Enniskillen Masonic Lodges

Enniskillen has grown to the town we know today from the humble beginnings back in the early 1600's.

Enniskillen was the seat of power for the local Chieftain, Hugh Maguire. The Maguire's were the clan of Co. Fermanagh. In 1607 the English overcome in battle the Maguire's and ousted them from the Castle. And in 1612 King James 1st entrusted control of the Island to William Cole, an English Planter from Devon. It was his job to settle a host of craftsmen, and build the town, a barracks, a gaol, a church, a cemetery, a market house, a court house, streets, squares and commons. Bridges were built over the following years, firstly from wood, but were replaced with the stone and concrete bridges we see today.

 In 1689 the town became the only town in the British Empires history to raise two Army Regiments, to fight in the Williamite Wars. Enniskillen was one of the few towns besieged, but not to surrender to King James ii. The town was defended by the Fortress at the Forthill and the Redoubt at the East and west of the town respectively. . The only battle to take place was at Cornagrade which was won by James ii Men, it was the ensuing counter raids from the Inniskillings that set the Jacobite Armies packing, them over estimating the manpower of the Inniskillings. The Regiments , Inniskilling Dragoons & Fusiliers, fought around the world. Colonial wars with France, Spain and Portugal and of course the natives. Napoleonic Wars, American War of Independence, Crimean War, South African Wars and the World Wars right up to the Gulf wars.

In 1733, the first Masonic Lodge Warranted in Enniskillen was founded, two years later one of the oldest newspapers in the World was formed. The Belfast Newsletter, a weekly newspaper at first, partially due to the poor infrastructure.  The paper would be read by the local teachers to the public who were mostly illiterate. The town grew as a trading town due to the ability to use the water ways for transport, at a time when roads where poor.

The mid 18th century saw the start of travellers to the new world. Mostly Presbyterians  and Roman Catholics who were persecuted in Ireland by the Anglicans.

In 1618 a Royal School was set up at Castle Balfour, Lisnaskea, In 1643 it moved to Enniskillen, to Market Street (the School House Lane). The School moved out to Portora Hill in 1777, hence Portora Royal School. It was to be famed for having Oscar Wilde as a pupil from 1864 -1871. Other pupils of renown included, Hymn Writer, Henry Francis Lyte, Writer, Samuel Beckett, and in later years the Divine Comedy led by Neil Hannon.

In 1798 there was the United Irishmen's Uprising at a time when the British Forces where fighting the Napoleonic Wars. (It is interesting to note that the that more people died in the 1798 rebellion than in the six year French Revolution.) Coles Monument is to  Cole who was one of Wellingtons Generals at Waterloo. He is Standing looking out towards Florencecourt, his home, some 10 miles away. The Inniskilling's, Dragoons and Fusiliers fought along side one another at Waterloo. It was in 1790's that the Fermanagh Militia was established, to defend against a French Invasion of Ireland, It was at this time the town grew outside the Island, on what is now known as Old Henry Street. People settled here because the Army were not allowing the Protestants onto the Island when fleeing from threat of Napoleonic Invasion, because the Island was full

With the Introduction of the Railways Enniskillen was now linked to all Major towns in the region.

In 1825 the Impartial Reporter was founded, the oldest family owned Weekly Newspaper in Ireland.

Three of Fermanagh's MP's for the time were:

Hon. A Henry COLE,

Enniskillen — An Orangeman; sat for the borough since 1828; is brother to the Earl of Enniskillen; a captain in the Fermanagh Militia. Carlton Club, London

 M Edward ARCHDALL

Fermanagh county — A Tory. Has sat for the county since 1834; his grandfather represented the county in the Irish parliament; Killick, Tyrone

Sir A. B. Bt BROOKE

Fermanagh co — A Tory; first returned in 1840. Colebrook, county Fermanagh; Carlton Club, London

Three names that are very famous in the area.

The 1840's saw the famine years,   many people died, many more people emigrated. A Workhouse was setup in Enniskillen, where the poor would work in return of shelter and food. Standards where poor at the workhouse, the excuse being not to let people get comfortable or they wouldn't look for work outside. Not a bad reason the only problem being that it was mostly those unfit to work that were in the Workhouse. Masonic Lodge's gave assistance to their brethren to emigrate to the New World of the America's.

It was in the late 19th Centaury that most of the towns land mark buildings were built. The R.C.St Macartin's, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, Church of Ireland, and finished in 1901, the new town hall.

In 1912,17th March, Capt Oates of the Royal Inniskilling Dragoons died during his expedition of Antarctica with Capt. Cook.

1914-1918 - The Great War Volunteers from all sections of Enniskillen Society fight the Germans in France.

1916 At Britain's hour of weakness the Irish Rebels take advantage, and take over the Grand Post Office in Dublin. A siege eventually broken by the Crown forces didn't  raise much of a fuss, until, the arrested are executed for treason. Then they were treated like Martyrs. The huge numbers then coming back from the Great War didn't make any difference to the outcome of the 1918 election, it brought about a Sinn Fien majority.

After Partition in 1922 the Depot for the newly formed R.U.C. was moved to Enniskillen, from the old R.I.C.  Depot at Phoenix Park, Dublin.  It set up in the old Inniskilling Dragoons Barracks and started taking recruits in 1935. The Partition was also a time when a lot of the Irish Regiments of the British Army were disbanded or amalgamated.

Enniskillen was a thriving town during the war years 1939 - 1945 with the influx of many foreign military personnel. With three Airports in the area, Killadeas, St. Angelo and Castle Archdale. Active patrols of the North Atlantic Convoys were conducted using Sunderland & Catalina Flying Boats. There were American troops training for D Day, Canadian  Air forces the R.A.F. And British Empire Troops.

1969 The start of the Troubles as we know them today, although there were isolated incidents in the 1950's. A bloody time in Enniskillen's History, with murders by bomb and bullet every year up until 1987 when after the infamous cenotaph bomb there was a lull for a few years. Unfortunately Enniskillen has seen several bombs destroy its property since the IRA cease fire was called.

8 November 1987
Enniskillen Bombing
During the annual Remembrance Day ceremony in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, a bomb planted by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) exploded at the War Memorial killing 11 people and injuring another 63. One of those killed was Marie Wilson whose father, Gordon Wilson, was injured in the explosion and was with his daughter when she died. Gordon Wilson gave a moving account of his daughter's death in media interviews but stated that he forgave her killers. [Gordon Wilson's quiet dignity had a profound effect on many people in Northern Ireland. He was later involved with initiatives to improve community relations in Enniskillen and eventually was appointed to the Senate in the Republic of Ireland. Gordon Wilson died on 27 June 1995 aged 68.]
[Photograph: The scene in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, shortly after the explosion]
 

Gordon Wilson - A 32 deg Mason from Enniskillen.
 

links:

A profile of his life.

A radio interview.

Audio & Video in the aftermath of the bomb.

This brings us to today, Enniskillen a town of approximately 15,000. Stretching in approximately a two mile radius from the Island. We have a hospital, fire station, police station, library, leisure centre & theatre. And in the past few years a branch of University of Ulster has opened.

To find out more about the area click on the links below.

Fermanagh District Council

Flying Boats in Fermanagh

Public Records Office Northern Ireland.

Impartial Reporter Newspaper. 

Northern Ireland Tourist Board.