Latest Publication

Contributor : Sean Beattie

Irish Academic Press in association with Oxford Brooks and QUB have published Sean Beattie's research on the Donegal philanthropist Alice Hart in their new book called Poverty and Development in Ireland 1838-1948 (Crossman and Gray, editors) in 2011. Alice Hart's promotion of the cottage industries won the support of all sections of the community in Donegal. Some of the main beneficiaries were women who worked in the home. She established the Donegal Industrial Fund and exhibited Donegal craft work at industrial exhibitions in Ireland and America in the 1890s.

Donegal Annual 2011 No:63 - Bliainiris Dhun na nGall

Editor: Sean Beattie

Publication date November 2011. Sean Beattie argues that in some areas of Donegal standards of living were quite comfortable over one hundred years ago. He has examined the deposits in post office savings accounts in the county and in 1907, almost one third of a million was saved. Moville post office had the second highest amount saved at £19,164. There were 526 account holders. A chart shows the steady rise of deposits from 1881. Banks and loan funds also held substantial amounts. When these sums are added up and the exports of agricultural produce from Moville pier are included in the picture, it is clear that this was not a community living in dire poverty.  Other articles include a survey of Liam McCormick's churches, Arranmore, Tory, Donegal friary, the Wilsons of Ballybofey, Colmcille the Gardener, the history of cricket and the spread of plague and cholera. 

Donegal Annual 2010 No:62 - Bliainiris Dhun na nGall

Editor: Sean Beattie

Sean Beattie examines the growth of Freemasonry in Donegal from 1757 and examines the lodges of Moville, Raphoe and Inch. The county had many Catholics in the Order and he profiles prominent Masons such as John Toland of Clonmany and Major McClintock of Inch who served in WW1. The landlord at Falmore, James Steele Nicholson was also a Freemason and had masonic insignia over his door but he never joined Moville Lodge. Historical figures profiled include Peadar O'Donnell, Dr. Niall O'Glacan who battled with plagues and served in the Spanish court, Bishop Farren of Derry and how he bought Nazareth House in Fahan, the Cunninghams of Ballybofey, the poet Dominic O'Kelly and Cahir Healy, MP who was born in Mountcharles in 1877.

Two cross-border articles are the story of the short-lived Guild Theatre in Derry and the beginnings of the hostilities in Northern Ireland in 1968-9. A plane crash at Abbeylands, Ballyshannon is recalled and there are matters of archaeological interest from Ballyshannon and Carrowmore monastery in Inishowen. A picture of Glencolmcille by R. Kent adorns the front cover while a rare map showing part of Donegal from the Doge's palace in Venice can be seen on the back cover. 

Donegal Annual 2009 No:61 - Bliainiris Dhun na nGall

Editor: Sean Beattie

Sean Beattie profiles one of Donegal's longest serving MPs, Swift MacNeill who served for Donegal South from 1887 to 1919. He championed Home Rule and fought for the relief of distress in the county. Other prominent characters are the Herdmans of Sion Mills who owned property in the Rosses, poet David Cunningham from Ballybofey, educationalist Pat Cannon, Bishop Charles Inglis of Glencolmcille, the Hon. Hedley Strutt of Manor Vaughan and Charles Boyd of Ballymacool, Letterkenny. Brian Lacy reviews medieval pilgrimages in Donegal and there are articles on the IRA, Ardara, Ballykinlar internment camp, Desertegney church and Ballybofey disturbances. Lots of rare photos. 

Donegal Annual 2008 No:60 - Bliainiris Dhun na nGall

Editor: Sean Beattie

Cover shows a unique view of Lifford in 1815 by Major Read. This edition has a variety of articles on the Earls of Arran, the GAA, Whaling in Inver and Cochranes of Redcastle. See Sean Beattie's article: "Cottage Industries: Arts & Crafts in Donegal". There are also interesting photos of the Cochrane family 1886 and many others of Donegal interest. For Contents see Donegal History

Donegal Annual 2007 No:59 - Bliainiris Dhun na nGall

Editor: Sean Beattie

This edition celebrates the Rebellion of Cahir O'Doherty in 1608, with 7 articles related to the period. For Contents see Donegal History

Donegal Annual 2006 No:58 - Bliainiris Dhun na nGall

Editor: Sean Beattie

This Annual celebrates the Flight of the Earls in 1607, with 9 articles by leading historians on the Flight. See also: "Parish Committees and the Homes of Donegal" by Sean Beattie. For Contents see Donegal History

Donegal Annual 2005 No:57 - Bliainiris Dhun na nGall

Editor: Sean Beattie

For contents see www.donegalhistory.com and click on the link for Our Annual and click the word HERE at the bottom of the page. Cover shows Flight of the Earls painting by Thomas Ryan. Contents of Donegal Annual 2007 can be downloaded at www.donegalhistory.com

Irish Studies

Working Papers by Sean Beattie

This paper has been published by Winthrop University in South Carolina, USA and is written by Sean Beattie on Donegal industries.

Bandraoi Loch an Dúin

Sean Beattie (as Gaeilge), Illustrated by Tim Stampton
(An Gúm)

A new version of a folktale from southwest Donegal. The magical nature of the tale is wonderfully expressed in the evocative artwork.

In iardheisceart Dhún na nGall atá Loch an Dúin agus oileán beag ina lár. Oileán mistéireach é. Tá a lán seanchais ina thaobh. Bhí cónaí ar bhandraoi ann fadó, í féin agus a bó, Donn. Ar bhainne amháin a mhair an bandraoi sin. Baineann draoícht nach beag le scéal Bhandraoi Loch an Dúin. There is a little island in the middle of Loch an Dúin in South West Donegal. It is a mysterious island. There are a lot of folktales about it. A witch once lived there, a long time ago, along with her cow, Donn. The witch lived on milk alone. There is a lot of magic in the folktale of the Witch of Loch an Dúin.

ISBN:1-85791-581-X

Donegal in Old Photographs

(Sutton Publications)(3rd Edition by the History Press)

  Sean Beattie has brought together nearly 200 pictures from the last 150 years, many never published before, to create a photographic portrait of the county of Donegal. From the streets of Donegal town itself to the county's beautiful islands, from schools to farms, from golf courses to bustling markets, from holidays on the beach to poignant images of emigrants aboard ship waiting to leave Ireland for a 'new life', this collection of pictures reveals all aspects of Donegal's life over the last century and a half. It includes images of Eamonn de Valera at Glencolmcille, a rare stereoscopic photograph of the children at Terryrone National School in Inishowen and many other fascinating slices of the county's life.

PB, 244 x 172mm, 144 pages, 200 b&w illustrations

ISBN:0750938250

Ancient Monuments of Inishowen, North Donegal

By Sean Beattie
(Lighthouse Publications)

There are many ancient monuments in Inishowen, including stone circles, standing stones, megalithic tombs, promontory forts, Grianán of Aileach, castles and others. This comprehensive 72-page guide makes for essential reading for all with an interest in the area, whether they are tourists or have lived in Inishowen all their lives. The book contains images of all the monuments as well as providing historical and other relevant information about each site.

PB, 89 pages, 30 colour illustrations

ISBN: 09520481 1 6 (paperback)
ISBN: 09520481 2 4 (hardback)