Oldtown, Letterkenny
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Oldtown () is a
townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...
within the town of
Letterkenny Letterkenny ( , meaning "hillside of the O'Cannons"), nicknamed the Cathedral Town, is a large town in County Donegal, Ireland, on the River Swilly in the north-west of Ulster. Along with the nearby city of Derry, Letterkenny is a regional eco ...
,
County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...
, Ireland. It is located in the parish of
Conwal and Leck Conwal and Leck () is a parish located in north-east County Donegal, Province of Ulster, Ireland. It covers west Letterkenny and the surrounding hinterland. The parish has approximately 10,000 inhabitants and 1,000 families. Early records of e ...
to the south of the
River Swilly The River Swilly () is a river in County Donegal, Ireland, which flows in an eastern direction through Letterkenny. Letterkenny, the largest town in County Donegal, is built on the river and became the first crossing point on the river in the ...
. As its name suggests, it is the oldest part of Letterkenny—being older than Letterkenny itself—and was the starting point of the area's development. Oldtown is bordered by the townlands of Creeve to the west and Lismonaghan to the south. It may be entered from central Letterkenny on its northern flank via the Oldtown Bridge (for vehicular traffic) or Devlin Way (for pedestrians). The rail bridge (formerly used for trains run by the Lough Swilly Railway) is now disused, and is the only remaining evidence of Oldtown railway station. Oldtown has a weak range of essential services, as it is primarily green spaces within housing developments; its residents mostly utilize services in the town centre, rather than Oldtown itself.


History

Oldtown existed as a native Irish settlement before the
Plantation of Ulster The Plantation of Ulster (; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster Scots: ) was the organised Settler colonialism, colonisation (''Plantation (settlement or colony), plantation'') of Ulstera Provinces of Ireland, province of Irelandby people from Great ...
, which saw Patrick Crawford develop the market town on the other side of the Swilly at the Oldtown Bridge. The main food source of Oldtown's early inhabitants was fishing in the Swilly estuary, which flowed up to Conwal Cemetery. They also raised livestock on the hillside where Leck Graveyard is today. Oldtown railway station was located on the Letterkenny & Burtonport Extension line. It opened on 9 March 1903, and closed for passengers and goods on 6 January 1947. There is no evidence of the station today, as a hotel occupies the site. However, an old rail bridge still crosses the River Swilly. The old stone bridge, which gives residents passage to the town, was described as having "crumbling stone work" in 2019. The ruin of Old Leck Church is situated in Oldtown, as is the adjacent Old Leck Graveyard. This church, which was built fell out of use in the 1840s. The more modern New Leck Graveyard is located to the west of Old Leck Church.


Administration

The townland of Oldtown falls within the
electoral division An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provid ...
of Letterkenny Rural. The politician, Seán Maloney, lived in the area during his time as a Labour Party senator. Other politicians with links to the area include
Dessie Larkin Dessie Larkin (c. 1970 – 18 March 2019) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a member of Donegal County Council representing the Letterkenny electoral area from 1999 to 2014. He served as the County Council's chair of the Planning & Ec ...
of
Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...
, as well as his father
James Larkin James Larkin (28 January 1874 – 30 January 1947), sometimes known as Jim Larkin or Big Jim, was an Irish republicanism, Irish republican, socialist and trade union leader. He was one of the founders of the Irish Labour Party (Ireland), Labou ...
, founder of
Independent Fianna Fáil Independent Fianna Fáil (IFF), sometimes called the Independent Fianna Fáil Republican Party, was a splinter republican party in Republic of Ireland, Ireland created by Neil Blaney after his expulsion from Fianna Fáil following the Irish Arms ...
. There is a local residents' association.


Amenities

Oldtown, which was described in 2020 as a "heavily populated" area, has been described by local politician Gerry McMonagle as having "a serious lack of facilities". Small local stores include Oldtown Stores and Larkin's Shop. A
Dunnes Stores Dunnes Stores is an Irish multinational retail chain that primarily sells food, clothes and household wares. It was founded by Ben Dunne (businessman, born 1908), Ben Dunne in 1944. In addition to its main customer base in Ireland, the chain al ...
outlet, the nearest department store to the area, is located on the opposite side of the Oldtown Bridge. Former industries in the area include the Model Bakery. There was also the Gaeltex Factory. As of 2008, employers in the area included
Dunnes Stores Dunnes Stores is an Irish multinational retail chain that primarily sells food, clothes and household wares. It was founded by Ben Dunne (businessman, born 1908), Ben Dunne in 1944. In addition to its main customer base in Ireland, the chain al ...
, NowDoc, Jungle King and ''The Hide Out Bar'' (also known as the ''Oldtown Inn''). The latter pub, which was established in the 19th century, was later renamed ''The Snug.''


Housing

Residential areas in Oldtown include Brookcourt, Luí Na Gréine and Ros Suilighe. A 2009 report on the Jim Larkin Court and Gaeltex Drive blocks of flats noted a lack of facilities or play areas for children and families. McNeely Villas, originally comprising 40 homes, was developed by Con Harvey and named in honour of the then recently deceased
Bishop of Raphoe The Bishop of Raphoe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Raphoe in County Donegal, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bi ...
William MacNeely. It was built in 1969 and opened the following year. At its fiftieth anniversary in 2020, one-third of the original residents still lived there.


Education

The nearest primary school is Scoil Colmcille. Secondary education for boys is provided by
St Eunan's College St Eunan's College ( ; ), known locally as The College to distinguish it from the cathedral and GAA club, is a voluntary Roman Catholic all-male, English-medium secondary day school (and former boarding school) in County Donegal, Ireland. It ...
, while the local girls secondary school is the Loreto Convent Secondary School. A "vocational school" is also available, though this is a significant walking distance from the area.


Sport


Soccer (association football)

Oldtown Celtic, founded in 1976, is the local soccer club. They play their home games at Oldtown Park. Their local rivals are Glencar Celtic. Letterkenny Rovers senior men's team compete in the Ulster Senior League and play their home games at Leckview Park, which is just across the river from Oldtown.


Golf

Golfing facilities opened in 1913 on a 47-acre (190,000 m2) nine-hole course at Crievesmith. The course was sold in 1965 for £3000 and the club moved to its current home at Barnhill. Due to the area's growing population, the land was developed into housing at the turn of the 21st century.


Notable people

* Jim Clarke
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
er who played for Donegal * Seán Maloney – served as a
Labour Panel The Labour Panel is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Labour Panel elects eleven senators. Election Article 18 of the Const ...
Senator in
Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann ( ; ; "Senate of Ireland") is the senate of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (defined as the house of representatives). It is commonly called the Seanad or ...
*
John Nee John Nee (born 1959; ), more commonly known by his stage name Little John Nee, is an Irish storyteller, writer, performer and musician based in Galway on Ireland's West Coast. Nee was born in Glasgow in 1959. He returned to Letterkenny, in Co ...
– actor


References

{{Letterkenny Geography of Letterkenny