The Finn River (Irish: An Fhinn or Abhainn na Finne), also known as the River Finn, is a small river that flows through parts of County Fermanagh and parts of County Monaghan in the south of Ulster, the northern province in Ireland.Discoverer Series Sheet 27 (F Edition). Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (O.S.N.I.), Land and Property Services, Belfast, 2019.Discovery Series Sheet 28A (3rd Edition). Ordnance Survey of Ireland (O.S.I.), Dublin, 2012. In certain places, the river forms part of the boundary between County Fermanagh, which is part of Northern Ireland, and County Monaghan, which is part of the Republic of Ireland. Two very short stretches of the river, just north of Redhills and at Castle Saunderson, near Belturbet, also form part of the boundary between County Fermanagh and County Cavan (part of the Republic of Ireland). This means that some stretches of the river form part of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, these short stretches also forming part of the external border of the European Union.
Some stretches of the river flow entirely within County Fermanagh, while other stretches flow entirely within County Monaghan. The river eventually flows into Upper Lough Erne, entering the lough very near Castle Saunderson. The Finn River should not be confused with the better known and much longer River Finn, which mainly flows through County Donegal in the west of Ulster.Patrick McKay, A Dictionary of Ulster Place-Names, p. 69. The Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, 1999.
Course
The Finn River rises on the slopes of Knoppane, a hill just to the south of Slieve Beagh in the south-east of County Fermanagh. Knoppane is located a few miles north-west of Roslea, a village also in south-east Fermanagh.Discoverer Series Sheet 18 (D Edition). Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (O.S.N.I.), Land and Property Services, Belfast, 2008. The Finn initially flows in a mainly easterly direction from its source, flowing through the Fermanagh townland of Cornacrieve, flowing past Derrygannon Community Hall, and flowing on to the east as far as the townland of Derryvollan (also spelled as Derryvullan).Derrygannon Townland, Co. Fermanagh. https://www.townlands.ie/clankelly/clones-clankelly-portion/rosslea/derrygannon/ The river flows around the edges of Derryvollan, separating that Fermanagh townland from Cornaguillagh, Cornacreeve and Corrinshingo (also spelled as Corrinshigo), three townlands in the north-west of County Monaghan.Cornaguillagh Townland, Co. Monaghan. https://www.townlands.ie/monaghan/monaghan/tedavnet/sheskin/cornaguillagh/Cornacreeve Townland, Co. Monaghan. https://www.townlands.ie/monaghan/monaghan/tedavnet/sheskin/cornacreeve/Corrinshingo Townland, Co. Monaghan. https://www.townlands.ie/monaghan/monaghan/clones/clones/corrinshingo/
The Finn meanders around the eastern edge of Derryvollan, flowing under Derryvollan Bridge. From here on, the river flows in a mainly southerly direction. It meanders around both Rough Hill and Gola, two neighbouring townlands in the north-west of County Monaghan that are a short distance north-east of Roslea.
The river then flows back into Fermanagh, skirting around the north-western, western and southern edges of Roslea and along the western edge of Spring Grove Forest, crossing back into County Monaghan beside New Bridge. At a place between New Bridge and Aghafin House,Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (better known as the Pevsner Guide to South Ulster), pp. 280-281. Yale University Press, London, 2013. the river meanders around a sharp bend, flowing in a south-easterly direction for almost two miles, entirely within County Monaghan, between the townland of Aghafin,Aghafin Townland, Co. Monaghan. https://www.townlands.ie/monaghan/dartree/clones/clones-rural/aghafin/ just north-east of Clones, and the townland of Nook,Nook Townland, Co. Monaghan. https://www.townlands.ie/monaghan/dartree/clones/st-tierney/nook/ just south-east of Stonebridge. Thereafter, the river mainly flows in a south-westerly direction, all the way to its mouth on Upper Lough Erne.
The river flows through Stonebridge, a hamlet in West Monaghan. It flows along the western edge of Conaghy, a townland south-east of Stonebridge, flowing near the probable site of Conaghy Castle, a former stronghold of the Mac Mathghamhna (MacMahon) dynasty.CommunityWalk: McMahon of Monaghan Sites. https://www.communitywalk.com/monaghan/ireland/mcmahon_sites/map/1675787'Monument No.: MO-012046; Townland: Conaghy; Description: Castle Site Possible', in 'Record of Monuments and Places (R.M.P.) in Monaghan County Council Area', Appendix 6, Monaghan County Development Plan, 2007-2013, p. 421. Monaghan County Council, Monaghan Town, 2007.Conaghy Townland, Co. Monaghan. https://www.townlands.ie/monaghan/dartree/killeevan/killeevan/conaghy/ The Finn then flows on through Analore, another hamlet in West Monaghan, flowing quite close to Ballynure House, a now ruined Late Georgian former residence just outside Analore.Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (better known as the Pevsner Guide to South Ulster), p. 372. Yale University Press, London, 2013.Ballynure Townland, Co. Monaghan. https://www.townlands.ie/monaghan/dartree/killeevan/killeevan/ballynure/ The river flows to the south of Clones, the main town in West Monaghan. It then flows just to the north and north-west of the Hilton Demesne, near the village of Scotshouse, also in West Monaghan. This south-western stretch of the river, near the Hilton Demesne, forms another part of the boundary between County Fermanagh and County Monaghan, this stretch separating south-east Fermanagh from West Monaghan.
