places of interest to visit in the area during your

Transcription

PLACES OF INTEREST
TO VISIT
IN THE AREA
DURING YOUR STAY
AT
Réamhrá
Ba mhaith liomsa, thar cheann na foirne go léir anseo in Óstán Loch Altan, fáilte mhór
mhaith a chur romhat go ceantar Ghort a’ Choirce. Ta súil agam go mbainfidh tú sult agus
sásamh, taitneamh agus tairbhe as do chuairt anseo agus go mbeidh deis agat cuairt a
thabhairt ar chuid de na háiteanna atá luaite san fhillteán seo.
Is féidir siúl chuig cuid acu agus tá cuid eile acu atá níos faide ná sin ón óstán. Tabhair faoi
deara go bhfuil treoracha tugtha ag deireadh gach píosa a thugann tuairim mhaith duit ar cá
fhad a thógann sé teacht ar na háiteanna faoi leith. Tá léarscáil den cheantar le fáil, chomh
maith, ag tosach an fhillteáin seo a bheas mar chuidiú duit nuair a bheidh tú ag pleanáil do
chuairteanna.
Má tá tuilleadh cuidithe uait, ná bíodh leisc ort ceist a chur orainn agus déanfaimid ár
ndícheall tú a chur ar an bhealach cheart. Go n-éirí do bhóthar leat.
Introduction
On behalf of all the staff here in Óstán Loch Altan, it gives me great pleasure to welcome
you to the hotel here in the village of Gortahork. I hope you enjoy your stay with us and that
you will get an opportunity to visit some of the places described in this folder.
Some of the places are quite near the hotel, even within walking distance, while others are
further afield. However, none of them are more than an hour’s drive from the hotel. If you
plan your itinerary you will be able to visit several of them on the same day, while it may,
for example, take the greater part of a day to fully enjoy a visit to Glenveagh National Park
or to the restored railway line in Fintown.
You will find a general map of the area at the front of this folder which should be of help to
you as you plan your visits. However, if you need any further help do not hesitate to ask any
of us and we will do our best to guide you along the way.
I suspect that, like many of us, you may want to visit some of the places again and again
and that it may take many trips to the area before you have visited all of them.
Be careful out there and enjoy.
Le gach dea-mhéin
Seán Mc Elwee
General Manager
Table of Contents
Map of the Area
1. Gortahork Parish Church
2. Gortahork Parish Hall
3. Coláiste Uladh
4. St Colmcille‟s Well
5. Ardsbeg Dolmen
6. Micí Mac Gabhann‟s Cottage
7. Cnoc na Naomh
8. Ballyconnell House and Estate
9. The Cloughaneely Stone
10. An tSean Bheairic - The Old Barracks
11. St Fionán‟s Church
12. Ray Churches
13. St Anne‟s Church
14. Paddy Mc Gowan and the Tree
15. Seán Ó hEochaidh, Folklorist
16. St Begley‟s Well
17. Tullaghobegley Graveyard
18. Cashelnagore Railway Station
19. The Bridge of Tears
20. Muckish Mountain
21. Errigal Mountain
22. Inisbofin
23. Tory Island
24. Dunlewey
25. Ards Forest Park and Friary
26. Bridie Gallagher
27. Noreen Bawn
28. The Workhouse, Dunfanaghy
29. The Gallery, Dunfanaghy
30. Horn Head
31. Glenveagh National Park and Castle
32. Gartan
33. Glebe House and Gallery
34. Doe Castle
35. Lackagh Bridge
36. Owencarrow Viaduct
37. The Rock of Doon and Doon Well
38. The Daniel O Donnell Visitor Centre, Dungloe
39. Teach Leo
40. Fintown Railway Restoration Project
41. Arranmore Island
1. Eaglais Chríost Rí, Gort a’ Choirce
The Church of Christ the King, Gortahork
The first Roman Catholic Church in
Gortahork, St Mary‟s, was erected in
1786 by Fr. Coyle, beside the
graveyard. It had a thatched roof
and was opened by Most Rev. Dr.
Coyle, Bishop of Raphoe. It is said
that the church had a chimney so
that the English soldiers would not
identify it as a Catholic place of
worship.
The thatch was replaced with slates
by Fr. James Mc Fadden in 1847 and
in 1867 a sacristy, a sanctuary and
three galleries were installed to accommodate the increasing Catholic population of
Gortahork. The church was re-opened in by the Bishop in 1868, with five thousand
people in attendance. It was completely renovated by Fr. John Boyle in 1916.
Work began in 1950 on building the present Church of Christ the King, Eaglais
Chríost Rí, and it was blessed and opened by the Most Rev. Dr. Mc Neely in 1953.
The old St. Mary‟s Church was demolished in the same year and the site now
forms part of the graveyard.
There are three churches and four schools in the parish which has a Catholic
population of about 2000 parishioners. The current parish priest is Fr Seán
Gallagher, who lives in the parochial house which is built at the back of the church
here in Gortahork. The islands of Inisbofin and Tory are also in the parish of
Gortahork. St Mary‟s Oratory is on Inisbofin while the people of Tory attend Mass
at the Church of St Colmcille. Fr Kieran Creagh is currently ministering on Tory.
The Mass times in the parish church beside the hotel are as follows:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 7.00 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: 10.00 a.m.
Saturday: 11.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m.
Sunday: 9.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m.
This gives a total of nine Masses per week not to mention the large number of
funeral and wedding masses. Fr Gallagher is also chairperson of the four schools
in the parish. Add that to his many other pastoral duties to a flock of two thousand
parishioners and you will have some idea of his huge workload.
2. Gortahork Parish Hall – Halla na Paróiste
This hall was built mostly by local voluntary workers on a site donated by Tom
Cannon and was officially opened in July 1910. It was built to cater for the needs
of the parishioners but the primary motivation was to accommodate the growing
number of students who were attending Irish language courses in Coláiste Uladh.
Coláiste Uladh was established in 1906 in a private house in nearby Ardsbeg but
needed more space for the
classes which were held during
the summer months. Sir Roger
Casement, who was a pupil and
a keen supporter of the college,
gave a donation of eighty
pounds to the building fund. In
a letter addressed to the
Chairman of the Building
Committee he stated, “My
subscription of £80 towards the
Building Fund of the New Hall is
a personal gift to the people of
Cloughaneely”.
The hall
continued to be used by the students of Colaiste Uladh until a new college building
was officially opened in 1968 by the President of Ireland, Eamonn De Valera.
On 18 November 1920 the hall was burned to the ground by the Black and Tans.
Here is an account as published in the Derry Journal on 26 November, just eight
days after the burning:
“As briefly reported in the Derry Journal of last Friday (19 November), the Irish
College at Cloughaneely and the co-operative stores adjoining were destroyed by
fire early on Thursday morning. The previous morning uniformed men smashed in
to the college, broke the windows, piled tables and chairs in a heap and set them
on fire. They then left and residents in the district succeeded in extinguishing the
flames. The forces next proceeded to Gortahork Village, half a mile off, and raided
a number of houses and Mc Fadden‟s Hotel. In the hotel they tore down from the
wall a photograph of Terence Mc Swiney, the late Lord Mayor of Cork. Before
leaving, a raider remarked that they would be back again at midnight. Fearing that
this would be put in to execution many people in the district remained out of bed
until daybreak.
At 2 a.m. a heavy motor lorry stopped for some time in the village and the
occupants proceeded towards the college. Some time later the college and the cooperative stores were seen to be on fire, a strong wind fanning the flames and at
daybreak the two buildings were found completely destroyed”.
The following message was sent to Canon Boyle P.P., Cloughaneely by Una O
Farrelly, President of Coláiste Uladh:
“My deep sympathy to you and to the people of the parish on the destruction of the
fine Hall and the Co-operative store. The loss of the Parish Hall to the people of
Cloughaneely means the loss of a habitation to the Ulster College of Irish during
the summer months.
Fools can pull down houses built by the patient toil of wiser men, but they cannot
lay hands on the mind of a people. The work of the Ulster College of Irish will go
on, God willing, with or without a shelter, for, if need be, the classes will be held in
the open air during the coming months”.
This plaque can be seen on the front of the hall
and translated reads as follows.
”Cloughaneely Centre. Built in1910 and rebuilt in
1923, having been destroyed by the English.”
The Parish Hall was closed for refurbishment in
2006. After a major facelift and extensive
renovations, costing nearly one million euro, it
was officially reopened by Eamonn De Valera‟s
grandson, Eamonn O Cuiv T.D., Minister for the
Gaeltacht, in July 2009, in time to coincide with the centenary celebrations of its
first opening in 1909.
Today, it continues to be used by the people of this parish and is also made
available to other groups who come to spend time in the area. It is appropriate and
fitting that it has a particular welcome for students and teachers of the Irish
language, which was the primary motivation for building the first hall in 1910.
Directions: As you leave the front door of the hotel turn right and walk across the
road and follow the footpath down past the supermarket and the post office and
take a left turn when you see the signpost for An Bhealtaine. After about 200
metres you will reach the Parish Hall on your right.
Total distance: 1 kilometre/½ mile
3. Coláiste Uladh
Coláiste Uladh was founded in 1906 in a two storey house, owned by Anton Ferry,
in Ardsbeg. It was the first Irish college in Ulster and the second in Ireland after
Coláiste na Mumhan in Cork and was under the patronage of the Gaelic League.
The college was transferred to the new Parochial Hall in Gortahork in 1909 and
continued there until the hall
was burned down by the Black
and Tans on 17 November
1920. Classes were then held
in the old Court House in
Falcarragh until the parochial
hall was repaired in 1923. A
new college was built and
Eamonn De Valera officially
opened the building in 1968, on
a three acre site about a half a
mile from the village, and quite
near the Parochial Hall. It was
still in existence up to 2012
when students came there every summer to improve their Irish. Sadly, the building
is now lying idle and is in need of refurbishment
Mary Robinson, while President
of
Ireland,
unveiled
a
commemorative plaque in 1995
at Anton Ferry‟s house in
Ardsbeg, the site of the original
Coláiste Uladh. Among the
famous people who attended
the college were Pádraig
Pearse, Roger Casement and
Joseph Mary Plunkett, all of
whom were executed for their
part in the 1916 Easter Rising
in Dublin.
Directions: Leaving from the back car park of the hotel take a right turn along the
main N56. Follow the road for about 1 kilometre before taking a right turn at the fork
in the road. You are now on the R257. Follow this road for a further 600 metres
and Anton Ferry‟s house can be seen on the left hand side of the road. The plaque
unveiled by Mary Robinson in 1995 can be seen above the door.
Total distance: 2 kilometres/1 mile approximately
The New Coláiste Uladh
As you leave the front door of the
hotel turn right and walk across the
road and follow the footpath down
past the supermarket and the post
office and take a left turn when you
see the signpost for An Bhealtaine.
After about 200 metres you will
reach the Parish Hall on your right.
Coláiste Uladh used this building
from 1923-1968. The entrance to the
current purpose built college is just
past the Parish Hall on the same
side of the road. The gates are
currently closed but, hopefully, it will soon open again to receive students who wish
to improve their Irish language ability, as it did for over a hundred years.
Total distance: 1 kilometre/ ½ mile
4. Saint Colmcille’s Well (Tobar Cholm Cille)
Wells, many of which are considered to be sacred, are to be found all over Ireland.
Early Christians took over and renamed pagan wells and many of them are reputed
to be a source of curative waters. One such well is St. Colmcille‟s Well, which is
situated quite close to Óstán Loch Altan in the townland of Ardsbeg. It is a stone
built rectangular well and beside it is a stone altar. It is thought that Colmcille often
prayed at this well and there is an annual pilgrimage to the well to mark St.
Colmcille‟s feast day, which falls on 9 June. The local parish priest recites the
rosary
and
everybody
in
attendance joins the Coyle family,
on whose land the well is located,
for a cup of tea and a chat
afterwards. This is a lovely old
tradition which continues to be
practised year after year. The
people of this area owe a debt of
gratitude to the Coyle family for
preserving and maintaining this
ancient, sacred well.
If you would like to visit the well
you should call first to the Coyle household to ask for permission to walk the short
distance from the house down to the well.
main N56. Follow the road for about 1km before taking a right turn at the fork in the
road. You are now on the R257. Follow this scenic but narrow road for
approximately 700 metres and take the first turn on your right, signposted L5073.
Approximately 500 metres along this very narrow road you will reach Coyle‟s
bungalow. You are now on private property and you are asked to knock at the front
door to ask permission to visit the well, which is situated in a field beyond the
bungalow overlooking Ballyness Bay.
Total distance: 2 kilometres/1 mile
5. Ardsbeg Dolmen
The more correct name for dolmens is
portal tombs. There are about 200 such
monuments in Ireland and we have one
quite close to the hotel here in the
townland of Ardsbeg. Portal tombs are
said to be dated to about 4000-3000
B.C., so the one in Ardsbeg is probably
more than 5000 years old, much older
than the Pyramids of Egypt.
All dolmens have a range of common
features which include the, “capstone”
or the “flagstone” which forms the roof of the chamber, the “portal” stones (usually
two of them) which form the entrance to the tomb and very often there is a
“blocking” stone which is placed across the entrance. The capstone is usually tilted
at an angle so that the highest point is above the entrance.
The dolmen in Ardsbeg is not in great shape at the moment as the chamber wall
has collapsed under the weight of the 4 metre long capstone. It is situated behind a
bungalow but the owner of the house is very amenable to allowing visitors around
the back of the house to see and take photographs of the monument.
Academics are very critical of Donegal County Council for giving permission to
build a house so close to this ancient monument and are aggrieved that the
monument has been tampered with over the years. However, it is still worth a visit
but you must get permission from the owner of the house, in whose back garden
the monument is located, before you go around to have a look.
main N56. Follow the road for about 1km before taking a right turn at the fork in the
road. You are now on the R257. Follow this scenic but narrow road for
approximately 700 metres and take the second turn on your right, signposted the
L50736. Approximately 200 metres along this very narrow road you will reach John
Mc Gonagle‟s bungalow behind which the dolmen is situated. You are now on
private property and you are asked to knock at the front door to ask permission to
view the dolmen.
Total distance: 2 kilometres/1 mile
6. Micí Mac Gabhann’s Cottage
Micí Mac Gabhann was born in 1865 in
the townland of Magheroarty about a mile
from the village of Gortahork.
The
thatched cottage where he was raised has
been preserved and renovated and is on
the main route from Gortahork to the pier
in Magheroarty. It is known locally as
Teach Thomáis. He was the eldest of a
family of twelve and, from the age of nine,
he was hired for six consecutive summers
at the hiring fairs in Letterkenny, to work
on the rich farms in east Donegal.
At fifteen he went as a labourer to
Scotland and in 1885, at the age of
twenty, he headed off to the United States
and worked his way across the country in
steel mills and in the mines as far west as Montana. He took part in the Klondike
gold rush in 1896-99 and was one of the 4000 or so who struck gold. While home
on holiday in 1901, he met Annie Dixon, fell in love and they were married in 1903.
He bought a farm with the proceeds of his gold prospecting in the Yukon and built a
very fine slated house in the townland of Cashel which is distinguishable today by
the entrance, whose arch is that of a massive whale bone that was washed ashore
on the beach at Magheroarty.
