Scéal Dhún Lúiche - Dunlewey's Story Trail

1. Cró Nimhe - The Poisoned Glen

Is gleann ar chruth – U an t-oighearshruth a snoigh thar 17,000 bliain ó shin. Dé réir na finscéalta is as an cath idir Balor na Súile Nimhe agus a gharmhac Lugh Lámh Fhada a ainmniú an áit seo.

Cró Nimhe is a U-shaped Glen carved by glaciers during the ice age. According to legend, the glen got its name when the ancient one-eyed giant king of Tory, Balor, was killed here by his exiled grandson, Lughaidh, whereupon the poison from his eye split the rock and poisoned the glen.

2. Balor na Súile Nimhe & Lugh lamh Fhada

De réir an mhiotaseolaíocht  rinne,  ‘Lugh Lámh Fhada’ a shean athair mallaithe ‘Balor na Súile Nimhe’ a mharú ar an láthair seo trí claíomh a chur tríd a shúil mhillte. Rinne an fhuil a dhoirt as an tsúil an gleann thruailliú agus an cloch mór seo a scoilteadh ina trí cuid.

Balor of the Evil Eye was the chieftain of The Formorians a group of fierce pirates who terrorised the coastal areas in the Northwest of Ireland. He had his fort on Tory, an Island off the Northwest coast of Donegal.

Balor had an evil eye in the back of his head and with a glance of this eye he could kill who he wished. Balor also had the gift of life, he was told by a prophet that he would live forever, with one exception! The only person who had the power to kill him would be a grandson.

Balor had only one daughter, Ethna. So, to ensure she did not bear any children, he locked her in a deep dark dungeon on Tory and she was served only by maidservants. However, Balor had many enemies, one of them was Mac Aneely who lived on the mainland near what is now Falcarragh. Balor stole the Glas Gaibhleann, a highly-prized cow, from Mac Aneely and he was out for revenge! MacAneely made his way to Tory and dressed up as a maidservant and visited Ethna in the dungeon.

Balor soon discovered his daughter was with child, and he offered many bloody sacrifices to the gods that the child would not be male. Despite his sacrifices Ethna gave birth to triplets.

In a wild fierce rage Balor grabbed the children and flung them over a high cliff into the wild ocean. Two of the children perished deep beneath the waves, but one survived.

A female druid on the mainland, on seeing this cruel deed, decided to use her magic to rescue the child. A magical whirlwind lifted the child high over the waves and he was left in a dizzy dream upon a golden beach on the mainland. An old couple gathering seafood on the shore, found the crying child. They took him home, cared for him and they named him Lughaidh. Lughaidh grew up to be a strong athletic youth who could outrun and defeat all his companions.

 _{(see No 15 Lugh Lámh Fhada for the 2nd part of this story)} 

3. The Wooden Bridge

Tógadh an droichead seo sna 1850í chun bealach nua a dhéanamh isteach chuig teach an mhinistir a sheasaigh laistigh de eastáit teach Dhún Lúiche.  Ní fios cén fáth gur tugadh ‘An Droichead Adhmad ‘ ar, ach tá seans go raibh droichead adhmad anseo sula tógadh an ceann cloiche seo.

The bridge was built in the mid 1850’s by Mrs Jane Russell, landlord of Dunlewey.

Mrs Russell’s mission at the time was to convert the people of Dunlewey from the Catholic faith to that of Church of England.  Her husband had passed away in 1848 and she built a church in his memory at the head of the lake.  She also built a new rectory for the minister, Reverend James Bor, on her estate. 

See The Manse

Local folklore has it that Rev. Bor was not happy sharing the ‘avenue’ to his property with that of ‘Dunlewey House’ so he requested that a new avenue be built.  The route chosen  headed East into the Poisoned Glen and crossed two rivers.  Construction began on the avenue and the first bridge was built.  However, the Reverend did not settle long in the area and construction of the avenue was abandoned. 

The bridge is known locally as the ‘Wooden Bridge’ as it is believed that there was a wooden bridge here prior to the stone bridge being built.