The Finn flows on through Wattlebridge, a hamlet in the south-east of County Fermanagh,Patrick McKay, A Dictionary of Ulster Place-Names, p. 146. The Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, 1999. then enters Upper Lough Erne nearby. The river enters the lough directly opposite Derrykerrib (Irish: Doire Choirb or Doire CeirbePlacenamesni.org: Derrykerrib, County Fermanagh. http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=13880 ), a townland in south-east Fermanagh that was formerly an island,Derrykerrib Townland, Co. Fermanagh. https://www.townlands.ie/fermanagh/coole/drummully/derrysteaton/derrykerrib/ almost 5.3 miles (around 8.5 kilometres) south-west from Clones. The river flows into a narrow channel of the lough at this place, where the townland of Edergool (Irish: Eadarghabhail, meaning 'Between Forking Streams' or 'Between (Stream) Forks'Kay Muhr, 'The Place-Names of County Fermanagh' in Eileen M. Murphy and William J. Roulston (Editors), Fermanagh: History and Society, p. 592. Geography Publications, Templeogue, Dublin, 2004.Placenamesni.org: Edergool, County Fermanagh. http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=19931Edergool Townland, Co. Fermanagh. https://www.townlands.ie/fermanagh/coole/drummully/derrysteaton/edergool/) in County Fermanagh meets the townland of Castlesaunderson Demesne, where Castle Saunderson is located, in County Cavan.Castlesaunderson Demesne Townland, Co. Cavan. https://www.townlands.ie/cavan/tullygarvey/annagh/castlesaunderson-demesne/Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (better known as the Pevsner Guide to South Ulster), pp. 227-229. Yale University Press, London, 2013. Thus, half of the river's mouth is in County Fermanagh, while the other half is in County Cavan.
The river's mouth, which is at the edge of the Castle Saunderson Demesne, is also very near the Lanesborough Demesne, a former demesne in the townland of Quivvy on the County Cavan shore of Upper Lough Erne.Brian Cassells, The Ulster Canal, pp. 87-88. Cottage Publications, Donaghadee, County Down, 2015.Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (better known as the Pevsner Guide to South Ulster), pp. 198-199. Yale University Press, London, 2013. The Lanesborough Demesne, near Belturbet, is directly opposite the north-western shore of Derrykerrib. Traditionally, the Finn River was considered navigable for most of the year by certain types of river boat, from its mouth upstream as far as Cumber Bridge in Coolnalong (Irish: Cúil na Long), a townland located between Scotshouse and Clones.Coolnalong Townland, Co. Monaghan. https://www.townlands.ie/monaghan/dartree/killeevan/newbliss/coolnalong/ The river meanders significantly throughout most of its course.
Drummully ('the Sixteen Townlands')
The south-western part of the Finn River cuts Drummully off from the rest of County Monaghan. Drummully, also known as 'the Sixteen Townlands' or 'Coleman's Island', is a small district that is a pene-enclave of County Monaghan (part of the Republic of Ireland) almost entirely surrounded by County Fermanagh (part of Northern Ireland). Only a tiny stretch of the Finn River flows through Drummully, the river flowing along the southern edge of Annaghraw, a townland in the far south of the district. All roads leading into the district of Drummully go via County Fermanagh. The Cavan Road, also known locally as 'the Concession Road' (part of the N54 / A3), the main Cavan Town to Clones road, also runs through Drummully.
The Civil Parish of Drummully (Dartree Portion) is co-extensive with the district of Drummully, this civil parish being entirely within County Monaghan.Civil Parish of Drummully (Dartree Portion), Co. Monaghan. https://www.townlands.ie/monaghan/drummully-dartree-portion/Brian G. Scott (General Editor), Claire Foley and Ronan McHugh, An Archaeological Survey of County Fermanagh: Volume 1 - Part 1: The Prehistoric Period, pp. 32-33. N.I.E.A., Belfast, and Colourpoint Books, Newtownards, 2014. However, the Parish of Drummully in the Church of Ireland Diocese of Clogher covers a much larger area than the district of Drummully, as did the former Parish of Drummully in the Catholic Diocese of Clogher. The Catholic Parish of Drummully was absorbed into the Parish of Clones in either the late nineteenth century or the early twentieth century. The district and the various types of parish (both civil and ecclesiastical) are named after the Drummully Monastic Site. This monastic site and ruined former parish church are on a hilltop in the townland of Drummully, just inside County Fermanagh, very near Wattlebridge. The townland of Drummully is on the south-western edge of the district of Drummully.
Bridges
The Finn River passes under numerous bridges on its way to Upper Lough Erne. Most of these bridges were built in the mid- to late eighteenth century or sometime in the nineteenth century, and almost all of them are built of stone. The following bridges are listed in order, going from the river's source to the river's mouth.
Source to Roslea
Between its source and Roslea, the Finn passes under a number of bridges. These include: Derrygannon Bridge, right beside Derrygannon Community Hall, located about 3 miles north-west of Roslea, which carries the Eshnadarragh Road across the Finn; and Derryvollan (also spelled as Derryvullan) Bridge, located a few miles north-north-east of Roslea, which carries the Deerpark Road across the Finn from County Fermanagh into County Monaghan. Derryvollan Bridge, which is also known as Flynn's Bridge, is located a short distance south-west of Knockatallon, a hamlet in the north-west of County Monaghan. Corragunt Bridge, which does not cross the Finn, is just north-west of Derryvollan Bridge.Placenamesni.org: Corragunt, County Fermanagh. http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=19685