Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 7.djvu/380

362 362 DONEGAL The most remarkable, and also the largest, is Lough Derg, comprising within its waters several small islets, on one of which, Station Island, is the cave named Saint Patrick s Purgatory, a celebrated place of resort for pilgrims and devotees. The circumference of the lake is about nine miles, and the extent of the island to which the pilgrims are ferried over is less than one acre. The landscape around Lough Derg is desolate and sombre in the extreme, barren moors and heathy hills surrounding it on all sides. Agriculture. The modes of agriculture present little that is peculiar to the county, and the spade still supplies the place of the plough where the rocky nature of the surface prevents the application of the latter implement. The soil of the greater portion of the county, i.e., the granite, quartz, and mica slate districts, is thin and cold, while that on the Carboniferous limestone is warm and friable. Owing to the boggy nature of the soil, agriculture has not made much progress, although in certain districts (Gweedore, for instance) much land has been brought under cultiva tion, through the enterprise of the proprietors. In 1871 about 43^ per cent, of the land was returned as bog and waste, about 35 per cent, under pasture, and 21 per cent, under tillage. As an indication of the stationary condition of the husbandry of Donegal, it may be stated that the number of acres returned as under crops in 1853 was 236,097, while in 1876 it was 236,015. The following statistics will show the details of the agricultural acreage and the numbers of live stock in recent years : Oats. Flax. Potatoes. Turnips. 1873 96,347 14,496 48,304 17,141 47,917 232,794 1876 95,422 15,337 47,164 17,695 51,647 236,015 Horses and mules. 23,759 23,148 Cattle. 1873 184,233 1876 187,547 Sheep. 182,608 171,304 Pigs. Poultry. 20,960 508,766 35,628 637,441 Wheat and barley are quite an inconsiderable crop, and in this as well as in other respects Donegal is much behind the rest of Ulster in the extent of its crops. It bears, how ever, a more favourable comparison as regards its live stock, possessing, as it does, the largest number of cattle and sheep of any county iu the province, and after Cavan the largest number of poultry. As regards the division of the land, according to the Return of 1876, the county was held in 1874 by 2174 sepa rate owners, whose estates amounted in the aggregate to 1,172,526 acres, valued at 340, 632. There were 1171 pro prietors of less than 1 acre of ground, forming a proportion of 54 per cent, of the total proprietors, that of all Ulster being 48 per cent. The average size of the properties was 539 acres, and the value per acre, 5s. 9d., while the averages for Ulster were respectively 239 acres and 15s. 8|d. Sixteen proprietors owned more than 15,000 acres each, and to gether an aggregate equal to about 45 per cent, of the whole land. They were the following : Marquis of Conyngham, 122,300 acres; Earl of Leitrim, 54,352; H. G. Murray Stewart, 50,818 ; W. H. M. Style (Glenmore), 39,564 ; A. J. R. Stewart (Castlemore), 39,306 j John Leslie, 28,827 ; George Harvey, 25,593 ; Lord G. A. Hill, 24,189; Messrs Musgrave, 23,673 ; Sir Samuel H. Hayes, Bart., 22,825 ; Thomas Connolly, 22,736 ; Church Tempo ralities Commission, 21,489 ; Wybrants Olphert (Bally- connel), 18,133; J. G. Adair (Glenveagh), 16,308; Duke of Abercorn, 15,942 ; T. Y. Brooke (Lough Esk), 15,134. Manufactures. In Donegal, as in other counties of Ulster, the linen manufacture affords employment to a number of the inhabitants, especially at Raphoe, while the manufacture of woollen stockings and worked muslin is carried on pretty extensively. The trade in these manufac tures and in the domestic produce of the county finds its principal outlets through the port of Derry and the inland town of Strabane, county Tyrone. Fisheries. The deep sea fisheries are important. They comprise the three districts of Killybegs, Dunfanaghy, and Carndouagh the last-named including a small part of the Derry coast and extend to 395 miles of maritime boundary. In 1875 there were 777 boats registered in the fisheries, manned by 3053 men and boys. The salmon fishery is also prosecuted to a considerable extent, the principal seats of the trade being at Ballyshannon and Letterkenny. Administration, tyc. The county is divided into the six baronies of Innishowen, Kilmacrenan, Boylagh, Raphoe, Bannagh, and Tyrhugh, and into 51 parishes. It contains seven poor law unions, and ecclesiastically it belongs for the most part to the diocese of Raphoe. It is included in the military district of Belfast, and the assizes are held at Lifford on the borders of Tyrone. The population has decreased within the last 20 years at a greater ratio than the rest of Ulster, and emigration has drawn off a greater proportion of the people than in other parts of the province. For the 24 years ending in 1875 the rate of emigration has averaged 2908 per annum. By the census of 1851 Donegal contained 255,158 persons, in 1861, 237,390, and in 1871, 2 18,334, of whom 106, 080 were males andl 12, 25 4 females thus showing a decrease within these 20 years of 14| per cent. In 1875 the population was estimated at 208,607. After Cavan, Donegal is the most Catholic county in Ulster. In 1871, 75 per cent, of the inhabitants belonged to that persuasion, while 12i per cent, were Episcopalians and 10 per cent. Presbyterians. Education in the same year was conducted in 7 superior and 407 primary schools. There were, however, 93,285 persons above five years of age who were returned as illiterate, and 18,629 who could speak Erse only. The Donegal dialect is said to be the purest of the Irish language. This county returned no fewer than twelve members to the Irish parliament, two for the county at large, and two for each of the insignificant boroughs of Ballyshannon, Donegal, Killybegs, Lifford, and Johnstown. Since the union with Great Britain, it has been represented in the imperial parliament by two county members only. Towns. The towns are small in extent and importance. Lifford, the county town (population 660), and formerly a parliamentary borough, is practically a suburb of Strabane, in the neighbouring county of Tyrone. Ballyshannon (population 2958) is the most populous and important town in the county. It stands on both sides of the river Erne, but does not derive much advantage from its favour able situation in consequence of the fall of the river, usually called the Salmon Leap, above the town, and the bar at the mouth of the harbour. Letterkenny at the head of Lough Swilly, with 2116 inhabitants, is, next to Bally shannon, the largest town in the county. Donegal (popu lation 1422), is situated at the foot of a range of hills in the midst of scenery of great natural beauty, with a mineral spa in the neighbourhood, and sea-bathing close to the town. History. The greater part of Donegal was anciently called Tir- conaill, or the country of Conall ; and it was sometimes called O Donnell s country, after the head chieftains of the district. The other chieftains of note were the O Doghertys, MacSwceneys, O Boyles, O Gallaghers, O Gormleys, O Breslins, c. Tyrconnell is connected with some of the earliest events recorded in Irish history or tradition. The chief castle of the O Donnells, who be came princes of Tyrconnell in the 12th century, was at Donegal, and the place of their inauguration the rock of Doune in Kilma crenan. The celebrated Ued Hugh O Donnell, one of the most distinguished chieftains of the race, in conjunction with the Earl of Tyrone, became a formidable opponent to the Government of Queen Elizabeth ; but being ultimately defeated, he sailed to Spain to solicit fresh succours, was there seized with fever, and died at Valladohd. Rory O Donnell, who was promoted to the chieftainship by the English Government, and created Earl of Tyrconnel, a title