CHAPTER I.

Origin-Name-Situation-Description of the ancient Buildings, &c. of the Town.

LIKE that of many other towns, the early History of Derry is involved in much obscurity. Previous to the introduction of Christianity into it, there are no authentic records of it to be found; and from that, to the reign of Queen Elizabeth, its history is entirely ecclesiastical. Its name however, Doire, from the old Celtic word Dru, or Drew, ("an oak or oak wood,") has been preserved. Down to the tenth century, it went by the name of Doire Calgaic, or Derry Calgach, the affix Calgach being the name of a pagan warrior. Hence, Derry Calgach signifies "the oak wood of the warrior." Towards the end of the tenth century this name yielded to that of Doire-Cholum-Cille, or DerryColumb-Kille, in honour of Saint Columb,* who, it has been asserted, erected an Abbey of the Order of St. Augustine here, about the middle of the sixth century. Cille or Kille, (Celtic,) a cell or house for worship. The town, or rather the island in which it is situated, seems to have borne, in later times, the name of Termon-doire (Termonderry,) for adjacent to it were the termon or free lands belonging to the Sanctuary or Abbey. All these, however, were dropped in their turn by the Charter of King James I. for the modern prefix (London,) hence Londonderry. Even the river which winds its course majestically round the southern and eastern boundary of the City, has derived its name from pagan antiquity. Feabail-mic-Lodain, or Favel, the son of Lodan, was, it appears, drowned in the Lough, (probably being enamoured like another Narcissus ;) the waves cast his body ashore, and rolled a large stone over it, which formed his sepulchral monument. Hence, Lough Favel or Foyle.t

The town, if such it might then be termed, consisted originally of a few humble, straggling huts, of a conical shape, constructed of mud or wood, in conformity to the

* St. Columb was, it appears. a native of Gartan in Donegal. † Foyle implies a smoothly flowing stream,

scanty means, and more to the modes of life of its inhabitants; which modes closely approached those of wild uncultivated nature. And, with respect to the system of religion practised, it was nothing else than Druidism, which they inherited from their ancestors and brethren of the Celtic race in Britain; but, after the introduction of Christianity into it, and the erection of religious houses and habitations for the monks and the clergy, in times less remote, the town began to assume a habitable appearance. In those days every stone building, no matter how rudely constructed, was called a Castle; and the only one of this kind recorded to have been erected in Derry, was a small square tower built by O'Dougherty, Chief of Inishowen, in the middle of the sixteenth century, for a citadel or place of defence; or as it has been supposed, for the purpose of imprisoning O'Donnel, Chief of Tirconnell (Donegall,) on a spot of ground purchased for that purpose from the Erenach, Mac Loughlin. The same was repaired by Sir Henry Docwra, on his arrival at Derry, in 1600. Of this castle some remains are supposed to have existed in the old Magazine lately pulled down, which stood in Magazine-street, opposite to the platform or demi-bastion, a little above the Butter market. The site and some of the old materials are now occupied by a tobacco-store. But of none of the original ecclesiastical buildings is there a vestige to be found. They have all shared the fate of the venerable Oak grove, in the midst of which they were erected, and which had been preserved through successive ages with equally religious veneration.

In times long past there were in Ireland many Derries. Even from a lingering traditionary remembrance of their former condition the name would be entitled to attention. When crowned with oaks, they were distinguishable from the dense forest of firs, skirting the marshy plains around them, and the abundance of ancient timber found in the districts surrounding the town of our Derry, is now evinced by tradition and public documents as well as by frequent observation. The vast quantities of pine found in all the bogs; of yew at Magilligan; and the immense number of huge fossil oaks and firs in the mosses, even in the most exposed situation, are a sufficient proof. But Derry-Calgach or Derry-Columbkille stood pre-eminent over every other Derry.

From its local and natural advantages generally, and its

singularly picturesque position, it being mostly on a hill gradually precipitous on all sides, but less so on the southwest, and which was in former times entirely insulated, the town was considered by the native Irish the acropolis of the north. The whole extent of the western boundary of

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the island was a wet bog" or slob, over which the tide flowed freely, so that "the approach to it was made by causeways." The circumference of the hill or island is of an oval form; the hill ascends to the height of 119 feet above the level of the Foyle, and contains 199 acres, 3 roods, and 30 perches. From an inquiry made at Derry in 1603, it appears that the southern half of the island belonged, at that time, to St. Columb's Monastery, and the northern half to the Nunnery, each containing by estimation "half-aquarter of land." The nunnery was established previous to the year 1218, and is supposed to have been of the Cistercian* Order, over which Bebinn, female Erenach of Derry, for some time presided: it was situated on the south side of the town.

