RE-OPENING OF LIFFORD CHURCH
A respected correspondent writes: - “The very interesting article in your paper in the 11th instant, on the re-opening of Lifford Church, causes me to trouble you with these few lines. In the year Mercator’s map was published (1630) the townland of Ballybogan, in which the small burying-ground mentioned in the article is situated, was the property and residence of the family from which Mrs ALEXANDER (wife of Rev. R. ALEXANDER, Blackheath, Garvagh, and mother of the Dean of Emly) is maternally descended, and is still in her possession. Her ancestors were known as lairds of Ballybogan. There is a tombstone in the church-yard of Lifford, with the names of two of them buried underneath. JOHN CALDWELL, of Ballybogan, Mrs. Alexander’s great-grandfather, died in 1643, aged 77. From this it may be fairly inferred the family had held the property since 1566. If it were a matter of substantial moment, no doubt satisfactory information could be had at the proper law offices when the ancient family first settled there. Mrs. Alexander is the seventh owner of Ballybogan in regular descent, and her son and grandson make nine – not a small line for a country gentleman’s little property; but then it was large at one time, but was divided and sold many years ago.