His
story
was
later
transmitted orally to his sonin-law Seán O hEochaidh,
the internationally famous
folklorist, and was published
as “Rotha Mór an tSaoil” in
1959, eleven years after his
death in 1948. This book
recounts his life story, giving
details of his school days,
his search for work on the
farms of east Donegal and
Scotland and his travels in
America, in particular, his gold prospecting days in the Yukon in Alaska. It was
translated into English by Valentin Iremonger in 1973 as “The Hard Road to
Klondike”
Orpen Press published a book entitled, “Footprints across America” in 2013 where
the author, Michael Mc Monagle from Mountcharles, undertook an epic journey to
follow in the footsteps of Micí Mac Gabhann across the Great Plains of the U.S.
Appropriately, his journey began by bicycle from the emigrants Bridge of Tears in
the Muckish Gap. He travelled much of the journey on foot and cycled the final
stage of the journey to Klondike. It makes for fascinating reading and can be
bought online from Orpen Press.
in the road. You are now on the R257. Follow this scenic coastal road for
approximately 2.5 kilometres passing a narrow, winding bridge and the old restored
cottage will come into view on your left as you climb up a fairly steep incline. The
local committee with responsibility for the upkeep of this old homestead received a
grant in 2014 and commissioned a builder who brought the building to its current
high level of repair and restoration.
Total distance: 3.5 kilometres/2 miles
7. Cnoc na Naomh
Cnoc na Naomh, (Hill of the Saints), overlooks Magheroarty and offers excellent
views of the surrounding countryside to include Magheroarty Beach, Muckish and
Errigal mountains and the islands of Inisbofin, Inisdooey and Tory. It is named
after four saints, St Colmcille, St Fionán, St Begley and St Dubhthach, who lived in
the sixth century and are closely associated with this area.
Tradition has it that when the people of the mainland had been converted to
Catholicism the four saints climbed to the top of Cnoc na Naomh to settle the
argument as to which of them would have the honour of converting the people of
Tory, the last pagan outpost in the area. The island at that time was ruled by
Fomorians and Druids. To settle the argument the saints agreed that whoever
could throw his crozier
from Cnoc
na Naomh to Tory would
be
the
privileged one.
St Fionán was the first to
crozier saying:
throw
his
”With my own help and
God my crozier will go to
the help of
Tory.”
However,
the
wind
and it landed east of
Falcarragh in Ray, where
subsequently built his
caught
it
he
church.
St
Begley
and
St
Dubhthach next threw their croziers. They both invoked divine assistance with the
same words as St Fionán. However, their prayers were not answered. St Begley‟s
crozier fell south of Falcarragh in the townland of Ballintemple. He built a church
there and it was called Tullaghobegley.
St Dubhthach‟s crozier went in the
direction of Tory but fell short and landed on the little island of Inishdoey, north of
Inishbofin, where he later built his monastery.
St Colmcille‟s request for help was more reverential. He stepped forward, steadied
himself and shouted:
”With the help of God and my own help my crozier will go to Tory.”
The crozier sailed through the air and landed on Tory and Colmcille was chosen to
convert the islanders.
A commemorative cross was erected on Cnoc na Naomh in 1994. There are
Stations of the Cross also along the path to the top of the hill and the priest from
the parish of Gortahork celebrates Mass there several times a year.
On the way you will also pass a grotto erected by the people of the parish in honour
of Our Lady. In the area in front of the grotto fifteen small stone plaques have been
erected, each bearing the name of one of the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. This
site is named,”An Paidrín” which is the Irish word for the Rosary
in the road. You are now on the R257. Follow this scenic coastal road for
approximately 4 kilometres when Machaire Uí Rabhartaigh pier and beach will
become visible. After about a further 1.5 kilometres you will come to a pub called,
“Dixon‟s”. You can drive up the little road to the right hand side of the pub, or walk if
you wish, a distance of about 1.5 kilometres to the top of Cnoc na Naomh. The
road surface disimproves after about 600 metres and it is advisable to park the car
and to walk the final 900 metres.
You will need your walking boots as the path is of rough gravel although it is quite
dry for the most part apart from the odd pothole. Along the way you will pass the
grotto and the area dedicated to the rosary before arriving at the first station of the
cross. As you walk upwards you will pass the fourteen stone-built stations and the
cross and the altar at the top of the hill will come into view. The path does not lead
to the very top of the hill. You will need to do some hill walking for the final 100
metres or so if you want to reach the cross and the stone altar,
Apart from the sanctity of the hill there are also great views of Errigal, Muckish,
Inisbofin and Tory from this high vantage point. Don‟t forget to bring your camera.
8. Ballyconnell House and Estate
This fine 18th century house stands in the middle of a wooded park of five hundred
acres about a quarter of a mile from Falcarragh. It is the former residence of the
Olpherts, a landowning family of Dutch extraction, who first bought land in this area
in the year 1633. At one stage their estate encompassed some 18 000 acres.
They were the main landlords in the area up to 1921.
Initially, the Olpherts lived in a
house known as Ballyness
Manor, at the mouth of the
Tullaghobegley River and they
had a small army called the
Ballyness Manor Infantry. It is
believed that they built
Ballyconnell House around
1763 and it was further
improved and extended by the
year 1840 when about ten
thousand pounds was spent on the house and gardens. The Olphert motto, “Dum
Spiro Spero” (While I breathe I hope), is still legible over the front door.
The Olpherts helped the people of the area with imported grain and local works
during the Famine but they became unpopular in later times and their tenants
boycotted them during the Land War of the 1880s. A notable exception was John
Olphert, who was born in the year 1844. By all accounts he was liked and
respected by all his tenants and he treated them fairly. When he married he came
by carriage to Ballyconnell and bonfires were lit from Muckish Gap to Ballyconnell
to welcome the newlyweds. He took a keen interest in Gaelic and he and his wife
often attended céilís in the Irish College in Gortahork. He died in 1917 and is
buried in Ballyconnell. The inscription on his tombstone reads:
In memory. Sir John Olphert. Died March 11th 1917.
Buried by his own wish in this garden among his flowers.
The grave measures 24 feet by 48 feet and is surrounded by an iron fence four feet
high with an entrance gate.
After Sir John‟s death his two sisters-in-law ran the estate until the beginning of the
War of Independence. The house was occupied by the IRA in 1921 and by the
Free State Army in 1922. The estate, comprising 15 611 acres, was bought by the
Congested Districts Board in 1917 for £20 620, and the house was bought by the
Irish Government in 1926 for £7000. It was offered to the Loreto Nuns as a
preparatory college for girls wishing to become primary teachers
A new chapel, dormitories and classrooms were added to the building. The Loreto
nuns remained there until 1961 when it was bought by the Diocese of Raphoe.
Renamed Holy Cross College in 1965 it reopened as a boarding school for boys,
and remained open until 1986. It was bought by Údarás na Gaeltachta in 1987 and
still remains in the possession of this authority which has responsibility for the
development of the Gaeltacht areas.
This grand old house is now in a state of serious disrepair and makes for sad and
depressing viewing but it is worth a visit to see the setting and the grounds even
though it is only a shadow of its former self.
There is also a nine hole golf course running through the grounds which is
maintained by a local committee.
Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left towards
Falcarragh. In the middle of the town take the left turn at the crossroads and drive
along that road for about 900 metres. At a bend in the road follow the narrow road
straight ahead keeping the Cloughaneely GAA pitch on your right. Drive slowly
along this narrow entrance with trees on either side for about 500 metres and you
will soon reach the house.
Total distance: 5 kilometres/3 miles
9. The Cloughaneely Stone
Balor, the mythological king of Tory, was widely known as Balor of the Evil Eye. He
stole a prized cow from Cen Faelad, (translates as wolf-headed), who was a
chieftain living in this area. The chieftain resolved to kill Balor but his druid told him
that Balor could only be killed by the hand of Balor‟s own grandson. Balor, aware
that his enemy knew his weakness, kept his only daughter Eithne locked under
close guard in a tower on the eastern end of Tory. Cen Faelad, assisted by his
banshee and disguised as a noble lady, succeeded in gaining entry to the tower
and when he revealed himself to Eithne she immediately fell in love with him.
Nature took its course and when Cen Faelad returned to the mainland he left
Eithne with child. She gave birth to male triplets but when Balor found out that his
security had been breached he ordered that the children be drowned. One of the
children survived and was fostered by his uncle, Gavida, the blacksmith brother of
Cen Faelad.
Balor, outraged by Cen Faelad‟s plan to kill him,
went to the mainland and seized Cen Faelad and
laying his head across a large white stone he
severed it with one blow of his sword. A red stain,
said to be Cen Faelad‟s blood, can still be seen on
the white stone which is called Cloch Cheann Fhaola
(The Stone of the Head of Cen Faelad) or the
Cloughaneely Stone. The stone weighs a ton and a
half and in 1774 Wybrants Olphert of Ballyconnell
House, with the help of a party of Royal Navy
sailors, managed to raise the Cloughaneely stone on
to a sixteen foot high pillar. The inscription on the
stone read,
“Clog-an-Neely. Erected 1774 by Wybrants Olphert
and Sarah, his wife.”
This is the stone that gave this area its name. It is well worth a visit.
Falcarragh. In the middle of Falcarragh take the left turn at the crossroads and
drive along that road for about 300 metres. At a bend in the road take a right turn at
the Cloughaneely GAA pitch. Drive around the perimeter wall of this pitch and you
will soon see the Cloughaneely Stone in an enclosed area on the right hand side of
the road.
10. An tSean Bheairic - The Old Barracks, Falcarragh
It is recorded in the Register of Deeds, that on 9 October 1891, Sir Andrew Reed of
Dublin Castle, the Receiver General for the R.I.C. in Ireland, was granted a site for
the location of a police barracks in Falcarragh by Wybrants Olphert, a landlord who
was living in Ballyconnell House here in
Falcarragh. After the transfer of deeds, a
series of drawings was prepared which
included accommodation for a head
constable, quarters for three married
constables and an upstairs dormitory for
seven single constables.
Building commenced in 1891 with Robert
Colhoune as the building contractor and
the barracks was completed in eighteen
months. Patrick Barrett was the first R.I.C. constable to take up residence as Head
Constable.
In June 1904, Lord Dudley, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, toured Donegal. He was
on a fact finding mission for his wife which involved the inspection of the Congested
District Board Areas. Countess Dudley had established a charity which aimed to
supply nurses to the poorer areas along the western seaboard. On 1 July 1904, his
convoy arrived in Falcarragh where they were welcomed by Sir John Olphert and
the R.I.C. Officers. The sequence of events is reported in the following extract from
the Londonderry Sentinel, on Tuesday 5 July 1904:
On Sunday at 1.30 pm, his Excellency and the party accompanying him motored
through the historic village of Falcarragh after a speedy run from The Gweedore
Hotel. They proceeded to Ballyconnell House, the residence of Sir John Olphert,
where luncheon was in readiness. The R.I.C. Barracks and the Coastguard Station
were gaily decorated with flags bearing appropriate mottos and bright bunting.
Ballyconnell House and the approaches thereto were elaborately decorated with
flags and emblems for a hearty welcome. Along the road from Gweedore there
were many manifestations of delight accentuated with hearty cheers as his
Excellency passed through.
His Excellency and the party left Ballyconnell House at 4.30pm for the Rosapenna
Hotel. Before leaving his Excellency expressed his delight with the grandeur of the
scenery of North West Donegal, and the great pleasure it gave him to visit the
various districts through which he had passed and the warm cordiality of the
welcome he had received on all sides during the tour. His Excellency, while deeply
interested in the various representations made to him at different points and in the
lovely scenery, is more particularly concerned, at present, with the administration of
the Countess of Dudley‟s fund for the supply of nurses for the poor of the very
congested districts.
appointed.
Already ten have been allocated and two more are to be
On 20 February 1922 the R.I.C. was disbanded and replaced by The Civic Guards,
the new police force of the Irish Republic. Later, on 8 August 1923, the force was
renamed the Garda Síochána.
On 30 September 1922, the first fifty unarmed Civic Guards arrived in Donegal.
Among them were Pat Dillon from County Clare and Terence Shiels from County
Offaly. They were the first Civic Guards to be appointed to the R.I.C. Barracks in
Falcarragh.
The Patrol Notebook in the barracks had to be filled in every day. It was necessary
to account for the area surveyed and the incidents observed. The monitoring of the
Gardaí was recorded in the Station Diary. The Sergeant had to report whether or
not his Gardaí attended weekly Mass. A compulsory roll call was taken every night
by a senior Garda. Each Garda was only entitled to six hours leave from the
barracks every month to attend dances. To be granted leave it was necessary to
make an application to the Superintendant‟s Office in Letterkenny and to give
details of the reason for seeking leave.
Today the Sean Bheairic is the focal point of the community for information on
activities in the local area and has a wealth of information and artefacts relating to
aspects of Irish language, culture, heritage, history and how our ancestors lived.
There are permanent exhibits detailing the history and culture of the barracks, the
history of the R.I.C., the traditional way of life which existed in the Falcarragh
Gaeltacht and a Tourist Information Centre providing leaflets and maps as well as
details of all the attractions and activities in North West Donegal. Internet and
printing facilities are also available.
The Sean Bheairic also houses a craft shop and a coffee shop.
For further information log on to www.falcarraghvisitorcentre.com or call 074 91
80655
Directions: Leaving from the front door of the hotel turn left towards Falcarragh.
Continue on through the crossroads in the middle of the town for a further 200
metres until you reach the old restored barracks building on the left hand side of
the road.
Total distance: 4 kilometres/2.5 miles
11. St. Fionán’s Church, Falcarragh
St. Fionán‟s Church in Falcarragh was built in 1879. There are many stories about
how the site for this church was acquired. The local landlord, Wybrants Olphert
would not allow any landowner to give or sell a site for a Catholic church. The
Reverend James Mc Fadden P.P., Glena, pleaded many times with Olphert to have
mercy on his parishioners who had to walk, many of them barefoot, all the way to
Gortahork to go to Mass. The story told in the area describes how the landlord and
the priest met face to face in Falcarragh and the heated argument that ensued. A
crowd gathered around the open carriage in which Olphert and his wife were
seated. The landlord instructed the coachman, Mr. Williamson to drive out of the
village as fast as possible but despite the coachman‟s urgings the horses would not
move on. Finally, Mrs. Olphert begged her husband to ask the priest‟s forgiveness
and when he did so the horses trotted out of the village. The following day Mrs.
Olphert called on the Reverend Mc Fadden and informed him that a site for a
church and a school would be provided in Falcarragh. Daniel Sweeney, Olphert‟s
land agent, gave a plot of ground, free of charge, to Reverend Mc Fadden.
The foundation stone was laid in 1878 and the work was completed in 1879.
Because of partial famine and evictions, the church did not open until 1882 and by
then there were signs of damage to the walls due to dampness. The cost of
building the church was approximately three thousand pounds and was paid for by
the local community despite the great hardship they were suffering at the time. The
church was renovated by Fr. Boyle in 1910.
In 1982 Bishop Seamus Hegarty consecrated the new Church of St. Fionán in
Falcarragh and divided the parish of Cloughaneely into the present parishes of
Falcarragh and Gortahork. The new church was built on the original site as the old
church had been demolished a few years previously.
