Pettigo
Encyclopedia
Pettigo is a small village on the border of County Donegal
, Republic of Ireland
and County Fermanagh
, Northern Ireland
. It is bisected by the Termon River
which is part of the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The portion of the village in Northern Ireland is officially called Tullyhommon
, but is locally known as 'High Street' due to its hillside position overlooking the remainder of the village. The rest of the village in the Republic includes Main Street, Mill Street and Station Street, all of which meet in The Diamond at the centre of the village. There are also two relatively modern housing estates on the northern outskirts, namely Termon Villas and St. Patrick's Terrace along with new developments such as Mill Grove.
, the village suffered from partition in 1922, the closure of the railway in 1957 and from the closure of numerous cross-border roads by the British army
at the height of the Troubles
in Northern Ireland. The latter had the effect of cutting Pettigo off from much of its rural hinterland in counties Fermanagh and Tyrone
. In recent years economic prospects have improved with the reopening of many of the cross-border roads, improving access for tourists and locals alike.
Agriculture, particularly the rearing of sheep and cattle, forms the mainstay of the local economy. The quality of the local land (marshy, with much blanket bog
) renders it largely unsuitable for grain crops. There are also expansive forestry plantations in the surrounding townlands, owned and operated by Coillte Teoranta
, the Republic's Forestry Service. Many of the plantations occupy land unsuitable for other commercial uses, or where peat
extraction has been completed, leaving poor quality thin soil cover behind. The Sitka Spruce
and Lodgepole Pine
softwood
varieties comprise 90% of the canopy.
Pettigo has traditionally been the 'gateway' to St. Patrick's Purgatory
, a Christian
pilgrimage
site, situated on an island in Lough Derg
. During the mid-late 20th century, the popularity of the pilgrimage brought a significant boost to the local economy as tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over Ireland and abroad travelled through the village on their way to and from Lough Derg. Although the popularity of the pilgrimage has dwindled in recent years, it is still an important driver of tourism in the area.
, Pettigo in what was now the new Irish Free State
, and Belleek
, which was now in Northern Ireland
were occupied by a 100-strong Irish Republican Army
unit who had arrived there from Donegal. They were attacked first by a party of 100 Ulster Special Constabulary, who crossed Lough Erne but they were beaten off, losing one killed. Two companies of British Army
troops along with 6 field guns, along with the USC, was then sent to take the villages. In the ensuing fighting, in which the British bombarded the village and then stormed it, the IRA lost three men killed, six wounded and four captured before being forced to retreat back to Donegal. One British soldier was killed in the fighting. Two civilians were also shot dead by the USC in nearby Lettercan. Other reports put the IRA casualties at seven killed and the total death toll as high as 30.
, Presbyterian
and Methodist
Churches.
opened from on the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway
near Kilskeery, Co. Tyrone
to Pettigo on 13 June 1866. It was extended Bundoran
, Co. Donegal in 1868 and intended to continue to but failed to do so. The Great Northern Railway
ran the E&BR from 1876 and took it over in 1896.
Pettigo station was opened in 1866 but it incorporated a house that had been built in 1840. Trains from Pettigo went to Dublin Amiens Street
, Enniskillen
, Ballyshannon
and Bundoran
. 30 men kept the railway in running repair. Water supplies for the steam locomotive
s was drawn from the River Termon.
The railway greatly aided the movement and export of agricultural produce such as sheep and cattle and the import and distribution of coal, building materials and imported food. Livestock were loaded onto the train from the nearby Pettigo Market Yard.
The railway also carried visitors to the developing seaside resort of Bundoran whose first hotel, the Hamilton Hotel, was built by Pettigo man, Hazlett Hamilton, who was a major property owner in Pettigo. Messrs. Brassey and Field completed the railway after the previous contractor went bankrupt. The return fare from Pettigo to Bundoran in 1866 was 3rd class 1 shilling
, 2nd class 1s and 6 pence
and 1st class 2 shillings (10 new pence). The railway also enhanced access to the Lough Derg
pilgrimage for people from all over Ireland.
Both the partition of Ireland
in 1922 and increasing road transport weakened the railway. The Government of Northern Ireland
made the GNR close nearly all of its cross-border lines, including the Bundoran branch, on 1 October 1957.
-fishing. Covering 2,200 acres with a shore line of 13 miles, it offers opportunities for both boat and shore angling. It also offers excellent pike fishing.Lough Derg lies about four miles north of the village of Pettigo in County Donegal
.
