The closure of this sea due to continental plate movement and the subsequent crashing together of the plates thrust these rocks high up to create large mountains. The granites were created during this process about 420 million years ago. The ice age carved the present landscape that we see today.
Human settlement in the area began in the Neolithic period over five thousand years ago. In medieval times Maghery (sandy plain) was glebe land which belonged to the church and the local priest would have been entitled to receive his living from people farming on the land. Maghery Glebe also consisted of the townland of Meenderryaherk which is approximately 13km from Maghery up in the hills. This would have been used for ‘booleying’ which was bringing cattle up to the hills for summer grazing pastures. As late as the 1830’s Meenderryaherk was considered part of Maghery.

Termon (place of sanctuary) was owned by the Bishop of Raphoe and included the townlands of Meenlecknalore and Tangevane.
This land was looked after by the Duffy family who were the hereditary keepers of the Bishop’s land. The Bishop would have been entitled to rent and accommodation if he was in the area. After the plantation in the early 1600’s the lands of Maghery passed to the Protestant Rector and the lands of Termon passed to the new Protestant Bishop of Raphoe.