Saturday 2nd May 2020. Today Rossnowlagh, Ballintra, Kilbarron, Creevy, Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Kinlough and Belleek (plus photos) feature in a list of 10 attractions for visitors over 100 year's ago.
Sunday 3rd May 2020. Tomorrow's blog is based on a Ballyshannon Woman's Diary in the 1840s. It has a Sunday Miscellany piece I broadcast on RTE about ten years ago from the Abbey Arts Centre.
Two hundred years ago tourism in this
region was in its infancy and public transport relied on horse drawn carriages
for any serious moving about in the region. Railways did not appear in this
area until the Great Northern Railway opened through Ballyshannon, Bundoran and
Belleek in 1867. Prior to that only the wealthy and the adventurers explored
the area. Below are listed 10 attractions which brought the earliest visitors
to this area.
Kilbarron Castle
The Ó
Cléirigh Castle located on a majestic site overlooking Donegal Bay was
recognized as a significant historical site as it was the home of the Ó
Cléirigh (O’Cleary) family who produced Michael Ó Cléirigh principal author of “The
Annals of the Four Masters”. Mr. and Mrs. S.C. Hall, renowned travellers, were
so taken with the site and spectacular location of the castle, which was in
ruins when they visited in 1843, that they included a sketch in their book. In
the 19th century it was not on any of the main routes and did
not get as many visits as its location merited. The ruins of the castle are
well worth a visit today as they are accessible along a panoramic pathway
beginning close to Creevy Pier. On the main road to Rossnowlagh is
the easily accesible ruins of their church called Kilbarron Church.
Wardtown Castle a short distance away was built in 1739 and commands a beautiful site overlooking the Erne estuary also featured in some of the travel writers to the area. Well worth a visit also today as there are impressive ruins and the legend of The Colleen Bawn and the Castle Adventure farm.  | ||
| Rossnowlagh Beach |
2. Rossnowlagh Beach
William
Allingham (1824-1889) the Ballyshannon poet mentions Coolmore in
Rossnowlagh and the salted air of the Atlantic where people played in the waves
in his poem called “The Winding Banks of Erne” written in the mid-19th century.
Early tourists needed to have their own private transport as
Rossnowlagh at that time was not serviced by a railway and was not on the
direct route from Enniskillen or Derry or Sligo. Families like the Sheils who
built the hospital in Ballyshannon had an early holiday home on the ground
where the Franciscan Friary is today. It was to be the early 20th century
before Rossnowlagh became a popular resort with the arrival of the County
Donegal Railway in 1905-1906. People from Ballyshannon, Donegal Town
and further afield were able to travel to the seaside by train and with the
arrival of motorised transport Rossnowlagh’s popularity increased with people
from Northern Ireland. Creevy also became popular with the arrival of the
railway. Rossnowlagh is a jewel in the crown which developed slowly and with
its magnificent beach, described by the author Stephen Gwynn as
“exquisite,” will continue to be popular in the future.
3. Inis Saimer Where Civilisation
Began!
According to the legendary accounts
written in the early manuscripts Inis Saimer at Ballyshannon was the location
of the earliest settlers in Ireland. This small island visible in the aerial photograph is situated beside the
Mall Quay and Parthalon and his followers settled here having travelled from
the Mediterranean region c. 5,000 years ago. The name of the island is said to
be named after a favourite dog of Parthalon’s wife the dog was killed in a fit of
jealousy. But that is another story! (See Ballyshannon Genealogy and History
below for further details). In the 18th and 19th centuries
the Mall Quay was a hive of industry with salmon fishing, cargo boats, an
adjacent distillery and a great view of the Assaroe Falls. Ships plied their
trade with England, Scandanavia, France and Russia to name but a few countries.
Emigrants began their long journey to the United States of America and Canada
from this harbour. Early travellers all visited the Mall Quay and commented on
the commercial life of the town which was unfortunately hampered by the silting
of sand at the bar which over time prevented ships from entering the harbour.
