Lenan

185 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Lenan, from 25 m² to 1,639,393 m² (163.94 ha, 405.1 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 29 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Lenan in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 27 Apr 2026N/a

  RENOVATION AND EXTENSION OF EXISTING DERELICT DWELLING WITH CONNECTION TO EXISTING SEPTIC TANK AND ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2660734

• 22 Mar 2026N/a

  RENOVATION AND EXTENSION OF EXISTING DERELICT DWELLING WITH CONNECTION TO EXISTING SEPTIC TANK AND ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2660466

• 9 Sept 2025Refused

  RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF EXTENSION TO EXISTING DERELICT DWELLING WITH CONNECTION TO EXISTING SEPTIC TANK AND ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2561544

• 7 Aug 2025N/a

  RENOVATION AND EXTENSION OF DERELICT DWELLING WITH CONNECTION TO EXISTING SEPTIC TANK AND ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2561357

• 22 Jul 2025N/a

  RENOVATION AND EXTENSION TO EXISTING DERELICT DWELLING WITH CONNECTION TO EXISTING SEPTIC TANK AND ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2561248

• 17 Jun 2025N/a

  RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF EXTENSION TO EXISTING DERELICT DWELLING WITH CONNECTION TO EXISTING SEPTIC TANK AND ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2561022

• 30 Nov 2023Conditional

  EXISTING DWELLING, SEPTIC TANK, DOMESTIC GARAGE AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Retention, 1 home · Donegal County Council, 2351851

• 11 Apr 2023Conditional

  ERECTION OF A SINGLE STOREY EXTENSION TO THE NORTH EAST OF EXISTING DWELLING, TO CONTAIN A LIVING ROOM OFF THE EXISTING KITCHEN

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2350473

• 28 Mar 2023N/a

  ERECTION OF A SINGLE STOREY EXTENSION TO THE NORTH EAST OF EXISTING DWELLING TO CONTAIN A LIVING ROOM OFF THE EXISTING KITCHEN

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2350390

• 20 Feb 2023Conditional

  DEMOLITION OF EXISTING (DEFECTIVE/MICA) DWELLING HOUSE AND RECONSTRUCTION OF A NEW DWELLING HOUSE AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS. THE DEVELOPMENT WILL CONSIST OF THE RECONSTRUCTION OF A REPLACEMENT DWELLING HOUSE WITH MINOR ALTERATIONS TO THE ELEVATIONS AND CONNECTION TO THE EXISTING SITE SERVICES

  Permission, 1 home · Donegal County Council, 2350187

• 14 Feb 2019Conditional

  DEMOLITION OF EXISTING AGRICULTURAL STORAGE/MACHINERY SHED AND ERECTION OF PROPOSED REPLACEMENT AGRICULTURAL STORAGE/MACHINERY SHED AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 1950191

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: North Inishowen Coast SAC 002012
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: North Inishowen Coast 002012

Recorded monuments

• DG009-005 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  St. Columbkille's well is a modernised shrine at the summit of the Mamore Gap. Described by Ó Muirgheasa in 1936 as 'The Holy Well in the Gap of Mamore, near Clonmany, is said to have been dedicated to St. Aigne, from whom Desert Aigne is called. The turus is made on the 15th August. Pilgrims go around seven cairns on their bare feet, and finish up at the well. It is known as Turus a' Mhaidhm Moir. Tobar a' Mhaidhm Moir is referred to in Maghtochairs Inishowen at page 84 as follows :-" Near the extremity of the gap is a Holy Well, where the country people hold a station on the 15h August. Tradition says that a saint of old retired to this mountain fastness to meditate on the great Creator and supplicate His mercy and protection; and surely no more suitable spot for such a purpose could be found"' (Ó Muirgheasa 1936, 157). (Ó Muirgheasa No. 90) The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 02 November 2011

• DG009-009 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email NMarchive@housing.gov.ie.