In 2021 conservation work, funded by the Heritage Council, was undertaken on the bridge as it was in danger of collapsing

4. An Dún - Dunlewey Estate

Bá in eastáit Dhún Lúiche a chónaí na tiarnaí talún a raibh ceantair Dhún Lúiche ina seilbh ar feadh na mblianta. Is ag an teaghlach Guinness atá an úinéireacht anois. Tá iarsmaí de sean mhainistir le feiceáil taobh istigh don eastáit. Ach tabhair faoi deara nach bhfuil an eastáit seo oscailte don phobal.

The Dunlewey Estate has played a central part in the history of Dunlewey since the early 1800’s.  This was the home of the local landlords who built the Old Church, The Church of the Sacred Heart, The Agricultural School & the Wooden Bridge. 

The estate was formed circa 1808 by John Walker – a member of the Geological Society of London who managed the lead mines at Kildrum. 

The original Dunlewey House was further back in the woodlands.  The house you see today was built by Sir James Dombrain, Inspector General of the Irish Coast Guards in around 1830.

The first owners probably planted trees and subsequent owners did the same. 

There was a boathouse and a gillie for the guests fishing pleasure and hunting.  The gardens contained a lily pond, gravelled walks, manicured lawns, and a walled garden for vegetables and flowers near the Lions’ Gate.

Mrs Chrankshaw, (the last landlord/ lady), loved flowers and had them all around the house as well as colourful shrubs.

In addition to the domestic staff (who stayed in residence) there was a small cottage for the gardener, a multiple dwelling for coachmen, horsemen and other maintenance men and their families, and a gate lodge.

There was a post office in one of the multi dwellings ran by John Williamson and a school-house for the estate workers’ children.

See the  online exhibition on Teach an Dún/ Dunlewey House  for more information on the landlords who once lived here.

4.1 The Gate Lodge

Originally only half the present size this was the home of the gatekeeper and employees of the estate.

During the civil war it was occupied by the anti-treaty forces who also occupied Dunlewey House.  They retreated through the hills when artillery guns were trained on Dunlewey House.  Later they occupied Glenveagh Castle.

Eventually the members of the anti-treaty forces were captured a few miles from here.  These four gentlemen would become known as the 'Drumboe Martyrs' and they were the last people executed during the Civil War.

This was also the home of James Murray, a young boy who went to fight in the first world war and who died in the Somme on the 6th of September 1916 aged just 21. His body was never recovered so he has no grave but his name is listed on the War Memorial in Thiepval, France. A plaque was erected in The Church of the Sacred Heart in his memory, by descendants of the Murray family, in 2016.

4.2 The Glebe

This property, known locally as ‘The Manse’, was a substantial house built by Jane Russell as a home for the Rector of the Church. 

However, the rector only lived here for a short period.  Slowly, over time, the house became derelict. In the 1970’s Major Cooper (the then owner of Dunlewey House) transported stone from the site, to ‘Macamish Fort’ in Rathmullen which he owed, and was renovating at the time. 

All that now remains of ‘The Manse’ it the outline of the foundations

4.3 The Lion's Gates

This was the original entrance to the Dunlewey Estate. 

The Lions were symbols of the British Empire and are related to the Lions that appear on the English soccer shirt.

The 'back road' located before the gates is the road the servants and workers were obliged to use.  The main entrance was reserved for residents and guests.

The people living in upper Dunlewey also used the road to walk to Glentornan.

4.4 Teach An Dún - Dunlewey House

The house which you can see today was built by Sir James Dombrain - Inspector General of the Irish Coast Gaurds. It was much smaller at first and only comprised the back section. Two extensions were added at different stages: the main house to the front and the billiard room to the west. 

In the front part of the house, there is a central hall from the front door to the stairway, with 5 common rooms off it: the drawing room, dining room, library, smoke room, and billiard room.  Upstairs there are 4 bedrooms and three bathrooms.

The rear section of the property was the servant’s quarter, and the ground floor contained the kitchen, butler’s pantry, staff dining hall, scullery, and wine cellar.  Upstairs there were three servants’ bedrooms and another bathroom.

There are several small rooms around the back door downstairs for food and other storage such as turf, wood etc.

The flag flooring to the left of the front door has some of the flags taken from the old church in 1955.

See the Online Exhibition on Teach an Dún for more information on the House and the landlords who once lived here.

