Killashandra

History

Killeshandra's name derives from the Irish Cill na Seanrátha, meaning "church of the old rath" (ringfort). The church was first noted in Papal registers during the medieval 14th century when installed John McKiernan a cleric from the Augustinian St Mary's Drumlane Priory. The early Killeshandra town began during the seventeenth century Ulster Plantation period, when Sir Alexander Hamilton of Innerwick Castle, East Lothian, Scotland, was granted lands by the Crown in July 1610 to build a strong bawn and create a Protestant community around the barony of Tullyhunco. The 1641 rising led to the burning of the township followed by the surrender of the Hamilton's together with their Scottish Craigie neighbours, forced out of their settled lands by the Cavan O'Reilly rebel army. In the 17th century, following the Restoration after the civil war, Sir Francis Hamilton (1st Baron of Castle Hamilton) regained control of the area. He set about building a new market town of Killeshandra with Scottish settlers and migrant French Huguenot exiles who were especially noted for their industry linen skills and thrift. The new settlers and their families quickly adapted to the local conditions, beginning to grow flax and process linen in the Cavan region. During the early Plantation part of the 17th century the 'church of the old rath' was "reformed" for Protestant Scottish Episcopalian use and included glebe lands allocated to the parish, part of Anglican Kilmore diocese. An initial survey of Cavan parish churches initiated by William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore, reported that the medieval Killeshandra church was already newly repaired with a new roof and east window added. The sum of £20 Sterling was therefore imposed in 1634 for further re-edifying works. Later in the 17th century, the…

Most-observed species

• Speckled Wood

  Pararge aegeria (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  198
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  167
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  133
• Eurasian Wren

  Troglodytes troglodytes (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  131
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  125
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  114
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  98
• Western Jackdaw

  Coloeus monedula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  93