on the side of Slieve Rushen mountain in Aughrim townland. However, it was dug up in 1992 by the Quinn Group to enable them to mine sand deposits from the mountain. It was relocated to the grounds of the group's hotel, The Slieve Russell Hotel, to serve as a tourist attraction. Medieval In ancient times, Ballyconnell lay on the eastern part of Magh Slécht named ("the little plain"), so called because it was a narrow strip bounded on the north by Slieve Rushen mountain and on the south by the River Graine. Maigin was the birthplace of Saint Dallán Forgaill. In medieval times the town belonged to the McGovern chiefs who had a fort there. Ballyconnell was situated in one of the ballybetoes of Tullyhaw named Calmhagh (Calva), which basically means almost the same as Maigin, the narrow plain. As it was on the border between Fermanagh and Breifne, Ballyconnell was a flash-point for the wars between the Maguires, O'Rourkes, O'Reillys, McGoverns, McKiernans and their allies. The Annals of Ireland record incidents at Ballyconnell in the following years- 1323 Rory MacMahon, Mel O'Seagannain & MacMuldoon were slain at Ballyconnell by Cathal O'Rourke. 1457 Brian Maguire fought with Lochlann O'Rourke, the McGoverns & McKiernans at Ballyconnell. 1470 O'Donnell & O'Rourke fought with O'Reilly, the English and the McKiernans at Ballyconnell. 1475 Hugh Roe O'Donnell went to Ballyconnell to make peace with the O'Reilly. 1595 O'Donnell camped at Ballyconnell after raiding the town of Cavan. Post-1600 About 1606, Captain Richard Tyrrell, of Tyrrellspass Castle, County Westmeath, bought the Derryginny and Snugborough parts of the Calva ballybetagh from Cormac Magauran. He then exchanged his lands at the start of the Ulster Plantation for more property in Tullygarvey barony where he lived. Walter Talbot, a recusant servitor and a burgess of Cavan Corporation, whose parents were James Talbot and Margaret Brett of Agherskeethe (now Augherskea), County Meath, purchased another part of the Calva ballybetagh before 1609 but the title was defective. However, in the launching of the Plantation of Ulster in 1609, Sir Arthur Chichester, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, allowed Talbot to keep his estate as he had begun bringing in settlers and building houses. In the Plantation of Ulster by grant dated 23 June 1610, King James VI and I granted the lands forming the 'Manor of Calva' to Hugh Culme. In the same year Culme surrendered his interest to Walter Talbot.