Station Island, the location of the Lough Derg Pilgrimage, is often referred to as Saint Patrick's Purgatory or simply Lough Derg. This small lake-island, renowned in Irish
Christian
tradition since the time of St. Patrick, has been receiving pilgrims
continuously for well over 1000 years.
In earlier times the area around the lake was a place of protection for anyone in trouble. The monastery nearby offered hospitality to all.
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...
, Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and 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...
. It is bisected by the Termon River
Termon River
The Termon River forms the border between County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland and County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. It rises near Scraghy and flows into Lough Erne about two miles from Pettigo. The length is approximately 16 km .-References:...
which is part of the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The portion of the village in Northern Ireland is officially called Tullyhommon
Tullyhommon
Tullyhommon is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It lies within the Fermanagh District Council area. In the 2001 Census the village had a population of 81 people....
, but is locally known as 'High Street' due to its hillside position overlooking the remainder of the village. The rest of the village in the Republic includes Main Street, Mill Street and Station Street, all of which meet in The Diamond at the centre of the village. There are also two relatively modern housing estates on the northern outskirts, namely Termon Villas and St. Patrick's Terrace along with new developments such as Mill Grove.
Economy
Once a thriving market village on the Enniskillen and Bundoran RailwayEnniskillen and Bundoran Railway
The Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in north-west Ireland. It linked Bundoran and Ballyshannon on the Atlantic coast of Donegal with the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway at in Fermanagh...
, the village suffered from partition in 1922, the closure of the railway in 1957 and from the closure of numerous cross-border roads by the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
at the height of the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in Northern Ireland. The latter had the effect of cutting Pettigo off from much of its rural hinterland in counties Fermanagh and 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...
. In recent years economic prospects have improved with the reopening of many of the cross-border roads, improving access for tourists and locals alike.
Agriculture, particularly the rearing of sheep and cattle, forms the mainstay of the local economy. The quality of the local land (marshy, with much blanket bog
Blanket bog
Blanket bog or blanket mire is an area of peatland, forming where there is a climate of high rainfall and a low level of evapotranspiration, allowing peat to develop not only in wet hollows but over large expanses of undulating ground. The blanketing of the ground with a variable depth of peat...
) renders it largely unsuitable for grain crops. There are also expansive forestry plantations in the surrounding townlands, owned and operated by Coillte Teoranta
Coillte Teoranta
Coillte is a state-sponsored company in the Republic of Ireland, based in Newtownmountkennedy. Coillte is a commercial company operating in forestry, land-based businesses and added-value processing operations....
, the Republic's Forestry Service. Many of the plantations occupy land unsuitable for other commercial uses, or where peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
extraction has been completed, leaving poor quality thin soil cover behind. The Sitka Spruce
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
and Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta, also known as Shore Pine, is a common tree in western North America. Like all pines, it is evergreen.-Subspecies:...
softwood
Softwood
The term softwood is used to describe wood from trees that are known as gymnosperms.Conifers are an example. It may also be used to describe trees, which tend to be evergreen, notable exceptions being bald cypress and the larches....
varieties comprise 90% of the canopy.
Pettigo has traditionally been the 'gateway' to St. Patrick's Purgatory
St. Patrick's Purgatory
St Patrick's Purgatory is an ancient pilgrimage site on Station Island in Lough Derg, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. According to legend, the site dates from the fifth century, when Christ showed Saint Patrick a cave, sometimes referred to as a pit, on Station Island that was an entrance to...
, a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
site, situated on an island in Lough Derg
Lough Derg (Donegal)
Lough Derg is a small lake in County Donegal, Ireland, about seven kilometres north of the border village of Pettigoe...
. During the mid-late 20th century, the popularity of the pilgrimage brought a significant boost to the local economy as tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over Ireland and abroad travelled through the village on their way to and from Lough Derg. Although the popularity of the pilgrimage has dwindled in recent years, it is still an important driver of tourism in the area.
Fighting in 1922
In June 1922, at the tail end of the Irish War of IndependenceIrish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
, Pettigo in what was now the new Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
, and Belleek
Belleek, County Fermanagh
Belleek is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. While the greater part of the village lies within County Fermanagh, part of it crosses the border into County Donegal, a part of Ulster that lies in the Republic of Ireland. This makes Belleek the western-most village in the United Kingdom...
