DUNGANNON, a borough and market-town and post-town, in the parish of DRUMGLASS,
barony of DUNGANNON, county of TYRONE, and province of ULSTER 10 miles (N. by
W.) from Armagh., and 76 (N.N.W.) from Dublin, on the
road from Armagh to Coleraine; containing 3515 inhabitants.
This place appears to have been the chief seat, of
the O'Nials from the earliest period of Irish history; but
the first direct notice of it,
under its present name, is in a spirited letter addressed in
1329 to Pope John, from Dungannon, by Donald O'Nial,
in which he styles himself" King of Ulster and true heir
of the whole dominion of Ireland." He. declares that,
previously to the coming of St. Patrick, 130 (if his royal
ancestors had been kings of Ireland; untl that from
that period till the landing of Hen. II., in 1172, "sixty
monarchs of the same princely family had.swayed the
Hibernian sceptre." In 1364, O'Nial, in his letters to
Edw. III., styles himself " Prince of the lrishry in
Ulster," and dated from this place, whence, in 1394, he
went to make his submission to Rich, II. at Drogheda.
Henry O'Nial gave a splendid entertainment here to the
Primate Bole, and assigned to the church of Armagh all
his lands in Moydoyn; and in 1489 Con O'Nial founded
a Franciscan monastery, which he amply endowed.
This establishment continued to flourish till the Reformation,
when it. was granted by Queen Elizabeth to the
Karl of Westmeath, and it was subsequently assigned to
Sir Arthur Chichester in the reign of Jas. I, In 1492,
Con O'Nial, the founder, being murdered by his brother
Henry, was buried in this monastery with great pomp;
and Neal McArt O'Nial rising in arms to avenge his
death, the Earl of Kildare marched into Ulster to
oppose him, took the fortress of Dungannon by storm,
and soon reduced O'Nial to obedience. In 1501, the
Albanian Scots attacked the fortress on St. Patrick's
day, but were driven back with great slaughter by
O'Nial, who then held it for the English government.
In 1517, O'Nial was found again in rebellion against the
English, but the Earl of Kildare having reduced Dundrum
and taken Maginnis prisoner, marched against
Dungannon, stormed the fort and burnt the town, both
of which were restored by O'Nial after his submission.
Con O'Nial, in 1538, took up arms against Henry VIII.,
in favour of the see of Rome, marched from this place
with a powerful army into the English pale, and laid
waste the country as far as Meath, where he was met by
the Lord-Deputy Grey, who defeated him at Bellahoe,
and compelled him again to retreat to his strong hold of
Dungannon; he soon after submitted to the English
authority, and in 1542 took the oaths of allegiance.
After this battle Henry assumed the title of King, instead
of Lord of Ireland; and O'Nial covenanted to renounce
the name of O'Nial, to adopt the English habit
and language, and to build houses and farm the lands
after the English mode. For this submission he was
created Earl of Tyrone, and his illegitimate son Matthew
was made Baron of Dungannon, and received the estate
of the O'Nials by patent. In 1552, Shane O'Nial, son of
the Earl of Tyrone, appeared in arms against his father,
and destroyed the fortress of Dungannon, and committed
other depredations; but in 1556, Fitzwalter,
then lord-deputy, inarched against him, expelled him
from the territory, and replaced the Earl in his possessions.
Shane again revolted in 1559, and in the following
year burst into the English pale, but was reduced
to submission by the Lord-Deputy Sussex. From Dungannon
he proceeded to England, accompanied by his
body-guard, consisting of 600 soldiers, who marched
through the streets of London, armed with their
battle-axes, and dressed in the costume of their country.