4.5 The Yard

The yard at Dunlewey House measures 215 feet x 85 feet.  There is a bell that was used to summon the staff to work in the morning, break for lunch and quit in the evening.  As you enter the yard, there are eight buildings on the left side, these once beautiful buildings were two story and had lattice windows.  The roofs were removed during Major Coopers’s time. 

The first building on the left was the laundry, with wash tubs, then the drying and ironing room.  Next was the area where the coaches (later cars) were washed.  Then the Turkish steam room with a game room upstairs, in later years the steam room was used as a garage. The next building was the stables for ‘riding’ horses and the cow byre, there was a stable for ‘working’ horses and lastly dog kennels.  The buildings on the right side were ‘open’ and used for hay, turf and wood.

The gate at the back of the yard lead to the original boathouse which was on the shore of the lake.

5.0 The Old Church

Is an tiarna talún, Jane Russell a thóg  Séipéal an Chúnta seo in  1853 i gcuimhne ar á fhear céile James. Chur clan Russell tús le feachtas bailiúchán airgead don tséipéal seo in 1846 i lár tréimhse an ‘Ghorta mhór’ in hÉirinn. Rinneadh an cloch gheal marmair a úsáideadh sa tógail a chairéal sa cheantair.

This Chapel of Ease was constructed by the Russell family who were landlords of Dunlewey Estate from about 1845 to 1870.

James Russsel began campaigning to have a church built in the area in 1846 and began to raise funds for it's construction. However, he died from Typhoid Fever aged 48, before construction of the church began.

His wife Jane continued to raise funds and the church was completed in 1853. James Russell was buried in the vault underneath the floor of the church.

Jane Russell's mission was to convert the people of Dunlewey from Catholicism to the Church of England faith. She tried to achieve this through several means, including bringing Protestant Scottish farmers to the area with the hope that they would marry local girls, opening a school with Protestant only teachers and going house to house to try and convert the people. However, her attempts failed. Most of the Scottish farmers did not settle in the area, the two that did, married local girls but they converted to the Catholic faith rather than the other way around. The Board of Education did not give in to her demands for a protestant only teacher and the local people would hear nothing of her preaching!

Read about Jane Russell and her family in the Online Exhibition on Teach an Dún.

5.1 The Building of the Church

Very little is known of who designed or built the Church. The above advert in Downpatrick Recorded, dated 21/07/1848, appeals for quarry workers. The contact name was Charles Disney. Research has found that he was a Master Builder who lived in Usher Street in Dublin. Incidentally, there is a field in Muine Beag, Dunlewey, known as Disney's field!

Take some time to admire the stonework in this building. It is built of white marble and each stone was quarried locally and shaped using basic hand tools at a time of great poverty in this area.

The building is now grey/blue in colour, weathered over the last 170 years, but it would have been pure white when it was built. This is why it is often referred to as the 'Taj Mahal' of Donegal. If you look closely you can see the white colour showing through the grey/blue.

5.2 George Frazer Brady

George Frazer Brady was born in Maidstone in Kent and came to work as a GP for George Hill sometime around 1842.  He married Fanny Russell in 1850, daughter of James and Jane Russell (who built the church here), and they had nine children.  Four of the children died young and are buried here.

- Jane d 1851 aged 3 months.

- Mary d 1860 aged 3 months.

- Valentine Pole Griffith d 1868 aged 4 years.

- Hugh Woodhams d 1876 aged 19 years

Dr Brady was working for George Hill in 1858 when a Parliamentary enquiry was being carried out on the living conditions of the people of gweedore area. The enquiry was sparked by a letter written by 10 local priests to the national newspapers. They wrote the collective letter to the newspaper to appeal for funds to assist the people who had no food to eat and were dying of hunger.

“In the wilds of Donegal, down in the bogs and glens of Gweedore and Cloughaneely, thousands and thousands of human beings, made after the image and likeness of God, are perishing, or next to perishing, amid squalidness and misery, for want of food and clothing, far away from aid and pity. On behalf of these famishing victims of oppression and persecution, we appeal for substantial assistance to enable us to relieve their wretchedness and rescue them from death and starvation.

