Derryveagh Evictions Commemoration Working Group

‘On the morning of Monday, 8 April 1861, the subsheriff of the County of Donegal, Samuel Crookshank, accompanied by a special force of 200 constables, proceeded along the rough

unfinished road that stretched along the north western shore of Lough Gartan evicting from their houses and lands the 47 families who lived in Derryveagh. By 10 April the work was

finished: 244 persons, comprising 85 adults and 159 children, were evicted; 28 houses unroofed or levelled; 11,602 acres of virtually barren land cleared of human habitation.’

An inaugural meeting to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Derryveagh evictions took place on Wednesday 12 January 2011 in Churchill. The meeting was initiated by Mrs May Mc Clintock, local historian, and was attended by representatives from the Donegal Historical Society, An Taisce, local schools, descendants of the Derryveagh evictions, members of the local community and individual interest groups.

The meetings will continue each Wednesday evening in Mc Clafferty’s lounge, for one hour only, and anyone wishing to be involved in preparing for the commemoration is most welcome to attend.

Date	Event

Friday 8 April	7pm - Mass at Glendomhan

	8:30pm - Retelling the Story (Colmcille Heritage Centre)

	Themes & Guest Speakers :

	1. The Sheep War / Mr. Joe Kelly

	2. The Derryveagh Evictions / Mr. Tom Sweeney, Chieftain of Doe

	3. Schooling of the Period/ Fr. Mc Hugh

	4. The Trail of the Dispossessed/ Mrs May Mc Clintock

	Each input to last 15 minutes with 5 minutes Q/A

	9:45p.m. Refreshments

Saturday 9 Apr	Afternoon of children-focussed activities at Heritage Colmcille Centre

	12:00 noon - Guided visits to the Eviction Sites (Assembly time and point to be decided )

Saturday 27 Aug	‘ We Remember Walk’

	Walk in the footsteps of the Dispossessed from Derryveagh to Churchill. Honouring the victims, families, and descendents. (Assembly time and point to be decided)

	Walk to conclude with a fitting tribute

It was considered important that children be included and enticed to acquaint themselves with aspects of the event and the period in which it happened. A separate programme of activities would be set up for them; the nature and scope of the activities, the time, personnel involved and venue etc. yet to be discussed. It is hoped that schools will engage the pupils on this aspect of local history.

You are cordially invited to participate in this special commemoration event so that we can pass on to the next generation the story of the Derryveagh evictions and how the Catholic and Church of Ireland clergy worked together to restore and return justice from the greed of a successful land speculator, known as John George Adair.

Any suggestions, ideas, recommendations would be very welcome by the Working group by contacting the Chairman or Secretary below before Tuesday 8 February.

Kind Regards,