Continue on through the crossroads in the middle of the town for a further 300
metres until you reach the church on the right hand side of the road. The national
school and the graveyard are on the opposite side of the road
Total distance: 4kilometres/2.5 miles
12. Old Ray (Raymunterdoney) Church
According to local tradition, the first church at Ray was built in the sixth century by
St Fionán, a contemporary and a relative of St Colmcille. A church survived there
until the seventeenth century when it was destroyed by a platoon of Cromwellian
soldiers, under the command of Captain Cunningham, the ruler of Doe Castle. The
massacre at Ray, as it was called, took place one Sunday morning when the little
church was packed to the doors. It is believed that the bishop of the diocese was
present to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation and that accounted for the
large congregation. The soldiers burst through the door and everyone, including
the clergy was put to the sword. One man escaped through the window but the
soldiers caught up with him in the townland of Killult and he was slain as he recited
the Act of Contrition. The bodies of the victims of the massacre at Ray were buried
close to the church at a place called Lag na gCnámh or the “Resting Place of the
Bones”
In the ruins of Ray Church there now stands
Colmcille‟s Cross. Tradition has it that the cross
was sculpted from a solid rock quarried in
Muckish Mountain and was originally intended
for
Tory Island. Colmcille presented it to St Fionán
for
safely retrieving his breviary which he had left
behind him in the quarry in Muckish. The cross
was knocked down in a storm in about 1750 and
it
lay broken in the graveyard until it was repaired
by
the Office of Public Works in the 1970s. Two
broad metal strips were used to secure the cross
in
one piece and it was re-erected inside the
church. The cross has several unique features and the nearest equivalent is the
later St John‟s Cross on Iona. It stands about 21 feet tall and measures about 7
feet in breadth. The outline of the cross can still be seen where it lay in the
graveyard.
This church continued to be used by the Church of Ireland until the early nineteenth
century. Many members of the Olphert landlord family of Ballyconnell House are
buried there.
St Paul’s Church Raymunterdoney
The new church in Ray, St Paul‟s,
was built in 1803 on a site donated
by the Reverend John Ellison. A
grant of five hundred pounds was
obtained from the Board of First
Fruits.
The
church
was
consecrated on 22 May 1828 and it
was extended in 1864 when a new
aisle was added on the northern
side. Today the rector is based in
Dunfanaghy. This church is one of
two in the parish of Tullaghobegley.
Holy Communion is celebrated in nearby St Anne‟s Church on the fourth Sunday of
each month and in this church on all other Sundays. By the way, Tory Island is
also part of this parish.
Falcarragh and continue straight towards Dunfanaghy. About 3km past Falcarragh
the church will come in to view on the left hand side of the road. You need to drive
slowly as the church is partly hidden in the trees. You can park at the church gate
which is not locked. You are free to walk around the church and look at the old
gravestones. The church is only open when there are services.
When you leave this church and drive towards Dunfanaghy you will see the
signpost for the old Ray Church after about 500 metres also on the left hand side.
You are advised to leave the car at the entrance and walk the short distance in to
see the ruins and the famous St Colmcille‟s Cross.
Total Distance: 6.5 kilometres/4 miles
13. St Anne’s Church, Killult
St Anne‟s Church in Killult was built in 1792 and consecrated in 1820. The roof
collapsed in 1834 and was replaced in 1840 costing the princely sum of six
hundred and nineteen pounds, eleven shillings and four pence. A vestry was
added in 1886. The rector lived near Smullen‟s Corner in a house called,”Ard na
Droighin”. Today the rector is based in Dunfanaghy. Holy Communion for the
parish of Tullaghobegley is celebrated in this church on the fourth Sunday of each
month and in nearby St Paul‟s Raymunterdoney on all other Sundays. By the way,
Tory Island is also part of this parish and the famous Tau Cross, which has
survived on the island, is replicated behind the Communion Table
The Royal Navy gunboat,
“HMS Wasp” was wrecked
off the coast of Tory Island
on the 22 September
1884 and all but six of the
fifty six crew members
drowned. Most of the
bodies were never found
and eight of them were
washed ashore as late as
December but it was not
possible for them to be
identified. In 1900 a
monument was erected in the graveyard in memory of the sailors who were buried
when their bodies were washed ashore. The inscription reads:
”Wasp 1884.Thomas Bosworthick, Albert Stiles, Frederick W. Frost
and five others – names unknown. 22 September 1884.
Beside them are also laid to rest the bodies of other sailors, both English and
German, which were washed ashore during the Second World War.
A visit to this church and its grounds could be part of a pleasant walk from the hotel
along a very picturesque road through the townland of Killult, offering panoramic
views of Ballyness Bay, Magheroarty and Tory Island where the Wasp crashed on
to the rocks that fateful night in 1884.
Directions: Leaving by the front door of Óstán Loch Altan, turn left and walk along
the main road towards Falcarragh. After 400 metres, a path will rise sharply on your
right which will be signposted „Cill Ulta‟. This is a fairly strenuous walk with a very
steep climb but it will afford excellent views, particularly of Tory Island. There are
some very fine houses all along this route. After less than 2 kilometres St. Anne‟s
church will be visible on your left.
14. Paddy Mc Gowan and the Tree
Paddy McGowan was born in 1923 and lived all his life in the townland of Keeldrum
near the village of Gortahork, until his death in 2013 at the ripe old age of 90.
The sycamore tree in the front garden of
Paddy‟s house represents a very poignant
part of the McGowan family history.
Paddy‟s uncle, John McGowan, left
Gortahork in 1914 to join the British Army.
The eighteen year old was sent to the
Dardanelles where he suffered an injury to
his hand. Having recuperated, he came
home for a brief holiday before being
posted to the Somme in 1916. Before he
left Gortahork in April of that year, he
planted a sycamore sapling in front of his
house in Keeldrum, so that if he did not
return he would never be forgotten by his family. Sadly, he was fatally wounded
during the Battle of the Somme and died some months later.
Dinny McGinley, Minister for the Gaeltacht at the time, visited Paddy McGowan
before he travelled, as a Government representative, to the Battle of the Somme
commemorations in France in late June 2013. Paddy asked Dinny if he would try
to locate his uncle John‟s final resting place and to bring a branch of the sycamore
tree to place on the grave. Dinny travelled to Étaples Military Cemetery in Pas de
Calais and found the grave of, “5169 Private J Mc Gowan, Royal Munster Fusilier”
who died on 2 August 1916, where he placed the branch of the sycamore tree. On
his return he informed Paddy that he was successful in tracing the spot where his
uncle was laid to rest.
main N56. Follow the road for 3 kilometres before taking a concealed right turn and
climbing up a very steep narrow road between a cluster of houses. Keep climbing
for about 200 metres and you will soon see the famous sycamore tree to your right
in front of Paddy Mc Gowan‟s old homestead. Apart from the tree there are great
views of Errigal and Tory from this high vantage point. Don‟t forget to bring your
camera.
15. Seán Ó hEochaidh, Folklorist
(9 February 1913 – 18 January 2002)
Seán Ó hEochaidh, a native of Teelin, County Donegal, following an elementary
education, worked as a fisherman in his youth. From an early age he had a keen
interest in the speech, customs and folk tales of his native Donegal and he made a
written record of the stories told by the old people in his locality. At the age of
twenty two he was appointed full time folklore collector for the Gaeltacht area of
Donegal by James Delargy, of the newly established Irish Folklore Commission.
Ó hEochaidh recorded stories and songs on wax
cylinders and he painstakingly transcribed them at
night in his meticulous handwriting. He once
estimated that he had recorded at least one
thousand five hundred people as he carried his
recording machine on his back along remote
mountain tracks to the homes of his interviewees.
He often used his fine storytelling talent to
persuade reluctant or shy individuals, who were
suspicious of his recording machine, to tell their
stories.
Ó hEochaidh interviewed some of the best of the
old-time Irish storytellers. He once noted that the
language of Donegal was an unending variation on simple themes, like a great
composer writing a symphony with light and shade. In his obituary in The Guardian
newspaper, his collection was referred as “the largest collection of Irish folklore
ever compiled by one individual”.
He was, briefly, a guest lecturer in the Celtic Department at Queen‟s University,
Belfast. He joined the Department of Irish Folklore at University College Dublin
when the Irish Folklore Commission was dissolved in 1971.
Seán Ó hEochaidh was married to Anna Nic Gabhann, whose father, Micí Mac
Gabhann‟s story is told in Rotha Mór an tSaoil. Mac Gabhann struck gold in
Klondike and subsequently built a house in Gortahork. In 1973 Ó hEochaidh
played a major part in the publication of “The Hard Road to Klondike”, the
translation of Rotha Mór an tSaoil by Valentin Iremonger.
He also produced
Síscéalta Ó Thír Chonaill (“Fairy Legends from Donegal”) in 1978 with Máire Mac
Néill and Séamus Ó Catháin.
Very highly regarded by folklore scholars worldwide, Seán Ó hEochaidh received
an honorary doctorate in Celtic Literature from University College, Galway in 1988.
The following year he was elected President of the Oireachtas, the Gaelic Cultural
Festival, which was held in Glencolmcille in 1989, and was awarded the Donegal
Person of the Year Award by The Donegal Association in 1995.
When he married he built the bungalow beside the Post Office here in Gortahork
and lived there while his wife, Annie, was in charge of the post office next door. The
couple had no children and when Annie became ill she retired and they went to live
in her parents‟ home in Cashel, which her father built on his return from Klondike in
1902. She died in 1996.
Seán Ó hEochaidh died in 2002 at the age of 88 years and is buried in Grave
Number 2 in the new section of the graveyard which can be accessed via the road
opposite the hotel.
16. Saint Begley’s Well - Tobar na bhFáithní
There are very few hard facts about our early saints but the limited information
available tells us that St. Begley (Beaglaoch) lived in the sixth century. He
flourished at the same time as Colmcille and had a loyal following as he set about
spreading the faith in Donegal.
He often disagreed with his contemporaries as he tried to convert the people of
Donegal from their indigenous pagan beliefs, to Christianity.
He had a
disagreement with a local chief who fought long and hard against Beaglaoch and
the Gospel. Beaglaoch was very eager to convert this chief as he believed many
others would follow the chief‟s example and convert, if he did so.
One day Beaglaoch was coming over Gortahork hill when he heard the hunt
coming after him. It was the chief and his followers and Beaglaoch fled fearing for
his life. He ran until he could run no more and he could hear his enemies gaining
on him. There was no escape. He fell to his knees on a rock that was in his path
and prayed to God to come to his
aid. He took off his black hood and
wrapped it around his body.
Suddenly, all was dark as night.
The chief and his men were
confused and frightened. Beaglaoc
was miraculously saved from certain
death. He had succeeded in what
he set out to do and the chief
converted to Christianity.
The rock that Beaglaoch is reputed
to have knelt on has the prints of his
knees hollowed in the stone. The rock is called “Cloch na bhFáithní”, or the Wart
Stone, as the water that gathers in the knee holes, and supposedly never dries up,
was used as a cure for warts. People used to travel for miles to drink a sip of this
water which they also believed would protect them from violent death and shield
them from their enemies.
Beaglaoch founded a church in Tullaghobegley on a site that is said to have been a
pre-Christian place of worship. The remains of the church and graveyard can be
seen to this day.
There is an image of Saint Beaglaoch in stain glass to be seen in Saint Finian‟s
Church in Falcarragh.
The walk to the top of Gortahork Hill, where this stone is located, is quite arduous
and involves a very challenging and steep climb. You will need to wear a pair of
sturdy walking boots and also bring your walking stick if you have one. The ground
is fairly level and quite dry most of the way but you need to be prepared for the
long, steady climb to the top.
Directions: Leaving from the front door of the hotel walk across the main road and
follow the path to the graveyard which runs between Teach Bhillie and Teach
Mhaggie Dan. When you reach the graveyard take the path that skirts along the
right hand side and continue the climb until you reach the shed near the top of this
very well maintained parish burial ground. Even though you are walking on a very
good tarmac surface at this point, you will probably need to take a few breathers
along the way as you are already beginning the ascent.
Slightly to the left of the shed you should see where the gravel path begins. Follow
this path as it winds its way across to the boundary fence to your left. When you
reach the fence you will find the path that rises quite sharply towards the top of the
hill. Unless you are very fit you will soon be out of breath and you will need to stop
and rest at least three or four times until you reach the bench which is about
halfway up. Take a good rest at this point and admire the great view of Gortahork
Village, Ballyness Bay and even as far as the islands of Inisbofin and Tory.
Keeping the fence to your left continue climbing and resting until you reach the
topmost point. It may take you about thirty minutes to reach the top. To reach the
well you now begin to descend for about a hundred metres until you reach a
wooden gate and then a second gate within a further twenty metres. You have now
reached the stone where St Begley is reputed to have left the imprints of his knees.
Many generations of the local population have made this journey to avail of the
curative powers of these waters.
The journey back to the hotel should be much less taxing and will take about thirty
minutes or so but be careful on the grassy slopes.
Don‟t forget to bring your camera
Distance: 2kilometres/1mile – 30 minutes each
17. Tullaghobegley Graveyard
The Irish word,”Tulach” refers to a small hill or a mound. This site is associated with
Saint Begley, hence the name Tullaghobegley.
It is believed that the first church in Tullaghbegley was built by Saint Begley in the
fifth century. Along with the churches in Ray and on Tory Island, it remained one of
the principal churches catering for this area and for Gweedore for over a thousand
years. In 1610 it was taken out of Catholic hands and was used for Protestant
worship until 1834, when the roof collapsed.
The graveyard around the church continued to be used for Catholic burials well into
the twentieth century. This graveyard is reputed to be the oldest graveyard in
northwest Donegal and people from a wide area are buried there. Funerals from
Gweedore followed a long and arduous route across the hills. The pall bearers,
generally consisting of four teams of four men, would rest several times during the
funeral procession and these resting places are marked by cairns of stones. One
of the old funeral paths can still be seen and the resting places are called Na Trí
Leachta
and
Na
Seacht
Leachta (The Three and the
Seven Flagstones). There is an
organised walk in the month of
May
every
year
to
commemorate
this
funeral
procession from Gweedore to
the
graveyard
at
Tullaghobegley. This is a fairly
challenging four and a half hour
walk which has taken place
every year since 1993.
One of the very interesting
tombs in the graveyard is that
of Father Terence Craig who was killed by Redcoat bloodhounds at Lough Altan at
the foot of Errigal in the early 1700s. The slab on his grave, which is now broken,
was carved with bloodhounds to commemorate the manner in which he met his
death. Outside the graveyard there is a mound known as An Reilig Bheag, (The
Little Graveyard), where unbaptised children were buried.
Continue on to the crossroads in the middle of the town and take a right turn.
Follow this road for approximately 600 metres and take the first right turn where the
road slopes slightly downwards. Continue on this road for 300 metres or so and
you will see the graveyard on an elevated site to your left. There is a very narrow
road leading up to the graveyard which is suitable for pedestrians only. You should
look for a safe parking space at this stage if you are driving and walk the short
distance up to the graveyard.
Apart from the great historical significance of this site, there are superb views of the
surrounding countryside, including Muckish, Errigal and Tory.
18. Cashelnagore Railway Station
The
Londonderry
and
Lough
Swilly
Railway
Company
(LLSR)
opened a
railway line from
Derry to
Letterkenny
in
1883.
An extension to that
line,
which
stretched
from
Letterkenny
to
Burtonport,
was
officially
opened on 9 March
1903.
