The
Plantation of Ulster was a policy of the English Government
in the late 16th and early 17th Century. After Hugh O'Neill
and others fled from Ireland in 1607, King James granted all
the lands in this area to several Irish freeholders, “hoping
the same would be better manured and inhabited.” The
territory of Moira was granted to Irish man Murtough O’Lavery.
(The History of Ireland. John D’Alton
1845) Lisburn and much territory around here, including
the captured Fort, were given to Sir Fluke Conway in 1609
and the Plantation of Ulster was under way.
As
the Plantation progressed, much Irish-owned land was confiscated
and Ulster was planted with Protestant families from many
parts of Scotland and England. Because O'Lavery supported
the rebellion of 1641, much of his land was given to George
Rawdon.
Between
the years 1600 and 1641 a great change took place in the appearance
of the area. The Lagan Valley at that time was very sparsely
populated. The new settlers that Conway brought here had to
clear the natural forest from the valley floor and surrounding
hills. Over the years this area of bog land became fertile
fields. The whole district was once known as “the Bogs”
or "marshy Moira". (Ulster Journal
of Archaeology Published 1860)
The
situation in the country slowly improved. This encouraged
the noblemen such as Conway and Rawdon to spend money to improve
their estates. And so Moira began to be a relatively more
stable and settled community, with the prospect of better
times ahead.
|
