The village has several historical features, including the Callowhill graveyard with headstones dating back to the 17th century. Upper Lough Erne is east of the village, and west is the peak of Slieve Rushen. To the northeast is the limestone hill known as Knockninny Rock.
Corratrasna Castle
On the southern slope of Knockninny Hill, about a mile north of Derrylin village, can be seen the ruins of Corratrasna Castle, a relatively small fortified house that was probably built around 1611, at the start of the Plantation of Ulster. The 'castle' was probably built for a branch of the Balfour family, a Scottish settler family who were based at Castle Balfour in nearby Lisnaskea. However, there is a local tradition that claims the 'castle' was built around 1611 for Brian Maguire, a member of the Clan Mac Uidhir, Gaelic Lords of Fermanagh. Another local tradition, recorded by the Irish Office of the Ordnance Survey in the 1830s, states that the 'castle' may have been built for DrWilliam Bedell, who served as the Church of IrelandBishop of Kilmore in the 1630s and early 1640s. The ruins of the fortified house now sit in a small field, directly behind a modern farmhouse, just off a sideroad in the townland of Corratrasna, quite near Knockninny Methodist Church.
The Troubles
Transport
Derrylin is a stop on the Donegal-Enniskillen-Cavan-Dublin Airport-Dublin Bus Éireann Expressway route 30 and 30X which run alternatively. There is a coach in each direction every ninety minutes during the day as well as an overnight journey making 13 in all. Recent changes to the route mean that only the 30 bus stops in the village so in effect there is a 3 hour gap in stops. Services operate daily including Sundays. Ulsterbus route 58 from Enniskillen to Belturbet via Kinawley also serves Derrylin several times a day Mondays to Saturdays.
Economy
Derrylin is the hometown of former billionaire Seán Quinn who headed up an industrial empire concentrating on building products, glass bottle manufacture and insurance. However a disastrous bet on a dodgy share option led to his downfall and the loss of his business. The building products enterprise is now run by a consortium of local businessmen and called Quinn Industrial Holdings. The glass plant is run by Encirc. Hotels and other assets were also lost although court proceedings are currently underway to sort out the tangle. The business is trading successfully and employs about 2000 people locally and putting substantial income into the area. Other local businesses include; McCaffrey Quarries, Ernecast, Crust'n'Crumb, Teemore Engineering, Steel Solutions, Ernco Signs, Erne Lifting, A1 Transport, Eco Systems Direct, Drum Engineering, Barrett's Bathrooms & Tiles, Malone and Smyth Kitchens and Furniture, Lunneys Furniture Sales, Corraquil Cruising, and a full range of small family run businesses including shops, accountants, pharmacy, childcare, schools, churches and sheltered housing for senior citizens..
Education
Derrylin is home to St Aidan's High School and St Ninnidh's Primary School and Kindertee Community Playgroup.
Sport
Historically Some of the First GAA clubs in Fermanagh/Cavan and Ulster were located in the Derrylin/Ballyconnell and surrounding Areas. At one stage before World War I there were as many as 5 teams in the Derrylin area itself. "Knockninney Harps" A Team that existed in the 1920s and 1930s won 2 County Senior Championships with a team that included the great McDonnell Brothers. Some time later due to mainly immigration, there was no team in Derrylin and star players such as Paddy Maguire and Sonny Gunn instead played for Lisnaskea, who were a very successful team from the 1930 through to the 1950s. Derrylin is the current homeplace of Derrylin O'Connells GAA Club which fields teams at all age groups up to adult. Currently there are eight teams registered. The club crest features a Blackbird perched on an oak leaf. A ladies football team called Knockninny Gaels is also based there. The Erne Boxing Club has its training facility in the village and the recently organised Rock Runners athletic club currently uses the facilities of the GAA Club.
Demographics
2011 Census
On Census Day the usually resident population of Derrylin Settlement was 634 accounting for 0.04% of the NI total. On Census Day 27 March 2011, in Derrylin Settlement, considering the resident population:
87.85% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic religion and 10.41% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian ' religion; and
12.62% indicated that they had a British national identity, 52.05% had an Irish national identity and 26.50% had a Northern Irish national identity.
Respondents could indicate more than one national identity On Census Day 27 March 2011, in Derrylin Settlement, considering the population aged 3 years old and over:
19.02% had some knowledge of Irish;
3.06% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots; and
11.38% did not have English as their first language.
