Malachy Sweeney publishes new book In the Shadow of the Bluestacks

Following his popular local history books,  A Troubled Time and The Sands of Time, the author looks afresh at a number of those topics and ploughs new ground relating to Donegal Town, its wider hinterland and the people who settled in the Shadow of The Bluestacks. 

This history of Donegal Town and hinterland spans the years from the earliest settlers to the present day and includes those who sought refuge in hilltops forts, the crannog at Lough Eske or the Drumrat Court Tombs. There is a focus on our built heritage that includes homes, churches, bridges and castles. There are the Gaelic chieftains and their castles, while townland names - many with a Gaelic origin - reveal much about the history and ways of the people. 

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The official Plantation of Ulster by King James 1 in the early 1600s brought many changes to the way of life and brought a new wave of British settlers and landlords.  There are the infamous Penal Laws, that changed the face of Gaelic Ireland and heralded a period when children were taught at secret Hedge schools in hidden places, and Mass was read at Mass Rocks in secluded places. By the mid-1800s Famine stalked the land, resulting in disease, deaths and emigration. The author explores why this "Great Hunger"/An Gorta Mor happened and the official response, given that large quantities of food was being exported. At this time there were seven corn stores in Donegal Town while people walked the shoreline to Famine ships that sailed from the Green Island.

Due to the restrictive laws imposed on the indigenous people the face of Gaelic Ireland was changed forever. The Gaelic language was outlawed, and the author considers 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", as they strove to document and preserve the rich Gaelic history that could be lost forever. 

There are the legends and folklore, the poems and recitations that tell of past events.  The text outlines the work done by the Congested District Board in this Region 19 and a look at applications to the Fair Rent Commission under the Land Law (Ireland) Act 1897. There is a consideration of the rich Maritime Heritage - from an era of sail to steam and diesel – going back to the era of the O’Donnells and the O’Boyles.  There’s the story of the development of the train service, and an insight into lighting the streets of Donegal, from paraffin to gas lighting, and electricity – and the changes brought by Rural electrification.

The book gives and insight into the people who shaped millstones on the hillsides, while nearby there were those who brewed the Mountain Dew as they dodged the “Still Hunters”. The author captures the collective wisdom of past generations with a sprinkling of "old sayings" or Seanfhocails – proverbs, recitations and poems. There are occasional glimpses into everyday lives with a selective look at the 1921 Census to learn of the trades and workplaces and get a sense of a people who, in many instances, were bilingual. The book includes a representative sample of local enterprises with owner profiles that, combined with over 350 photographs /images, give an insight into the ever-changing face of this region nestled ‘In the Shadow of the Bluestacks.’

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The author will be signing copies of his new book in the Four Masters Bookshop, Donegal Town, from 2pm to 3pm on Saturday, October 11.