• DG019-001 Mound
  Description

  A well defined oval-shaped mound, composed of dark earth and stones 16.4m E-W × 11m N-S × 2.5m high. There has been removal of some of the mound recently on the NE side. It is situated on ground sloping slightly towards the W, N of the meeting of the Camowen and Owenerk rivers, in good cultivated land. The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008

Architectural heritage

• House, 1835–1865 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached three-bay single-storey vernacular house, built c. 1850, with windbreak porch to front, single-bay extensions to both gables, now disused. Round pitched flax thatched roof with latticed restraining ropes and timber pegs, collapsed on south extension; barrel-vaulted tar with concrete gable coping to north extension, limewashed chimneystacks to gables. Limewashed rubble stone walls. Square-headed window openings with timber two-over-two pane horned timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed door opening with replacement timber panelled door. Set within own grounds with four-bay outbuilding to east having barrel-vaulted tar with concrete gable copings, rubble stone walls, and square-headed openings.

• Outbuilding, 1800–1835 · Regional interest
  Description

  Line of vernacular outbuildings facing renovated house across yard, built c. 1820, comprising central two-bay single-storey structure with two-bay single-storey attachments to both gables. Collapsed barrel vaulted tar roof to central portion and round pitched flax thatch with latticed rope and stone pegs to end portions, with concrete gable copings. Limewashed rubble stone walls. Square-headed window and door openings with timber casement windows and panelled doors.

• House, 1800–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached three-bay single-storey vernacular house, built c. 1820, single-bay extension to south gable, modern bathroom extension to rear, attached two-bay outbuilding to north gable. Round pitched rye thatched roof with latticed restraining ropes and timber pegs, flat-roof to rear extension, chimneystacks with clay pots to gables of original three-bay. Limewashed render to front and south gable, lime-wash rubble stone walls to rear and attached outbuilding. Square-headed window openings over painted sills, replacement timber-framed windows. Square-headed door opening, replacement timber door. Set within own grounds.

• House, 1800–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached three-bay single-storey vernacular house, built c. 1820, two-bay extension to south gable, modern single-bay projecting porch extension to front, three-bay outbuilding to north gable. Round pitched rye thatched roof with latticed restraining chicken wire, steel rod and timber pegs, flat corrugated roof to projecting porch, pitched artificial slate to two-bay extension, barrel-vaulted tar with limewashed concrete gable coping to outbuilding, limewashed rendered chimneystacks to gables and to gable of extension, replacement rainwater goods. Limewashed render to rubble stone walls of front and south gable elevations, lime-wash to rear and attached outbuilding. Square-headed window openings over painted sills, uPVC windows. Square-headed door opening, replacement timber door. Set within own grounds.

• Lenan Fort, battery, 1895–1905 · Regional interest
  Description

  Coastal defence battery with associated structures located on a small peninsula, built 1902, no longer in use. Barrack accommodation, water tower, guard house and surrounding fortifications to the south (see 40900914). Three semi-circular concrete gun emplacements with sloping concrete glacis are sunk into a cliff edge facing north-west and covering Lough Swilly. The guns and their mounting no longer remain. The gun emplacements have underground magazines, stores and shelters with remnant cartridge and shell hoists still in place. The central and southern gun emplacements are linked by a sunken road running between concrete retaining walls from the centre of the fort while the northern gun emplacement is approached along a separate sunken road. A concrete battery commander’s post is located c. 45m upslope/west of the northern gun emplacement and c. 70m behind this are two concrete position finding cells sunk into the ground and protected by concrete roofs. The central and northern emplacements are built over an underground magazine containing cartridge and shell stores and gun crew shelter. The southern emplacement has its own magazine and shelter. The magazines and shelters with linking corridors and stairs have rock-cut floors with limewashed red brick walls.

