Survey Data
Reg No
40908605
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical
Original Use
Barracks
Date
1700 - 1760
Coordinates
204768, 388500
Date Recorded
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Date Updated
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Description
Remains of single-storey former army barracks guarding Barnesmore Gap, built c. 1730. Now out of use and a roofless ruin. Roof now gone, formerly pitched natural slate. Rubble stone walls with small loop hole openings to gable ends (north-east and south-west). Remains of square-headed window and door openings. Located on a hilltop to the north-west end of Barnesmore Gap, and to the south-west of Ballybofey. Overlooks main Donegal Town to Letterkenny Road to the east.
Appraisal
The fragmentary remains of a former army barracks that was built sometime during the first half of the eighteenth century, which is an interesting addition to the history of the local area. It was originally established by British authorities to guard the northern end of Barnesmore Gap, the main pass between northern and southern Donegal, which was a notorious location for highwaymen, brigands robbers etc. from early times up until around 1800. It was manned by British Red Coat soldiers who patrolled the gap, ensuring the safe passage of travellers. Up until the mid eighteenth-century the pass was apparently heavily wooded with the main road being not much wider than a bridle path. These woods where largely cleared by 1739 when the once notorious route was described as ‘the woods being cleared, it has been for these many years safe’ (Connolly 1992). This hints that the barracks may have been in existence at this time. Criminals were apparently hanged here during the eighteenth century, and at the end of the eighteenth century a permanent gallows as established somewhere in close proximity to the barracks. This may have been in 1777 when Thomas Young of Lough Eske Castle was reimbursed £7. 10s by the Donegal Grand Jury for building the gallows at Barnesmore. In 1780, Prionnsias Dubh Mac Aodh was the leader of a gang of twelve highway men called the ‘Cassidy’ that was active in the Barnesmore Gap who, according to local tradition, robbed the rich to feed the poor. Two of the gang were captured here and hung at the gallows. Prionnsias Dubh Mac Aodh was captured, imprisoned at Lifford, and subsequently hanged there. Barnesmore Barracks was later abandoned c. 1800 when a more substantial barracks was established at nearby Stranorlar to the north-east. Caesar Ottaway (1780–1842), a noted travel writer and a Church of Ireland clergyman, passed through Barnesmore Gap in 1839 and mentioned the ruins of a barracks at the northern end of the pass, which is this more than likely this building. This indicates that the barracks was out of use by this time, and possibly for a considerable period by this time. This former barracks is an interesting addition to the scenic rural landscape to the north-east end of Barnesmore gap, and is an addition to the built heritage and history of the local area.