Lecale peninsula

The Lecale peninsula (Irish: Leath Cathail) lies in the east of Ulster, on the southeastern side of County Down, covering an area of some 78 square miles (200 km2) between Downpatrick and Dundrum. It is an area of historical and geographic significance, bounded by the Quoile Marshes (now drained, but formerly extensive), the Blackstaff River, the Irish Sea and Strangford Lough. It has an oddly isolated position, virtually cut off from its hinterland, but open to invasion and influence from the east and south.[1]

Contents

Derivation of name

It was formerly known as Isle Lecale. The name Lecale is derived from the Irish Leath Cathail which means "Cathal's portion";[1] Cathal mac Muiredaig being a prince of the Dál Fiatach who died in the middle of the 8th century. An even earlier name Magh-Inis - "the island plain" - reflected the area's geography, which is surrounded on three sides by the sea. Indeed some people in the area still use the name Isle Lecale.[2]

Features

Until about 200 years ago, when the first sea barriers were constructed and drainage began, the sea encircled almost the whole of the area: Strangford Lough, the Irish Sea and Dundrum Bay. There are a few small hills. On Slieve Patrick stands a giant statue of Saint Patrick, erected in 1932.

Agriculture

The soils are mostly light-medium loams, well suited for the production of grain, and it forms one of the most extensively cultivated areas of Northern Ireland. This was also the case historically. Ordnance Survey memoirs of 1833 to 1837 state that in some parishes, such as Dunsfort and Ballee, the land was almost exclusively used for cultivation, rather than grazing. The low livestock density meant that marl and lime was often used instead of manure. Arthur Young observed that the area was almost completely under grain cultivation (largely barley) during the late 18th century and that south Lecale was more fertile than the north.[3]

Lecale Coast AONB

In 1967, a 3108ha area of the Lecale Peninsula, lying between the Mourne Mountains and Strangford Lough, was designated as the Lecale Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Donnelly, JP & Donnelly, MM (1980). Downpatrick and Lecale. A Short Historical Guide. p. 6. 
  2. ^ Lowry, DE (1925-26). Norsemen and Danes of Strangford Lough (reprinted from Proceedings of Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society). p. 26. 
  3. ^ Proudfoot, L (ed) (1997). Down.History and Society (Farming and Food in Medieval Lecale by F McCormick). Dublin: Geography Publications. pp. 33–34. 
  4. ^ Lecale Coast AONB