Porthall (Irish: Halla an Phoirt)[2] is a village and townland in County Donegal, Ireland.

The village is located on the west bank of the River Foyle, in The Laggan district of East Donegal, on the R265 road.

On hearing the testimony of the spying mission Calvagh decide to attack John O’Neill and his forces at his camp immediately.

The troops of Calvagh numbering two battalions marched on the O’Neill camp and began killing and slaughtering all before them.

John O’Neill on hearing the commotion in his camp realised that he was under attack and fearing for his life slipped out of the back of his tent.

Meanwhile, back at the battle site Calvagh and his men were in high spirits and enjoying the spoils of war.

Thomas Keyes was High Sheriff of Londonderry City in 1623 and owner of the estate of Clonfade, after which the house is named.

In the sixteenth century Mongevlin was the chief residence of Ineen Dubh, she was the daughter of MacDonnell, Lord of the Isles and mother of Red Hugh O'Donnell.

The State Paper recording her possession of the castle: "From Cul-Mac-Tryan runs a bogg three myles in length to the side of Lough Foyle in the midst of the bog is a standing loughe called Bunaber here at Bunaber dwells O'Donnell's mother (Ineen Dubh M'Donnell).

Three miles above Cargan stands a fort called McGevyvelin (Mongivlin) upon the river of Lough Foyle O'Donnell's mother's chief house".

Though the account that the castle had been completed in 1619 is contradicted by a later Survey (in 1622) of the Escheated Counties of Ulster that reads; Sir John Stuart, assignee of the Duke of Lennox ‘has built a castle of lime and stone on the banks of the River Foyle 50’ x 25’ x 3½ stories, slated, with 4 flankers at the top thereof.

Elizabeth Hamilton whose eldest son, James, Earl of Abercorn, and Viscount Strabane erected a plaque in her memory in 1704.

[1] Scoil Bhríde, Boyagh National School, was first called Porthall National School and was opened in 1836 by way of a free lease granted in 1825 by a local landlord called Mr. Dougherty from Redcastle and the local Land agent Mr. Clarke.