Ballyconnell House was built around 1763 by the Olpherts, a family of Dutch landowners. It is set in a wooded park of around 500 acres. Wybrants Olphert bought the property from Captain Henry Harte who was granted lands in Cloughaneely for his loyalty to the Crown during the Ulster Plantation. In 1921 the house was occupied by the Irish Free State Army and later purchased by the Irish Land Commission. The property was transferred to the Loreto nuns, who added a new chapel, classrooms, and dormitories, and it became Col´aiste Bhr´ıde, a preparatory college for girls. In 1965 it was purchased by the Diocese of Raphoe and became Holy Cross College, a boarding school for boys. It was used as a residence for boarding students until 1986. Údarás na Gaeltachta bought the estate in 1987. The Olphert motto ”Dum Spiro Spero” is still legible over the front door.
Location
Ballyconnell House is situated just outside Falcarragh
Teach Bhaile Chonaill
Thóg teaghlach na Olpherts Teach Bhaile Chonaill sa bhliain 1763. Tá sé suite i measc na crainn ar suíomh 500 acra. Cheannaigh Wybrants Olphert an talamh ón Chaptaen Henry Harte a fuair an talamh le linn Plandáil Uladh.
D’úsáid airm an tSaorstáit an teach mar Bheairic sa bhliain 1921. Cheannaigh an rialtas an áit sa bhliain 1926 agus bhronn siad ar an Ord Loreto é le coláiste traenála do mhúinteoirí a bhunú ann, Coláiste Bhríde. Cheannaigh deoise Ráth Bhóth é i 1965 agus bhunaigh siad Coláiste na Croise Naofa ann. Cheannaigh Údarás na Gaeltachta an áit sa bhliain 1987 ar mhaithe leis an phobal.
Tá mana na hOilfeartaigh, “Dum Spiro Spero” le feiceáil go fóill os cionn an dorais.