He was graciously received by Elizabeth, pardoned,
and loaded with favours; but shortly after his return
to Dungannon, he again appeared in arms, destroyed
the city of Armagh with its venerable cathedral
and monasteries, and left only a few mud cabins remaining:
he also destroyed the city of Derry and laid
waste the whole county; but in 1567 he was treacherously
murdered in the Scottish camp. Hugh O'Nial, who by
the favour of Elizabeth had been raised to the earldom
of Tyrone, commenced building a magnificent castle at
Dungannon, and imported large quantities of lead for its
roof; in 1587 he obtained from Elizabeth the grant of
a weekly market and fairs, and in 1591 the lordship of
Tyrone was formed into a county, subdivided into eight
baronies, and this place made the county town and a
gaol built in it accordingly. In 1595, the Earl of Tyrone
rebelled against the English government, and,
placing himself at the head of 14,000 men, took and
destroyed several forts, burnt Portmore bridge, laid
siege to Monaghan, and having melted into bullets the
lead which he had imported under pretence of roofing
his castle, ultimately made himself master of the whole
of that county. Having defeated the English in many
engagements, particularly at Benburb, he was universally
hailed as the champion of Ireland, and received in
his fortress here the envoy of the Pope, who brought him
valuable presents. The Lord-Deputy Mountjoy marched
against this powerful chieftain and defeated him in several
battles; and in June 1602, having secured Armagh
and Charlemont, advanced towards Dungannon. Tyrone,
aware of his approach, set fire to the place and
retreated northward; but being thus driven from the
venerable seat of his ancestors, he never regained his
lost power. In the following year he made his submission
at Mellifont and was pardoned; he was restored
to his earldom, and obtained a grant of his lands by
letters patent; but meditating new designs against the
state, he was discovered, and dreading the power of
Jas. I., fled to the Continent in 1607, leaving the whole
of his extensive possessions to the king, who, in 1610,
granted the castle and manor of Dungannon, with all
their dependencies, to Sir Arthur Chi Chester. In 1612,
Sir Arthur obtained from the king a charter of incorporation
for the town which he was about to build, a grant
of 1140 acres of land, and of 500 acres more for the site
of the intended town; upon the former he built a bawn
of limestone, 120 feet square, with bulwarks and a deep
fosse; and upon the latter, previously to 1619, six large
stone houses, six strong houses of frame-work timber,
and a spacious church, which, with the exception of the
roof, was completed at that time, whence may be dated
the origin of the present town. On the breaking out of
the war in 1641, Sir Phelim O'Nial, having taken the
fort of Charlemont by stratagem, and made the governor
prisoner, seized the castle, town, and fort of Dungannon
on the same night; and having put many of the inhabitants
to death, kept possession of it till after the battle
of Benburb, in 1646, after which the town and church
were burnt, and soon after the castle was dismantled by
order of the parliament. The castle was rebuilt soon
after the Restoration, and in 1688 the Rev. George
Walker, rector of Donaghmore, raised a regiment in
his parish and marched with it to Dungannon, to secure
that garrison for the Protestants; it was entrusted to
the care of Col. Lundy, who deserted his post on the
13th of March, and the inhabitants fled to Strabane.
It was garrisoned in 1689 by the troops of Jas. II., who,
on the 13th of April, in that year, visited this town and
inspected the garrison, whence he marched to Omagh
and Strabane; but his forces occupied the town and
neighbourhood during the whole of that important
struggle. From this period the only event of historical
importance connected with the place is the meeting of
delegates from 269 corps of Ulster volunteers, who, in
1782, assembled at Dungannon, and passed 20 resolutions,
declaratory of the independence of the parliament
of Ireland.
The town, situated about three miles from the
south shore of Lough Neagh, is spacious, handsome, and
well built; and consists of a square, and four principal
and several smaller streets. Improvements upon a very
extensive scale have been recently made, and are still in
progress; handsome houses have been built within and
around the town, several lines of road have been constructed,
and gas-works are now being erected for lighting
it. The surrounding country is richly diversified,
and the situation of the town on a lofty hill of limestone,
commanding interesting and extensive prospects on.
every side, renders it both a healthy and a pleasant
place of residence. It is second only to Omagh in extent,
and is rapidly increasing in opulence and importance.
News-rooms are supported by subscription, and assemblies
are held occasionally. At a short distance to the
east is Northland Lodge, the seat of the Earl of Ranfurley,
and in the immediate neighbourhood are many gentlemen's
seats, which are noticed in the account of the
parish. The principal trade of the town and neighbourhood
is the manufacture and bleaching of linen, for
which it has long been celebrated; there are several
bleach-greens on a large scale, all in full operation; the
manufacture of earthenware and fire-bricks, for which
there are large potteries within three miles of the town,
is extensive: there is a large distillery, which annually
consumes 29,000 barrels of grain, and not far from it
are some extensive flour-mills. A flourishing trade is
also carried on in wheat, flax, oats, and barley. The
Drumglass collieries, one mile distant, are the most extensive,
in the North of Ireland; they were formerly
worked without much success, but are now conducted
by the Hibernian Mining Company and have been rendered
productive of great benefit to the town and neighbourhood;
the coal is of good quality and is procured
in great abundance; the demand is ample, and the prices
moderate from the competition of English and Scottish
coal, which are brought hither by the Lagan and Newry
navigations and by Lough Neagh. There are also ironworks,
and some extensive lime-works near the town.
The markets, originally granted in 1587, by Queen Elizabeth,
to Hugh O'Nial, Earl of Tyrone, and in 1612
by Jas. I., to Sir Arthur Chichester, are held on Tuesday
and Thursday; the former for grain, and the latter
for brown linen, yarn, cattle, pigs, and provisions of all
kinds, with all of which it is very extensively supplied.
Fairs, granted in 1611 by Jas. I. to Sir Arthur Ghichester,
and in 1705 to T. Knox, Esq., are held on the first
Thursday in every month. The market-house,.shambles,
grain stores, and provision sheds are commodious
and well adapted to their use. A chief constabulary
police station has been established in the town, which
is the head-quarters of the constabulary police force of
Ulster, for whose accommodation a police barrack has
been built. The inhabitants under the title of the "Provost,
Free Burgesses, and Commons of the borough of
Dungannon," received a charter of incorporation from
Jas. I., in l6l2, by which the site of the town, with three
parcels of land called Crosse, Brough, and Ferneskeile,
(with the exception of the castle, and a space of 500
feet around it, in every direction, from its walls), was
created a free borough, and the corporation made to
consist of a portreeve, twelve free; burgesses, and commonalty.