A number of people living in the area, including Dr Brady, were summoned to give evidence at the enquiry. He denounced the priest's account of what was happening in the area and stated that Mrs Russell was disgraced due to newspaper accounts that claimed that “people are without food and clothing”.  And that the reliefs given had "led to bad feelings between the tenants and the landlords".

Read about the Dr Brady and the Enquiry in the Online Exhibition on Teach an Dún.

George Frazer Brady died in 1877 aged 57 and his widow Fanny died in 1900 aged 72.

5.3 Richard Crankshaw

Also buried here in Richard Crankshaw, third husband of Nellie Crankshaw. Nellie is buried in the Church of the Sacred Heart at the other end of the lake and her grave is angled differently to all the other graves, and faces up the glen to where her husband is buried.

The Inscription on Mr. Crankshaws grave is no longer visable but it reads

"To the glory of God and in loving memory of Richard Lewis Crankshaw - husband of Nellie Crankshaw of Dunlewey who died November 10, 1929 - age 73"

Read about Nellie Crankshaw and her three husbands in the Online Exhibition on Teach An Dún

6. The Village

Is thíos faoi an tsean séipéal a bhí láthair an chead bhaile i nDún Lúiche. Bhí tuairim is 10 theach anseo uair. Rinneadh leibhéal an loch a ardú in 1957 nuair a thóg BSL an damba agus bogadh na teaghlaigh suas go dtí an bhóthar uachtarach.

In the fields below the church you will find the remains of what was known locally as 'The Village'. this is where the original homes of many of the people of Dunlewey once stood.

In the 1950's the Electricity Supply Board ESB undertook the construction of a Hydro Electric Scheme on the Clady River. Part of the project was to build a dam between the two lakes in Dunlewey and to use the upper lake as a reservoir to hold water for the hydro scheme. The result was the raising of the level of the upper lake by more that 10 feet. The land and properties surrounding the lake were purchased by the ESB and the families living in the village built new houses on the upper road.

Take a walk down this lonely lane and imaging what life in this bustling little village was once like.

7. Oilean Gráinne

Close to the southern shore of Dunlewey lake you can see and island called 'Oilean Gráinne'. Gráinne was the daughter of king Cormac Mac Airt.

When Cormac Mac Airt was High King of Ireland a band of warriors, The Fianna and their leader Fionn Mac Cumhaill, were protecting the land from invaders. Fionn's wife had died and despite advancing years he desired the company of Gráinne, the young and beautiful daughter of Cormac. The King gave the match his blessing.

To celebrate the match a feast was held in the King's castle in Tara, Co Meath. Gráinne wasn't happy with having to marry an old man, she cast an eye among the guests and it fell on Diarmuid a handsome warrior. She immediately decided to ditch Fionn and marry Diarmuid. She arranged that a sleeping potion be placed in all drinks with the exception of Diarmuid's. When everybody was asleep she asked Diarmuid to elope with her.

Diarmuid refused but she cast a spell upon him and he had to go. They fled from the castle on two white horses. When Fionn and the Fianna woke up they went in search of the pair. The search and flight continued many months and covered many places throughout the country.

One evening Diarmuid and Gráinne arrived in Dunlewey. Diarmuid caught a salmon in the lake and Gráinne roasted the salmon. They washed the tasty salmon down with the clear cool water from An Sruthan Geal. Refreshed they decided to sleep. Gráinne was afraid of the wolves and she slept on the island on the lake. Diarmuid was scared of the otters, and he slept in a cave on the side of Errigal. In the morning they ate a tasty meal of nuts and berries as they made their way out of the glen.

Their adventures continued throughout the country where they tried to stay a step ahead of Fionn. Eventually however, Diarmuid was wounded by the wild boar of Ben Bulben. Fionn arrived at the scene. He had the power to cure Diarmuid by giving him a drink of water from a nearby spring. Twice Fionn let the water slip through his fingers but the third time he brought it to Diarmuid's lip but he had died.

Gráinne was heart broken and returned to her father's fort. She eventually married Fionn and lived happily afterwards.

