Lifford Through the Ages
Lifford, as we know it today, did not emerge as a village until the early 1600's. Before that, the area was dominated by a series of forts and castles, the earliest and most notable being Manus O'Donnell's castle, built in 1527 to defend the strategic river crossing between Tyrone and Donegal. After the disastrous Battle of Kinsale and the eventual departure of the Gaelic chieftains in 1607, however, the stage was set for the complete take over of Ulster by the English in what became known as The Plantation.
It was at this point that the Lifford area was granted to the soldier, Richard Hansard, for his services to the Crown. He commenced to settle the district with English farmers and tradesmen who built houses, cottages, a school and a church which eventually developed to form the present-day town of Lifford.
Many of the history articles in this section of the website have been extracted from the book "The Court Will Rise" by Billy Patton available in the Couthouse Gift Shop. Click on any of the history links on the website menu to learn more of the rich history of the Courthouse or visit the Courthouse today for a tour.