From Letterkenny it
passed
through
Creeslough, Dunfanaghy, Falcarragh, Cashelnagore, Gweedore, Crolly, and
Dungloe before terminating at the fishing port of Burtonport. The railway was
originally intended for the transportation of herring from Burtonport to the market in
Derry, Belfast, Dublin and beyond. Cashelnagore Station, which was generally
regarded as the most isolated station in Donegal, primarily served the Gortahork
area along with Falcarragh to a lesser extent. The shoals of herring shifted away
and the railway always struggled to survive relying on other freight and passengers.
It officially closed to passengers in 1940 but continued as a freight service until
early 1947, in the main bringing turf to the turf power station in Gweedore during
World War 2.
With the introduction of the railway the transformation in travelling time for the
people of the area was remarkable. What would have been a day‟s journey to
Letterkenny by horse and cart, often in extreme weather conditions, became a
much more comfortable few hours by train. The railway facilitated the easy
movement of commodities such as cattle, turf, potatoes, fish and wool leading to a
higher standard of living for isolated rural communities. Luxury items such as tea,
sugar, biscuits and fruit soon became common in most households in this area.
The boom times that followed the introduction of the railway line also provided
much employment both on and off the lines. The introduction of diesel to replace
the steam engines proved to be a great success, cutting costs considerably.
After the war the lines fell into disrepair and the freight service was discontinued in
1947. The beginning of the end for railways in Donegal was signalled in the 1940s
with the increasing use of road transport for moving goods and the increase in
privately owned motor cars. The railway company bowed to the inevitable and
finally closed all the lines, not only from Derry to Burtonport but the other lines that
ran in various parts of the county, bringing to an end the railway adventure in
Donegal.
The station at Cashelnagore got a face lift in 1992 when it was used as the
backdrop to the film adaption of Jennifer Johnston‟s novel “The Railway Station
Man” which she wrote in 1984. It starred Julie Christie, Donal Sutherland and John
Lynch.
Directions: You can walk or drive to the station. It is a return journey of 10
kilometres from the hotel.
As you leave by the front entrance of Óstán Loch Altan, turn right and continue
along the main road. After about 700 metres, take the left hand turn signposted „An
Bhealtaine‟. You will pass by the Parish Hall on your right hand side followed
closely by the entrance to the historic Coláiste Uladh. Continue straight along this
road, until you come to a fork in the road distinguishable by a shrine. Take the
right-hand fork and continue on along this road until you reach Teach Ruairí.
Continue southward along this road away from Gortahork. You will soon arrive at a
fork in the road. Keep to the left, signposted “Ceardlann na gCnoc”. After 2
kilometres, you will arrive at a crossroads where the ruins of the old station house
can be seen.
Total distance: 5km/3 miles
19. The Bridge of Tears – Droichead na nDeor
Near Muckish Mountain, is a small stone
bridge known locally as, “Droichead na
nDeor”, (The Bridge of Tears).
In the nineteenth century, before the
railway was built, local people emigrating
to America, Britain and Australia crossed
this bridge on foot on their way to the port
of Derry, which was the main departure
point for Donegal emigrants.
The
emigrants were accompanied by family
and friends as far as this bridge. Here
they parted, the family members returning home while the emigrants continued the
long walk to the Derry boat. This walk had all the finality of a funeral, as most of
the emigrants would never return.
A stone erected beside the bridge reads in Irish:
Fad leis seo a thagadh
Cairde agus lucht gaoil
An té a bhí ag imeacht
Chun na Coigcriche.
B‟anseo an scaradh.
Seo Droichead na nDeor.
Loosely translated it means:
Friends and relatives
of the person emigrating
would come this far.
Here they parted.
This is the Bridge of Tears.
Renowned Donegal musical group, Clannad, have included a song about the
“Bridge of Tears‟ on their „Landmarks‟ album.
The renowned writer, poet and artist Percy French was painting in this area not far
from the bridge, when he fell into conversation with an old woman whose children
had emigrated, and she said “Twas a lonely land to live in when the childer was
away”. This line so haunted French that on his return to his hotel in Falcarragh that
night, he composed one of his most famous songs “The Irish Mother”.
An Irish Mother
A wee slip drawin' water,
The ould man at the plough,
No grown-up son nor daughter,
That's the way we're farmin' now.
"No work and little pleasure"
Was the cry before they wint,
Now they're gettin' both full measure,
So I ought to be contint.
Great wages men is givin'
In the land beyant the say,
But 'tis lonely, lonely livin'
Whin the childher is away.
Och the baby in the cradle,
Blue eyes and curlin' hair,
God knows I'd give a gra'dle
To have little Pether there;
No doubt he'd find it funny
Lyin' here upon me arm,
Him that's earnin' the good money,
On a Californy farm.
Six pounds it was or sivin
He sint last quarter day,
But 'tis lonely, lonely livin’
Whin the childher is away
God is good - no better,
And the Divil might be worse,
Each month there comes a letther
Bringing something for the purse.
And the ould man's heart rejoices
When I read they're doin' fine,
But it's oh! to hear their voices,
And to feel their hands in mine.
To see the cattle driven'
And the young ones makin' hay,
'Tis a lonely land to live in
When the childher is away
Whin the shadows do be fallin'
On the ould man there an' me,
'Tis hard to keep from callin'
"Come in, childher, to yer tea!'
I can almost hear them comin'
Mary, Kate and little Con
Och! but I'm the foolish woman,
Sure they're all grown up an' gone.
That our sins may be forgiven,
An' not wan go asthray,
I doubt I'd stay in Heaven
If them childher was away.
Percy French 1854 - 1920
Directions: Leaving from the front door of the hotel turn left towards
Falcarragh. Turn right at the crossroads in the middle of the town and
continue along that road for 9 kilometres until you reach the bridge. This is
a very scenic but narrow route with Muckish mountain towering on your
left. The sheep grazing along the sides of the road are quite content to
ignore the passing traffic, but you should drive with great care
Total distance: 13km/8 miles
20. Muckish Mountain
This mountain is well known nationally and internationally and is so named
because of its iconic shape, that of a pig‟s back. “Muc” is the Irish word for
a pig. It is 667 metres high and is the third highest mountain in Donegal
after nearby Errigal (751 metres) and Cruachgorm (674) in the Bluestack
Mountain range in South Donegal. Its shape can change quite significantly
depending from which angle you view it but the best view is possibly from
the Falcarragh side and from several places in Gortahork. A metal cross
was erected on the top of Muckish to commemorate the millennium in 2000
and replaced the old wooden cross which had been there for many years.
There is also a huge cairn on the other end of the mountain top.
The mountain is
famous for its sand
which is suitable for
making glass. The
quality of the sand
used to make glass
must be almost pure
quartz. This silica
quartz is very rare
and is found only in
the
South
of
England,
Belgium
and France. A survey carried out by the Stewards of Ards in 1802 stated
that the high quality silica quartz was available in limitless amounts on
Muckish Mountain.
The silica mines in England and on the mainland of Europe ceased to
operate during the Second World War and during this period Irish Minerals
Limited began quarrying the sand on Muckish and thousands of tons of
sand were exported for the making of glass. The quarrying was done at the
top of the mountain where workmen had to walk to the top every morning
and the white sand was cascaded to the bottom by the use of a chute.
Lorries then brought it to the pier in Ards and to Downings from where it
was brought to Liverpool. When the war ended in 1945, the English and
continental quarries came back into operation and production at Muckish
ceased in 1954.
There is a brewery in Creeslough called the Muckish Mountain Brewery
and it produces Miners Red Ale which they boast would surely quench the
miners‟ thirst after a long shift on top of the mountain. You might like to
sample it in the hotel bar during you stay.
continue along that road for 9 kilometres until you reach the Bridge of
Tears. This is a very scenic but narrow route with the mountain towering on
your left, so drive with care. The sheep are normally eating on the “long
acre” but they will remain quietly unperturbed by the traffic. You can park
your car a further 500 metres along the road beside the grotto at the
highest point in the road. There are great views all along the Derryveagh
Mountain range from this point and Tory Island is also visible from here.
You can start the climb of Muckish from this side if you wish.
Total distance: 13.5km/8 miles
Alternatively, you can climb the mountain via the Miner‟s Path.
Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left
towards Falcarragh and continue straight to Dunfanaghy. Drive through
Dunfanaghy towards Creeslough. About 7 kilometres on the other side of
Dunfanaghy and just about 400 metres after the entrance to Ards Forest
Park you will see Doe Cemetery on your left. Take the road opposite the
cemetery which leads up a fairly steep climb towards Muckish. Continue
along this road for a further 4 kilometres approximately, passing the large
sand and gravel pit on your right, until you reach the point where there is a
cattle grid in the road. Cross over the grid and continue slowly along this
narrow road for a further kilometre until you will reach the trailhead of the 8
kilometre railway walk to the former station house above Falcarragh. The
miner‟s path begins here but the surface is very smooth and is suitable for
driving. However, you can park the car at this point, if you wish, and walk
the one kilometre distance to where the path becomes quite rough as you
approach the step ascent up to where the silica quartz was mined up until
1954.
If you intend to walk to the top it is strongly advised to be accompanied by
an experienced mountaineering guide.
21. Errigal Mountain
Errigal is Donegal‟s highest mountain standing at a height of 751 metres
and was voted Ireland‟s most iconic mountain in 2009. The Irish word for
Errigal is, “An Earagail” which means,”oratory”. It is the highest peak in the
Derryveagh mountain range. Errigal is the most southern of the mountain
chain named, “The Seven Sisters” by locals. The Seven Sisters, beginning
from the northern end are, Muckish, Crocknalaragh, Aghla Beag,
Ardloughnabrackbaddy, Aghla More, Mackoght and Errigal. The nearest
peak to Errigal is Mackoght, which is also known as Little Errigal. There is
an annual climb in September which takes on all seven peaks, beginning
with Muckish and ending with Errigal, to commemorate the tragic death of
Joey Glover during the troubles in Northern Ireland. It is organised by the
Northwest Mountaineering Club of which Joey was a lifelong member.
Errigal is well known for the pinkish glow of its quartzite top in the setting
sun. Another noted feature is the ever changing appearance of the
mountain depending on
the angle from which it is
viewed.
Errigal is most often
climbed from the car park
off the R251. The climb
initially crosses fairly
boggy land towards a
visible track from where
the ascent proper begins.
After reaching the summit
people usually walk the
short but exposed walk along the, “One Man‟s Pass” which leads across to
the second and lower of the twin summits.
Images of Errigal are to be found nationally and internationally on
postcards, travel books and websites and it has been the inspiration for
many songs, music videos and poetry down through the years.
There is a lake at the foot of Errigal called Loch Altan after which this hotel
and the famous traditional group, Altan, have been named.
Directions: Leaving from the back car park of the hotel take a right turn
along the main N56. Follow the road for 10 kilometres before taking a left
turn on to the R251 at the signpost for Dún Lúiche. Drive along this road for
about 4 kilometres until you reach the village of Dunlewey. Along here you
will have magnificent views of the mountain towering above you to your
left. Drive through the little village and soon the road winds upwards
offering you magnificent views of Dunlewey Lake and the Poison Glen to
your right. After about 3 kilometres you will reach the car park which the
mountain climbers normally use as they prepare to climb the mountain.
You will certainly enjoy your dinner when you make it down and return to
relax in the hotel later that evening and boast of your adventures along
Ireland‟s most iconic mountain.
22. Inisbofin - Inis Bó Finne
Inisbofin (Inis Bó Finne in
Irish, meaning Island of
the White Cow) is an
island 2.5 kilometres off
the coast of Machaire
Rabhartaigh,
(Magheroarty). It is a 120
hectare (300 acre) land
mass of two halves
connected by a narrow
sandy col. The southern
half of the island is fertile
and was cultivated in the
traditional “clachan and rundale” manner, involving communal usage of
scarce arable land and cattle pasture. The ancient field boundaries are still
in place, though the fields have now reverted to grassland, providing
essential habitat for geese and corncrakes, which are flourishing on the
island, unlike in the rest of the country. There are two villages on the
island, one near the harbour of An Clachán, and the other a short distance
away at An Garradh Bán.
The first inhabitants are thought to have been of Scandinavian origin, who
arrived at the time of the Viking raids on Ireland‟s coast in the ninth and
tenth centuries.
Their descendants are believed to have been
exterminated by Cromwellian soldiers in the mid seventeenth century.
Subsequently the island was settled by mainlanders from Donegal
escaping oppression, poverty and famine. It is said that the island‟s potato
crop was not affected by blight which destroyed the potatoes on the
mainland leading to illness, death and mass emigration in the Great
Famine in Ireland in the mid nineteenth century.
Located just off the coast, Inisbofin has suffered a number of tragedies
related to the sea. In 1884 a ship by the name of HMS Wasp which was
on its way to Inistrahul ran aground on Tory and sank with the loss of fifty
people. In 1929 an accident occurred out to the west of the island when an
island fishing boat was cut in half by a larger vessel. Apparently the bigger
vessel did not see the fishing boat because of thick fog, and all but one
man on that boat drowned. There was a third tragedy, which occurred in
1940, when a Dutch ship by the name of Stolwijk crashed onto the rocks
and ten people perished.
In 1933 a man went missing on the island the morning after a massive
storm. His name was Arthur Kingsley Porter, a professor of Fine Arts at
Harvard University. In 1929 Kingsley Porter bought Glenveagh Castle
came there to live. In addition he built a house at the back of Inisbofin,
where he would stay at weekends when he and his wife would come to the
island. On the morning of 8 July 1933 he went for a walk and was never
seen again. Lucy Costigan from Wexford published a book entitled, “The
Mystery of Glenveagh” in 2012 which seeks to unravel the mystery of his
disappearance. It is well worth a read.
A documentary film called, “The Stranger” produced by the award winning
director Neasa Ni Chianáin was released in 2014. It tells the story of Neil
Mc Gregor, a reclusive artist, who lived in a very small stone hut on the
island which can still be seen today. In it you can see some of the artwork
that he carved on to the walls of the hut. He died in 1990 at the age of forty
four.
As recently as the 1960s, a population of one hundred and twenty
islanders enjoyed a tranquil but tough existence, fishing and farming.
Nowadays the island is deserted apart when some of the former
inhabitants return during the summer to fish for lobster, crab and Atlantic
salmon, or to gather shellfish and pick edible seaweed such as cairrigín
(carrageen) and creathnach (dulse) from the rocks. Many of the houses on
the island have been renovated, mostly as holiday homes.
Running water and electricity arrived on the island in 2002 and a thirty bed
hostel called, An Clochán, was built. Visitors can enjoy the spectacular
scenery, walking, bird-watching, canoeing and kayaking.
Inisbofin has an abundance of wildlife including birds, rabbits and sharks.
You will find the corncrake here, a bird species that has vanished from
most parts of Ireland. There are few land mammals but the island has
hundreds of rabbits which run around and frolic in the fields.
Muire na nGrást Oratory.
Muire na nGrást Oratory, Inisbofin was blessed and opened by Canon
Shields in 1965. Canon Shields, the parish priest of Cloughaneely
launched the project in 1964 and all the work, with the exception of the
planning and the altar, was carried out by the islanders. Canon Shields,
who loved the island and its people, travelled out a few times a week to
supervise the work. The church measures forty-four feet by seventeen and
seats one hundred and thirty people.
Today Inisbofin belongs to the parish of Gortahork and the parish priest
says Mass on the island a few times a year.
