This is a compilation of records for Fahan Lower Parish which forms part of the Donegal Genealogy Resources Website
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Fathain Íochtarach - Fahan Lower
A parish, in the barony of ENNISHOWEN, county of DONEGAL, and province of ULSTER; containing, with the post-town of Buncrana (which is described under its own head), 5614 inhabitants. This parish originally formed the Lower, or Northern portion of the extensive parish of Fahan, from which it was separated in 1795; it is bounded on the west by Lough Swilly, and comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 24,782 3/4 statute acres. A great portion is mountain, affording good pasturage, of which Slieve Snaght, on the north-eastern boundary, rises, according to the above survey, 2019 feet above the level of the sea. The valleys are well watered and productive, and agriculture is improving. Freestone is abundant, and limestone is found in almost every part: there are also indications of lead, copper, and iron ore. There is a coast-guard station at Ballinary; and at Neids' point is a battery, erected in 1812, now under the care of a master-gunner and five artillerymen. Lough Swilly is very spacious and deep, affording anchorage for large ships; vast numbers of oysters, cod, and haddock are taken in it. Here are many gentlemen's seats, the principal of which are Buncrana Castle, the residence of Mrs. Todd, which was once the seat of the powerful sept of The O'Doherty, who governed the entire country for several centuries; the Lodge, unoccupied; Rockfort, of the Rev. W. H. Stuart; Townsend Lodge, of Col. Downing; River-View, of W. Camac, Esq.; and the Cottage, belonging to Dr. Evans. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Derry, and in the patronage of the Rector of Upper Fahan: the tithes amount to £420. The church, in the town of Buncrana, was built in 1804, by aid of a gift of £500, and considerably enlarged by a loan of £390 in 1816, from the late Board of First Fruits; the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £370 for its further enlargement and repair. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Upper and Lower Fahan and Desertegney; there is a large chapel at Cock Hill. At Buncrana is a meetinghouse for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster; and the Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists have each a place of worship. The parochial school, at Buncrana, is aided by the trustees of Erasmus Smith's charity: there are also male and female schools at Luddon, and a national school at Cock Hill. In these schools about 280 children are instructed; and there are eight private schools, in which are about 320 children, and a Sunday school. Not far from Ballinary is a very curious fort, or cairn, called Dooninary, chiefly composed of loose stones, having smaller ones as outposts.
(Extract from A Topographical Dictionary Of Ireland by Samuel Lewis, 1837)
Last updated 10 Aug 2019
Births, Marriages and Deaths
- Births
- Marriages
- Deaths
Census
- 1740 Census
- 1841/51 Census
- 1901 Census
Note1: This is a complete list of census for the Parish
Note2: Census in green are online
- Aghilly and Lenynarnan
- Ardaravan
- Ballymacarry
- Ballymacarry Lower
- Ballymagan Upper & Lower & Clonblosk
- Ballynakeeloge
- Ballynarry
- Bauville Keeloges and Clonglash
- Buncrana Town - Main Street
- Cleenagh
- Connaghkinnagoe
- Druminderry Upper & Lower
- Drumlough
- Evishbreedy
- Fallask
- Foffanagh
- Gransha
- Illies
- Kinnagoe
- Luddan
- Meenagory
- Meenamullaghan
- Meendacalliagh
- Meenkeeragh
- Owenboy
- Owenkillew & Barnahone
- Shandrim
- Sladran
- Sorne
- Stranaclea
- Trillick
- Tullyarvan
- Tullydush Lower
- Tullydush Upper
- Umrycam
- Online at the National Archives of Ireland Census Website
- 1911 Census
Churches
- Church of Ireland
- Presbyterian
- Roman Catholic
- Photographs
- St Mary's, Cockhill (photograph by Maureen)
Families
- Vaughan (and related families - Brooke, Cary, Chichester, O’Neill, ffolliott, Hamilton, Hart, Harvey, O’Doherty, Stewart, Stuart, Young, plus more) - submitted by Hanneke
Headstone Inscriptions
- St Mary's, Cockhill (not complete)
Land
- 1665 Hearth Money Roll
- 1796 Spinning Wheel Premium Entitlements List
- 1829 Tithe Applotment Book (not complete - sorted by Townland)
- 1829 Tithe Applotment Book (sorted by Surname)
- 1857 Griffith's Valuation
- Detailed 1857 Griffith's Valuation
- 1865 Rent Rolls
Links
Maps
- 1835 Ordnance Survey Maps
- Parish
- Parish Map & Data (Bob Hilchey)
Media
- A Drive to and around Buncrana (YouTube)
- Buncrana Views (YouTube)
Photographs
- Fahan Lower Photographs, submitted by Martin
Researchers
Maire - Barr from Trillick - Email
Maureen - Bradley from Meenamullaghan - Email
- Bermard - Darley, Todd & Thornton-Todd - Email
- Chuck - Doherty from Tullydush - Email
Joanne - Duffy, Barr & related families in Gransha & Trillick and surrounding townlands - Email
- Marc - Grant / Granny in Kinnego - Email
- Martin & Michael - McMenamin and Gallenagh from Tullyarvan - Email
Resources
- LDS Films
Schools
- Cockhill NS - Pupil photograph c1920-21 with names
Townlands
Townland Area Aghilly and Lenynarnan 377 Ardaravan - Ard Rámhann 421 Ballymacarry 556 Ballymacarry Lower - Baile Mhic Fhearaigh 225 Ballymagan Upr & Lwr & Clonblosk 481 Ballynakeeloge 258 Ballynarry 640 Barnahone and Owenkillew 584 Bauville Keeloges and Clonglash 727 Buncrana Town Cleenagh 373 Clonblosk&Ballymagan Upr & Lwr 481 Clonglash and Bauville Keeloges 727 Connaghkinnagoe 844 Druminderry Upper & Lower 585 Drumlough 318 Evishbreedy 1,059 Fallask 1,009 Foffanagh 462 Gransha 446 Illies - Na hUillí 2,293 Keeloges, Bauville, and Clonglash 727 Kinnagoe - Cionn an Ghabha 497 Lenynarnan and Aghilly 377 Luddan 519 Meenagory 736 Meenamullaghan 323 Meendacalliagh 1,435 Meenkeeragh 812 Owenboy 2,021 Owenkillew & Barnahone 584 Shandrim 1,323 Sladran 1,267 Sorne 691 Stranaclea 389 Trillick 444 Tullyarvan 828 Tullydush Lower 454 Tullydush Upper 722 Umrycam 645
© 1998 Donegal Genealogy Resources