, which was now in 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...
were occupied by a 100-strong Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
unit who had arrived there from Donegal. They were attacked first by a party of 100 Ulster Special Constabulary, who crossed Lough Erne but they were beaten off, losing one killed. Two companies of British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
troops along with 6 field guns, along with the USC, was then sent to take the villages. In the ensuing fighting, in which the British bombarded the village and then stormed it, the IRA lost three men killed, six wounded and four captured before being forced to retreat back to Donegal. One British soldier was killed in the fighting. Two civilians were also shot dead by the USC in nearby Lettercan. Other reports put the IRA casualties at seven killed and the total death toll as high as 30.
Religion
The local area has a mixed religious make-up, with the village having Roman Catholic, Church of IrelandChurch of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
and Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
Churches.
Railway
The Enniskillen and Bundoran RailwayEnniskillen and Bundoran Railway
The Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in north-west Ireland. It linked Bundoran and Ballyshannon on the Atlantic coast of Donegal with the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway at in Fermanagh...
opened from on the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway
Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway
The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland.-Construction and opening:The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway was incorporated in 1845. Construction began at Derry and followed the west bank of the River Foyle southwards to Strabane, which was reached in 1847...
near Kilskeery, Co. Tyrone
Tyrone
The name Tyrone can refer to:*County Tyrone, a county in Northern Ireland, roughly corresponding to the ancient kingdom of Tír Eogain*An Earl of Tyrone*A small steam train which runs between Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland-Places:...
to Pettigo on 13 June 1866. It was extended Bundoran
Bundoran
Bundoran is a town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. The town is located on the N15 road near Ballyshannon, 3 hours drive from Dublin and around two and a quarter hours drive from Belfast...
, Co. Donegal in 1868 and intended to continue to but failed to do so. The Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
The Great Northern Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.The Great Northern was formed in 1876 by a merger of the Irish North Western Railway , Northern Railway of Ireland, and Ulster Railway. The Ulster Railway was the GNRI's oldest constituent, having opened between Belfast and...
ran the E&BR from 1876 and took it over in 1896.
Pettigo station was opened in 1866 but it incorporated a house that had been built in 1840. Trains from Pettigo went to Dublin Amiens Street
Dublin Connolly railway station
Dublin Connolly, commonly called Connolly station , is one of the main railway stations in Dublin, Ireland, and is a focal point in the Irish route network. Opened in 1844 as Amiens Street Station, the ornate facade has a distinctive Italianate tower at its centre...
, 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...
, Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is located where the N3 and N15 cross the River Erne, and claims to be the oldest town in Ireland.-Location:...
and Bundoran
Bundoran
Bundoran is a town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. The town is located on the N15 road near Ballyshannon, 3 hours drive from Dublin and around two and a quarter hours drive from Belfast...
. 30 men kept the railway in running repair. Water supplies for the steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s was drawn from the River Termon.
The railway greatly aided the movement and export of agricultural produce such as sheep and cattle and the import and distribution of coal, building materials and imported food. Livestock were loaded onto the train from the nearby Pettigo Market Yard.
The railway also carried visitors to the developing seaside resort of Bundoran whose first hotel, the Hamilton Hotel, was built by Pettigo man, Hazlett Hamilton, who was a major property owner in Pettigo. Messrs. Brassey and Field completed the railway after the previous contractor went bankrupt. The return fare from Pettigo to Bundoran in 1866 was 3rd class 1 shilling
£sd
£sd was the popular name for the pre-decimal currencies used in the Kingdom of England, later the United Kingdom, and ultimately in much of the British Empire...
, 2nd class 1s and 6 pence
£sd
£sd was the popular name for the pre-decimal currencies used in the Kingdom of England, later the United Kingdom, and ultimately in much of the British Empire...
and 1st class 2 shillings (10 new pence). The railway also enhanced access to the Lough Derg
Lough Derg
Lough Derg is the name of two lakes in Ireland:* Lough Derg a large lake on the River Shannon, bordering counties Clare, Galway and Tipperary.* Lough Derg a small lake, a place of Christian pilgrimage....
pilgrimage for people from all over Ireland.
Both the partition of Ireland
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
in 1922 and increasing road transport weakened the railway. The Government of Northern Ireland
Government of Northern Ireland
The Government of Northern Ireland is, generally speaking, whatever political body exercises political authority over Northern Ireland. A number of separate systems of government exist or have existed in Northern Ireland....
made the GNR close nearly all of its cross-border lines, including the Bundoran branch, on 1 October 1957.