Directions: As you leave the car park at the back of Óstán Loch Altan, turn
right and drive along the main road. After about a kilometre, take the right
hand turn signposted „R257‟.
Follow this scenic coastal road for
approximately 5 kilometres and Magheroarty pier will come up on your right
down a steep road. Parking is available in the car park by the pier.
There is a boat service to the island but no regular ferry service. The boat,
the Carmel Olivia, which is skippered by islander Michael O Brien, seats
twelve passengers and can be hired by contacting Michael at 087
6279789. The boat leaves from Magheroarty Pier and the short trip of
about a mile across to the island takes about ten minutes.
23. Tory Island – Oileán Thoraigh
Lying nine miles off the coast of Donegal, Tory is the most remote and
most magical of all the Irish islands. Although only three miles long and
one mile wide, Tory boasts two towns, An Baile Thoir (East Town) and An
Baile Thiar (West Town). The population of Tory declined from 399 in
1841 to 96 in 2011. Its population increases in the Summer time when
many of the islanders living on the mainland return to visit family and
friends and to fish. It is interesting to note that the island has no rats, no
insects and no trees.
Tory can also boast that it still has a real king whose lineage dates back
longer than any of the Kingships of Europe. The current king is Patsy Dan
Mac Ruaidhrí and he represents and speaks with great aplomb on behalf
of the islanders and personally meets and greets the visitors as they arrive
off the ferries from Magheroarty and Bunbeg.
Encouraged by the artist Derek
Hill, some islanders began to
paint in the 1960s. There is now
a thriving school of painters on
the island and exhibitions of
Tory paintings can be seen in
many leading galleries. The
King of Tory is also a very
prolific artist and a good box player as well.
Tradition has it that that during Saint Colmcille‟s stay on the island the King
of India sent his family, (six sons and a daughter), to be converted by the
saint. They died shortly after being baptised and were buried in a mass
grave. The following morning the body of the girl was above the ground
and Colmcille ordered that she be buried in a separate grave which is
referred to as the Nun‟s Grave. The soil on this grave, known as the Tory
Clay, is said to have the power to banish rats. The clay is not effective
unless it is acquired by the eldest member of the Duggan family. Colmcille
gave them this power as his first convert on the island was a man whose
surname was Duggan. No money is requested and no money will be
accepted for this clay.
Another notable feature of the island is the T-shaped cross which is a good
example of a Tau cross. Tau is the pronunciation for the letter “t” in the
Greek alphabet. It measures six feet in height and nearly four feet in width
and was carved from a single slab of mica slate. There is only one other
Tau cross in Ireland and it is located in Kilnaboy in County Clare.
The round tower on the island was built to protect the Columban monks
and their precious chalices and manuscripts from Viking invaders. This
tower is fifty one feet high and has a circumference of just less than fifty
two feet. The door is very narrow and is about nine feet from the ground
and so offered good protection from assailants. The top of the tower is
said to have been destroyed by lightning.
Tory Church was one of many associated with the Columban group which
stretched from Donegal to Iona and south to County Meath. The church
was destroyed by Sir George Bingham in 1595 and the priests fled to the
mainland.
In 1861 Father Mc Fadden, built a small church on Tory. It was
consecrated as St Colmcille‟s Church. A complete renovation was carried
out during the Second World War while Father Bernard Gallagher was
curate on the island. The islanders did all the work and the church still
stands today.
There is a ferry connection between Magheroarty, (a ten minute drive from
the hotel), and Tory which runs twice a day all year round, (weather
permitting), and more frequently during the peak season. Detailed
information can be found by logging on to www.toryislandferry.com.
Visitors come from all over the world to savour the magic of Tory. It is well
worth a visit.
Directions: As you leave by the car park of Óstán Loch Altan, turn right
and drive along the main N56. After about a kilometre, take the right fork at
the junction. You are now on the R257. Follow this scenic coastal road for
approximately 5 kilometres and Magheroarty pier and beach will become
visible on your right. A steep road leads down towards the pier where you
can park and leave the car there until you return from the island. The boat
trip takes about 40 minutes. The crossing can be rough enough
particularly when the ferry ventures into the open Atlantic. Enjoy!
Total Distance: From the hotel to the pier is 6 kilometres/4 miles and a 15
kilometre/10 mile journey on the ferry.
24. Dunlewey - Dún Lúiche
The Irish translation of
Dunlewey
is
Dún
Lúiche meaning the
Fort of Lú, the Celtic
God of Light.
Dunlewey is regarded
as one of the most
scenic areas in Ireland,
if not in the world, and
is particularly popular
with couples who want
to get married in the
local Church of the Sacred Heart and to be photographed using the
scenery of Dunlewey as a backdrop. Dunlewey is a painter‟s and a
photographer‟s paradise with its varied landscapes, and Mount Errigal
towering over the whole area. It is indeed a magical place and a visit there
is a must.
Dunlewey House
Dunlewey House was built around two hundred years ago by a man called
Dombrain who worked for the Coastguard and Lighthouse Services. He
was attracted to the area by the beautiful scenery and the opportunities for
fishing and hunting. Among the many owners of the house were, James
Russell, (whose wife built the old church in his memory), Mr Ross who was
a mill owner from Belfast, Mrs Crankshaw from Cork, a relation of the
Glenveagh Mc Elhinneys, (who is buried in the old church and her husband
is buried in the church graveyard) and Major Cooper. At present the estate
is owned by the Guinness family who allow visits to the house at certain
times of the year, particularly during the Dunlewey Festival each July.
Newly married couples are often given permission to use the house and
the estate as a backdrop for their wedding photographs.
Ionad Cois Locha – The Dunlewey Lakeside Centre
This major lakeside tourist attraction is situated on the shores of Dunlewey
Lough in the shadow of the haunting and mysterious Poison Glen at the
foot of Mount Errigal, the highest mountain in Donegal. It has many
attractions and is the ideal day out for the whole family.
The children can enjoy the covered adventure play area, which includes an
artificial lake for safe, supervised water activities, swings, slides, climbing
frames, Zip-wires as well as Pedelos, Rodeo Bull, a climbing wall and Zorb
Balls. They can also see and feed the farmyard animals and take a trip on
a pony and trap.
There is also a moderately priced restaurant, tea room and a craft shop
where visitors can choose from a vast range of goods including Donegal
Tweed, hand knits, paintings, pottery, jewellery, books and souvenirs.
All the family can go on a story telling boat trip on the fifty-seater Gráinne
Rose along Dunlewey Lough and view the double-peaked summit of Mount
Errigal and the glimmering granite of the Poison Glen from completely
different angles. Watch out underwater as you pass near the site of a
prehistoric „crannóg‟, the original Dunlewey, which now lies submerged
beneath the water. These manmade islands were built during the Iron Age
and the early Christian period and served as places of refuge from wild
animals and tribal attacks.
Enjoy an audio-visual show and take a guided tour of the weaver‟s cottage
which has been preserved to give the visitor the full flavour of life in this
area in the middle of the last century. This cottage was the homestead of
the renowned weaver, Manus Ferry, to which many famous people came
to purchase his tweed. With his craft and using the wool provided by his
brother‟s sheep that grazed on the surrounding mountains, the family
overcame the hardships that faced most people in this valley at that time.
The Dunlewey Centre is also home to a traditional Winter Music School,
which has attracted many people to the area since 1994.
For further information log on to www.dunleweycentre.com
call 074 95 31968
or
The Dunlewey Trekking Centre is also based here and offers treks around
Dunlewey Lake and Mount Errigal pathways. It also provides children‟s
pony rides catering for all ages and abilities.
For further information on trekking log on to www.dunleweystables.com
The Poison Glen
Many legends surround the name of this beautiful glen. One legend has it
that Lú, the Celtic God of Light, killed his grandfather, Balor, in this glen.
He pierced Balor‟s evil and poisonous eye with his magical sword, An
Chlaidheamh Solais (Sword of Light).
The poison from the evil eye
splashed over the hills, staining the granite red for all time. Another
explanation is that the glen was originally named the Heavenly Glen,
which, when translated into Irish is Gleann Nimhe. The Irish word “nimh”
also means poison and so the glen may have been wrongly translated as
the Poison Glen.
The most likely origin of the name comes from Clann Neimhe – one of the
early groups to colonise Ireland. Two brothers from Clann Neimhe, Beith
and Fergus, give their names to Glenveagh and Tirargus, a townland near
Gartan.
Dunlewey Church of Ireland or the Old Church, Dunlewey
The Old Church of Dunlewey stands at the foot of Mount Errigal, the
highest mountain in Donegal, overlooking the Poison Glen. The church
was built by Jane Russell in 1848 as a memorial to her husband, James
Russell, who is buried in a vault under the church floor. The church was
consecrated in 1853 as a chapel of ease to Tullaghobegley.
Tullaghobegley parish consisted of the present day parishes of
Cloughaneely and Gweedore. As the Dunlewey Estate declined, and the
congregation diminished, the church fell into disrepair. The roof was
removed in 1955 as a safety measure and the furniture and fittings were
distributed to other churches in the diocese of Derry and Raphoe. The
church bell is now in Cashel Church of Ireland near Doe Castle. In 1987
the local community paid for the restoration of the floor of the church. The
church and the surrounding wall have been repaired and preserved for
future generations with funds from the local community, Údarás na
Gaeltachta and FÁS.
The Church of the Sacred Heart, Dunlewey
William Augustine Ross, owner of the Dunlewey Estate in the 1870s, had
this church built for the Catholic community in 1877. The architect was
Timothy Hevey. The church has a semicircular sanctuary and one
high roof. An offset round tower, 95 feet high, stands on the north side of
the west gable. The walls of rock faced basalt rubble are trimmed with
bands of grey stone and local white marble. A statue of Christ is set into a
hooded canopy between the west windows over the main door of the
church and the roof is enlivened with two bands of paler slates. Inside, the
chancel is framed by paired colonettes supporting a semicircular truss.
The original marble altar was in situ from 1877 until 1967. The ceiling is
panelled in pine. This church is now part of the Gweedore parish and is a
very popular wedding ceremony venue.
Directions: Leaving from the back car park of the hotel take a right turn
along the main N56. Follow the road for 10 kilometres before taking a left
turn at the signpost for Dún Lúiche. Drive along this road for about
4 kilometres and you will see the new Church of the Sacred Heart on your
right. Take the next immediate right turn and Ionad Cois Locha (Dunlewey
Visitor Centre) will come up on your left after about 700 metres.
A visit to the old church is also a must. Come back out to the main road
and take a right turn and very soon you begin to drive up a fairly steep
incline. Take the first right turn on this road after about 2 kilometres and
then you begin the 1kilometre gradual descent towards the lake and the old
church. Park the car, enjoy the scenery (the Poison Glen is to your left) and
take a stroll by the old roofless church. This is surely a magical place which
has been a source of inspiration for many artists, musicians and
songwriters down through the years and a favourite place also for hill
walkers to begin their treks.
Dunlewey House is situated further along this road by the church. After
about 200 metres you will come to a bridge. At the far side of the bridge
are the entrance gates to the house and the gatehouse. The house,
however, is situated a further kilometre along a narrow driveway but even
though the gates may be open this is private property and access is by
appointment only. It is generally open to the public, however, on one
particular day during the Festival of Dunlewey at the end of July.
25. Ards Forest Park and Friary
After the Flight of the Earls
in
1607
and
the
subsequent Plantation of
Ulster, the land owned by
the Sweeney Clan of Doe
Castle
on
the
Ards
Peninsula, was granted to
Turlough O Boyle on
condition that he remain
loyal to Queen Elizabeth 1.
Following the part that the
family played in the
Insurrection of 1641, the O Boyles lost the land. By the year 1700 the
Wrays, a family from Yorkshire, had possession of the estate and they
began to build Ards House in 1708. They sold the house and estate to
Alexander Stewart in 1782 and it was held by the Stewart family until 1926
when it was acquired by the Irish Land Commission. The Commission held
on to the northern half of the peninsula for reforestation while the southern
half was divided among tenants. Ards Forest Park is now run by Coillte,
the official Government body with responsibility for our forests, and is open
to the public all year round.
The Capuchin Order of priests bought Ards House in 1930 as a novitiate
and changed the name to Ard Mhuire. Finally in 1966, this once stately
mansion - now spanning three centuries and the worse for wear - was
demolished and replaced by a new friary and church. Today Ard Mhuire,
which is now one the premier retreat houses in the country, is still graced
by Capuchin priests. Daily Mass is read in the Oratory and confessions are
heard seven days a week.
Ards Forest Park covers an area of 481 hectares and can be accessed
from the N56 between Dunfanaghy and Creeslough. It has many sign
posted forest walks integrating the main features of the park. These
include the Heritage Trail which is 3.5km long, the Nature Trail and the
Green Trail which are both approximately 3km in length and the Red Trail
which is 13km long.
Ards Forest Park has many features of historical and archaeological
interest, such as the remains of four ring forts, a number of megalithic
tombs, a Mass Rock and the Ague Well which is reputed to have medicinal
powers.
Before you reach the entrance to the park take note of Clondehorky Parish
Church on your right, a fine church built in the mid 1850s. Opposite the
church‟s main gate is Ballymore Arch, built for the Stewart family in the 19 th
century to improve access from the church to Ards House which was
several miles distant.
Dunfanaghy you will reach the entrance to Ards Forest Park on your left. If
you drive on a further 300 metres you will see the road to your left which
brings you in to Ards Friary, on the site of the old big house. The Friary is
about 4 kilometres along this narrow but very scenic drive. There is a one
way system in operation as you approach the Friary. There are very good
views of Sheephaven Bay and some very nice scenic walks in the grounds
of the Friary.
26. Bridget (Bridie) Gallagher
Bridie Gallagher, the well
known singer, was born 7
September 1924 in Ards, just
a few miles from Creeslough.
She was affectionately known
as “The Girl from Donegal”
and was widely regarded as
“Ireland‟s first international
pop star”.
Bridie Gallagher started her
singing career in the Creeslough Parish Hall with a local Céilí band which
was started by Bill Gallagher. Bridie‟s talent was spotted in the 1950s by
Billy Livingstone, a talent scout for Decca Records. She shot to fame in
1956 with her recording of “A Mother‟s Love‟s A Blessing” and achieved
international acclaim when she recorded “The Boys From The County
Armagh”, which sold over a quarter of a million copies, the biggest selling
Irish single at that time. She moved to Belfast, which became her home
with her husband, Robert Livingstone, (no relation to Billy Livingstone), and
their sons, Jim and Peter. Tragically, Peter died in a motor accident in
1976 and Jim went on to tour with his mother.
During her career, which spanned over sixty years, she performed in many
leading venues around the world including, The Albert Hall in London,
Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall in New York making many Irish
songs famous, including “The Homes of Donegal”. Bridie holds the record
for the largest number of people in attendance in the Albert Hall in London,
with over 7500 people, a record that was never broken before it went on to
become an all-seated venue.
She also recorded “Cottage by the Lee”, written by Irish songwriter, Dick
Farrelly. Farrelly achieved worldwide fame with the classic song, “The Isle
of Innisfree”, which was originally a massive hit for Bing Crosby and John
Ford, the movie director, chose it as the theme music for his film “The
Quiet Man.”
Bridie had her own Irish radio show as well as making many appearances
on RTÉ, UTV, BBC and coast to coast in the United States.