8. Leaba Dhiarmuid

Ba iníon Cormac Mac Airt, Ard Rí na hÉireann í Gráinne, Bhí sí geallta do Fhionn Mac Cumhaill, ceannaire na Fianna agus de réir an scéal,  cur sí geasa grá ar Dhiarmuid,  laoch  óg dhathúil de chuid Fhionn agus d’éalaigh siad le chéile. Ní sásta a bhí Fionn agus chuaigh sé sa tóir orthu fud fad na tíre. Le linn na toraíocht, chaith siad oíche i nDún Lúiche. Chodail Gráinne ar an oileán bheag seo mar go raibh eagla uirthise roimh mhic tíre agus chodail Diarmuid i bpluais ar thaobh na Earagaile mar go raibh eagla airsean roimh easóga.

On the hill above you there is a small cave known as Leaba Dhiarmuid. This is where Diarmuid is said to have slept as he and Gráinne fled from Fionn MacCumhaill and the Fianna.

See Leaba Gráinne for the Story of 'Diarmuid & Gráinne'

9. Barracks

Is na tiarnaí talún eastáit Dhún Lúiche a thóg an bheairic péas ar an láthair seo i dtráth an am céanna a tógadh an sean tséipéal. Níl le feiceáil anois ach dúshraith na foirgnimh. Bhí na péas a bhí ina gcónaí anseo  a úsáid chun cánacha a bhailiú ó na tionontaí agus chun na tiarnaí talún féin a chosaint.

The exact year of when the barracks on the upper road was built is unknown, but, it is believed that it was built by the Russells as a means of protecting the shepherds and sheep they imported from Scotland in the 1850's. Several of these barracks were built in the parish at the the time, one across the river from An Chuirt/Gweedore Hotel, and across the hill in Thor.

Previous to this, the locals grazed their sheep and cattle on the mountains. The Russell's banned this practice and imported their own sheep and shepherds. However, these new sheep did not survive long in the harsh conditions on the mountain and the locals were blamed for killing them. Sheep taxes were subsequently imposed to compensate for the losses, and the barrack was built for the police who collected these taxes.

All that remains of the building now are the remnants of the foundations.

10. An Crannóg

Nuair atá leibhéal uisce na locha íseal, b'fhéidir go mbeadh an t-ádh ort oilean bheag arsa shaorga a fheiceáil, an áit a chónaí na chéad daoine a tháinig go Dún Lúiche. Tógadh an Chrannóg seo le clocha agus crainn a chaitheamh sa loch ar mhullach a chéile agus is dóiche go bhfuil an chosán amach anois faoin uisce. 

Also on the lake you might be lucky to see the reminants of the Crannóg, an ancient man-made island built as a secure home for some of the first people to live in Dunlewey.

This is an island, partly or wholly artificial, built up by dumping timber, earth and stones into the lake. Derived from the Irish word 'crannóg'; the Irish word for tree is 'crann' and 'crannóg' principally means a piece of wood or a structure of wood. These date from the 6th to the 17th century AD.

The ESB constructed a dam between the two lakes in the 1950's and this resulted in the water level of the upper lake rising by about 10 feet. So unfortunately, the Crannog now spends much of its time under-water. You might be lucky to see it from the viewing areas or the dam during a dry spell of weather.

11. Ionad Pobail Dhún Luiche

Is anseo a bhí Scoil Náisiúnta Dhún Lúiche ó 1919 go 1976. In sna luath 1980í bhunaigh an pobal áitiúil coiste agus rinneadh athchóiriú ar an fhoirgneamh le bheith mar Ionad Pobail. Tá an tionad anois lárnach in imeachtaí an phobail chomh maith le bunáit Coláiste Samhraidh Ghaeltachta.

The Ionad Pobail or Community Centre was once the local national school. It was opened in 1919 and this is where the local children received their education until it closed in 1976. Three schools were amalgamated at the time and the local children moved to Dore school.

After the school closed, the local community seen the opportunity to develop a community centre here. The building has had several extensions and renovations down through the years, and we now have this modern facility which is used for community events and the Irish language college.

12. Model Agricultural School

Is anseo an scoil náisiúnta a bhí i nDún Lúiche ó 1865 go 1919. Is Scoil talamhaíochta shamhla an bunfheidhm a bhí ar chúl bunú na scoile, chun traenáil a chur ar fáil do mhúinteoirí agus oideachais a chur ar fáil do 100 bhuachaillí. Níor oscail sé i riamh mar scoil shamhla, de bharr an seasamh diongbháilte a bhí ag an tiarna talún,  bn. Uí Rúiseáil,  gur múinteoirí Phrotastúnach  amháin a bheadh fostaithe ann.

