Wattlebridge ( Irish: ''Droichead na nGad'' Logainm.ie: Droichead na nGad / Wattlebridge. https://www.logainm.ie/en/130664), sometimes written as Wattle Bridge, is a small

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

in the south-south-east of

County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of and had a population of 63,585 as of 2021. Enniskillen is the ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

. ''Discoverer Series'' Sheet 27 (Edition F). O.S.N.I.,

Land and Property Services The Land and Property Services (LPS, ) is an agency of the Department of Finance of the Northern Ireland Executive The Northern Ireland Executive (Irish language, Irish: ''Feidhmeannas Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster ...

Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...

, 2019. Patrick McKay, ''A Dictionary of Ulster Place-Names'', p. 146. The Institute of Irish Studies,

The Queen's University of Belfast The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is St ...

, Belfast, 1999. The hamlet is located almost 3½

miles The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of length; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 English f ...

(around 5.5

kilometres The kilometre ( SI symbol: km; or ), spelt kilometer in American and Philippine English, is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), equal to one thousand metres (kilo- being the SI prefix for ). It is the preferred measur ...

) south of the village of

Newtownbutler Newtownbutler or Newtown Butler is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the southeast corner of the county, near Lough Erne, the border with County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, and the town of Clones. It is surrounded by ...

. The hamlet is in a region known unofficially as South

Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...

. Wattlebridge is very close to Fermanagh's boundary with both

County Cavan County Cavan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the hi ...

and

County Monaghan County Monaghan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of Border Region, Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town ...

, the hamlet being just north of the border between Northern Ireland and the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...

. The Finn River flows through the hamlet, the river entering Upper

Lough Erne Lough Erne ( , ) is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is the second-biggest lake system in Northern Ireland and Ulster, and the fourth biggest in Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River E ...

a short distance to the west of Wattlebridge. S.A.B.R.E.: B533 (Northern Ireland). https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title=B533_(Northern_Ireland) The Wattlebridge Road (the B533), part of the main road between Cavan Town and

Lisnaskea Lisnaskea () is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated mainly in the townland of Lisoneill, with some areas in the townland of Castle Balfour Demesne, both in the civil parish of Aghalurcher and th ...

, runs via Wattlebridge. This road joins the Cavan Road (often known locally as 'the Concession Road'), part of the A3, at a junction on the southern edge of the hamlet. The A3 becomes the N54 at the

townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...

of Leggykelly in County Cavan, this townland being very close to Wattlebridge. The Cavan Road, or 'the Concession Road', part of the N54 / A3, is the main Cavan Town to Clones road. Immediately to the east and north-east of Wattlebridge is Drummully, a small district also known as 'the Sixteen Townlands' or 'Coleman's Island'. 'Rededication of Connons church' (''

The Anglo-Celt ''The Anglo-Celt'' () is a weekly local newspaper published every Thursday in Swellan, Cavan, Ireland, founded in 1846. It exclusively contains local news about Cavan and surroundings. The news coverage of the paper is mainly based on the pap ...

'', Wednesday, 12 August 2009). https://www.anglocelt.ie/2009/08/12/rededication-of-connons-church/ Drummully is a ' pene-enclave' of County Monaghan, being almost completely surrounded by County Fermanagh. The N54 / A3 passes through Drummully. Around half a mile to the west of Wattlebridge is Castle Saunderson, a now ruined

country house image:Blenheim - Blenheim Palace - 20210417125239.jpg, 300px, Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a Townhou ...

in County Cavan. Barbara Chapman, ''A History of Newtownbutler'', p. 30. Nonsuch Publishing, Lower

Leeson Street __NOTOC__ Leeson Street (; ) is a thoroughfare near central Dublin, Ireland. Location The street is divided into two parts by the Grand Canal: Lower Leeson Street, in Dublin 2 is to the north of the canal, linking to St Stephen's Green, wi ...

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, 2005. The '

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

' is located on the Castle Saunderson

Demesne A demesne ( ) or domain was all the land retained and managed by a lord of the manor under the feudal system for his own use, occupation, or support. This distinguished it from land subinfeudation, sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants. ...

and is separated from County Fermanagh by the Finn River. The current Castle Saunderson was largely built in the late 1770s or early 1780s, being expanded and heavily remodeled in the 1830s. The hamlet straddles two

townlands A townland (; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Outer Hebrides, Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Middle Ages, medieval Gael ...

: Edergool, which lies on the northern bank of the Finn River, and Annaghmore Glebe, which lies on the southern bank of the Finn River. Barbara Chapman, ''A History of Newtownbutler'', p. 27. Nonsuch Publishing, Lower

, 2005. Townlands.ie: Annaghmore Glebe Townland, Co. Fermanagh. https://www.townlands.ie/fermanagh/coole/drummully/derrysteaton/annaghmore-glebe/ Edergool townland is usually known locally as Wattlebridge townland.

Name

The hamlet of Wattlebridge gets its name from the original bridge that spanned the Finn River at this point. This original bridge may have been built in the sixteenth century, and was made of wattle, the bridge being supported by stakes called 'gads'. Dúchas.ie: 'Battle of Wattlebridge' (account recorded at the Fairgreen School,

Belturbet Belturbet (; ) is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. It lies on the N3 road, around north of Cavan town and from Dublin. It is also located around south of the border with County Fermanagh, part of Northern Ireland, and is from Enniskillen. ...

, for the National Folklore Collection; in this account, Wattlebridge has been misspelled as 'Watterbridge'). https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5086706/5041260/5086798?ChapterID=5086706 The current bridge, which is known as Wattle Bridge or Wattlebridge Bridge, is built from stone and probably stands on or very near the site of the original bridge. The Wattlebridge Road, the B533, runs over this bridge.

References

{{County Fermanagh Villages in County Fermanagh Hamlets in Northern Ireland

Name

See also

References