4. Fishing on the Erne
The earliest tourists who would have
been seen in this area would have been fishermen who fished the Erne which had
a national reputation as the finest Salmon River in Ireland. The fishermen
added to the local economy as they had to get fishing licences from the Sheil
family who lived in College Street in Ballyshannon. (Sheil House still stands
today and was known to older residents of the area as the Brothers House where
the De La Salle Brothers resided in the 20th century. At
present it is occupied by the Health Service Executive). The fishermen also
employed local gillies to show them the best fishing haunts, to supply them
with flies and bait and to carry their gear. These gentlemen fishermen stayed
in local hotels such as Cockburn’s Hotel and Browne’s Hotel , both on
Main Street,where a regular feature on the landscape was the fishing gear
drying off in the front of the hotels. Rogan’s Fly Tying craft was famous and
this family deserve to be remembered for the international reputation of their
fishing flies. Today their premises are occupied by the Credit Union building.
Lough Melvin in nearby Co. Leitrim was also popular with fishermen and
continues as a fishing destination today. Belleek also shared in this fishing
tourism.
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| Fairy Bridges painted by Helen Allingham wife of poet William Allingham |
5. Bundoran and the Fairy Bridges
The earliest visitors to the seaside
town of Bundoran were the gentry who rented or built houses and who resided
there for the summer season. The visitors came mainly for the health properties
associated with the bracing sea breezes and in many senses early Bundoran was
seen as a health resort. As the 19th century progressed bathing
boxes were to appear on the beaches as swimming became more popular. The modern
phenomenon of sunbathing and tanning was not a feature of the early days and
indeed a pale complexion was valued more than a ruddy one! Local gentry such as
the Allingham’s, Coanes and Sheil family in Ballyshannon rented or owned
houses in Bundoran and went to stay there for a month or so at a time. Early
travellers were extremely curious about natural phenomena like the Giant’s
Causeway, Barnesmore Gap and Bundoran had the natural curiosity of the Fairy
Bridges overlooking Tullan strand which was frequently commented on by visitors. Bundoran really took off
as a holiday resort with the coming of the Great Northern Railway in 1867.
6. The Pullens at Ballintra
The river Blackwater flows through
the Brownhall estate in Ballintra and frequently disappears underground into a
series of caves and rock formations which were a source of great interest to
travel writers of the past. Called The Pullens (Pullins) they are a natural
creation located a few miles from Ballyshannon. In bygone days Captain
Hamilton opened The Pullens on 1st June every year to entertain
the public who were invited to visit this series of underground caves and river
on his estate at Brownhall. The Pullens was a major attraction as far back as
the early 19th century when the first tourists to this region
had it on their list of things to see. It helped that it was close to the main
route from Sligo to Derry. This custom of opening the Pullens to the public
continued into recent times.The estate is owned by the Hamilton family who are
still in residence in this private estate today.
7. The Assaroe Waterfall
Travel writers who visited the town
of Ballyshannon frequently mentioned the waterfall as the most beautiful and
spectacular attraction in the town. This waterfall was a nationally known
attraction which was reputed to be one of the finest in Ireland. The local poet
William Allingham believed that the waterfall was the heartbeat or sound of the
town. Located downstream from the bridge in the centre of town the early
writers who explored the hidden Ireland always were impressed by the salmon
leaping the falls. This salmon leap drew visitors and locals and was in its day
a meeting place for people both for fishing, for relaxation and for conversation
at the end of a days work. It was located close to the modern footbridge.
No more on pleasant
evenings
We’ll saunter down
the Mall,
When the trout is
rising to the fly
The salmon to the
fall.
One of the
great scenes for the early visitors coming in the Belleek road to Ballyshannon
was the view of the 14- arched bridge over the winding banks of Erne at
Ballyshannon. This view captured the essence of the town with the barracks at
the bridge, the eel weir, the town clock, St. Anne’s Church on
Mullaghnashee and St. Patrick’s Church with its impressive
architecture. This view is captured on the cover of my book “Ballyshannon
Genealogy and History” below which was a painting by local woman Maud
Allingham. Fishermen cast their lines from the bridge into the Erne below and
there was great excitement and spectator sport when a salmon was hooked and
played by the fisherman.