Dunlewey Model Agricultural school was built in the early 1850’s.  This was one of only twenty such schools built in the country at the time.  The idea behind the Model schools was that they were to serve as a training school for new teachers.  The national school system was in its infancy in Ireland and Model Schools were built to educate local children while providing hands-on training for new teachers.  

The funding for the school was agreed by the British Parliment. The expected attendance was 100 boys (no girls) and the estimated cost of building and fit-out was £247 10s.

The school however was part of a master plan Jane Russell, landlord of Dunlewey House, had to convert the local community to the Protestant faith.  But, the agricultural school did not succeed nor did her plan! The building lay empty for a number of years before the locals took it over in 1867 to provide a proper home for the hedge school that operated a short distance from the building.

See the Online Exhibition on Teach an Dún to learn more about Jane Russell's master plan.

See the School Registration Books for the names of the children who attended the school.

13.0 Church of the Sacred Heart

Is William Ross úinéir mhuileann saibhir as Béal feirste a thóg an eaglais seo in 1877, bhí eastáit Dhún lúiche ina sheilbh ó 1874. Rinne sé an eaglais seo a thógail do phobal Dhún Lúiche nuair a chonaic sé go raibh orthu siúl 9 míle a dhéanamh chuig an aifreann i nDoirí beaga. 

The Church of the Sacred Heart was built by William Augustine Ross for the people of Dunlewey. Mr. Ross, a wealthy Mill Owner from Belfast, purchased the Dunlewey Estate in 1874. He was a devout Catholic and saw that the people of Dunlewey were having to walk 9 miles to attend Mass each Sunday. Mr. Ross provided a temporary church on the Estate, known locally as the Big Barn.

The Church was completed in 1877 and it was dedicated by The Primate of All Ireland. The luncheon afterwards was held in the Model Agricultural School.

The architect was Mr Timothy Hevey and the contractor was W James McAdorey from Belfast.

An article that appeared in 'The Architect' in 1877 comments on the design of the church:

"In designing a church for a mountain district, inhabited almost exclusively by Irish speaking people, the architect considered it appropriate to the locality and consonant with its traditions and association to introduce a round tower, which of course, forms the key note of the design, and although unrestricted as to expenditure he has avoided everything superfluous or costly, considering that extreme simplicity of details would be more in accordance with the external surroundings. Internally, however this is amply compensated for . Stained glass fills every window of the church – a fact somewhat unusual – and a rich stone and marble altar is in progress for the sanctuary.

The church, now almost finished in every respect, is built of a blue limestone for the general walling, and the dressings are of a pure white marble, both quarried on the estate, quite close to the site of the church. The round tower rises to a height of 95 feet, and forms a prominent feature in the landscape for many miles around".

Read about William Augustine Ross in the Online Exhibition on Teach An Dún

13.1 Church of the Sacred Heart - Interior

The interior of the church was also described in the Architect magazine.

"Pitch pine has been used throughout for all woodwork, and the roof is open and sheeted. The passages are laid with encaustic tiles, and the sanctuary with parquetry".

However, the interior you see today is very different to what was originally installed when the chapel was built in 1877. The Marble Altar was replaced in the 1960's due to changed implemented by the Vatican. Prior to 1960's the priest performed mass in Latin, with his back to the congregation. The changes introduced meant the priest now faced the congregation. The parish priest at the time decided to remove this ornate altar and replace it with the more simple style you see today.

The church also contained a gallery and an organ. Both were removed and a entrance porch was added in the 1980's.

13.2 Nellie Crankshaw

Nellie O'Keefe was born in Cork and married Richard Heburn, nephew of William Augustine Ross, in 1889.

Mr. Heburn had inherited much of his uncle's estate when he passed away in 1883. Unfortunately, Richard passed away in 1893 just 4 years after they married when he was just 40 years old.

