Kilmacrenan (), sometimes spelled Kilmacrennan, is a

barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

. Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units, which acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century before being superseded by higher units under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. Kilmacrenan is the largest barony in Ireland by land area.

Etymology

Kilmacrenan takes its name from

Kilmacrenan Kilmacrennan ( ga, Cill Mhic nÉanáin or ), also Kilmacrenan, is a village, townland and civil parish in County Donegal, Ireland. The village population was 753, as of the 2016 census. The village's population has increased steadily over the l ...

village, in Irish ''Cill Mhic Réanáin'' or 'Cill Mhic nÉanáin'', "church of the sons of Eanan."

Geography

Kilmacrenan is located in the north of

, to the west and north of Lough Swilly and the River Swilly. With an area of 312,410

acre The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imp ...

s, it is the largest barony in Ireland.

History

Kilmacrenan was the ancient territory of the O'Donnell kings of Tyrconnell, O'Breislein (O'Breslin), Mac Sweeneys, O'Begley, O'Friel, O'Kernaghan of Clondavaddog, McCoyle of Mevagh, O'Toner of Tullyfern and O'Laherty (Laverty). Clann Chinnfhaelaidh is in the eastern portion of the barony. The barony of Kilmacrenan was founded by 1672.

List of settlements

Below is a list of settlements in Kilmacrenan barony: *

Bunbeg ''An Bun Beag'' (anglicised as Bunbeg), meaning "the small river mouth", is a small Gaeltacht village and townland in County Donegal, Ireland. It is officially the smallest townland in ''Gaoth Dobhair'' (Gweedore), but today the name Bunbeg is ...

* Carrowkeel * Creeslough * Derrybeg * Dunfanaghy *

Falcarragh An Fál Carrach (anglicized as Falcarragh), sometimes called Na Crois Bhealaí ("the crossroads") is a small Gaeltacht town and townland in north-west County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The settlement is in the old parish of Cloughanee ...

* Gortahork *

Letterkenny Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R ...

* Meenlaragh *

Milford Milford may refer to: Place names Canada * Milford (Annapolis), Nova Scotia * Milford (Halifax), Nova Scotia * Milford, Ontario England * Milford, Derbyshire * Milford, Devon, a place in Devon * Milford on Sea, Hampshire * Milford, Shro ...

* Rathmelton *

Rathmullan Rathmullan () is a seaside village and townland on the Fanad Peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland. It is situated on the western shore of Lough Swilly, north-east of Ramelton and east of Milford. Rathmullan has historical significance as the sc ...

Tory Island Tory Island, or simply Tory (officially known by its Irish name ''Toraigh''),Toraigh/Tory Island

Baronies of County Donegal