School: Kilcogey (?)

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   “I will have to go back a considerable period to explain a short history of this district and surroundings...”

   

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   I will have to go back a considerable period to explain a short history of this district and surroundings its people and how they came to inhabit this country. As we travel through the district we come across many curious sights. We observe in the townland of Drumdoit a large fort. This was used by an armed guard who protects the Danish inhabitant in the district against attacks from the native Irish. The Irish were Druids. The remains of some of the Druid Chapels can be seen in the townland of Coolyalin. In the old graveyard attached, bones can be dug up to the present day.

   At another period the Druids cremated their dead. This can be proved by the finding of urns containing ashes of the dead at Magheracallaghan.

   The inhabitants of this district are mostly of Irish origin, but we find the names Cunningham, Gamble, Holmes, Nelson, Martin, etc - their forefathers came over with the English army at the time known as the Plantation of Ulster. They settled here by order of the English Parliament.

   The ancient home of the Cunninghams at Magheracallaghan is still well preserved and was built about 250 years ago by Captain Stewart who was an estated gentleman. (This place was sold after the European War and the Cunninghams who were all up to eighty years of age left the district.). Later on Captain Brown lived in it. He was head of the Volunteers in Grattan's time. His successor was McCurdie, then the Cunninghams came who were Scotch Planters.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Location

   Caisleán na Finne, Co. Dhún na nGall

   Informant

   Charles Wood

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Caisleán na Finne, Co. Dhún na nGall