People
- Moya DohertyMoya DohertyMoya Doherty is a Dublin-raised Irish entrepreneur and the producer and co-founder of Riverdance, the worldwide acclaimed theatrical phenomenon, which premiered in Dublin’s Point Theatre in February 1995...
, Co-founder of RiverdanceRiverdanceRiverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish stepdancing, notable for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary. It originated as an interval performance during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, a moment that is still considered a significant... - John Kells IngramJohn Kells IngramJohn Kells Ingram was an economist, Irish patriot and poet.-Academic contributions:Ingram was remarkable for his versatility....
, Poet - Seán McGinleySeán McGinleySeán McGinley is an Irish film and television actor.-Early life:McGinley was born in Pettigo, County Donegal, Ireland where his father was a customs officer, and raised in nearby Ballyshannon...
, Actor - Basil McIvorBasil McIvorWilliam Basil McIvor OBE PC was an Ulster Unionist politician, barrister and pioneer of integrated education.-Early life and education:...
, Politician and Pioneer of Integrated Education - Miler MagrathMiler MagrathMiler Magrath or Miler McGrath , was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland. He came from a family of hereditary historians to the O'Brien clan. He entered the Franciscan Order and was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood...
Archbishop
Castle McGrath
Castle McGrath was built in the 1600’s, Bishop Miler McGrath lived in the Castle. There was escape tunnel from the castle to the belaut river. The Castle was besieged and captured during the 1641 rebellion and soon after abandoned. The castle and lands were sold to the Leslie family of Co Monaghan who controlled the Pettigo estate until the early 20th century.The Mill
Pettigo Mill was built by the Leslie family who owned the Pettigo Estate. The Leslie family were originally from Monaghan town. Pettigo Mill was first on the map of Pettigo dated 1767, but probably is much older. The Mill got it’s power from the Termon river. It was described as a cloth mill i.e. woollen cloth, but probably also ground oats and other grains. During the famine, maize or Indian meal as it was called was ground in the Pettigo Mill. This was then sent to the poor through the port of Ballyshannon in the year 1845/1846. After the arrival of the railway in Pettigo, which opened in 1860, Pettigo Mill was a saw mill as well as a grain mill. Timber for all the usual purposes was produced but the main product that was made was egg boxes which held twelve eggs. Eggs were sent by train to the cities of Belfast and Dublin or onto England and Scotland. Egg boxes were in great demand as many people depended on their egg money to buy their groceries in the local shops.Irish War of Independence Memorial
The memorial was erected in 1953 to commemorate four men who died in the invasion of Pettigo on June 4th 1922.Walks
The Mountains, hills and quiet country roads offer space for hill-walking, cycling and pony trekking. The Pettigo History trail which is centred round the village can be explored at the hiker's leisure. The trail entails the history and heritage of the Pettigo area. 30 plaques tell the creator of Riverdance, Moya Doherty, “French” Tom Barton, “Banjo” Patterson, the Crimean War Tree and the Pettigo Connection to “The Quiet Man” among many other tales of the areas surrounded by lakes.Lakes / angling
Lying between Lough Erne and Lough Derg, Pettigo is able to offer the visiting angler a full range of fishing opportunities. With over fifty lakes; salmon and native brown trout will keep the game angler happy while the coarse angler will find specimen fish in Drumgun Lough. Fishing permits and boat hire is available from Brittons Bar which is located in the village.Lough Derg
Lough Derg, the biggest of the Pettigo lakes, is famous throughout the North West for its troutTrout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
-fishing. Covering 2,200 acres with a shore line of 13 miles, it offers opportunities for both boat and shore angling. It also offers excellent pike fishing.Lough Derg lies about four miles north of the village of Pettigo in County 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...
.
Station Island, the location of the Lough Derg Pilgrimage, is often referred to as Saint Patrick's Purgatory or simply Lough Derg. This small lake-island, renowned in Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
tradition since the time of St. Patrick, has been receiving pilgrims
Pilgrims
Pilgrims , or Pilgrim Fathers , is a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States...
continuously for well over 1000 years.
In earlier times the area around the lake was a place of protection for anyone in trouble. The monastery nearby offered hospitality to all.