Nellie went on to marry Richard Lingard Monk the following year at a cermony in St. Mary's Catholic Church in Westminster. He came from a wealthy family from Cheshire and he an Nellie embarked on three world voyages between 1894 and 1897. The third voyage included a stopover in New Zealand. Lingard-Monk compiled manuscripts of other exotic journeys relating to these voyages and some of these are to be found in the  National Library in New Zealand .

Mr. Monk became the High Sherrif of Donegal in 1901 but unfortunately he too passed away at the age of 53 years in 1906.

Nellie, who had no children from either marriage, once again found herself on her own, but not for long! In 1913, seven years after the death of her second husband, Nellie married once again, this time to Richard Louis Crankshaw, a widow also from Cheshire. This marriage was to last for 17 years before he too passed away aged 74. Richard Chrankshaw is buried in the church at the other end of the lake, and his grave, like Nellie's here, faces their beloved home, Dunlewey House.

Nellie is said to have been a lovely lady “She was small in stature; very fussy, dressed formally for dinner even when dining alone. She visited the locals when they were sick. She always had dogs, and several of them are buried on the Dunlewey Estate.

Nellie remained in Dunlewey until the 1940's and passed away aged 85 in 1948. She was a lapsed Catholic who reconciled and is buried here with her grave facing her beloved Dunlewey House. Her grave is one of the oldest in this cemetry.

Read more about Nellie and her three husbands in the Online Exhibition on Teach an Dún.

13.3 Fr. McBride's Grave

At the front of the church, by the side door is the grave of Fr. Joseph McBride of Moneybeg, Dunlewey. The grave also carries a memorial to his half brother Fr. Patrick McBride who died in Perth, Australia in 1931. Patrick was a chapel in the army in Australia during the first world war.

Their father was James mcBride who was the school teacher in Dunlewey. Master McBride had six children from his first marriage, of which Joseph was one. When his first wife died he remarried a lady called Catherine Brennan, a cook in Dunlewey House, and they had 16 children. Some of the babies were still-born and some died in infancy. There were three sets of twins.

They lived in what was the Model Agricultural School where Master McBride also taught. When they named their youngest daughter Nellie, Mrs Crankshaw was so pleased that she gave her (Nellie) the entire school Building.

Also buried in this graveyard is Alphonsus McBride, their youngest brother. He died in a work related accident during the building of the ESB dam on Dunlewey lake in 1956.

14. Ionad Cois Locha

Is tionscnaimh pobail é an tIonad seo a dhéanann ceiliúradh ar scéal Manus Ó Fearraigh , snoídóir bréidín don uasal aicme a thagadh ar chuairt go Teach Dhún Lúiche nó Caisleáin Ghleann Bheithe. Tá turais treoirithe ar theach an snoídóir le cois turas báid ar an Loch chomh maith le  Caifé agus áit súgartha.

This community initiate was officially opened by the then president Mary Robinson in 1990. It comprises a cafe, shop, weavers cottage, play area, pet farm and boat trips on the lake. Be sure to pay it a visit and hear the story of the Ferry Family who once produced tweed goods for the rich and famous.

15. Lugh Lámh Fhada

Ba garmhac Lugh Lámh Fhada do Bhalor na Súile Nimhe , Rí Thoraigh. Ba gabha cáiliúil é Lugh a raibh an tóir ar a chuid claimhte. Bhí dún Lugh agus a cheárta anseo i nDún Luiche, agus as sin a thagann ainm na háite Dún Lúiche.  

Lugh was the grandson of Balor na Súile Nimhe, King of Tory.  Lugh was a great smith who was renowned for his sword making skills. Lugh's fort and forge were in Dunlewey, giving the place its name: Dún Lúiche, ‘The Fort of Lugh’

 _{(See No 2 Balor na Súile Nimhe for the 1st part of this story)}  When Lughaidh came of age he was sent to a wise old blacksmith who lived in a hut deep in the glen under the shadow of Errigal. The smith was a member of Clann Neimhidh, a tribe that inhabited the area about 2000 B.C. They were under constant attack by the Formorians. Lughaidh practised his skills under the watchful eye of his master, soon no blacksmith could match his skills. His fame spread far and wide until his work was in great demand.

