|
The Manor of Tawnafores, the lands of which occupied the
western and southern portion of the present parish of Stranorlar,
was to take it's name from a locality situated in the modern townland
of Curraghmongan. This fortified manor was intended to link Corlecky
and the fortified houses or manors of the lower valley.
Sir Ralph Bingley, well reputed adventurer of those days,
purchased it from the grantee Sir Thomas Redington, a former
President of Munster.
We find Bingley residing in Dromore in 1611 and later settled at
Drumboe. Click here to read more...
|
|
|
Then
|
Now
|
|
|
|
|
Click to enlarge
|
Click to enlarge
|
|
Soon after Bingley's death, his widow married a Robert Harrington,
and the estate was now in the complete control of Lady Anne
and her new husband Harrington. Both were soon in trouble with Dublin
Castle (English Admin Centre of the day) through having "mere
Irishmen" like Hugh Mergagh O'Donnell and other Irish
(all of whom were the elite of their type and therefore seen as
more dangerous to the Crown) as their principal sub-tenants.
|
Did You Know?
|
|
Hugh Mergagh O'Donnell and his Irish under-tenants
held a half-quarter of ground for Stg£3.10s per annum,
and had corn growing on it.
|
| |
|
|
|
Bingley's trustees, one of whom was a courtier named Orwell,
managed to secure the King's pardon for Lady Bingley and Harrington,
and with it came a new patent** which
included powers "to hold Markets and Fairs on the festivals
of St Luke and St Gregory, in the collection of hovels on
the Great Ford*** of the Finn", then
beginning to call itself Ballybofey. Harrington and
his wife called this privilege the Manor of Orwell,
and it passed with the eventual sale of Ballybofey to future
successors. Hence, Ballybofey is by tradition a 'market
town', and remains so until the present day.
|
|
|
|
Click to view
|
The bridge between
Ballybofey and Stranorlar
|
|
|
Did You Know?
|
|
In the present day, standing on the
bridge between Ballybofey and Stranorlar, it is breathtakingly
historical to note that it was across this ford that
Red Hugh O'Donnell's army marched on the way to Kinsale.
History also records that St Columbcille and many other
legendary figures passed through here.
|
|
** = Royal granting
right, title etc., especially sole right for a term to make or use
(back)
*** = Shallow place where
river may be crossed by wading (back)
Back To Top
|
