Trillick
Encyclopedia
Trillick is a small village
in County Tyrone
, Northern Ireland
. It had a population of 303 people in the 2001 Census
. Trillick lies within the civil parish of Cleenish and the barony of Clanawley.
) “three stones”, is another term for a chambered tomb. The village is named from a ruined example beside Trillick Castle. The name is referred to in early records as Trelic and Trelic Mor, (and Mor or great/grand we always were), taking that name from the three pillars or standing stones located at what was the original Trelic and now generally referred to as the Old Castle. Even today, after 4,000 years of weather and land development, the stone circle, the three pillar stones and a stone doorway facing the rising sun, can be seen. It is believed to be a settlement of the Beaker people, who came from Holland to Britain and then to Ulster around 2,000 B.C. They were skilled in making decorative gold, copper ad metal objects and the gold lunula preserved in the National Museum in Dublin is proof of their presence and activities here.
Remarkably the name of Trillick has been preserved through 4,000 years of history. Records show that the Celts had a major base here and, on being converted to Christianity, had established an Abbey at Trelic Mor by 613 A.D. Various records refer to St. Mobec of Trelic, whose commemoration or feast day is on 29 May. The Annals of the Four Masters record the death of Cinead Ó Ceallaigh, Bishop of Trelic, in 813 A.D. The O'Neills of Shane the Proud clan had a strong fort here, with their soldiers based at nearby Dernagilly. The fought the famous battle of Dreigh Hill in 1379 against the Maguires and won a victory which settled the Tyrone/Fermanagh county boundary here. The Annals record the death in 1526 of Henry O'Neill, Lord of the Braghaid, the name given to the territory ruled by the O'Neills from Old Trielic. Henry was a grandson of Shane the Proud, and his own grandson, Con (died 1723), has a headstone in the old Kilskeery graveyard. The Civil Survey of 1654 says that the remains of a village, church, burial ground and mill could still be seen at Old Trelic but, by then, the new town of Trillick had been built.
After the Flight of the Earls
from Lough Swilly
on 4 September 1607, and the division of their escheated lands, the O’Neill territory here was given the description of the Manor of Stowy and alloted to Sir Mervyn Tuchet in 1611. He passed them on to his cousin, Sir Henry Mervyn of Hampshire
, who in turn passed them on to his son, Captain James Mervyn. He arrived here around 1620, began building a castle which was completed in 1628 and the new town of Trillick was completed in the 1630s. The castle was described as one of the best of its kind and was occupied up until the 19th century, being vacant in 1814. It had then passed to General Mervyn Archdale, who built the hunting lodge at Glengeen. The Mervyns were noted parliamentarians, holding the Tyrone seat in Parliament from 1639 to 1747 and Captain Audley Mervyn
being Speaker of the Irish Parliament from 1661-66.
Our new town lost no time in writing its name into history. Being on the direct route from Dublin to Derry and within striking distance of the strong Enniskilling base at Enniskillen, Trillick became an important post during the Jacobite wars. From 1629, the planters were being trained in the use of firearms by Charles Bastard of Drumdran, while the natives, including members of the O'Neill clan on the run, were being trained by agents of Phelim O'Neill of Caledon. In 1641 O'Neill had garrisons at Golan and Liffer, while the planters had garrisons at Castle and Corkhill. Both sides had victories over the other here in 1641 an both sides were strengthened in 1642, when General Munroe arrived to bolster the royalist forces and Owen Roe O'Neill
came to lead the Irish insurrection. In 1689 the Jacobite garrison here was for a time under the command of King James' son, the Duke of Berwick. After lifting the siege of Derry, King William's army billeted at Trillick on its way back to Enniskillen
in August 1689.
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...
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...
, 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 had a population of 303 people in 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....
. Trillick lies within the civil parish of Cleenish and the barony of Clanawley.
