HISTORY. 
of that order. This nunnery was situated on the south side of the city, and its property is de¬ 
scribed in the inquisitions. 
The Dominican Abbey was founded in the year 1274; but Archdall makes a strange 
error in supposing that it was founded by O’Donnell, prince of Tirconnell, at the request of Saint 
Dominick himself, whereas it is certain that this saint, who established his order in 1216, died in 
1221 . De Burgo very properly treats this statement of Saint Dominick’s request, -which rests 
solely on the authority of Allemande, as a silly fable ; and it is by no means certain that the 
O’Donnells had any claim to the honour of this foundation. 
Nicholas, the Lochlynnach, or Mac Loughlin, was prior in 1397. The number of friars in this 
house, previously to the suppression, was generally 150. It had the honour of supplying two bishops 
to the see of Derry, and of sending forth five martyrs. A convent of the order was preserved in 
Derry till a late period. In 1750 it contained nine brothers. 
The Church and Monastery of the Dominicans appear to have shared the fate of the other 
ecclesiastical buildings of Derry, which were destroyed either by an accidental explosion of a 
porvder magazine in 1565, or by Sir Henry Docwra in 1600, and even their site is not now accu¬ 
rately known. It is certain, however, that they were on the north side of the city, outside the 
present walls. 
The Church of Saint Augustine appears to have been the only religious house preserved on 
the erection of the new city. It was repaired and used by the Londoners, previously to the erection 
of the present cathedral, after which it was known as “ the little church.” This church was 
situated within the walls, on the spot now occupied by the bishop’s garden at the rear of the palace; 
and, though bishop Downham complains in his account of the estate of Derry in 1620, that it was 
not capable of containing half the auditory, it appears from the plans of the time to have been 
a large and not inelegant structure of its kind. The erection of this church is not noticed in the 
annals, from which it may he concluded that its date was not earlier than the 14th, or the close of 
the 13th century, for some time previously to which the records of Derry are minute and accurate. 
Franciscan Friary. De Burgo, or Burke, states that there was a monastery of the Franciscan 
order here, but gives neither the name of its founder, nor the date of its erection. It appears 
from the inquisition of 1609 that this monastery belonged to the order of begging friars, or friars 
mendicant, and was situated on the north side of the bog near the island of Derry, “ and had at¬ 
tached to it a churchyard containing three acres or thereabouts.” The site is now occupied by 
Abbey-street, William-street, and Rosville-street, and the foundations of the church were dis¬ 
covered a few years ago by workmen employed by Mr. Horner. 
St. Columb’s Wells. As connected with the ancient history of Derry, the sacred springs, 
called St. Columb’s Wells, claim some notice in this place. They are, or rather were, three in 
number—for one has been dried up or diverted from its original locality,—and situated near the 
Roman Catholic chapel outside the wall. It appears from the Irish annals that each of these wells 
had its peculiar name, one being called Cobap Qoamndm, another Cobap TTlapcain, and the 
third Cobap Column, but the two former names are now quite forgotten, and the wells are popu¬ 
larly called St. Columb’s. They are regarded with much superstitious veneration by the Roman 
Catholic peasantry, hut no celebration of St. Columb’s festival is now held at them. 
St. Columb’s Stone. In the centre of St. Columb’s Lane, adjacent to the wells, there is a 
remarkable stone, called St. Columh’s Stone, which is popularly regarded with a still higher vene¬ 
ration by the aboriginal Irish of the district. It is of a shapeless form, about 3 feet long, and 10 
inches wide; the height above ground is one foot and a half, and it has two oval hollows on each side, 
artificially formed. Many foolish legends are current among the peasantry respecting the origin 
of these hollows, which, it is supposed, are the impressions made by the saint’s knees “ when he 
leaped from the wall of the city.” It may be worth observing, however, that stones of this de¬ 
scription are found in the vicinity of most of the ancient Irish churches, and usually bear the 
name of their founders, or patron saints. They are always held sacred, and the water, de¬ 
posited by rain in their hollows, is believed to possess a miraculous power in curing various dis¬ 
eases. 
H 
