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 co- operative 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.
Directions: Leaving from the back car park of the hotel take a right turn along the 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.
Directions: Leaving from the back car park of the hotel take a right turn along the 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 son- in-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.
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 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 throw his crozier saying:
”With my own help and the help of God my crozier will go to Tory.”
However, the wind caught it and it landed east of Falcarragh in Ray, where he subsequently built his 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
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 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.
Total distance: 7.5 kilometres/5 miles
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.
Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left towards 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.
Total distance: 3 kilometres/2 miles
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. Already ten have been allocated and two more are to be appointed.
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.
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 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.
Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left towards 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.
Total distance: 3 kilometres/2 miles 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. Directions: Leaving from the back car park of the hotel take a right turn along the 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.
Total distance: 3 kilometres/2 miles
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.
Directions: Leaving from the front door of the hotel turn left towards Falcarragh. 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.
Total distance: 3.5 kilometres/2 miles
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, Och the baby in the cradle, The ould man at the plough, Blue eyes and curlin' hair, No grown-up son nor daughter, God knows I'd give a gra'dle That's the way we're farmin' now. To have little Pether there; "No work and little pleasure" No doubt he'd find it funny Was the cry before they wint, Lyin' here upon me arm, Now they're gettin' both full measure, Him that's earnin' the good money, So I ought to be contint. On a Californy farm. Great wages men is givin' Six pounds it was or sivin In the land beyant the say, He sint last quarter day, But 'tis lonely, lonely livin' But 'tis lonely, lonely livin’ Whin the childher is away. Whin the childher is away
God is good - no better, Whin the shadows do be fallin' And the Divil might be worse, On the ould man there an' me, Each month there comes a letther 'Tis hard to keep from callin' Bringing something for the purse. "Come in, childher, to yer tea!' And the ould man's heart rejoices I can almost hear them comin' When I read they're doin' fine, Mary, Kate and little Con But it's oh! to hear their voices, Och! but I'm the foolish woman, And to feel their hands in mine. Sure they're all grown up an' gone. To see the cattle driven' That our sins may be forgiven, And the young ones makin' hay, An' not wan go asthray, 'Tis a lonely land to live in I doubt I'd stay in Heaven When the childher is away 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. 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 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.
Total distance: 30 kilometres/18 miles
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.
Total distance: 17 kilometres/11 miles
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.
Total distance: 8 kilometres/5 miles
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 or call 074 95 31968
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.
Total distance: 18 kilometres/11 miles
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 19th century to improve access from the church to Ards House which was several miles distant.
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, 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.
Total distance: 26 kilometres/15 miles
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.
Total distance: 23 kilometres/14 miles
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
Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left 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.
Total distance: 14 kilometres/9 miles
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: [email protected]
Website: www.thegallerydunfanaghy.com
Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left 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.
Total distance: 14 kilometres/9 miles
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. Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left 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.
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 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.
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 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 [email protected] to make enquiries regarding opening times and admission charges to Glebe House.
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 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 ex- wife) at Doe Castle in 2001. This was where his grandfather proposed to his grandmother.
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 2 kilometres on the other side of 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. Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left 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.
Total distance: 32 kilometres/20 miles
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. Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left 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.
Total distance: 30 kilometres/19 miles
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.
Directions: Leaving from the car park at the back of the hotel turn left 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.
Total distance: 43 kilometres/26 miles
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.
Total distance: 18 kilometres/11 miles
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
Directions: As you leave by the front door of the hotel turn right and follow 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.
Total distance: 53 kilometres/31 miles
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.
Directions: As you leave by the front door of the hotel turn right and follow 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