History before the 18th century
Trillick Trí Leac (in IrishIrish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
) “three stones”, is another term for a chambered tomb. The village is named from a ruined example beside Trillick Castle. The name is referred to in early records as Trelic and Trelic Mor, (and Mor or great/grand we always were), taking that name from the three pillars or standing stones located at what was the original Trelic and now generally referred to as the Old Castle. Even today, after 4,000 years of weather and land development, the stone circle, the three pillar stones and a stone doorway facing the rising sun, can be seen. It is believed to be a settlement of the Beaker people, who came from Holland to Britain and then to Ulster around 2,000 B.C. They were skilled in making decorative gold, copper ad metal objects and the gold lunula preserved in the National Museum in Dublin is proof of their presence and activities here.
Remarkably the name of Trillick has been preserved through 4,000 years of history. Records show that the Celts had a major base here and, on being converted to Christianity, had established an Abbey at Trelic Mor by 613 A.D. Various records refer to St. Mobec of Trelic, whose commemoration or feast day is on 29 May. The Annals of the Four Masters record the death of Cinead Ó Ceallaigh, Bishop of Trelic, in 813 A.D. The O'Neills of Shane the Proud clan had a strong fort here, with their soldiers based at nearby Dernagilly. The fought the famous battle of Dreigh Hill in 1379 against the Maguires and won a victory which settled the Tyrone/Fermanagh county boundary here. The Annals record the death in 1526 of Henry O'Neill, Lord of the Braghaid, the name given to the territory ruled by the O'Neills from Old Trielic. Henry was a grandson of Shane the Proud, and his own grandson, Con (died 1723), has a headstone in the old Kilskeery graveyard. The Civil Survey of 1654 says that the remains of a village, church, burial ground and mill could still be seen at Old Trelic but, by then, the new town of Trillick had been built.
After the Flight of the Earls
Flight of the Earls
The Flight of the Earls took place on 14 September 1607, when Hugh Ó Neill of Tír Eóghain, Rory Ó Donnell of Tír Chonaill and about ninety followers left Ireland for mainland Europe.-Background to the exile:...
from Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly in Ireland is a glacial fjord or sea inlet lying between the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula, in County Donegal. Along with Carlingford Lough and Killary Harbour it is one of three known glacial fjords in Ireland....
on 4 September 1607, and the division of their escheated lands, the O’Neill territory here was given the description of the Manor of Stowy and alloted to Sir Mervyn Tuchet in 1611. He passed them on to his cousin, Sir Henry Mervyn of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, who in turn passed them on to his son, Captain James Mervyn. He arrived here around 1620, began building a castle which was completed in 1628 and the new town of Trillick was completed in the 1630s. The castle was described as one of the best of its kind and was occupied up until the 19th century, being vacant in 1814. It had then passed to General Mervyn Archdale, who built the hunting lodge at Glengeen. The Mervyns were noted parliamentarians, holding the Tyrone seat in Parliament from 1639 to 1747 and Captain Audley Mervyn
Audley Mervyn
Sir Audley Mervyn of Trillick was a lawyer and politician in Ireland. M.P. for County Tyrone and Speaker of the Irish House of Commons 1661-1666....
being Speaker of the Irish Parliament from 1661-66.
Our new town lost no time in writing its name into history. Being on the direct route from Dublin to Derry and within striking distance of the strong Enniskilling base at Enniskillen, Trillick became an important post during the Jacobite wars. From 1629, the planters were being trained in the use of firearms by Charles Bastard of Drumdran, while the natives, including members of the O'Neill clan on the run, were being trained by agents of Phelim O'Neill of Caledon. In 1641 O'Neill had garrisons at Golan and Liffer, while the planters had garrisons at Castle and Corkhill. Both sides had victories over the other here in 1641 an both sides were strengthened in 1642, when General Munroe arrived to bolster the royalist forces and Owen Roe O'Neill
Owen Roe O'Neill
Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill , anglicised as Owen Roe O'Neill , was a seventeenth century soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster.- In Spanish service :...
came to lead the Irish insurrection. In 1689 the Jacobite garrison here was for a time under the command of King James' son, the Duke of Berwick. After lifting the siege of Derry, King William's army billeted at Trillick on its way back 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...
in August 1689.
Buildings of note
- Trillick Market HouseMarket Houses in Northern IrelandMarket houses are a notable feature of many Northern Ireland towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation making for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. Originally there were three, four or even five bays on the ground floor which were an open arcade. An upper...
built c. 1820, currently used as a Masonic Hall.
