Pettigo Town
Pettigo is a small picturesque village on the border of Co Donegal and Fermanagh. It is bisected by the Termon River which forms the border between Donegal in the Republic of Ireland and Fermanagh which is in Northern Ireland. The portion of the village in Northern Ireland is officially called Tullyhommon, but is locally know as “High Street” due to its hillside position overlooking the village.
Pettigo means “The place of the Blacksmith” it got its name from the large number of Blacksmiths that worked in the town in Celtic times. In the 17th and 18th centuries Pettigo became a famous market place comprising a rich heritage with many historic buildings. The Market yard and stores was the biggest market yard in both Donegal and Fermanagh. Many people travelled on the great Northern Railway line which stopped off at Pettigo to buy and sell their produce. The village suffered from the demise of the railway in the 1950’s and from the closure of numerous cross-border roads during the height of the trouble in Northern Ireland.
In the 1900’s Pettigo became infamous for smuggling.
The village is situated in the midst of an area abundant with rivers, lakes, forestry and boglands, all just waiting to be enjoyed. It has a quality scenic environment and is officially designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty and an area of special scientific interest. For the wildlife enthusiast there is plenty to see and do while exploring this unspoilt and remote part of Donegal.
Local Attractions
Station House
The Station house was built in 1840 and opened in 1860 when the Great Northern Railway came to Pettigo. The trains travelled to Dublin, Enniskillen, Ballyshannon and Bundoran. 30 men kept the railway in running repair. Water supplies for the railway engines came from the river Termon. The station closed in 1957, due to the increase of road transport.
Castle McGrath
Castle McGrath was built in the 1600’s, Bishop Miler McGrath lived in the Castle. There was escape tunnel from the castle to the belaut river. The Castle was besieged and captured during the 1641 rebellion and soon after abandoned. The castle and lands were sold to the Leslie family of Co Monaghan who controlled the Pettigo estate until the early 20th century.
St Patrick’s Purgatory – Lough Derg
St Patrick’s Purgatory a place of Christian pilgrimage since medieval times – still attracts thousands of pilgrims between May and September. St Patrick’s Purgatory lies about 4 miles north of Pettigo. This is a special place of peace and personal challenge.
The Mill
Pettigo Mill was built by the Leslie family who owned the Pettigo Estate. The Leslie family were originally from Monaghan town. Pettigo Mill was first on the map of Pettigo dated 1767, but probably is much older. The Mill got it’s power from the Termon river. It was described as a cloth mill i.e. woollen cloth, but probably also ground oats and other grains.
During the famine, maize or Indian meal as it was called was ground in the Pettigo Mill. This was then sent to the poor through the port of Ballyshannon in the year 1845/1846. After the arrival of the railway in Pettigo, which opened in 1860, Pettigo Mill was a saw mill as well as a grain mill. Timber for all the usual purposes was produced but the main product that was made was egg boxes which held twelve eggs. Eggs were sent by train to the cities of Belfast and Dublin or onto England and Scotland. Egg boxes were in great demand as many people depended on their egg money to buy their groceries in the local shops.
Irish War of Independence Memorial
The memorial was erected in 1953 to commemorate four men who died in the invasion of Pettigo on June 4th 1922.
Walks
The Mountains, hills and quiet country roads offer space for hill-walking, cycling and pony trekking. The Pettigo History trail which is centred round the village can be explored at your leisure. The trail entails the history and heritage of the beautifully scenic Pettigo area. 30 beautiful plaques tell the creator of Riverdance, Moya Doherty, “French” Tom Barton, “Banjo” Patterson, the Crimean War Tree and the Pettigo Connection to “The Quiet Man” among many other tales of the beautiful areas surrounded by lakes.
Lakes / Angling
Lying between Lough Erne and Lough Derg, Pettigo is able to offer the visiting angler a full range of fishing opportunities. With over fifty lakes; salmon and native brown trout will keep the game angler happy while the coarse angler will find specimen fish in Drumgun Lough. Fishing permits and boat hire is available from Britton’s Bar which is located in the village.
Lough Derg
The biggest of the Pettigo lakes, is famous throughout the North West for its trout-fishing. Covering 2,200 acres with a shore line of 13 miles, it offers opportunities for both boat and shore angling. It also offers excellent pike fishing.