Home ⋅ Published Books ⋅ In the Shadow of the Bluestacks: From the foothills to the sea - a social history

In the Shadow of the Bluestacks: From the foothills to the sea - a social history
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By: Malachy Sweeney
Publisher: Tirhugh Press
Published: September 2025
Pages: 562
Categories: Culture, History
Language: English
Available as: Paperback
On sale at:
ISBN-13: 9780955315565

This history of Donegal Town and its hinterland spans the years from the earliest settlers to the present day and considers the changes they brought. This includes the built heritage,and includes, homes, churches, bridges and castles. There are the Gaelic chieftains and their castles, while townland names - many with a Gaelic origins - reveal much about the history and ways of the people.The author gives an insight into the lives of the Franciscans with their renowned "Abbey by the sea" and their input to the writing of the famous "Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland." The official Plantation of Ulster by King James 1 - in the early 1600s - brought a new wave of British settlers and landlords. This brought many changes to the way of life, and also the infamous Penal Laws. This led to a period when children were taught in secret Hedge Schools in hidden places, and Mass was read at Mass Rocks deep in the countryside. By the mid-1800s Famine stalked the land, resulting in disease, death and emigration. The author explores why this "Great Hunger" happened and the official response, given that vast quantities of food were being exported from Donegal Harbour. There are the legends and folklore, the occasional poem that tell of past events, the changes brought by the Congested District Board, and the rich Maritime Heritage - from an era of sail to steam and oil fired engines. Learn of the brewing of the Mountain Dew and the Still Hunters who were on their trail. The collective wisdom of past generations is captured in sprinklings of "old sayings" or Seanfhocails - proverbs. The author also lists numerous local enterprises and profiles to give an insight into the people, their occupations and the ever-changing face of this region nestled in the Shadow of the Bluestack Mountains.

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