CITY OF LONDONDERRY. 
King of Aileach bestowed on the Prince of Inishowen, when he had occasion for his services 
were, 7 slaves, 7 women, 7 swords, and 7 goblets.—( Leabhar Lecain, folio 188, et sequen.} 
It will be seen in the introductory history, that Sir Henry Docwkra, previous to his occu¬ 
pation of Derry, and immediately after his landing at Gilmore on the 16th May, 1600, took 
the Castle of Aileach, which “Sir John O’Dogherty had recently abandoned, and begun to 
pull down,” and garrisoned it with Captain Ellis Eloude and his company of 150 men. And 
also that this garrison was attacked by the 0 Dogherty’s on the 28th June following, on which 
occasion Sir H. Dockwra and Sir John Chamberlain, with 40 horse and 500 foot, hastened to 
the assistance of the besieged, and in the pursuit of the Irish which followed, the former had 
his horse shot dead under him, and the latter lost his life. 
On the death of Sir John O Dogherty, in December following the Castle of Aileach was 
restored to his son Sir Cahir, who though not yet arrived at manhood, was appointed chief of 
his country by Dockwra, in opposition to his uncle Felim, appointed by O'Donnell, and after 
having in return rendered the most signal and important services to the government, in eight 
years after, in revenge as it appears of a personal insult, he rashly entered into that unfor¬ 
tunate rebellion, which deprived himself of life, and his race of property. 
The Forts of Culmore and Dunnalong. —The forts of Culmore and Dunnalong, so dis¬ 
tinguished in the history of Ireland during the 17tli century, from their connexion with Derry, 
as “ the fortresses of Lough Foyle,” present in their existing state but little to interest, except 
■what is derived from the recollection of their former celebrity. Their original plans will be 
seen from the annexed outlines, copied from original drawings in the MS. chamber of Trinity 
College. Of Dunnalong, which was originally the more important of the two, scarcely a trace 
is now discoverable, but its early importance is still indicated by the continuance of its fairs 
on the 1st January, 1st August, and 8th November. It is situated immediately outside the 
southern boundary of the parish, in the county Tyrone.— [See History). 
The fort of Culmore has not been occupied as a military station for the last 100 years, 
but it still preserves to some extent its original form and character. The barrack, and also the 
parapet wall which surrounded the tower, have both disappeared, but the earthen rampart and 
ditch, which extending across the tongue of land defended the fort on the land side still 
exist, and have been partly planted by Anderson M'Causland, Esq. whose father, Abraham, 
saved the tower from ruin by a temporary repair at his own expense in 1785, until General 
Hart, soon after his appointment to the governorship of the fort, about the year 1824, re¬ 
paired it in a permanent manner. This tower is rectangular, and measures 25-J- by 24 feet, the 
walls are 6 feet thick, and consist of three floors or stories. 
The origin of this fortalice has not been ascertained, but it was probably erected by the 
O'Dogherty’s in the 16th century. It was in the possession of the crown so early as 1556, as 
appears from the following grant of Mary.—Patent Sept. 12, 1556. 3 et 4, f. R. 3. 
“ Richard Bethel and ) Hereby they had a grant of the offices of Constables of Cragfergus 
William Biers , gent. ;■ and of the works and Customs of the Town and Keeper of the 
_ _ ) Castle, Lordship and Town of Culmore, with all the lands and 
Hereditaments belonging to Culmore. And for the better custody of the Castle of Cragfergus 
is granted to them the command or rule of twelve Ilarqueboshers, five Archers, one Porter 
and two Bombardiers ; and for the better custody of Culmore five Ilarqueboshers and five 
Archers with all usual fees and 8<7. sterling a day for each Harquebosher, 6d. for each Archer, 
8<7. for the Porter, and 8 d. for each Bombardier, they pay into the Exchequer the rent of £8 
Irish yearly, out of the said works and customs of Cragfergus.”—( Liber Hibernia). 
During the Tyrone rebellions and the reign of Elizabeth, Culmore must have been 
abandoned by the English, and was probably destroyed by Sir John O’Dogherty ; but it must 
have fallen into their possession, as Sir Henry Docwra, when he landed there in 1600, only 
found “ the butt end of the old broken castle,” around which he raised “ a forte such as might 
be capable to lodge 200 men in.” Plaving completed the works in six days, he left in it a 
garrison of 600 men, under the command of Captain Launcellott Atford. At the termination 
of the war this garrison was gradually reduced, so that in April, 1602, it amounted to only 
100, and in 1603, to no more than 20 men, who were under the command of Captain Henry 
Hart. This Captain Hart, who is the ancestor of the present respectable family of Ballynagard 
and Doe Castle, “was appointed” by privy seal (Whitehall, March 31, 1604) and by patent 
(Dublin, May 30, 1605) during pleasure (3 James I.— 1 * pars et R. 8) “to the custody of 
Culmore, in consideration of the great charges and labours he had taken in the building and 
fortifying of the Castle or Fort, with a grant of the buildings and appurtenances thereof, 300 
acres of land adjoining thereto, and the fishing thereof during pleasure.” 
At the breaking out of the rebellion of Sir Cahir O’Dogherty, in 1608, the fort of Culmore 
was gained by treachery, Sir Cahir, having invited Captain Hart to a conference at Burncranagh, 
(Buncrana,)made him his prisoner, and obtained the keys of the fort, as the condition of his liber¬ 
ation. The fort contained at this period 12 pieces of ordnance, and also 2000 books belonging 
to the bishop of Derry. For the latter, as O’Sullivan states, the bishop offered 100 pounds 
