Ederney Explained

Official Name:Ederney
Irish Name:Eadarnaidh
Static Image Name:Ederney, County Fermanagh - geograph.org.uk - 204164.jpg
Static Image Caption:Road junction in Ederney
Coordinates:54.5326°N -7.6586°W
Belfast Distance:83 miles
Population:587
Population Ref:(2011 Census)
Irish Grid Reference:H221649
Unitary Northern Ireland:Fermanagh and Omagh
Country:Northern Ireland
Post Town:ENNISKILLEN
Postcode Area:BT
Postcode District:BT93
Dial Code:02868
Constituency Westminster:Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Constituency Ni Assembly:Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Lieutenancy Northern Ireland:County Fermanagh
Hide Services:yes

Ederney [1] is a village situated primarily in the townlands of Drumkeen[2] and of Ederny[3] in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

At the 2011 census it had a population of 587.[4] Ederney lies in the Glendarragh River Valley near Lower Lough Erne and Kesh. It is 83miles from Belfast, over 100miles from Dublin and about 16 miles from both Omagh and Enniskillen. The village and its hinterland (the Glendarragh Valley area) has a population of several thousand.[5]

Ederney is located on a tourist route adjacent to Lough Erne. It is approximately 7miles from the border with the Republic of Ireland and from the west of Ireland tourism trail, the Wild Atlantic Way, in County Donegal.

Public transport

Ulsterbus route 194 serves Ederney with one daily journey in each direction except Sundays, linking it to Irvinestown, Enniskillen and Pettigo. Route 83A provides a link to Omagh on Mondays & Thursdays only.[6]

History

Local historian Leo Mulligan MBE details that at the time of the Plantation of Ulster there was a settlement of significance at Ederny when the land grant (titled "Edernagh") was given to Captain Thomas Blennerhassett of Norfolk in 1610. He created the Manor of Edernagh on a 450acres demesne and a court baron on the shores of Lough Erne, which he later named Castle Hassett. He established the new village of Ederny (Edernagh).[7] [8]

By 1797, the settlement is recorded in the Topographia Hibernica as Ederny Bridge and "fair days" were held there.[5] [9]

Built heritage

One of the principal buildings in the village is Ederney Town Hall, locally styled as the "Townhall", erected in 1839.[10] It remains in use as a village community centre.[5]

Another local landmark is Drumskinny stone circle. Drumskinny is the site of a stone circle in the nearby townland of Drumskinny.[11] The site consists of 39 stones set in a circle. The arrangement is reportedly related to the seasons, moon and sun, and dates from the Bronze Age.[12] [13]

Sport

The village has a Gaelic football club, Ederney St Joseph's.

Demographics

As of the 2011 census, there were 587 people living in Ederney.[4] Of these:

At the 2021 census, 553 people were living in Ederney. According to the 2021 census, Ederney had the highest proportion of residents who spoke Irish daily in County Fermanagh with 3.99%, which was higher than the average across Northern Ireland (of 2.43%).

Notable people

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Place Names NI - Home. Placenamesni.org. 19 May 2018.
  2. Web site: Drumkeen Townland, Co. Fermanagh. Townlands.ie. 19 May 2018.
  3. Web site: Ederny Townland, Co. Fermanagh. Townlands.ie. 19 May 2018.
  4. Web site: Census 2011 Population Statistics for Ederney Settlement . Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) . 30 May 2022. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
  5. http://www.ederney.com/history.php/ History of Ederney (Ederny)
  6. Web site: Ulsterbus - Translink. Translink.co.uk. 19 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20130801041245/http://www.translink.co.uk/Services/Ulsterbus-Service-Page/. 1 August 2013. dead.
  7. Book: Hill, George. Names in the Land Grants in Northern Ireland: From the Plantation of Ulster. 1 February 2004. Irish Roots Cafe. 9780940134447.
  8. http://www.cpedia.com/wiki/Thomas_Blennerhassett?hit=0&source=1#ref_6/ Thomas Blennerhassett profile
  9. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_5mEPAAAAYAAJ Topographia Hibernica 1797
  10. Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, libraryireland.com; accessed 3 February 2016.
  11. http://www.logainm.ie/Viewer.aspx?text=drumskinny%2F&listText=Drumskinny Database - Drumskinny
  12. http://www.ederney.com History of Ederney
  13. http://www.ni-environment.gov.uk/state_care_monuments_2007.pdf.php Environment and Heritage Service NI - State care Historic Monuments
  14. Hickey, D.J. & Doherty, J.E., A Dictionary of Irish History, p. 26. Gill and Macmillan, Dublin, 1980;
  15. News: Fermanagh great Marty McGrath calls time. 11 October 2013. Belfast Telegraph. 8 January 2022.