Balor decided he would have a sword made by this famous smith. Off to Errigal he walked and up the glen to the smoke rising from the smith's workshop. Into the hut he went and when the grandfather's eyes met his grandson's eyes, they immediately recognised their relationship. They attacked each other with blades flashing. The roof was raised off the hut with the roar of battle. The remains of a forge can be seen in the glen.

They fought a magnificent battle under the shadow of the mountains. Two skilful men, expert in the art of combat, they used all their skills and art they knew to achieve victory. They disregarded terrain boglands and woodlands were trampled under their feet. Their swords gleamed in the summer sun and flashed lightening under the moonlight. Each crash of weapons thundered echoes throughout the glen, sword against sword, sword against shield, continued in battle.

Neither warrior achieved superiority in the three days of combat. Balor leaped high upon a rock in the glen and swiftly turned his evil eye towards Lughaidh. Lughaidh within the blink of an eye, flung his sword and pierced the evil eye, splitting the evil eye in two. The roar of the dying Balor shook the surrounding hills. A teardrop fell from the eye and split the rock in two. The drop then rebounded from the rock, up into the valley. When it fell to the earth, it cut a slow meandering track for a river down the glen to form a deep lake in the valley. Blood spurted from his eye like a fountain and poured upon a nearby hill, which is still stained. The hill is called Creag na Feola, the Rock of Flesh.

16. An Cuinge Dam

Thóg an Bord Soláthar Leictreachas  an damba seo in 1955, chun uisce a storáil don stáisiúin hidrileictreach níos faide síos an Chládaigh. Tá leibhéal an uisce anois san loch uachtarach ag brath ar líon na fearthainne.

The Clady Hyrdo Scheme was approved by Dáil Éireann in 1953 and work began on the dam here between the lakes in 1955. The upper lake acts as a reservoir for the Clady Station which is close to the village of Crolly. In operation since 1959, the station can supply energy to meet the demand of 3,000 houses.

The scheme involved raising the level of the upper lake by over 10 feet. This resulted in the submergence of the ancient Crannóg and the relocation of the families who lived in The Village at the upper end of the lake.

17. Gleann Tornain

Sráidbhaile beag gnóthach a bhí i nGleann Tornáin am amháin.  I 1901 bhí 55 duine na chonaí anseo.  Ach, de réir a chéile bhog na glúine óga trasna an loch nó d’imigh siad ar imirce agus d’fholmhaigh na tithe.

Glentornan was once a thriving little village with up to 9 houses and 55 inhabitants (1901 census). Through the years the younger generations emigrated or moved to the other side of the lake and the older generations passed away. The houses gradually became vacant.

18. The Railway Line

The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Burtonport Extension Line opened for operation in 1903. The last train ran on the lines in 1947. The railway line has a long and interesting history which is intermingled with the history of the area at that time. Keep an eye on this page for a future exhibition on the Railway Line.

Ard an Phota

The placenames of Dunlewey, like most rural areas in Ireland derives from their Irish names and are mainly descriptive. The name Ard an Phota comes from the famine times when a soup kitchen was located here - 'The Height with the Pot'. Read all about the Placenames of Dunlewey in  Logainmneacha Dhún Lúiche .

Stáisiún na Mona

After the end of World War II, the Irish Government committed to an extensive programme of bog development to be overseen by Bord na Móna. Four identical 5MW turf burning stations were built at Gweedore, Screebe, Miltown Malbay and Cahirciveen in 1957, at a cost of £500,000 each.

The location of the Gweedore Station was described by James J McAuley for the ESB Journal, 1963:

"In one of the most spectacularly beautiful sites that anyone could have picked for such a project, on the shores of a lake at the foot of towering Errigal, and ringed by scenery that carries the eye to heaven, Gweedore station stands like a monument to the achievement of the local people who play a large part in the station’s success".

Read more about the Station and the people who worked there in the article published by the ESB in 1963  here 

One of the primary goals of the Stations was a social service to the people to augment whatever income the local farmers had. It would create employment both directly and indirectly for those supplying turf to the station. It was not expected to be very profitable. However, the ESB began to review their operations in the 1980's and despite much campaigning by local people the Station closed and was decommissioned in 1995.

Watch an RTE News broadcast from the Connemara station from 1988 to  learn more