The historic town’s footprint can still be traced through tellingly named locations like Fort Well and Castle Garden, both of which harken back to the plantation fort that once stood here. These placenames serve as linguistic breadcrumbs, leading us through centuries of Irish history that have been layered beneath contemporary streets and buildings.

The well itself, catalogued as DG053-042003, likely dates to the 1600s when it would have been an essential piece of infrastructure, providing fresh drinking water to both the fort’s garrison and the townspeople who lived in its shadow. During the plantation period, such wells were vital community resources; they determined where settlements could thrive and often became focal points for daily life. This particular well sits southwest of Market Square, though its exact condition remains something of a mystery as it now lies within private residential grounds, tucked away from public view.

While the fort that gave this well its purpose has long since vanished, and the well itself remains inaccessible to casual visitors, these remnants of plantation-era Letterkenny offer a tangible connection to a transformative period in Irish history. The survival of placenames like Fort Well and Castle Garden ensures that even as the physical structures disappear, the memory of the town’s colonial past continues to mark the landscape, waiting to tell its story to those who know where to look.