8. Belleek and Castlecaldwell
8. Belleek and Castlecaldwell
The Caldwell
family built a town house in Ballyshannon in the 18th century
where the Saimer Court Shopping Centre is today .Their main place of residence
was at Castlecaldwell just beyond Belleek. Richard Twiss visited the Caldwells
and stayed for a week in 1775 admiring the setting of one of Ireland’s most
beautiful country houses. The following year another famous traveller Sir
Arthur Young visited the Caldwells and whilst admiring the beautiful surround
felt that the house itself was obscured by trees. The house and lands passed to
the Bloomfields who were responsible for the building of the world famous
Belleek Pottery. The Pottery commenced in 1858 beside the bridge into the
pretty village, overlooked by the splendid falls of Rose Isle. Belleek
possessed all the necessary ingredients for a successful pottery including
china clay and felspar discovered at Castlecaldwell, great water power and the
Great Northern Railway which J.C. Bloomfield promoted. The area also benefitted
from the lucrative fishing on the river Erne.
9. Abbey Assaroe
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| Abbey Assaroe courtesy Rosemary Downey |
“Gray, Gray is Abbey Assaroe by Belashanny town,
It has neither door nor window the walls are broken down.”
The Cistercian
Abbey of Assaroe was built in the 12th century and was located
close to the banks of the Abbey River. It overlooked the Erne estuary and was
for centuries the centre of education, religion and hospitality in the area.
Most early travellers to the area visited the location of the Abbey in the 18th and
19th century but as it was in ruins from the 17th century
the verse from William Allingham above written in the mid -19th century
could describe their impressions. Nevertheless it is an important historical
and religious site and with the grave of the last Abbot who died in the 17th century,
the Abbot Quin, still legible in the graveyard is still worth a visit.
10. Lough Melvin
In 1826 correspondents
from The London Magazine journeyed to Bundoran. They rose early next morning
and after a hearty breakfast made their way to Kinlough. A boat had been
provided by the Rev. Mr. Donought who brought his water-dog along to secure
their shoot on Lough Melvin:
Beautiful
Lough Melve! We were now upon thy wave, where so many a sorrowful hour of my
life has been soothed; so many a fair-dream conceived. We were now in one of thy few sedgy bays,
gliding softly along the bull-rushes, our detonators poised and cocked.
Suddenly a rustling was heard among the reeds; a mallard rose, and fell at the
same instant; the report reverberated from island to island, startling the fowl
among the shores. They were seen rising in flocks, and arrowing it along the
deep. Two more flappers fell at a second shot, which our dog speedily secured.
We continued our course along the reeds, flushed with success, and mute with
expectation. Another brace rewarded our search.
They landed on a small
island not more than thirty feet in diameter where they viewed the ruins of
Ross Castle which tradition said had been built on an artificial island for
defence. On the shore opposite the island there were mounds visible where the
cattle had been enclosed. On landing to view the ruins of Ross Castle they made
a surprising discovery. A large tin boiler was erected on a few stones and a
sack of malt was also visible. This was the location of a poteen still. Later as
they visited an abbey on another island a boat with two men arrived and they
spoke in the ‘native tongue’ to their boatman. They offered the visitors a
bottle of their best poteen as a mark of hospitality but also no doubt as hush
money so that their still would not be detected. They accepted the offer and
their boatman showed them several wreaths of smoke visible on the skyline
indicating that poteen was in full production.
They made their lunch on the holy isle of the monks and fired at ducks from the island. They later ate the ducks when they returned to their lodgings in Bundoran which was used as a base for fishing on Lough Melvin and the Drowes. Game hunting in the area towards the Leitrim Mountains was also very popular.
They made their lunch on the holy isle of the monks and fired at ducks from the island. They later ate the ducks when they returned to their lodgings in Bundoran which was used as a base for fishing on Lough Melvin and the Drowes. Game hunting in the area towards the Leitrim Mountains was also very popular.
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