DESERTEGNEY, a parish, in the barony of ENNISHOWEN,
county of DONEGAL, andprovince of ULSTER,
13 miles (N. N. W.) from Londonderry; containing 1890
inhabitants. This parish is situated on the northern
coast, amid the barren mountains of Ennishowen, and is
bounded on the north by the Atlantic ocean, and on the
west by Lough Swilly; it comprises, according to the
Ordnance survey, 7577 statute acres, of which 5834 are
applotted under the tithe act; the arable land includes
1794 acres; the remainder is mountain pasture. Some
of the lower lands produce good crops of oats, flax, and
potatoes; and wherever the mountains afford vegetation,
they are depastured by numerous herds of small
cattle and sheep. There are indications of copper and
lead ore within the parish; and iron ore is abundant.
The gentlemen's seats are Lensfort, the elegant residence
of the Rev. W. Henry Hervey; and the glebe-house,
of the Very Rev. Dean Blakeley. The living is a rectory,
in the diocese of Derry, and in the patronage of the
Marquess of Donegal: the tithes amount to £135; the
glebe-house stands on a glebe of 166 acres, of which 88
are uncultivated. The church is a small neat edifice,
with a square tower, situated close to the shore of
Lough Swilly. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms
part of the union or district of Upper and Lower Fahan
and Desertegney; there is a small chapel, occupying the
site of the old parish church. The parochial school,
near the church, in which are about 30 boys and 15
girls, is a very neat edifice, erected in 1829 by the Rev.
W. H. Hervey, and supported by him and a small
donation from the rector. There are also two private
schools, at Leaugin and Gortlick, in which are about
50 children; and a Sunday school. The gap of Mamore
is a remarkable natural curiosity on the confines
of this parish, opening to the Atlantic ocean, and most
extensive and magnificent views are obtained from the
mountains near it. In the Erwys and other lofty
mountains of this district, the eagles continue to build,
and they prove very destructive to the young lambs on
the mountains.