County Donegal on 1837
Divisions, Towns, Population, &c.
Donegal is divided into six baronies; Tyrhugh on the south, Bannagh and Boylagh on the west, Kilmacrenan on the north-west, Inishowen on the north-east, and Raphoe on the east and centre.
Ballyshannon (pop. 3,775), Killybeggs (.pop. 724), and Donegal (pop. 830), were erected into corporations in the reign of James I: these corporations are now extinct. Lifford, which is the assize town of the county, is governed by a charter of the 27th February, 10th James I.
This corporation still possesses some property, and has a court of record with jurisdiction to the amount of five marks, but no criminal jurisdiction.
The vicinity of Strabane has prevented Lifford from increasing; the court-house and county gaol constitute the greater part of the town: pop. 1,096.
The other towns are Letterkenny, pop. 2,168; Rathmelton, pop. 1,783 ; Buncrana, pop. 1,059: Ballybofey, pop. 874; and Stranorlar, pop. 641. Donegal is represented in the imperial parliament by two county members.
POPULATION TABLE
Date |
Houses |
Families |
Families chiefly employed in: |
Persons |
Agriculture |
Trade, Manufacture, Handicraft |
Other |
Males |
Females |
Total |
1792 |
23,521 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
140,000 |
1821 |
44,800 |
48,030 |
- |
- |
- |
120,559 |
127,711 |
248,270 |
1831 |
50,171 |
52,739 |
38,178 |
7,204 |
7,357 |
141,845 |
147,304 |
289,149 |
|