• Lenan Fort, battery, 1900–1905 · Regional interest
  Description

  British Army former coastal defence battery, built 1902, with barracks, associated structures and surrounding fortifications, located on small peninsula. Three concrete gun positions (40900913) on a cliff edge facing north and covering Lough Swilly with underground magazines, stores and shelters, linked by sunken roads with battery commander’s post and position finding cells upslope to the north and barrack accommodation, water tower, guard house and surrounding fortifications to the south. Multiple three and six-bay single-storey barracks variously with returns, toilet blocks and sheds to rear, and projecting bays incorporating porches to front left and right elevations or projecting porches to front centre elevations, situated in a linear arrangement to south-west of site. Flat tarred reinforced concrete roofs, concrete cornicing, rendered red brick chimneystacks with clay pots, remnant cast-iron rainwater goods, remnant paint over rendered and roughcast red brick walls, projecting plinths, square-headed window openings with concrete sills, square-headed door openings. Multiple partially demolished structures in linear arrangements to south-west and centre of site. Concrete foundations with red brick chimneystacks comprising remnant of corrugated-metal accommodation huts, built c. 1914. Five-bay single-storey barracks with three-bay projection incorporating porch to front left, return to rear, toilet block and shed extensions with walled yard to rear, situated to south-west of site adjacent entrance. Flat tarred reinforced concrete roof, concrete water tank, rendered red brick chimneystacks with clay pots, remnant cast-iron rainwater goods, red brick walls, square-headed window openings, sandstone ashlar lintels over concrete sills, timber-framed windows, cast-iron bars to window in rear elevation, square-headed door openings with sandstone ashlar lintels. Single-bay two-storey to centre of site. Pitched corrugated roof, red brick walls and flat-roofed projecting porch, single window to first floor front elevation. Three-bay single-storey guardhouse to west of site. Flat tarred reinforced concrete roof, red brick walls, square-headed window openings, sandstone ashlar lintels over concrete sills, timber-framed windows with cast-iron bars, square-headed door opening with sandstone ashlar lintel. Cut into hillside with concrete retaining wall to rear and sides. Water-tower to centre of site. Octagonal cast-iron water tank with cast-iron pipes on octagonal red brick base with projecting plinth, square-headed door opening to west with concrete lintel. Founders stamp reads ‘DOUGLASS BROS LD, BLAYDON ON TYNE, C & M 1901’. Across the base of the peninsula is a rock-cut ditch originally 7.7m wide and 4.6m deep with concrete scarp running east-west and turning south-north. Half-way along its length it projects south and away from the main accommodation area forming a D-shaped salient. Entrance was originally via drawbridge to the south replaced by a concrete bridge with loopholed wall providing defence. Three concrete blockhouses, built 1916, to defend the ditch, backed by shallow trenches to rear. Two are four-sided and one is pentagonal, approached via short covered way leading down steps into blockhouse rear, rifle loopholes protected by iron shutters. Concrete fire trench built into higher ground near the cliff edge overlooking north-eastern section of the ditch.

• Forge/smithy, 1820–1860 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached two-bay single-storey forge, built c. 1840, with later lean-to shed to north gable, now disused. Pitched tar roof, concrete gable copings, rendered chimneystack to south gable, corrugated roof to lean-to. Remnant lime-wash to rendered walls, concrete block walls to lean-to. Plaque to front wall. Square-headed window with cast-iron window with top-hung outward opening lights. Square-headed door opening with timber door. Set in grounds of house to south, with assorted outbuildings to south and east.

• House, 1760–1800 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached five-bay single-storey vernacular house, built c. 1780, windbreak porch to front, single-bay outbuilding to east gable, single-bay shed to west gable, now disused. Round pitched, partially collapsed, rye thatched roof with latticed restraining ropes, and stone pegs, limewashed rendered chimneystacks to centre and gables; corrugated roof with concrete gable coping to outbuilding; corrugated roof to shed. Limewashed render to rubble stone walls, stone bench to wall adjacent porch. Square-headed window openings over cut limestone sills, timber six-over-six horned sash windows. Square-headed door opening, timber panelled double door. Single-bay outbuilding to south-west, round pitched flax thatched roof with latticed restraining ropes and timber pegs, rubble stone walls. Set within own grounds with partially collapsed two-bay single-storey outbuilding to north, barrel-vaulted tar roof, rubble stone walls.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

The EPA radon map gives no estimate at the centre of the townland of Lenan.

Landslides

Susceptibility high, moderately high, moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map; parts are water.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Lenan.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Lenan with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Donegal.

Name

Lenan · An Líonán

Area

6,334,350 m² (633.44 ha, 1,565.25 acres)

Civil parish

Clonmany, and its townlands

Barony

Inishowen East

Electoral division

Dunaff, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Dunaff electoral division: 705 people in 248 households; 90% of households own their home; 32% of homes were built since 2001; 12% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 29% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Lederg, Tonduff, Urrismenagh

Placenames

Lenan on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.