MOVILLE-UPPER, a parish, in the barony of
ENNISHOWEN, county of DONEGAL, and province of
ULSTER, 15 miles (N. N. E.) from Londonderry, on the
road to Greencastle; containing 4902 inhabitants. St.
Patrick founded a monastery here, called Maghbhile and
Domnachbhile, over which he placed Ængusius, the son
of Olild; it soon became celebrated for its wealth, and
notices of its abbots occur from the year 590 to 953,
among whom was the celebrated St. Finian. The remains
are called Cooley, meaning "the City," probably
from a large number of persons having settled around
this famous pile, which appears, from what is left of
the western and southern walls, to have been a very
extensive edifice. For some time before the reformation
it was used as the parish church, and so continued
until destroyed during the civil war of 1688. In the
adjoining cemetery is a very ancient tomb, said to be
that of St. Finian; and outside the walls stands a very
lofty and handsome stone cross, hewn out of one block,
and in good preservation. These ruins occupy a gentle
eminence, near the shores of Lough Foyle, commanding
a full view of the Atlantic. The parish, which is situated
on the western shore of Lough Foyle, comprises,
according to the Ordnance survey, 19,081¾ statute acres:
one-half is mountainous, and the remainder consists of
good and middling arable land with detached pieces of
bog scattered all over the parish. The land is generally
light, and everywhere encumbered by rocks, heath, and
whins; the greater portion of the rocks are clay-slate.
Near Whitecastle is excellent sandstone, and there are
strong indications of coal, near which is a curious and
extraordinary whin dyke. Here the system of rundale
is still kept up, and the land, being divided into very
small holdings, is much neglected, nearly all the population
being employed in the weaving of linen cloth and
fishing, combined with agricultural pursuits: the produce
of the land is chiefly corn and flax, wheat having
only been grown since 1830, but it is found to answer
very well. The parish is within the jurisdiction of the
manor court held at Greencastle. The principal seats
are Red Castle, the residence of Atkinson Wray, Esq.;
White Castle, of L. Carey, Esq.; Foyle View, of R. Lepper,
Esq.; Greenbank, of J.Robinson, Esq.; Ballylawn,
of S. Carmichael, Esq.; Beech Cottage, of the Rev. A.
Clements; and the Glebe-house, of the Rev. J. Molesworth
Staples. The living is a rectory, in the diocese
of Derry, forming the corps of the prebend thereof, in
the patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount to £555.
The glebe-house was built in 1775, at a cost of £590,
by the then incumbent; the glebe comprises 74 Cunningham
acres, valued at £66. 12. 0 per annum. The
church is an ancient, small, and inconvenient edifice, on
the shore of the lough; it was built by the Carey family,
in 1741, as a private chapel, and afterwards became
a chapel of ease, and eventually the parish church;
but, being much too small, a larger is about to be
erected. In the R. C. divisions this parish and Lower
Moville form the union or district; there is a chapel at
Drung. Near Castle Carey is a very neat meeting-house
for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of
Ulster. About 400 children are educated in seven public
schools, of which the parochial school at Ballylawn
is being rebuilt; it is partly supported by the rector,
and with five other schools, is in connection with the
National Board; the school-house of one of the latter,
at Terryroan, was erected by the Earl of Caledon, and
the rector contributes £5 per ann. for its support. There
are also four Sunday schools. Not far from Drung are
eight upright stones, near which are several lying down,
the remains of an ancient cromlech. Part of a fosse
and some terraces and remains of former mansions are
to be traced near Red and White castles, and at Castle
Carey.