The portreeve is chosen annually, and has
power to hold a court every Friday for the recovery of
debts not exceeding five marks, but this court has not
been established. The charter also conferred the right
of returning two members to the Irish parliament, which
was exercised till the Union, since which period it has
returned one member to the Imperial parliament. The
right of election, formerly in the portreeve and burgesses,
has, by the 2nd of Wm, IV., cap. 88, been vested
in the resident freemen and £10 householders, The
liberties of the borough comprised the whole of the
townlands of Drumcoo and Ranaghan, a considerable
portion of the townland of Gortmenon, and three small
pieces in three other townlands, comprising together
about 836 statute acres; but not being connected with
the elective franchise, a narrower boundary has been
drawn round the town, containing 224 statute acres, of
which the limits are minutely described in the Appendix.
In 1836 the number of registered voters was 197,
consisting of 11 free burgesses and 186 £10 householders:
the portreeve is the returning officer, A court
for the manor of Dungannon, granted in 1621 by
Jas. I. to Arthur, Lord Chiehester, and now the property
of the Earl of Raufurley, is held once in three
weeks, and has jurisdiction to the amount of £20
extending over 40 townlands. General sessions of the
peace for the division of Dungannon, which comprises
the baronies of Dungannon and Clogher, are held here
and at Clogher, alternately, twice in the year; and
petty sessions are also held once a fortnight before the
county magistrates. The court-house is a spacious and
handsome building, erected in 1830; under it is the
bridewell, containing a day-room and four large cells for
male prisoners, with a yard, day-room, and cells for
female prisoners; the same accommodation for debtors,
and apartments for the keeper.
The church of the parish of Drumglass having been
destroyed in the wars during the reign of Elizabeth, a
new church was erected by Sir Arthur Chichester in the
town of Dungannon, in 1610, This building, which
was nearly destroyed in the war of 1641, wan restored
in 1672, and was rebuilt in 1690, since which time it
has been considerably enlarged, and is now a handsome
edifice with a lofty octagonal spire. There is a R. C.
chapel in the town, also places of worship for Presbyterians
in connection with the Synod of Ulster and the
Seceding Synod, and for Wesleyan Methodists. The
free grammar school, or Royal College, was founded by
letters patent of Chas. I., in 1628, which gave in trust
to the Primate of Armagh and his successors six townlands
in the parish of Clonoe, for the support of a, school
at Mountjoy, in that parish; but this place being only
a garrison, the school was, after many years, removed to
‘Dungannon, and the first account we find of it is in 1726,
nearly a century after its foundation, when it was held
in a lane near High-street, where it continued till 1786,
when the present college was erected by order of Primate;
Robinson, who a few years before had erected the
college of Armagh. The building comprises a centre
and two deeply receding wings, erected at an expense of
£4626. 8.2., of which £2000 was given from the Primate's
private purse. It is situated on a gentle eminence on
the east side of the town, on grounds comprising 9
acres purchased by Primate Robinson and given to the
school. The establishment is conducted by a principal
and three classical assistants, two English masters, and
drawing, French, and music masters, and is adapted for
100 pupils; the masters take private boarders and day
scholars; at present there are no scholars on the foundation,
The lands with which it is endowed comprise
3900 acres, producing a rental of £1430, and are under
the management of the Commissioners of Education,
who, in their report for 1834, state that "considerable
improvement, has been effected in the condition of the
tenantry and appearance of their farms;" and there is
every prospect that the rental will be nearly doubled
in a few years. The principal, who is appointed by the
Lord-Primate, has a salary of £500 per annum and
£100 for assistants; £400 per ann, was appropriated,
in 1834, to the founding of ten exhibitions in Trinity
College, Dublin, 5 of £50 and 5 of £30 per annum, tenable
for 5 years by boys from this school, under the
appellation of King's scholars. A school for boys and
girls has also been established here by the trustees of
Erasmus Smith's charity; it is situated near the courthouse,
and is capacious and handsome. There are also
two other schools, and an infants' school, supported by
subscription. There is a dispensary; and a Mendicity
Society is supported by subscription. Of the castle and
fortress of the Earl of Tyrone not a vestige is remaining;
nor are there any traces of the castle and bawn
erected by Sir Arthur Chichester. The monastery, founded
by Con O'Nial, was situated near the site of the present
distillery; some fragments were remaining a few
years since, but every vestige has now disappeared. Dungannon
gives the title of Viscount to the family of Trevor,
of Brynkinalt, near Chirk, in the county of Denbigh.