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One of the most important turning points in Irish
history was the Flight of the Earls. On 14th September
1607, Hugh O’Neil, the Earl of Tyrone, and Rory O’Donnell, the Earl of
Tyrconnell, along with a small party of their family and followers,
boarded a small ship at Rathmullen and sailed for Spain. The reason
for the earls’ flight is hard to determine. There is some suggestion
that O’Neill believed the new Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir Arthur
Chichester was attempting to usurp him. But King James had reassured
O’Neill in 1606 that his fears were unfounded.
There are also suggestions that in fact James was
on the verge of arresting the earls for treason but no proof of this
has ever been found. Some historians argue that O’Donnell and his
kinsman, Maguire, were intent upon joining the Spanish forces in their
war in the Netherlands. Whatever their intention at the time, they
never returned and this left the way clear for King James I to seize
their land and inaugurate the most ambitious plantation ever
undertaken in Ireland. Hundreds of thousands of lowland Scottish
planters arrived over the next hundred years and changed the character
of Ulster forever.
The land confiscated by the Crown after the Flight
of the Earls was allocated to specially chosen undertakers from the
lowlands of Scotland and the border areas of northern England. The
most important region designated for plantation was The Laggan Valley,
prime farmland running south from the Foyle and Swilly estuaries. It
was divided into two parts: Lifford and Portlough and was awarded to
the Cunningham and Stewart families from Ayrshire. They brought
tenants with them and leased them farms at low rent. Only a few of
the native Irish received any land and many moved west to the Barony
of Kilmacrenan.
The village of Manorcunningham, originally named
the Manor of Fort Cunningham, takes its name from its first proprietor
James Cunningham. One of the most important duties of an undertaker
was to build villages and erect a bawn or castle where the planters
could take shelter with their families in times of attack. By law all
men were armed. At these villages, fairs and market days were
established by the local undertaker so that surplus production could
be sold. This pattern of land use is still evident today.
Sir Richard Hansard, an
English soldier who served in Ireland in various locations during the
Nine Years War (1594-1603), became governor of Lifford castle during
the latter stages of this conflict and subsequently served the crown
loyally during the rebellions of the Earl of Tyrone in 1607 and of Sir
Cahir O’Dogherty in 1608. As a reward for his services Sir Richard
was granted Lifford and the surrounding lands by James I and given
permission to found a corporate town at Lifford with weekly markets
and bi annual fairs. This helped to provide a stable nucleus for the
ensuing Plantation of Ulster which Sir Richard supported until his
death in 1619.
One of the most remarkable
church monuments in west Ulster is undoubtedly the 17th
century monument to Sir Richard Hansard in Clonleigh Church of Ireland
church in Lifford. It consists of two sculpted figures, representing
Sir Richard and his wife Dame Anne, kneeling on either side of a
prayer lectern. Sir Richard is wearing his military armour, while his
wife is wearing a long dress and a veil. Both show signs of having
once been painted in vivid colours and may be viewed on those days
when the church is open.
The Irish rose in rebellion in 1641 under Sir
Phelim O'Neill as a long-term result of the "Plantation" policy. Key
strongholds were captured, Protestant settlers were evicted from their
lands, farms were burnt, cattle stolen. Thousands of settlers were
killed in the uprising and many fled to England. Commissions were
sent to Sir William and Sir Robert Stewart from the Laggan Valley in
Donegal 'to raise two regiments, consisting of officers who were
worthy and gallant gentlemen, and two troops of horses'. Surrounded
on all sides by rebels, the Lagganeers fought off all attacks and
ventured far outside their own territory to relieve castles as far
away as Coleraine.
Sir Phelim O'Neill decided to take advantage of the
absence of the Laggan Army. He attacked Raphoe castle but the
Lagganeers heard of the impending invasion and set off in pursuit of
the rebels, inflicting a defeat on them near Castlederg. In 1642, Sir
Phelim, reinforced by the MacDonnells of Antrim, tried once more to
invade the Laggan. He gathered a huge army and marched towards Raphoe.
The two armies met at Glenmaquin on 16th June 1642, and again the
Lagganeers were victorious. The Irish lost many men at the Battle
Burn, including Donnell Gorm MacDonnell, an Antrim chieftain. This
important victory ensured the safety of the Laggan Valley during the
rest of the rebellion.
I am
sure you must be aware that, as part of the Peace and Reconciliation
process in Ireland, the governments of the Republic of Ireland and the
United Kingdom have provided funding for many cross community and
cultural events. We here at the East Donegal Ulster Scots, with the
support of the Ulster Scots Agency in Belfast, have been awarded
funding for a wide ranging programme in 2007. As part of this
programme, we are in the process of organising what we have chosen to
call the Francis Makemie Summer School for the weekend of 27th to 29th
April 2007 in Letterkenny in County Donegal. We aim to raise the
profile of the Ulster Scots in West Ulster where it has largely been
ignored for decades now.
You can see more
details about the summer school as it is updated at our website:
http://www.eastdonegalulsterscots.com |
