THE BOOK

Christy Gillespie was born and reared in Kilcar. He now lives in Letterkenny with his wife Brona. They have four of a family who have all flown the nest.

Christy was for many years teacher and principal in Termon National School. During that time his classes were successful in a number of national heritage competitions. The most recent was as overall winners of the All-Ireland ‘Decade of Centenaries’ Competition for their project on the history of a World War One medal found by one of the school parents in his garden.

He has published a very well received book on the life of the school’s local saint, Colm Cille, which sold out two editions. With the help of the school children, he also produced another book on the sad story of the Derryveagh Evictions of 1861. Derryveagh, on the shores of Lough Gartan, is in the catchment area of the school but now has one solitary house only.

For fifteen years he has been hard at work on researching and writing this fascinating story of Glenlough Valley and now finished with this magnus opus, he will be returning to finish an updated version of the Colm Cille story. He also plans to complete a history of the McSweeney Bannagh clan. They controlled a vast territory surrounding Killybegs Harbour which stretched from Inver to Teelin Bay. The McSweeneys had originally travelled from western Scotland as mercenaries and soon became a trusted fighting arm of the O’Donnell family as they held sway in the north-west of Ireland for two centuries.