Pooneryn

Poonakary or Pooneryn (; ), is a strategically important village situated on the Jaffna Lagoon, directly across from the Jaffna Peninsula in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.

Situated in the Vanni region, the town was colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century and a fort was constructed in the town due to its strategic location on the Jaffna Lagoon. It was later taken and expanded by the Dutch. According to 1770 records, it was square shaped with two bastions at opposite corners. The ramparts on each of the sides were about 30 metres in length. It was garrisoned until the late 18th century. The British built a rest house there in 1805.