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Enniskillen
Irish: Inis Ceithleann
Enniskillen from the River Erne
Enniskillen  Enniskillen shown within Northern Ireland
Population	13,599 (2001 Census)
Irish grid reference	H240440
- Belfast	88 miles (142 km)
District	Fermanagh District
County	County Fermanagh
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ENNISKILLEN
Postcode district	BT74, BT92-94
Dialling code	028
Police	Northern Ireland
Fire	Northern Ireland
Ambulance	Northern Ireland
EU Parliament	Northern Ireland
NI Assembly	Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Website	www.enniskillen.com
List of places: UK • Northern Ireland • Fermanagh

Enniskillen

The town's name comes from the Irish: Inis Ceithleann. This refers to Cethlenn, a figure in Irish mythology who may have been a goddess. It has been anglicised many ways over the centuries — Iniskellen, Iniskellin, Iniskillin, Iniskillen, Inishkellen, Inishkellin, Inishkillin, Inishkillen, and so on.^[1]

The town's oldest building is the Maguire's stone castle, built by Hugh the Hospitable who died in 1428.^[2] An earthwork, the Skonce on the lough shore, may be the remains of an earlier motte. The castle was the stronghold of the junior branch of the Maguires.^[3] The first water-gate was built around 1580 by Cú Chonnacht Maguire, though subsequent lowering of the level of the lough has left it without water. The strategic position of the castle made it important for the English to capture it in 1593 for their plantation plans which was achieved by a Captain Dowdall. Maguire then laid siege to it and defeated a relieving force at the Battle of the Ford of the Bicuits at Drumane Bridge. Although the defenders were relieved, Maguire was in possession of the castle from 1595-8 and it wasn't till 1607 that it was finally captured by the English.

The East Bridge over the Erne River.

This was part of a wider campaign to bring the province of Ulster under English control; there had been a major siege of Enniskillen Castle in 1594.[1] The Plantation of Ulster followed during which the lands of the native Irish were seized and handed over to planters loyal to the English Crown. The Maguires were supplanted by William Cole, originally from Devon, who was appointed by James I to build an English settlement there.

Captain Cole was installed as Constable and strengthened the castle wall and built a "fair house" on the old foundation as the centrepoint of the county town. The first Protestant parish church was erected on the hilltop in 1627. The Royal Free School of Fermanagh was moved onto the island in 1643. The first bridges were drawbridges and permanent bridges were not installed before 1688.

By 1689 the town had grown significantly. During the conflict which resulted from the ousting of King James II by his Protestant rival, William III, Enniskillen and Derry were the focus of Williamite resistance in Ireland, including the nearby Battle of Newtownbutler.[2]

As a direct result of this conflict Enniskillen developed not only as a market town but also as a garrison which became home to two regiments.

Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

The Inniskillings (6th Dragoons)

The Remembrance Day Bombing (8 November 1987) was one of the most notable events of The Troubles. Eleven people were killed and hundreds injured as a result of a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb. The IRA later claimed that their target was a colour guard of British soldiers. At the same time as the Enniskillen bombing, the IRA also planted a bomb 20 miles away in Tullyhommon, near Pettigo, where the Boys' Brigade and the Girls' Brigade were due to participate in a Remembrance Day service. The bomb failed to detonate, preventing the further loss of innocent life. The Enniskillen bomb is acknowledged by some as a turning point in the Northern Ireland peace process.

For more information see The Troubles in Enniskillen, which includes a list of incidents in Enniskillen during the Troubles resulting in fatalities.

The Irish singer/songwriter Tommy Makem wrote a lighthearted song about the town, "Fare Thee Well, Enniskillen," covered by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and The Dubliners.

The Chieftains sing a song that mentions Enniskillin titled "North Amerikay".

23.2% were aged under 16 years and 17.4% were aged 60 and over

48.1% of the population were male and 51.9% were female

61.5% were from a Roman Catholic background and 36.3% were from a Protestant background

5.2% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.