She was honoured by the people of Creeslough in 2000 with an event to
celebrate her career. Members of her family from Creeslough and other
parts of Donegal, her two sisters and their families from Glasgow joined
with an estimated crowd of 2500 fans to unveil a plaque in the village,
paying tribute to Bridie. She was further honoured the following day when
Donegal County Council hosted a Civic Reception where the Council
Chairman said of her:
“Bridie blazed the trail for many artists who followed after her and I‟m sure
that many of them looked upon her as a role model as they started their
careers in the music world”.
Bridie Gallagher died at her home in Belfast on 9 January 2012 and she is
buried in Doe Cemetery which is situated just beyond the entrance to Ards
Forest Park.
Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back
of the hotel turn left towards Falcarragh and
continue straight to Dunfanaghy. Drive through
Dunfanaghy towards Creeslough. About 7
kilometres on the other side of Dunfanaghy you will
reach the entrance to Ards Forest Park on your left.
If you drive on a further 300 metres you will see the
road to your left which brings you in to Ards Friary.
Drive along this narrow road and after about 2km
you should notice a large white two storey house to
your left about 100 metres in from the road. The old
gatehouse to Ards House is a good landmark – the
entrance to Bridie‟s house is just before you reach the gatehouse. The
area behind the house is quite wooded and you may see the sheep and
cattle grazing contentedly in the field at the front of the house. By the way,
the house is currently inhabited by a family relative.
You might like to stop at Doe Cemetery on the way back to the main road
to see Bridie‟s grave. Don‟t forget the name on the headstone, (which is
situated high up on the right side at the back of the cemetery), is Bridie
Livingstone.
27. Noreen Bawn
Noreen Bawn is the subject of a song written by Niall Mac Giolla Bhríde, a
poet, who was born in 1861 in Feymore, Creeslough in County Donegal.
In the early twentieth century many young people were forced to emigrate
to England or America and many of them returned home seriously ill with
scarlet fever or tuberculosis.
It is said that he wrote the song to
discourage young people from emigrating. He also wrote the songs “The
Hills of Donegal” and “Mo Chró Beag ag Bun Chnoc a' Ti”. Among the
many famous singers who recorded the song is Ireland‟s first superstar and
local girl from nearby Ards, is Bridie Gallagher, the Girl from Donegal.
The name Noreen Bawn is fictional but it is believed that the song was
written about a girl called Bridget Gallagher, who was born in 1905 in
Oughdaragh, Creeslough, County Donegal. She was forced to emigrate to
the United States in 1921. She returned in
1927, seriously ill with scarlet fever in and
is buried in Doe Cemetery. When Bridget
died her mother left the house and moved
in with her sister Annie. The original house
still stands near Creeslough and you can
visit the grave in Doe Cemetery where she
is buried alongside her parents. There is plaque at the side entrance to the
cemetery which was erected by the people of Creeslough in 2012.
Directions to Doe Cemetery: Leaving from the car park at the back of the
hotel turn left towards Falcarragh and continue straight to Dunfanaghy.
Drive through Dunfanaghy towards Creeslough. About 7 kilometres on the
other side of Dunfanaghy and just about 400 metres after the entrance to
Ards Forest Park you will see Doe Cemetery on your left. The grave is
located in the top left hand corner of the cemetery. There is a fairly steep
climb up to the grave.
Total distance to Doe Cemetery: 22 kilometres/14 miles
The house where Noreen Bawn was born is situated about 2km from the
cemetery at Doe.
Directions to Noreen Bawn’s Cottage: As you leave the cemetery drive
across the main road and take the road opposite the gate which leads up a
fairly steep climb towards Muckish. After about 2km you will see a wooden
signpost indicating that Noreen Bawn‟s Cottage is to the left along a narrow
gravel track with grass
growing in the middle.
Drive along this track for
about 300 metres until you
come to an iron gate. This
gate may be locked to
keep farm animals from
straying. The cottage is
behind the trees and about
200 metres beyond this
gate. It might be advisable
to
get
the
farmer‟s
permission to view the cottage. If there are any singers among you might
like to sing this original version of the song, “Noreen Bawn”, penned by
Niall Mac Giollabhríde who was born about 5km from this spot.
Noreen Bawn
There‟s a glen in old Tír Connaill, there‟s a cottage in that glen,
Where there dwelt an Irish colleen, who inspired the hearts of men.
She was handsome hale and hearty, shy and graceful like the dawn,
And they loved the widow‟s daughter, handsome, laughing Noreen Bawn.
Till one day there came a letter, with her passage paid to go,
To the land where the Missouri, and the Mississippi flow.
So she said good-bye to Erin, and next morning with the dawn,
This poor widow broken hearted, parted with her Noreen Bawn.
Many years the widow waited, till one morning to her door,
Came a tender-hearted woman, costly were the clothes she wore.
Saying, “Mother don‟t you know me? Tho‟ I‟m frail 'tis but a cold”,
But her cheeks were flushed and scarlet, and another tale they told.
There‟s a graveyard in Tír Connaill, where the flowers wildly wave,
There‟s a grey-haired mother kneeling, o‟er a green and lonely grave.
And, “My Noreen,” she is saying, “it‟s been lonely since you‟re gone,
„Twas the curse of emigration, laid you here my Noreen Bawn”.
Now fond youths and tender maidens, ponder well before you go,
From your humble homes in Erin, what‟s beyond you‟ll never know.
What is gold and what is silver, when your health and strength are gone,
When you think of emigration, won‟t you think of Noreen Bawn.
Composed by: Niall Mac Giolla Bhríde
Niall Mac Giolla Bhríde was a street market trader who sold vegetables in
Dunfanaghy. He was brought to court in 1906 for having his name written
in Irish on the side of his donkey cart. The late P M Gallagher, Lisdanar
House, Tírconnaill Street, prepared the brief assisted by the late Patrick Mc
Brearty of Bridgend. Mac Giolla Bhríde was fined one shilling Sterling, or,
failing to pay, a week in Londonderry Gaol.
It is said that the Dublin Branch of Conradh na Gaeilge asked him not to
pay the fine. Mac Giolla Bhríde and Conradh na Gaeilge, (with which Mac
Giolla Bhríde had been involved since it was founded in Donegal in 1901),
appealed the fine and the case was brought to the High Court. Pádraig
Pearse defended Niall Mac Giolla Bhríde in court and one of the judges,
Nigel Huntingdon Smythe, said that he would not tolerate native Irish
people either speaking or writing their names in a foreign language i.e.
Gaelic. Another of the judges commended Pearse‟s ability but it was the
first and last case in his career as a lawyer. Nevertheless, the fine stood.
Niall presented himself at Londonderry Gaol hoping that he would be
imprisoned, only to learn that some nobleman had paid the fine. Niall Mac
Giolla Bhríde died in 1942.
28. The Workhouse Famine and Heritage Centre, Dunfanaghy
The Workhouse Famine and Heritage Centre was opened in 1995 and is
located on the outskirts of the pretty coastal town of Dunfanaghy
overlooking Sheephaven Bay. It is a very pleasant 20 minute drive from
this hotel and the Workhouse can be found on the left hand side of the
road just before you enter the town. The centre is on the site of an original
workhouse, which was built during the Famine years, and incorporates
some of the original walls.
The centre houses an audio visual
recreation of the true life story of
“Wee Hannah”, a child of the
Great Famine and a typical inmate
of the workhouses at the time.
There is also an exhibition on the
nearby New Lake and the ecology
of the area.
The Centre runs schools programmes, adult craft courses, weekend
workshops, heritage events and walks. The shop sells crafts and books
and the coffee shop offers a lunch menu and snacks. It also houses some
very fine art exhibitions throughout the year.
Other facilities include a community playground, tourist information and
free WiFi.
For further information you should log on to www.dunfanaghyworkhouse.ie
towards Falcarragh and continue straight towards Dunfanaghy. Just before
you enter the village of Dunfanaghy the Workhouse will appear on your left
immediately after the Gallery. There are ample car parking spaces in front
of the building.
29. The Gallery, Dunfanaghy
This attractive two
storey stone building
was built in the 1840s
as the Fever Hospital
for
Dunfanaghy
Workhouse, which is
situated beside it. It
closed
in
1922.
Between the 1930s
and the 1960s it was a
national school. Its
opening in 1968 as
"The Gallery" was the inspiration of Frank Egginton, the well known
landscape artist.
Since then it has been run by his daughter and son-in-law, Moira and Alan
Harley. The Gallery is a great place to visit for arts, crafts, antiques and
more!
Visitors will be sure to receive a warm welcome.
The gallery is generally open all year round but you should phone in
advance to check opening times.
Contact details:
Telephone: 074 91 36224
Email: thegallerydunfanaghy@yahoo.ie
Website: www.thegallerydunfanaghy.com
towards Falcarragh and continue straight towards Dunfanaghy. Just before
you enter the village of Dunfanaghy the Gallery is on your left just before
the Workhouse. There is a small car park spaces beside the building.
30. Horn Head
Horn Head (Corrán Binne, meaning “Hollow in the Hills), is a peninsula
close to Dunfanaghy and forms part of Sheephaven Bay.
Horn Head has many remains of Neolithic stone circles, court tombs,
passage tombs and prehistoric field boundaries.
Horn Head cliffs rise
straight out of the water
to a height of about
600ft/180m
on
the
ocean side of the
peninsula. These cliffs
are
home
to
an
important colony of
breeding
seabirds.
Species include the
European Shag and
the Razorbill.
It is
designated as an Irish
Natural Heritage Area
and is a refuge for fauna, specifically sea birds. Horn Head cliffs are also
designated a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation
by the Irish Government.
Mc Swyne‟s gun is a blow hole on the west side of the peninsula.
Previously, during storms, water could be forced through it to a height of
200-300 feet, with a noise that could be heard ten miles away. Although
still functional, it is not as spectacular as it once was. Several people have
been killed there having gone too close and falling in.
Horn Head House, or Landlord‟s House as it is known locally, stands on
the Sheephaven Bay side of Horn Head. The Horn Head estate was
bought in 1700 by Captain Charles Stewart, a veteran of the Battle of the
Boyne, who commissioned William Wray of Ards to build the present house
in 1701, when it was the largest house in the Dunfanaghy area. Stewart
was appointed High Sheriff of Donegal for 1700 – 1708. It remained the
seat of the Stewarts of Horn Head, several of whom were also High
Sheriffs, from then until 1935. It has been empty since then.
Horn Head has the remains of two lookout towers, one from Napoleonic
times and one from World War 11. Both give views of the Atlantic Ocean
and Tory Island.
towards Falcarragh and continue straight towards Dunfanaghy. When you
pass the Workhouse and the Gallery watch out for the sharp left turn as
you enter the village of Dunfanaghy. There is a signpost at this turn and
along the way indicating the scenic drive around Horn Head peninsula.
This is also part of the Wild Atlantic Way. It is approximately 5.5 kilometres
to the top. The roads are quite narrow so you need to drive with care.
Generally, most people seem to drive up one way and come back down
the other side of the peninsula to complete the loop and follow an unofficial
one way system.
Total Distance: 20 kilometres/13 miles
31. Glenveagh National Park and Castle
You shouldn‟t leave
this part of Donegal
without paying a visit
to Glenveagh National
Park and Castle. It is
the premier tourist
attraction in Donegal
and you will be
amazed that such a
stately building is to be
found in what is,
probably, the most
remote corner in the whole county. If you are to fully savour the magic of
Glenveagh you should plan a full day‟s visit so as to appreciate and enjoy
the interpretative centre, the bus journey across to the castle, the castle
itself, the magnificent gardens, the myriad of walks and, of course, the tea
and scones in the tea rooms afterwards. Like most of us, you will probably
want to visit Glenveagh again and again. You should also try and get your
hands on a copy of the book, “The Mystery of Glenveagh”, which was
written by Lucy Costigan in 2012.
The estate of Glenveagh was created in 1857-9 following the purchase of
several smaller holdings by John George Adair, a wealthy land speculator
from Co. Laois. John Adair later became infamous throughout Donegal
and Ireland by ruthlessly evicting some 244 tenants in the Derryveagh
Evictions of 1861.
After marrying his American born wife Cornelia, Adair began the
construction of Glenveagh Castle in 1867, which was completed by 1873.
Adair however was never to fulfil his dream of creating a hunting estate in
the highlands of Donegal as he died suddenly in 1885 while on a business
trip to America.
After her husband‟s death Cornelia took over the running of the estate and
introduced deer stalking in the 1890s. She continually sought to improve
the castle‟s comforts and the beauty of its grounds, carrying out major
improvements to the estate and laying out the gardens. Over the next thirty
years she was to become a much noted society hostess and continued to
summer at the castle until 1916.
Following the death of Mrs Adair in London in 1921, Glenveagh fell into
disrepair and was occupied by both the Anti-Treaty and Free State Army
Forces during the Irish Civil War. It then lay vacant until 1929, when it was
purchased by Professor Arthur Kingsley Porter of Harvard University who
came to Ireland to study Irish archaeology and culture. The Kingsley
Porters mainly entertained Irish literary and artistic figures including their
close friend AE Russell, whose paintings still hang in the library of the
castle. Their stay was to be short however, as Arthur Kingsley Porter
mysteriously disappeared from Inishbofin in 1933 while visiting the island
with his wife.
The last private owner was Mr Henry McIlhenny of Philadelphia who
bought the estate in 1937. Henry McIlhenny was an Irish American, whose
grandfather, John Mc Ilhenny, grew up in Milford, a town which is about 15
kilometres from Glenveagh. After buying the estate, Mr McIlhenny devoted
much of his time to restoring the castle and developing its gardens.
Eventually Henry McIlhenny began to find travelling to and from Ireland too
demanding and the upkeep of the estate was also becoming a strain. In
1975 he agreed the sale of the estate to the Office of Public Works
allowing for the creation of a National Park. In 1983 he donated the castle,
with much of the contents, and the gardens to the nation.
Glenveagh National Park opened to the public in 1984 while the castle
opened in 1986. Glenveagh continues to attract and inspire visitors from
all over the world.
Golden Eagles in Glenveagh
The Golden Eagle was once a common site over the mountains and
coastal plains of Ireland but became extinct in 1912, due largely to the
effects of human persecution. This makes Ireland the only country where
Golden Eagles have become extinct in recent times.
As early as 1989, members of the National Parks and Wildlife Service in
Glenveagh National Park began to study the feasibility of reintroducing
golden Eagles to Ireland. They examined the availability of suitable live
prey and carrion for Golden Eagles in Co. Donegal and in 1995 the Irish
Raptor Study Group joined in the effort.
After careful planning, the actual reintroduction of Golden Eagle chicks to
Ireland began in 2001 with the successful delivery of six birds collected
under licence from nests in Scotland. By 2005, some forty two birds had
been released from Glenveagh with reported sightings from as far away as
the Gap of Dungloe, Co. Kerry! Golden Eagles do not breed until they are
at least five or six years of age and it was hoped that six to eight pairs
might now be breeding in Donegal.
The best time of year to see Golden Eagles in the park is during the short
winter days when there is a good possibility of seeing recently released
birds. Though visible to the naked eye, scanning the skyline with the aid of
binoculars offers the best chance of spotting a soaring eagle. All released
birds sport coloured wing tags to allow for individual identification and park
staff would be very pleased to hear of any eagle sightings.
