveyard was used by the locals until around 1930. Also just north of the village is a small ruined church that combines medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
features, built in 1627 by Sir John Dunbar. His coat of arms is located over the doorway. Other 17th century ruins in the nearby area include Monea Castle
Monea Castle
Monea Castle is a castle in Monea, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is a State Care Historic Monument sited in the townland of Castletown Monea, in Fermanagh District Council area, at grid ref: H1647 4937.-Features:...
and Tully Castle
Tully Castle
Tully Castle is a castle situated in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, near the village of Blaney, on Blaney Bay on the southern shore of Lower Lough Erne...
, the latter having been sacked and burned by Rory Maguire on Christmas Day during the 1641 rebellion
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
. As well as Lower Lough Erne to the north, Derrygonnelly is surrounded by small lakes and is split by the Sillees River, which is popular with canoeists.
4 miles (6.4 km) outside the village towards Garrison are the Correl Glens and Lough Navar Forest Drive. The Forest Drive is a 7 miles (11.3 km) walk through Lough Navar Forest incorporating a beautiful viewpoint at the top looking over Lower Lough Erne, as far as the Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
coast to the west and the Sperrin Mountains in County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
to the north and east. The drive is also open to motor vehicles. On the opposite side of the road lies Correl Glens, which features another popular walking route, with some small waterfalls near the entrance.
Education
Derrygonnelly has two primary schools;- St Patrick's Primary School
- Derrygonnelly Controlled Primary School
Gaelic sports
The local Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
team are the Derrygonnelly Harps
Derrygonnelly Harps
Derrygonnelly Harps is a Gaelic football club from Derrygonnelly in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1924. The club participates in Fermanagh competitions and has won the Fermanagh Senior Football Championship three times, the most recent of which was in 2009...
who play on their home ground of Canon Maguire Park. The club was founded in 1924. The team has enjoyed much underage success in recent years, and at senior level have gained three New York Gold Cups (the County Championship), one in 1995, 2004 and the most recent in 2009. There are teams fielded at every level of mens' and ladies' football. Currently the club is undergoing even more redevelopments with the improvement of facilities.
2001 Census
Derrygonnelly is classified as a small village or hamlet by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with a population of between 500 and 1,000 people).On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 594 people living in Derrygonnelly. Of these:
- 23.6% were aged under 16 and 19.7% were aged 60 and over
- 50.3% of the population were male and 49.7% were female
- 77.4% were from a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
background and 20.1% were from a ProtestantProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
background - 4.0% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service