Ardhowen Theatre

Castle Coole

Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar School

Cole's Monument

Enniskillen Castle

Portora Royal School

St Macartin's Cathedral

The Diamond and Town Hall

The Clinton Centre

St. Michael's College (Enniskillen)

Fort Lodge Hotel

Wetherspoons Pub & Bar

The Round O

The Lakeland Forum

In recent years, Enniskillen has hosted an array of international events, most notably, stages of the World Waterski World Cup annually from 2005 to 2007, at the Broadmeadow^[4]. Despite its success, Enniskillen was not chosen as a World Cup Stop for 2008.

Also, a Pro wakeboard competition, 'Wakejam', took place between July 27 and July 29 2007, where top riders from around the world, as well as local riders, took part in the event, hosted by Erne Wakeboard Club (EWC).

In January 2009, Enniskillen hosted the ceremonial start of Rally Ireland 2009, the first stage of the WRC FIA World Rally Championship 2009 Calendar.

Oscar Wilde, satirist and playwright, educated at Portora Royal School

Neil Hannon, lead singer/composer of the pop band The Divine Comedy educated at Portora Royal School

Samuel Beckett, playwright, educated at Portora Royal School

Roy Carroll, goalkeeper for Derby County FC

Jim Cleary, former Glentoran footballer and member of Northern Ireland's 1982 World Cup squad.

Adrian Dunbar, actor, born and brought up in Enniskillen

Frank Hoy, professional wrestler, was born in the town

David Robinson, photographer and publisher, educated at Portora Royal School

Edward Kernan, a Roman Catholic bishop

Kyle Lafferty, striker, professional football player for Rangers and Northern Ireland international.

Charles Lawson, most notable for playing Jim McDonald in Coronation Street

Andrew Little (footballer), professional football player for Rangers and Northern Ireland international.

Henry Francis Lyte, hymn composer, most notably Abide With Me, educated at Portora Royal School

Nial Fulton, film and television producer, educated at Portora Royal School

Bobby Kerr, Olympic 100 m gold medalist in the 1908 Olympics for Canada

Michael McGovern, goalkeeper, currently with Ross County F.C.

Ciarán McMenamin, television actor

Frank Ormsby, poet

Claire Falconer, actress and painter

Seán Quinn, entrepreneur and Ireland's richest man (originally from Derrylin)

Duke of Westminster, formerly the UK's richest man, brought up at the family's estate at Ely Lodge

David McCann, author of children's books

Mick Softley singer and song writer for Bob Dylan, currently lives in the town

Gordon Wilson (peace campaigner), peace campaigner and Irish senator

Ron Wilson (newsreader) is a news anchor with Network Ten in Australia

Gavin Noble, Irish international triathlete

Edward Cooney, evangelist and early leader of the Cooneyite and Go-Preacher sects, educated at Portora Royal School

There are numerous schools and colleges in and around the Enniskillen area, from primary level to secondary level, including some further education colleges such as the technical college.

Erne Integrated Primary school

Model primary school

Holy Trinity Primary School

Jones Memorial Primary School

Saint Patrick's Primary School, Mullanaskea

Erne Integrated College

Devenish College (a collaboration of Enniskillen High School and the Duke of Westminster College in Kesh)

Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar School

Portora Royal School

Mount Lourdes Enniskillen; convent girls grammar school

St Michael's College; boys grammar school

St Fanchea's College

St Joseph's College

Enniskillen College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise

Enniskillen Campus South West College

Until 1957, the town was a junction on the Great Northern Railway and had rail links to Clones, Omagh and Bundoran, and the shared station was the eastern terminus of the SL&NCR railway, which ran passenger and freight services to Sligo. There is extensive bus service in Enniskillen; both Ulsterbus and Bus Eireann serve Fermanagh through the main bus station in Enniskillen. The town is also home to a World War II era airport, Enniskillen/St Angelo Airport. While the airport had scheduled flights in the past, it now serves mainly private traffic. The town is located on the main A4/N16 route from Belfast to Sligo, and on the main Dublin to Ballyshannon route, the N3/A46/A509.

Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia - Germany

Culture Northern Ireland

Enniskillen Gaels GFC.