St. Columb's Church, (Duibh Regles, or Duv Regles, i. e. "Black Abbey Church," so called to distinguish it from the next,) stood near the monastery in the dense part of the grove. The ruins of it were to be seen in 1520.

Teampull Mor, (Temple More or great Church,) erected in 1164, was one of the most distinguished ecclesiastical structures built in Ireland previous to the settlement of the Anglo Normans, in the twelfth century. It was erected under the superintendence of Flahertach O'Brolchain, (Hibernicè, O'Brollaghan, Anglicè Bradley or Brolley,) Coarbe (successor) of Columbkille, assisted by Muirchertach O'Loughlin, a Chieftain: "eighty houses" or huts were removed to make room for it and the accompanying buildings. This Church gave the name of Templemore to the parish in which the City of Derry is situated, and which sometimes went by the name of Termonderry.

The long or round Tower was adjacent to the Temple More; both stood without the space occupied by the present city, on the ground now allotted to the Roman Catholic Chapel and Grave-yard, and with the exception of the belfry, they were partly destroyed by Sir Henry Docwra's

* The Cistercian Order was founded at Citeux, in France, in 1098.

troops, in 1600, for the purpose, it is stated, of employing the old materials in the construction of his city.

The Tower survived till after the Siege, being marked on the maps or plans of that time as the " Long Tower or Temple More," and in the Charter of Derry, it is called "St. Columbkille's Tower." The street or lane leading from Bishop's-gate to the Roman Catholic Chapel, was its site, and still bears its name.

The Dominican Monastery and Church were founded in 1274. The number of friars in this Abbey previous to the suppression, was generally 150, and a convent of the same order was maintained in Derry till a late period, and which, in 1750, contained nine brothers. It is supposed to have stood on the north side of the City, without the wall.

The Monastery and Church of the Franciscan or Begging Friars stood according to the inquiry of 1609, "on the North side of the bog," on the ground now occupied by Abbey-street, William-street, and Rossville-street; there were three acres of land attached to these buildings.

The Convent and Church of St. Augustine were situated within the limits of the present City. The Abbey occupied the site of the See-house or Bishop's Palace, and its church in the rear, in the space now enclosed between the Palace and the City Wall. Both are supposed to have been erected in the close of the thirteenth century, and not sooner; so that St. Columb's Monastery could not have been of that Order.* The Augustinean Church seems to have been the only religious house preserved on the erection of the City. It was repaired and used by the Londoners previous to the erection of the Protestant Cathedral, which was finished in 1633, and on ground never before occupied by any other religious house. On the completion of the Cathedral, the Augustinean Church was ever after known as the "Littie Church." The Chapel of Ease is not the same.

In times of fierce contention and furious zeal of the neighbouring chiefs and their tributary clans, each to establish his claim to usurped domination, or to repel, with ruthless

* If the Augustinean Abbey of Derry was established by Augustine, who received his mission to Britain ann. 597, from Pope Gregory I. and who was styled the Apostle of the English, and "consecrated in France Archbishop of the English nation," the Abbey founded by Columbkille, in A. D. 546, could not have been of that Order.

courage, the predatory incursion of the lawless intruder, Derry was considered a sanctuary by the oppressed and unoffending, as well as a place of refuge to the vanquished. On such occasions the principal religious houses served as depositories for the moveable wealth-cups, goblets, rings, jewellery, &c. of the fugitives, who, as might be expected, were stripped of their property by every rapacious plunderer.

CHAPTER II.

Chronological List of remarkable Events-Government of the Town-Ecclesiastical-Coarb-Erenach—and Termoner—

Bishops.

THE accounts handed down to us by ancient Irish historians, being confined to the dry mention of a transaction in the fewest words, and without description or detail, can be considered little more than a chronological table. The following notices of important events, extracted from their annals, will, in some degree, show the progress of the town of Derry, and also the checks it sustained :

546.-A Monastery stated to have been erected here by St. Columb: it was the first of his ecclesiastical buildings.

783.-Derry-Calgach was burned, and the Abbey destroyed.

812.-The Abbey and Town burned by the Danes and Norwegians, who first infested Ireland in 795;

and who heightened the atrocity on this occasion by a massacre of the clergy and the students. 832.-Niall Caille, a Chieftain, and Murchadh, Chief of Aileach (Elagh,) defeated the Danes and Norwegians with great slaughter at Derry-Calgach. 989-97.-Derry Calgach was plundered by the same, who carried off the shrine of St. Columbkille. 1095. The Abbey was consumed by fire.

1124-35.-Ardgar, heir apparent to the sovereignty of

Aileach, was slain by the ecclesiastics in defence of the church of Columbkille; in consequence of which the town and churches were afterwards burned through revenge.