Termon
Termon is a village in the north of County Donegal, Ireland.
Geography
Termon is located, on the N56 road, approximately northwest of Letterkenny and southeast of Creeslough. The area around Termon includes the townlands of Currin, Doon, Drumlaurgagh, Gortnalaragh, Drumbrick, Drumoughill, Cloncarney, Terhillion, Gortnalaragh, Clonkilly, Knocknabollan, Fawans, Drumdeevin, Drumfin, Barnes Upper, Barnes Lower, Stragraddy, Ballybuninabber, Letterfad, Goal and Gurtin, Loughaskerry.There are several hills close to Termon, including Lough Salt, the hills of Barnes-Crockmore with peaks at 324m, 349m and 307m, and Stragraddy mountain.
The Lurgy river runs through Termon. Other bodies of water in the area include Clonkillymore Lough, Clonkillybeg Lough, Cloncarney Lough, Doon Lough, Lough Darragh, Lough Askerry and Lough Mnafin.
History
Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ringfort, standing stone and megalithic tomb sites in the townlands of Drumbrick and An Ghabhail. The ringfort in Drumbrick townland is situated at the top of Drumbrick hill and is visible from the Burn Road. Other historical sites in the area include:- Megalithic tomb 1 - Barnes townland
- Megalithic tomb 2 - Gortnalaragh townland, known locally as Dermot and Groinna, 2 stones visible from the Terhillion Rd
- Megalithic tomb 3 - Drumbrick townland
- Standing stones 1 - Barnes townland
- Standing stones 2 - Barnes townland - these are thought to be the original boundaries of 'An Tearmann' denoting sanctuary, as those seeking it were thought to be within the Kilmacrenan Abbey.
- Cillin 1 - Barnes townland
- Cillin 2 - Clonkilly townland
Religion
There are a number of religious sites around Termon, including holy wells, Mass rocks and other places of worship. Several of these sites are significant to members of the local Roman Catholic community.St. Columba's Chapel
The local Catholic church, which is dedicated to St. Columba, is one of two churches in the Catholic parish of Gartan and Termon within the Diocese of Raphoe. St. Columba's Church was built.Holy wells
Doon Well was established by Lector O'Friel sometime around the 1670s. Doon Well's origins are pre-Christian and a number of Bronze Age artefacts were found near the well. A 'tóchar' also runs underneath the bog adjacent to Doon Rock. The water from the well was historically used in the inauguration ceremony of the O'Donnells. Stations and rosary are still 'walked' from St. Columba's chapel to Doon Well on Hogmanay and May eve.Ethne's Well, in the Barnes Lower townland, is named after Columba's mother Ethne. This holy well had stations performed on 9 June for nine nights.
Mass rocks
There thought to be several Mass rocks in the area. Used to secretly celebrate Mass during the time of the penal laws, there are reputed mass rock sites in the townlands of townland of Fawans and Terhillion. A nearby cliff is also called Binn an tSagairt or "hill of the priest".Rock of Doon
Doon Rock is approximately south of Termon and west of Kilmacrenan. It is the site where 25 O'Donnells were inaugurated as Chief of the Name and Lord of Tír Chonaill from Eighneachan in 1200 to Niall Garbh Ó Domhnaill in 1603.Timothy T. O'Donnell, writing in 2001, describes how Red Hugh O'Donnell was inaugurated on 3 May 1592. O'Donnell states that:
Then, in honour of the Holy Trinity, Hugh may have surveyed his clan lands as he walked three times sunwise around the peak of Rock of Doon, after which the members of the other Irish clans present acclaimed him as "O'Donnell".