Log on to www.glenveaghnationalpark.ie or call 076 1002537 for further
information.
continue along that road for about 13 kilometres until you reach a T
junction. You pass the Bridge of Tears along the way. Many of our visitors
tend to slow down and pause for a while at this bridge as they recall the
many tears that were shed by emigrants at this parting place on their way
to the Derry boat. This is a very scenic but narrow route with Muckish
Mountain towering on your left. The sheep grazing along the sides of the
road are quite content to ignore the passing traffic, but you should drive
with great care.
At the T junction take the left turn and drive along this much wider road for
about 3.5 kilometres and you will reach the entrance to Glenveagh National
Park on your right. Drive in and park your car beside the Interpretative
Centre. There is bus service across to the castle – a distance of about 3
kilometres.
Total distance: 20 kilometres /13 miles.
32. Gartan
This is an area of great natural
beauty with a large, picturesque
lake and is best known as the
birthplace of Saint Colmcille, also
known as Saint Columba. His
birthplace is marked by a large
high cross and a stone with an
inscription commemorating his
birth in 521 A.D. and is situated
beside the path that leads from
Gartan to Glenveagh National
Park. This cross was erected in
1911 by Cornelia Adair, wife of the infamous landlord John George Adair,
who ordered the evictions of hundreds of his tenants from their farms in
1861. He built Glenveagh Castle on that site and died in 1885. His wife,
Cornelia, was a very kindly lady and lived in Glenveagh Castle until her
death in 1921.
Saint Colmcille, by modern standards, would be regarded as a mover and
shaker and a man of many parts. His father was one of the O Neill
chieftains while his mother was the daughter of the King of Leinster. He
travelled the length and breadth of Ireland and beyond and established
monasteries in places like Derry, Swords, Durrow, Glasnevin, Tory Island
and eventually as far as Iona. Today, there are hundreds of schools,
churches and wells named after the saint, much more so than any of our
other saints.
The soil from the shores of Gartan Lake is believed to have protective
powers and it is said that some of this soil was sent off to the trenches with
the soldiers from the area who fought in World War 1.
St Colmcille died in exile on the island of Iona on the 9 June 597 at the ripe
old age of seventy six – very few people lived that long in those days.
You will enjoy your trip to the Gartan area where you should visit
Colmcille‟s Abbey site, his birthplace and the Heritage Centre. All three are
situated quite close to each other. When you have finished your visit to the
places associated with Saint Colmcille you should take the short drive to
Derek Hill‟s home – the Glebe Gallery near the village of Churchill. When
you arrive take a rest, you might like to visit the coffee shop and then visit
the Gallery and the House. There are some magnificent trees to be seen
on the site as well.
By the way, there is no village or town named Gartan – it is just a parish
but a very beautiful one.
St Colmcille’s Abbey
As you drive from Óstán Loch Altan towards Churchill the first signpost you
see will direct you off the main road towards St Colmcille‟s Abbey and the
saint‟s birthplace. The two sites are situated within a kilometre of each
other.
The monastic site in Gartan is situated high on
a hillside overlooking Lake Akibbon with a
great view of the surrounding countryside. This
site, it is believed, was given to the saint by his
family but nothing remains of the original
monastery that was built inside a hill fort. On
the grounds today there are two boundary
crosses, the foundations of a tenth century
abbey, the ruins of a sixteenth century church,
a holy well and a graveyard.
Only the foundations of the abbey remain but
inside the foundations you will find the grave of
the O Donnell chieftains. who were related to
Saint Colmcille. The walls of Saint Colmcille‟s
Chapel are still standing and it was in use as a
church up to the year 1820 according to the
records. On the altar is the original birthing stone and pilgrims would lift the
stone and pass it around their bodies whilst praying.
This is still a place of pilgrimage. There are seven stations in the „turas‟ or
pilgrimage. The birthing stone is Station One, the well is the Sixth Station
while the small stone seat inside the well house where pilgrims are said to
have bathed their feet while praying, is Station Seven.
When you visit this site your challenge will be to find the other four Stations
of the turas before you move on down the road on the short trip to the
saint‟s birthplace.
Saint Colmcille’s Birthplace
When you see the signpost for the saint‟s birthplace you take a right turn
off the main road. This is also the Gartan entrance to the Glenveagh
National Park but for hikers and cyclists only. You can park your car in a
small car park beside a private house and follow the narrow laneway to
your left for about a hundred metres and you will soon see the tall Celtic
cross which was erected in 1911 by Cornelia Adair to mark the birthplace
of Saint Colmcille.
Beside it is a very old slab strewn with greening copper coins. This is
popularly known as Leac an Cumha (The Flagstone of Loneliness) on
which Colmcille supposedly slept the night before he emigrated to Iona.
You might come back another day and walk from here to Glenveagh. It is a
beautiful walk if you are feeling up to the 8 kilometre trek along a good dry
gravel path.
Colmcille Heritage Centre
The Colmcille Heritage Centre is housed in a very attractive building in a
100 acre estate on the shores of Lough Gartan within a short distance of
the saint‟s birthplace. Interpretive exhibits featuring stained glass,
manuscripts dating from the Middle Ages and items chronicling Celtic and
Irish Christian religious history introduce visitors to the life of St. Columba.
A tour of the centre also includes an audiovisual presentation of the life of
the saint.
There is also a special tapestry on display within the centre which portrays
the Derryveagh Evictions in 1861 and the art collection of the Heritage
Trust is to be seen in the dining room.
The Centre is well worth a visit. It also has tea rooms and a restaurant and
there are lovely mature walks along the shores of the lake and through the
forest.
If you have time you should now make your way to nearby Glebe House.
Come back out to the main road and take a right turn towards Churchill. In
a few minutes you will see the sign for Glebe House and Gallery.
continue along that road for about 13 kilometres until you reach a
T
junction. You pass the Bridge of Tears along the way. This is a very scenic
but narrow route with Muckish Mountain towering on your left, so drive with
care.
Continue along this road until you reach the T junction, take the left turn
and drive along this much wider road, (passing the entrance to Glenveagh
National Park on your right), for a further 7 kilometres or so when you will
come to the signpost which shows Churchill to the right. It also indicates
Glebe House and St Colmcille‟s birthplace.
Drive along this narrow road for 3km until a junction appears with a
signpost pointing to the right for the saint‟s abbey and birthplace. Drive
along this road for about A 2 kilometres and the entrance to the old abbey
site will come up on your right. The saint‟s birthplace is a further 1
kilometre down the same road.
To get to the Interpretive Centre you must come back to the main road
again and take a right turn and after about 3 kilometres the signpost will
indicate that the Centre is to your right. A short drive of about 700 metres
will bring you there.
Total distance: 40 kilometres/ 25 miles to include all three sites.
33. Glebe House and Gallery
Glebe House is a
wonderful
Regency
period house built in
1828 on a small
peninsula that juts out
into Lough Gartan.
Originally it was a
Church
of
Ireland
Rectory known as St
Columba‟s but is best
known as the long time
home of Derek Hill, the English portrait and landscape painter. He was
born on 6 December 1916 in Southampton and bought this house in 1954
for one thousand pounds. His long association with Donegal began when
he came to the nearby Glenveagh Castle to paint a portrait of the owner of
the castle at the time, the American art collector, Henry Mc Ilhinney. He
enjoyed great success as a portrait painter with many famous subjects
such as Gay Byrne and The Prince of Wales. He was an enthusiastic art
collector and traveller with a wide circle of friends. Greta Garbo visited Hill
in the 1960s and it was this visit which inspired Frank Mc Guinness‟ 2010
play entitled “Greta Garbo Came to Donegal”.
In 1980 Derek Hill donated this house and his extensive art collection to
the State. For the next twenty years or so he shared a small house locally
with Gracie, who was his housekeeper when he lived in Glebe House. He
died in a London hospital on 30 July 2000 at the age of 83 and is buried in
his native Hampshire.
His art collection includes works by over three hundred twentieth century
artists including Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, George Braque, Graham
Sutherland, Anna Techno and Jack Butler Yeats. The rectory is decorated
with William Morris textiles and the beautiful gardens border Lough Gartan.
Derek Hill painted many Tory Island landscapes and he ran a painting
school there for many years. He taught the local fishermen to paint and
this led to the informal “Tory School” of artists including James Dixon,
Anton Meenan and the current king of the island, Patsy Dan Mac Ruairí.
The Gallery is beside the house and is now run by the Office of Public
Works. It is open for a limited time each year – around Easter and then
from June to September. Access to the permanent display of Hill‟s
personal collection in Glebe House itself is by guided tour only. Entrance
to the gallery is free of charge while there is a small charge to go on a
guided tour of the House.
There are tearooms on the site also which provide some delicious home
baking. The gardens, which are under the care of the OPW, are open all
year round. There are some beautiful and rare plants in the gardens as
well as some magnificent specimens of beech and chestnut trees.
There is no dedicated website but you should contact the centre at
074
91 37071 or email glebehouse@opw.ie to make enquiries regarding
opening times and admission charges to Glebe House.
continue along that road for about 13 kilometres until you reach a T
junction. You pass the Bridge of Tears along the way. This is a very scenic
but narrow route with Muckish Mountain towering on your left, so drive with
care.
At the T junction take the left turn and drive along this much wider road,
(passing the entrance to Glenveagh National Park on your right), for a
further 7 kilometres or so when you will come to a signpost which shows
Churchill to the right. It also indicates Glebe House and St Colmcille‟s
birthplace. Drive along this narrow road for 7 kilometres when you will
come to a signpost pointing to the right for Glebe House and Gallery. Drive
along this road for about 700 metres and the entrance to the house will
come up on your left.
Total distance: 32 km/ 20 miles
34. Doe Castle
Doe Castle is located on a
rock, approximately one mile
off the main Carrigart to
Creeslough road. The castle
is on an inlet of Sheephaven
Bay protected on three sides
by the sea, and by a moat
built into the rock on the
landward side.
Doe Castle is a relatively well preserved ruin. This impressive fortified
castle has a central tower which is fifty feet high with a large room on each
of the four levels. The tower walls are about eight feet thick. There is a
dungeon on the third level with a single narrow window in the stone wall,
and a single four foot high doorway with a pointed arch. The dungeon
doorway opens onto a winding stairway inside the castle wall to the fourth
floor above.
The great wall is about thirty five feet long by eighteen feet wide. There is
a dry well shaft on the south west side of the castle.
Doe Castle was built in the sixteenth century and was a stronghold of Clan
Suibhne (The Mac Sweeney Clan). Owen Roe O‟Neill led the Irish
Confederates from Doe Castle in 1642 in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
During the seventeenth century, the castle changed hands a number of
times, and was eventually taken by the English. General George Vaughan
Harte renovated the castle at the end of the eighteenth century and made it
his home until 1864. The general‟s
initials can still be seen over the door.
The last occupant was a Church of
Ireland minister, and after his
departure the castle fell into disrepair.
In 1922, Stewart-bam of Ards, sold the
castle to the Irish Land Commission.
The castle is now a National
Monument.
There is a graveyard beside the castle which dates back to the 1600s.
The Irish singer Brian Mc Fadden proposed to Kerry Katona (now his exwife) at Doe Castle in 2001. This was where his grandfather proposed to
his grandmother.
Creeslough take the left turn towards Carrigart. After about 2 kilometres
you will see the signpost indicating the left turn for Doe Castle, a distance
of approximately 2 kilometres. This is very narrow road so you need to
drive with care as it can be quite busy, particularly during the summer
season.
Total distance: 32 kilometres/20 miles.
35. Lackagh Bridge
Lackagh Bridge in the townland of Drumlackagh, near Creeslough, was
built in 1750, at a cost of £207, by William Wray, the owner of Ards House
and Estate. The money for the project was granted by the Donegal Grand
Jury, the equivalent of the Donegal County Council at that time.
It was the principal
bridge over the river
Lackagh, which runs
from nearby Glen
Lake
into
Sheephaven
Bay.
Today the main road
from Dunfanaghy to
Letterkenny passes
through Creeslough
and over Barnes Gap
and was constructed
in 1849. Prior to that
the main road crossed over the Lackagh River, on to Glen, Kilmacranean
and then continued to Letterkenny. William Wray was keen to have
Lackagh Bridge built so that his guests would have easier access to his
house in Ards. He was a very hospitable man and constantly kept twenty
stalls on standby for stabling the horses of his guests and twenty covers on
his table for their owners.
This picturesque little bridge and its surrounding area is a favourite spot for
artists and anglers and are close to Doe Castle, once the stronghold of the
Mc Sweeney clan. Paintings and photographs of this bridge can be seen
in many galleries throughout Ireland and beyond. It is well worth a visit and
don‟t forget to bring your camera. But you will need to check the tides, as
the best photo opportunity will be available when the tide is in.
Today the 250 year old bridge is still very much in service, carrying local
and tourist traffic to Glen, Carrigart, Downings and on to the Rosguill
Peninsula.
Another unusual feature in the townland of Drumlackagh is the
Clochnabogaddy or “shuggling stone”. The story goes that the King of
Aileach, Ainmire, in the time of Colmcille levied a tax on his subjects. A
young man named Eamann was sent by his aunt, Meabh, to pay the tax.
Eamann showed the money to his lover and she persuaded him to keep it.
When the king‟s men came to collect the money, Meabh revealed to them
what had happened
but Eamann denied all knowledge of it. Colmcille heard the argument and
prophesised that the one who told the lie would speak no more. At that
moment Eamann was turned into the Clochnabogaddy stone and Meabh
found the money when she returned home. Colmcille stated that as
Eamann had yielded so easily to temptation, so the stone would yield to
every little impulse. The stone is, “so delicately poised that the little finger
of the left hand applied to its eastern end moves it with the utmost ease
through its whole arc of about three inches,” according to William Lancey of
the Ordnance Survey team in 1834.
towards Falcarragh and continue straight to Dunfanaghy and on towards
Creeslough. About a mile on the other side of Creeslough take the left turn
towards Carrigart. After about 4km you will come to Lackagh Bridge.
Follow the main road through the sharp left bend and after a very short
distance you can park the car at a viewing point. There is good view of the
bridge from this vantage point and you should be able to get a good
photograph. There is also a very good view of Doe Castle on the far side of
the bay.
36. The Owencarrow Viaduct, 30 January 1925
The railway line from Derry to
Letterkenny was completed in
1883 and was extended to
Burtonport in 1903 running
through
Churchill,
Kilmacranean,
Creeslough,
Dunfanaghy and Falcarragh.
There was also a station in
nearby Cashelnagore which
served the Gortahork area and
the track continued to its destination in the fishing village of Burtonport.
The weather was very stormy with gusts of up 120 miles per hour on the
evening of 30 January 1925 as the train approached the Owencarrow
Viaduct, which was approximately four hundred yards long and known to
be dangerous. This viaduct spanned the Owencarrow river valley which is
about 4 kilometres from Creeslough. The train was pulling two carriages,
one wagon and a combined van and slowed down to about ten miles per
hour as it approached the viaduct.
There were fourteen passengers on board the train along with the three
crew members, the driver, a train guard and a fireman. About forty metres
onto the viaduct a violent gust of wind lifted the carriage behind the engine
off the rails. The driver brought the train to a halt and the carriage which
had been derailed carried the wagon half way over the wall of the bridge.
The passenger carriage had been turned upside down and the passengers
were thrown from the carriage into the valley below. The masonry of the
parapet gave way and landed on the passengers in the valley.
