Rediscovering history: casting a line back to Bundoran's fishing past in 1606

“We had a history pre-colonisation”, said historian Joe McGowan in response to the recent rediscovery of two of the oldest historical records of Bundoran from 1606.

Long before the Ascendancy arrived with Viscount Enniskillen’s Bundoran Lodge in 1777, these records establish the historical evidence that Bundoran existed as a Gaelic fishing and farming community between the Drowes and the Erne before the plantation.

The Gaelic seaside village of Bundoran and her surrounding ancient farmland and seascape was the original spark that first inspired the development of Ireland’s most historic and famous watering place and seaside tourist resort.

The two records are sourced from ‘The Calendar of the State Papers, Relating Ireland: 1603-1606’ and Robert Staveley’s book, ‘An Attempt to Collect what is Known of the Past History of the Ffolliott Family in the Year 1914.’

Bundoran Fishermen Row Back Home by David Hall McKewan, 1855. Courtesy of Éamon Ó Caoineachán (Eddie Keenaghan)

I found the State Papers’ record in the Public Record Office in London. It is a letter written by John Davis, the Attorney General of Ireland to Robert Cecil, the First Earl of Salisbury.

The letter describes Davis's journey with the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Arthur Chichester, to survey O’Donnell's land in south Donegal for the plantation: “Whilst they sojourned in Fermanagh, the Deputy understanding that Ballashanon and Tirconnell was but 20 miles distant from Devenish, went down purposely to see the place, and consider of the haven; and in tarrying there but one day allotted to that castle a domain of 1,000 acres of land on the west side of the river of the Erne towards Bundoran, finding on the other side no such scope of land of the Earl of Tirconnel’s, which might with like conveniency be laid to the castle, according to His Majesty’s reservation in the Earl’s patent.”

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This specific reference to Bundoran in 1606 is extremely important because it now officially rewrites Bundoran’s history. It demonstrates that the coastal district of Bundoran was a well known settlement to Davis, Chichester and even to Cecil and James I in England. It also establishes that Bundoran’s land possessed a strategic, geographical significance “which might with like conveniency be laid to the castle” for the plantation.

I found Staveley’s record at the University of Michigan. It details English soldier and servitor Henry Folliott’s interest in acquiring “the fishing salmon and herrings in Ballishannane, Bondrone and Calbeg” (Ballyshannon, Bundoran and Killybegs).

The late Bundoran native and Donegal historian, Fr Paddy Gallagher, said that “after the Flight of the Earls, the Plantation and the fall of the Gaelic system,” Folliott became the landlord of Bundoran and Ballyshannon. The record proves that Folliott wanted a colonial chokehold over O’Donnell's land and fisheries.

In Gaelic times, Bundoran’s coastline was vitally significant for the famous Bundrowes Fishery. The townland of Bundrowes, today's Magheracar townland, extended from the Drowes into Bundoran’s West End.

The coastal place names around Bundoran Boat Quay and pier near the old, native fishermen settlement of Fish Lane recall the once-thriving local fishing community: Laghaleen “the flagstone of the nets” and Glassavaud “the green place of the boat.”

Bundoran fisherman and local historian Seanie Carty is a descendant of the legendary Fish Lane fishermen. Seanie said “With the 1606 discovery, I would say that Bundoran was most likely a settlement of indigenous fishing and farming people as far back as Finner Church and graveyard. Probably the 6th century if not earlier.”

Bundoran and Irish surfer, Richie Fitzgerald, said “It’s great and thanks to you for digging out some early references. It’s just brilliant to see pre-1770 references.”

Ballyshannon historian Shane Toolan of the Ballyshannon and District Museum said: “Fabulous piece of research Éamon Ó Caoineachán. Really interesting to see the strategic economic importance of Bundoran to the whole South Donegal fishing industry, possibly stretching back even further to early O’Donnell clan times.”

Ocean FM radio presenter, Marion Fitzgerald Doherty, said: “How wonderful to have this history Éamon.”

Former Magh Ene College principal, Jacqueline O’Reilly Dillon, said: “Fantastic research, a real treasure to have.”

Cllr Niamh Kennedy said: “It’s so wonderful to see this history revealed and acknowledged, we need much more emphasis on our local history and share our authentic stories.”

By sharing this profound discovery, there is now a cultural, ethical and historical responsibility for the history groups Where Erne, Drowes and Duff meet the sea, Historical Bundoran, Bundoran Community Centre, and Magh Ene Historical Society to work together to tell Bundoran's oldest historical story and to promote her proud Gaelic fishing and maritime heritage.

Discovering these records casts a historic line back to Bundoran’s Gaelic past. What our keen hands now feel on that sea-pulsing line between the Drowes and the Erne is that the tides of our history now turn at a Celtic twilight – “A rising Bundoran tide lifts all Bundoran boats.”