Donegore (historically Dunogcurra, ) is the name of a hill, a townland, a small cluster of residences, and a civil parish in the historic barony of Antrim Upper, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Donegore lies approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Antrim town. 154 acres of the townland lies in the civil parish of Grange of Nilteen (also in Antrim Upper).

The largest settlement in the parish is the village of Parkgate. Donegore Hill stands prominently above the Six Mile Water valley, with views to the east, south, and most notably the west, where it overlooks Lough Neagh and the Sperrins beyond.

Donegore

History

The area was the site of main camp of the United Irishmen prior to the Battle of Antrim, in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Weaver poet, James Orr wrote a poem entitled Donegore Hill on the subject. The parish contains fortified earthworks and other archaeological remains, both ancient (including a neolithic causewayed enclosure) and mediaeval.

Donegore

The Church of Ireland (Anglican) parish church, St. John's, dates back at least to the 14th century. The churchyard is the burial site of (among others) poet and artist Sir Samuel Ferguson. Since 1922, the Church of Ireland parish has been united with the adjacent parish of Templepatrick. The parish is served also by two Presbyterian churches: First Donegore in Parkgate and Second straddling the boundary of Dunamuggy and Ballywee.

Donegore

Townlands in the Parish of Donegore

Ballyclaverty

Ballygowan

Ballynoe

Ballysavage

Ballywee

Ballywoodock

Browndod

Cromy and Taggarts Land

Donegore

Drumagorgan

Dunamuggy

Durham's Land

Ferguson's Land

Freemanstown

Halftown

Rathbeg

Rathmore

Tobergill

See also

List of villages in Northern Ireland

List of civil parishes of County Antrim

References

Villages in County Antrim

Townlands of County Antrim

Civil parish of Grange of Nilteen

Causewayed enclosures