Only one passenger, a Ms Campbell, was uninjured, as she was thrown
from the carriage and landed on soft, boggy soil. Four passengers lost
their lives. One of those was a Mrs Mulligan from Falcarragh returning
home after visiting her daughter, who was hired out at one of the many
hiring fairs at the time, to a farmer in the Lagan. The Lagan refers to the
areas of fertile land and large farms in East Donegal.
The jury at the inquest found that if a properly constructed rail had been
built along the full length of the viaduct this tragedy could have been
avoided. They apportioned no blame to the three crew members.
The last passenger train travelled on this line in June 1941 but continued
as a freight service until early 1947, in the main bringing turf to the power
station in Gweedore and also to Dublin during World War 2.
towards Falcarragh and continue on to Dunfanaghy. Drive through
Dunfanaghy and Creeslough and then continue on towards Termon
keeping to the main N56 heading for Letterkenny. About 4 kilometres after
Creeslough take the second right turn which is signposted Droim na
Coradh. Follow this narrow road for about 500 metres and stop the car as
you approach a bridge and try to get a safe parking spot on the side of the
road. The old railway line passed under this bridge. As you look down to
your left you will see the remains of the old viaduct which spanned this
river valley for about 400 metres. You are now close to the scene of the
Owencarrow Train Disaster in 1925. If you get the permission of the house
owner which is across the road from the bridge you will be able to walk
down towards the viaduct to get a good view. This railway project,
particularly along this stretch of the line, required a very high level of
engineering skills considering it was built over a century ago.
37. The Rock of Doon, Doon Well and the Mass Rock
There are many holy wells to
be found in Donegal but
probably the most famous is
Doon Well, which is situated
just off the main N56 to
Letterkenny between the
villages of Termon and
Kilmacrennan. It is about a
thirty minute drive from the
hotel
passing
through
Falcarragh,
Dunfanaghy,
Creeslough and Termon.
Hundreds of thousands of people have visited this well over the centuries
and there was a time when most Catholic homes in the county had a bottle
of Doon Well water. Pilgrims have left many items beside the well as
evidence of the curative powers of the water. There is also a rag tree close
by, where traditionally visitors tied rags in the belief that when the rag
rotted the disease or pain that afflicted them would also be no more.
Tradition has it that a Father Friel who lived in this area in the 16th century
had great curative powers. When he was close to death his people asked
him what were they to do when he finally departed this life. Thus he
blessed this well and promised that those who believed in its holy waters
would receive the same cures and blessings he had imparted to them.
When you have finished your visit to the well you should not leave without
making the climb to the nearby Rock of Doon where the O Donnell
chieftains were inaugurated. Twenty five leaders of the O Donnell Clan
ceremoniously received a white rod, their seal of office, on this rock
between the years 1200 and 1603. The first chieftain was Eighneachain,
while the last was Rory O Donnell who succeeded Red Hugh after he had
fled to Spain and died in 1602 when he was only thirty years old. The
actual ritual stone, in which there was an imprint of the foot of the first O
Donnell chieftain, is no more but is now replaced by a commemorative
stone.
As you come down from the Rock of Doon you will see a trail to a Mass
Rock on the opposite hill where Mass was celebrated in secret during the
years of the Penal Laws in Ireland. The sign indicating the mass rock is in
Irish and reads, “Carraig an Aifrinn”.
These Mass Rocks were normally
located in well hidden and sheltered
places, close to some high ground
where some of the congregation could
keep a look out for English soldiers.
There is one such Mass Rock to be
seen along the road in Ballyboes,
which is between Falcarragh and Dunfanaghy.
towards Falcarragh and continue on towards Dunfanaghy. Drive through
Dunfanaghy and Creeslough and then on towards Termon keeping to the
main N56 heading for Letterkenny. You will soon come to the small village
of Termon and will pass a small hotel on your right called The Lagoon.
About 1.5 kilometres past the hotel you will see the signpost which
indicates Doon Well to your right. Take the right turn and drive along this
narrow road for approximately 2 kilometres and take the left turn for Doon
Well as per the signpost. This road is narrow and after a few minutes you
will reach the car park and the well is directly ahead. There is a steep climb
on the left to the Mass Rock and on the right to the Rock of Doon. The
ascent to the rock is particularly steep but the view from the top is well
worth all the puffing and panting. You are now standing on a very historic
spot.
By the way, the last of the great Gaelic leaders, Cahir O Doherty, was also
killed in this area in 1608. A plaque commemorating this event was erected
in 2008 at the beginning of the ascent to the Rock.
38. The Daniel O’Donnell Visitor Centre, Dungloe
This centre was built as a mark of recognition to the remarkable success of
singer Daniel O‟Donnell and it is a museum of his life so far.
In this custom designed building, the story of Daniel‟s life is told through
displays, videos and exclusive memorabilia showing the progress of his
international career. The displays include some of his favourite stage
outfits, his wedding suit and his wife Majella‟s wedding dress.
Visitors can follow Daniel‟s life from his roots in the small coastal village of
Kincasslagh to the world stage and view some of the many awards he has
received, including gold and platinum albums. Video screens show
extracts from many of the top TV shows he has appeared on, along with all
his own song promo films and extracts from many sell out concerts since
his career began.
Daniel is a native of the Rosses, a parish which stretches along the west
cost from Gweedore to Lettermacaward. Dungloe is known as the capital
of the Rosses so it is fitting that the centre is situated on Main Street. So if
you are a Daniel fan you will not want to miss the opportunity to pay a visit.
For information on opening times and admission prices log on to
www.danielodonnellvisitorcentre.com
Directions: As you leave by the front door of the hotel turn right and follow
the main N56 passing through the villages of Crolly and Loughanure.
Watch out for the famous Crolly Stone which is about a kilometre past the
village as it juts out over the road on the right hand side. Stay on the main
road and you will soon reach Dungloe. The N56 skirts the town but when
you come to a T Junction turn right and this will bring you to the main street
where the centre is located, close to the bridge.
Total Distance: 31kilometres/19 miles.
39. Teach Leo
Leo‟s Tavern, is situated in Meenaleck, a townland which lies between
Crolly and Annagry on the way to Donegal Airport. It is home to the
Brennan‟s, a world famous musical family which includes Moya Brennan
and her sister Enya. It was opened in 1968 by Enya‟s mother, Máire, a
music teacher, and her father, Leo, a solo accordionist. All of their nine
children, including Enya and the members of Clannad, have helped out in
the pub over the years. It is a traditional Irish pub with Irish music and
dancing, where the Irish language is spoken.
The walls are decorated with the family‟s gold and platinum records and
photographs of the many famous people who have visited Leo‟s down
through the years. Enya has sold more than 75 million records and is
Ireland‟s top selling solo performer of all time.
Tourists, visiting musicians and locals get the same warm welcome and an
invitation to join in the dancing and singing and it is not unusual for the staff
to sing a song, play a tune or dance a jig to entertain the customers! Leo,
who is now in his eighties, gets the musical evenings rolling with his
accordion and after that you never know who might pop in to play a tune or
sing a song. It has been home to many extraordinary nights of music and
dance for the past fifty years.
A visit to Leo‟s Tavern is a must, particularly during the busy summer
season.
For further information log on to www.leostavern.com
Directions
As you leave by the front door of the hotel turn right and follow the main
N56 passing by an Chúirt Hotel on the right. Very soon you will come to
Crolly Bridge. Turn left over the bridge and you will soon reach the village
of Crolly, once famous for its dolls, which sadly are no longer manufactured
here. As you leave the village of Crolly take a right turn and follow the road
towards Annagry and the airport. After about 1 kilometre you will see the
sign for Teach Leo a little off the road on the right hand side. Take time to
browse, have a drink or a bite to eat and you might even meet a member of
the famous Brennan family.
40. Fintown Railway Restoration Project – An Mhuc Dhubh
The original narrow gauge
railway line which ran from
Stranorlar to Glenties was
opened in 1895 and was closed
to passenger traffic on 13 June
1947. It continued to provide a
freight service until 1952 when it
bowed to the pressure of the
road hauliers, the private car
and the bus. The station at
Fintown was situated a little
more than half way along the
line.
A portion of the line was restored and reopened in Fintown on the 3 June
1995 just in time to commemorate its centenary year and is today the only
operational railway in Co. Donegal. It is a unique three mile return trip of
spectacular highland scenery running along the banks of Lough Finn at the
foot of Aghla Mountain. This setting prompted the famous international
playwright, Brian Friel, to pronounce, “What is on offer is a unique journey
along the shores of a lake as grand as any in Switzerland or Minnesota”.
Rolling stock includes a custom built passenger carriage and Railcar 18
which is on loan from the North West of Ireland Railway Society, one of
only six original County Donegal Railways railcars still in existence. Also
worth a glance is the beautifully restored platform and water tower.
Lough Finn gets its name from the mythological figure Finngheal, who
drowned while swimming across the lake in an attempt to rescue her
brother, Fearghamhain, from the attack of a wild black boar.
In the sixth century Saint Colmcille predicted the Donegal Railway when he
prophesied that peace would not return to Ireland until a black metal pig
would run through the hills of Donegal, “blowing black smoke from its
nostrils....” Mind you, peace was declared on the 1st August 1994, a mere
nine months before the official opening of the restored Fintown Railway.
An Mhuc Dhubh translates as the Black Pig and this is how the locals
christened the arrival of the first steam engine to Fintown in 1895.
The railway embankment runs parallel to the road most of the way to
Glenties and there are many impressive cut stone bridges particularly at
Shallogans, the Beanna Buí and Stranaglough. Shallogans Halt platform
still exists and all of the original station buildings at Glenties are intact, on
the right as you enter the town
For further information and to check opening hours and fares contact 074
95 46280 or log on to www.antraen.com/visitor.php
the main N56 passing through Crolly, Loughanure and on to Dungloe. As
you leave Dungloe take a left turn at the T junction and follow the road
towards Lettermacaward and Glenties. You are still on the N56. A little over
4 kilometres along that road take the left turn signposted Letterkenny and
Ballybofey. You are now on the R252. Follow this road through Doochary
and then as you enter Fintown you will reach a T junction. Take the left turn
and pass through the village. After about 500 metres watch out for the right
turn which takes you down to the shores of Lough Finn and to the railway
station. Enjoy the train trip along the banks of the lake and don‟t forget to
bring your camera.
41. Arranmore Island - Oileán Árainn Mhór
Arranmore is the largest inhabited island off the County Donegal coast, and
the second largest in all of Ireland, with a population of 514 in 2011, down
from 528 in 2006, 543 in 2002 and over 600 in 1996. The island lies off the
west coast and is sometimes referred to as Árainn Uí Dhomhnaill, meaning
the “Aran of the O‟Donnells”.
The island lies 5km off Burtonport, a small coastal village in The Rosses,
and is served by two ferry services. The first is a conventional ferry that
accommodates up to ninety six passengers and all sizes of vehicles with a
journey time of fifteen minutes. A fast ferry service commenced in 2007
and it can cover the journey to the island in five minutes. Both services run
daily all year round. The trip to the island affords spectacular views,
passing a number of smaller islands before crossing a stretch of open
Atlantic waters. The ferry contact details are as follows:
www.arranmoreferry.com. Telephone 074 95 42233. The fast ferry service
may be contacted at www.arranmorefastferry.com or at 087 3171810
Most of the population lives along the southern and comparatively
sheltered eastern coast, where the main village, Leabgarrow (Leadhb
Gharbh), is located. The island has been settled since pre-Celtic times,
and the few remaining signs of early settlement include a promontory fort
to the south of the island and shell middens (shell heaps) dotted along the
beaches. Its position near the Atlantic shipping lanes was exploited, with a
coastguard station and a lighthouse positioned on the most north-westerly
point, and a World War 2 monitoring post set up to look out for U-Boats.
Savour the beautiful and untamed landscapes, Gaelic culture, quiet country
roads, abundant wildlife, turf fires and lively pubs. There is a good range of
accommodation on the island including a hotel, a hostel and a good
selection of B&Bs.
The population of the island rises to well over one thousand during the
summer months. Visitors can enjoy hill-walking, swimming, sea-angling,
fresh water fishing, painting, boating, diving on shipwrecks, pitch and putt,
biking, bird watching and island hopping by speed-boat between the
smaller islands. Many rare species of birds grace the island including at
times, the snowy owl, the semi-palmated plover, gannets, choughs,
kittiwakes and redwings. The island hosts the Arranmore Challenge, an
annual soccer competition, every June Bank Holiday weekend, where
sixteen teams compete over two days. The competition has increased in
popularity every year since it was introduced in 2001, and it now hosts
teams from all over Ireland and Great Britain.
Because of the close proximity of the continental shelf, waters off Ireland
are home to up to fifty per cent of the bottlenose dolphin population in
Europe. Dolphin and whale watching is also a popular pastime off
Arranmore Island. Sightings of these beautiful cetaceans are almost a
daily occurrence, and passengers on the Burtonport and Arranmore ferries
regularly have the privilege of an escort from the dolphins as they travel.
Arranmore was the first offshore island in Ireland to get electricity from the
Rural Electrification Scheme, run by the ESB, in 1957, but it was amongst
the last places in the country to get reliable piped water in 1973-75 and an
automatic phone exchange in 1986.
The island relies mainly on tourism for its income as well as the traditional
Gaeltacht summer schools. Fishing was the island‟s mainstay up to the
1980s but is no longer a significant industry. In recent years, a local
development co-op has encouraged the development of other industries on
the island, such as a call centre and training for teachers of the Irish
language.
Arranmore suffered a devastating tragedy on 9 November 1935, when
nineteen islanders making their way home from the potato fields in
Scotland, drowned as they made the short journey across from Burtonport
to the island. One man, Patrick Gallagher, survived the disaster. Donegal
people in Dublin came together immediately to offer whatever assistance
they could to the stricken families of those who lost their lives. Six days
after the disaster, the Donegal community in Dublin held a meeting in the
Gresham Hotel and that was the beginning of the Donegal Association in
Dublin. It was decided at that meeting to organise a concert in the Gaiety
Theatre in aid of the Arranmore Disaster Fund. The concert was held on
24 November 1935 and proved to be a great success. The leading artistes
of the day gave freely of their talents and every seat in the house was
occupied by sympathetic supporters of a very worthy cause. There is a
plaque in the local Catholic Church which commemorates the close
connection that still exists between the Donegal Association in Dublin and
the people of this island.
Arranmore Island is twinned with Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan
where a large number or former residents gathered after being evicted
from Arranmore in 1850. To this day there is a number of families on
Beaver Island that can trace their roots to Arranmore.
the main N56 passing through Crolly. As you leave the village of Crolly
take a right turn and follow the road towards Annagry and the airport.
Continue on through Kincasslagh and then on to Burtonport. You can buy
your ticket at the booking office in Burtonport or on the ferry. The ferries
operate all year round but have extra sailings during the busy summer
season. Enjoy the short 15 minutes trip of 5 kilometres across to the island
and don‟t forget to carry your camera.
An alternative route to take is via Dungloe on the N56 from the hotel – a
journey of 30 kilometres. Watch out for the right turn in Dungloe for
Burtonport – a distance of 9 kilometres. This road is better but it‟s about 3
kilometres longer.
Total Distance:
From Óstán Loch Altan to Burtonport via Kincasslagh: 36km/23 miles.
From Óstán Loch Altan to Burtonport via Dungloe: 39km/25 miles

places of interest to visit in the area during your

Transcription

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