Porthall

Porthall Irish: Halla an Phoirt
County Donegal
Port Hall, Porthall
Location
Grid reference:	C344028
Location:	54°52’20"N, 7°27’55"W
Data
Population:	253  (2011)
Local Government
Council:	Stranorla
Dáil constituency:	Donegal

Porthall is a village in County Donegal, on the west bank of the River Foyle, in The Laggan district of eastern Donegal, on the R265 linked to the R236 regional road. Its nearest town is Lifford, the county town.

History

Battle of Binnion Hill

The Battle of Binnion Hill was fought in 1557 just a short distance from Porthall, about two and a half miels to the north-west. The battle was the culmination of a struggle between clan chiefs: John O’Neill assembled an army to attack Tirconnell, which is today's County Donegal, so as to defeat Manus O'Donnell from the Cenél Conaill and thus be the only King in Ulster. On the O’Neill side were maen of Oriel (today's Counties Armagh, Louth and Monaghan and from Dundalk.

O’Neill and his army left their camp in Tyrone, crossed the River Finn and marched towards Raphoe then along the Laggan to a place called Baile-aighidh-chaoin (Balleeghan), where they set up a new camp. Calvagh, hearing news of the O'Neill position, decide to attack immediately: his two battalions fell upon the O’Neill camp in the evening slaughtering all before them. John O’Neill on hearing the commotion in his camp realised that he was under attack and fearing for his life slipped out of the back of his tent. Along with O'Neill, Hugh O’Donnell and Donough O’Gallagher (son of Felim Finn got away, back into Tyrone across the River Deele, River Finn and the River Derg by swimming across them and as it had been raining heavily that night the rivers were very swollen, making it even more dangerous. On reaching Tearmonn-Ui-Moain, he bought a horse and made his way to Aireagal-da-Chiarog by morning.

It is said that the spoils from the battle were the most from any battle between the O’Neills and O’Donnells.

Historical buildings

Port Hall, after which the village is named, is located on the west bank of the River Foyle. Built in the mid 18th century in the Georgian style, it was once owned by Tony Marreco. Mr Marreco was Junior Counsel at the Nuremberg Trials just after the Second World War. He later became a founding director of Amnesty International. Port Hall is now a stud farm situated on the northern end of the village.

Long Vale House (previously known as Clonfade), parts of which were built in 1611, is one of the oldest houses in County Donegal. It was built by a Thomas Keyes who served under Sir Richard Hansard, and when Hansard was appointed Governor of Lifford, Thomas Keyes received from him a plot of land on which to build a house. This land was Clonfade. Thomas Keyes was Sheriff of Londonderry City in 1623 and owner of the estate of Clonfade, after which the house is named. It is now known as The Hall Green. The house is located on the outskirts of the village on the R265 road to Lifford.

Mongevlin Castle (also known as Mongavlin Castle) is a ruined castle which stands on the west bank of the River Foyle, two and a half miles north of Porthall.

In the sixteenth century Mongevlin was the chief residence of Ineen Dubh, the daughter of MacDonnell, Lord of the Isles and mother of Red Hugh O'Donnell. The State Paper recording her possession of the castle: "From Cul-Mac-Tryan runs a bogg three myles in length to the side of Lough Foyle in the midst of the bog is a standing loughe called Bunaber here at Bunaber dwells O'Donnell's mother (Ineen Dubh M'Donnell). Three miles above Cargan stands a fort called McGevyvelin (Mongivlin) upon the river of Lough Foyle O'Donnell's mother's chief house". The castle was recorded by Captain Nicholas Pynnar in his Survey of the Escheated Counties of Ulster in 1619 where he wrote that Sir John Stewart had built a very strong castle at ‘Magerlin’ with a flanker at each corner. There had been a flag stone over the archway with the inscription 'J.S.-E.S.T.-1619' which went missing in the early eighteenth century. Though the account that the castle had been completed in 1619 is contradicted by a later Survey (in 1622) of the Escheated Counties of Ulster that reads; Sir John Stuart, assignee of the Duke of Lennox ‘has built a castle of lime and stone on the banks of the River Foyle 50’ x 25’ x 3½ stories, slated, with 4 flankers at the top thereof. And an iron door portcullis wise; the principal timber and joists of the floor being oak are laid but not boarded or the partitions made, the iron grates for the windows being within the castle ready to be set up’. There is a wonderful pencil drawing showing the castle at that time available here.

The recently dethroned King James II visited here on his way to the Siege of Derry in 1689. From here he sent a letter proposing surrender, which was rejected.

The castle later became the property of The Hon. Elizabeth Hamilton whose eldest son, James, Earl of Abercorn, and Viscount Strabane erected a plaque in her memory in 1704.

The castle is now in ruins with only a small proportion of it left standing.

Porthall railway station

Porthall railway station opened on 1 May 1848 and was part of the Great Northern Railway of Ireland system which ran from Belfast Great Victoria Street to Londonderry Foyle Road via Portadown, Dungannon, Omagh, Victoria Bridge, Strabane, Porthall and St Johnston. Goods trains stopped running through the station on 4 January 1965 with the line and station finally closing on 15 February 1965.

The nearest station is located in Londonderry.