GARTAN

Samuel Lewis

A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland

1837

GARTAN, a parish, in the barony of KILMACRENAN, county of DONEGAL, and province of ULSTER, 6 miles (N. W.) from Letterkenny, on the road to Dunfanaghy; containing 2109 inhabitants. St. Columb founded a monastery here in 521, of which the ruins still remain. The parish comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 44,124 statute acres, including 1590 under water; there is a considerable extent of heathy mountain and bog. A silver and lead mine was worked here in 1835, in the townland of Warrenstown, but has been discontinued. Gartan is the residence of Capt. Chambers. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Raphoe, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £150. The glebe-house was erected in 1828 by a gift of £400 and a loan of £380 from the late Board of First Fruits: the glebe comprises 25 acres. The church, which is a small plain building, was erected in 1819. In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, comprising also part of Kilmacrenan, in each of which is a chapel. The parochial school, in which about 50 children are educated, is aided by an endowment from Col. Robertson's fund, and subscriptions from the rector; there is also a Sunday school.

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