Clonmany or Cluinmanagh

CLONMANY,or CLUINMANAGH, a parish, in the barony of ENNISHOWEN, county of DONEGAL, and province of ULSTER, 5 miles (W. by N.) from Carne; containing 6450 inhabitants. According to Archdall, a very rich monastery existed here, built by St. Columb in the 6th century, of which there is now no trace, but the festival of that saint is observed on the 9th of June. The parish, which is bounded on the north by the Atlantic ocean, comprises 28 divisions, called quarter lands, and, according to the Ordnance survey, 23,376 statute acres, two-thirds of which are irreclaimable mountain land, and 127¼ are water. The shore forms a semicircle of nearly nine miles, and abounds with sea-weed, which is used as manure. The mountains, of which the largest is Raghtin, rising to an elevation of 1656 feet above the level of the sea, are chiefly composed of whinstone and clay-slate, and near the pass to Desertegney a valuable deposit of limestone has been recently discovered. In the mountain of Ardagh are veins of lead ore, which have not yet been worked. The land is not generally favourable for cultivation. There are three corn-mills. Fairs are held on Jan. 1st, March 24th, June 29th, and Oct. 10th, for horses, cattle, sheep, flax, yarn, &c. Within its limits are the rivers Clonmany and Ballyhallon: the former has its rise in Meendoran lough, and the latter from a small spring in the western part of the parish; they contain trout and eels, and in autumn, salmon. Within the parish also is Dunaff Head, between which and Fanet Point, in the parish of Clondevadock, is the entrance to Lough Swilly. On Dunree Point an artillery station was erected in 1812, in which a small garrison is still maintained. At Rockstown is a coast-guard station, and at Strand, or Cion many, one for the constabulary police. The principal seats are Dresden, the residence of T. L. Metcalfe, Esq.; Glen House, of M. Doherty, Esq.; and the glebe-house, of the Rev. Mr. Molloy.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Derry, and in the patronage of the Marquess of Donegal: the tithes amount to £400. The glebe-house, which is on a glebe of five acres, was built in 1819, by aid of a gift of £100, and a loan of £675, from the late Board of First Fruits: the glebe at Cherbury comprises 365 acres, of which 300 are uncultivated. The church is a neat structure, with a low square tower: it is situated in the vale of Tallaght, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners lately granted £368. 4. 3. for its repair. The R.C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church, and has a large and well-built chapel. The parochial school is aided by an annual donation from the incumbent; and at Garryduff is a very large and handsome school-house, built in 1835. There is a school at Urras, aided by an annual donation from Mrs. Merrick, in which are educated 35 boys and 17 girls; and there are four pay schools, in which are 170 boys and 30 girls. On the north-east of the parish are the ruins of a castle, called Carrick-a-Brakey, consisting of a circular tower, 25 feet high and 8 feet in diameter, and a square building, 30 feet high and 10 feet in diameter. A mile south-east of this is another castle, called in Irish Caislean na Stucah; it stands on a pyramidal rock, insulated by spring tides, the top of which is 80 perches above the level of the sea, and is inaccessible except by long ladders. Tradition states that it was built by Phelemy Brasselah O'Doherty. At Magheramore is a very perfect cromlech, consisting of a table stone of above 20 tons, supported by three upright pillars: it is called Fion McCuil's finger stone. Among the natural curiosities is a chink in a rock at Tallaght, under which is a cavern: and at Leenan Head is a beautiful cave, 10 yards long and 5 or 6 broad, excavated by the sea, through which boats can pass; besides a waterfall dashing over a perpendicular rock 50 feet high, and several caves. Here are also some chalybeate springs ; and on the lofty mountains eagles still build their nests, and are very destructive, particularly in the lambing season.

Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1840 by Samuel Lewis