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Enniskillen
Co Fermanagh
Introduction
Town
Enniskillen is situated between Upper and Lower Lough Erne and is built around the slow, winding, River Erne which joins the two Loughs together. The river splits in two on its arrival ( south side of town). Most of the rivers capacity then flows along the west side. The other section of the river turns almost at right angles and makes its way past the east side of town eventually meeting up with the main section again on the north. This parting action of the river creates an island and is where most of Enniskillen town is built. Two other smaller islands are also created, Cherry Island (east) and Castle Island (west).
Three main streets travel almost parallel to each other in the island section of town these are; Queen Elizabeth Road by the river (east), the main town center thoroughfare which is really only one street divided into several different street names and Wellington Road on the west.
Fort Hill with its Cole Tower Monument on the south-west side dominates the town.
History.
The town holds a position which was of stratagic importance from the earlier days, and commanding the passage between Tir Owen and Connaught, was the scene of many a hard fighting battle. The chiefs of Fermanagh, the Maguires, had built a stone castle here by1439. The present castle of Enniskillen, contains part of the ancient castle of the Maguires, as well as a late 16C water gate.
The countryside surrounding Lough Erne containes a large number of ruined castles of the plantation period. It was a requirement of the Jacobean Plantation law that every so-called "undertaker," either English or Scottish, who accepted a portion of land, should build thereon a strong castle and Bawn, and bring over a certain number of British tenants as settlers. These castles and Bawns have survived principally in the counties of Fermanagh and Tyrone; the best-preserved near Enniskillen is the example at Monea, near the south-east shores of lower Lough Erne.
The Cathedral, originally a Planters' Gothic Parish Church of 1637, was rebuilt in th19 century, but retains the northe porch and and part of its 17 century steeple and also a front dated1666. The inscribed "Porkrich" stone dates from 1628. in the chancel and choir hang the colours of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the pennons of the Inniskilling Dragoons, which were raised in the town.
Places of interest in and around the town:
Cole Monument and Fort Hill, Enniskillen Castle, Castle Coole, Portora Royal School, Enniskillen Cathedral, Buttermarket craft and design centre.
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Page created: 18th, June,2002