History of the MacIntyre Family

This is some of the genealogy, history and vicissitudes of the family, of which I, Andrew MacIntyre, of Lifford and Ballymore Co. Donegal, belong, and which I am the head and I may say, the one representative.

My father was James MacIntyre of Ballymore and Knocknafaugher. He was born about 1849 and died in Ballymore on 9 April 1930. My mother was Letitia Collins, elder daughter of James Collins of Ards and Ballymore. My father’s father was Andrew MacIntyre of Derryart, who died at the age of 42 and was married to Annie MacAward, Knocknafaugher, a sister of old Anlon MacAward’s. My great grandfather was Charlie MacIntyre of Knocknafaugher, who lived in the old house, the ruins of which are still standing. His wife was Katie Brogan, one of the Brogans of Breaghy, whose representative is now Neal Brogan, who lives near to Doe Chapel.

Charlie Macintyre’s father was John MacIntyre who lived in the old house at Knocknafaugher, and who was my great great grandfather. Beyond him, I am unable to go. His wife was, I think, named McCallogue. My grandfather’s death, at the early age of 42 was caused by his bursting a blood vessel when he was lifting a heavy stone in the building of a stone ditch on his farm at Derryart. He left behind him his wife Annie, his oldest son Charlie, then nearing 16 years of age, his daughter Annie and my father James and his twin brother, John. My grandmother died soon afterwards and the four orphans were left without support or guidance in the house at Derryart. Stewart of Ards, the landlord, was at this time extending his demeane and clearing out tenants from Cashelmore, Doe Cambel, Cloors and other places. My father and his brothers and sister were one day at the house at Derryart when the bailiff, Joe Robinson, arrived at their door. He took a piece of paper from his pocket, produced a few tacks and nailed the paper to the door. It was a notice to quit, though the children did not know what it was. A day or so after that Emergency men came, turned the family out and carried all the furniture out of the house, leaving the children absolutely derelict. Old Cornelius MacAward, their uncle (brother to their mother) took them to Knocknafaugher. No compensation was paid them, or their representatives.

The house and farm was afterwards given to Jamie Harkin and his family. Jamie was cousin to Hugh Harkin who lives there now (1956). Jamie was displaced by the Stewart’s extension plan. The house at Derryart is exactly the same as it was when my grandfather lived there – not a slate has been changed – outhouses and all are practically the same as they were then.

It may be interesting to note that I saw the end of Joe Robinson. At the beginning of this century, Mrs Law of Marblehill was giving a treat to the inmates of Dunfanaghy Workhouse. There was tea and buns and afterwards singing by both members of the party and by some of the inmates. I played the fiddle. Then we gave an entertainment to those that were in the infirmary. We chatted to the patients, and in one bed there was a very old man. He paid no attention to what was going on. His whole worry was complaining about the bed and insufficient food. On asking his name he told me that he was Joe Robinson, the same man who had affixed the notice to the door in Derryart. He was lying there, forgotten by those who had once used him to do their dirty work. Many years before that time he had been dismissed by the Stewart’s, had gone to Scotland where he spent a life of drinking and working and now that he had become chargeable to the rates there, he had been sent home to die. It gave me some satisfaction in spite of my better feelings, to know how I established this link with the distant and gruesome past, and that I had seen the approaching end of cruel landlordism.

Written by Andrew MacIntyre II