Carrigallen Parish History
The Parish of Carrigallen: A Historical Overview
The Parish of Carrigallen, comprising 67 townlands today, has seen significant boundary expansions over the centuries. The earliest map of the parish, detailing townlands, land ownership, and then-existing parish boundaries, dates back to the 1650s. Following the conclusion of the Cromwellian War in 1652, Sir William Petty was tasked with conducting a census and land survey of Ireland to identify properties for confiscation, to reward soldiers and financiers who supported Cromwell’s campaign. This survey, which remains accessible, offers fascinating insights into the period.
Early Boundaries and Ancient Parish of Carrigallen
According to Petty’s survey, the parish of Carrigallen was then much smaller, encompassing what is now known as the Carrigallen half of the parish. Some lands, such as those around Killegar already granted to Sir James Craige in 1640, were not surveyed. Townlands like Curraghboy, Corglass, and Kilnemar may have been part of the ancient Carrigallen parish, along with possibly Drumhaldry, Cullen, and Brownhill. The rest of what is now Drumeela was part of Drumreilly parish.
Ancient Roots and Tuatha Governance
The structure of modern parish boundaries reflects ancient history, rooted in the Tuatha system, under which land was managed by extended family units led by an elected chieftain. These Tuatha often aligned with larger kingdoms that mirror today’s diocesan boundaries. However, in ancient Ireland, kingdoms and territories were shaped more by power struggles and warfare than consensus.
Early settlers likely traveled via rivers from the Erne valley. Evidence of prehistoric settlements, such as megalithic tombs near Newtowngore, dates back to around 3,000 BC. The Celts introduced ringforts and crannógs around 750-500 BC, remnants of which are visible across the parish. Rivers and lakes provided crucial transportation routes, with significant early activity concentrated near Garadice, Killegar, and Gulladoo.
Uí Briúin and O’Rourke Dominance
In the 7th and 8th centuries, the Uí Briúin, a branch of Connacht’s royal family, conquered the area later known as Breifne, with the O’Rourkes as hereditary chieftains. By the 12th century, under Tiernan O’Rourke, the O’Rourkes reached their zenith, with a territory stretching from Drumcliffe in Sligo to Kells in Meath. Tiernan likely ruled from Tuam Shanshadha (Woodford) at Lough Fenvoye (Garadice), maintaining a fortress on Cherry Island.
Tiernan’s marriage to Dervorgilla, Princess of Meath, in 1152 was a political alliance. However, her later elopement with King Diarmuid MacMurrough of Leinster became legendary, often (erroneously) linked to the Norman invasion. Dervorgilla lived another 20 years as Queen of Breifne, participating in public ceremonies like the consecration of Mellifont Church and the restoration of the nuns’ chapel at Clonmacnoise.
Decline of Tuam Shanshadha
The division of Breifne in 1256 between the O’Reillys and O’Rourkes diminished Tuam Shanshadha’s prominence, which became a stronghold on West Breifne’s eastern edge. By the late 14th century, the administrative center shifted northward to Dromahaire and Leitrim village, reducing Tuam Shanshadha’s significance.
English Influence and Plantation
In 1585, Brian O’Rourke, Chief of Breifne, surrendered his lands to the Crown under an agreement, marking Tuam Shanshadha’s decline. A new center emerged at Clooncorrick, with the parish now known as “Cowlloffluyn” or “Cúl Bhfloinn,” meaning “backhill of the O’Flynns,” the area’s dominant family before Breifne’s rise. By 1606, the name Carrigallen replaced the older territorial designation.
Plantations under King James I in 1620 saw Drumeela lands granted to English landlords, while native families retained the Carrigallen half of the parish. Castles and fortifications, such as those at Longfield, Clooncorick, and Woodford, were erected to defend against Cromwellian forces.
Population and Social Change
William Petty’s census recorded 210 residents in Carrigallen parish by the end of the Cromwellian War, with significant depopulation from warfare and famine. By 1766, a religious census reported 126 Protestant and 398 Catholic families, peaking at 8,100 before the Famine of the 1840s. Post-famine emigration and migration steadily reduced the population to about 3,500 by the late 19th century.
18th and 19th Century Developments
The harsh landlord regime of the 18th century drove many dispossessed Irish families into Carrigallen. The 1798 rebellion, involving Presbyterians and Catholics, saw heavy parish involvement. Though the uprising failed, it ushered in social reforms, including Catholic and Presbyterian emancipation in the 1820s.
By the late 19th century, political movements led by Charles Stewart Parnell and local leaders like John Arthur Godley of Killegar championed land ownership for tenants. Godley’s advocacy for tenant purchase schemes laid the groundwork for land reforms that reshaped rural Ireland.
Modern Carrigallen
Carrigallen village began developing in the 18th century under the Morgans, though earlier plans by the Craiges in 1640 to establish a town at Killegar never materialized. Today, Carrigallen’s history is reflected in its landscape, monuments, and the enduring legacy of its rich heritage.
