Gweedore ( ; officially known by its

Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...

name, ) is an Irish-speaking district and parish located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. Gweedore stretches some from Glasserchoo in the north to Crolly in the south and around from

Dunlewey ''Dún Lúiche'', known in English as Dunlewey or Dunlewy, is a small ''Gaeltacht'' village in the Gweedore area of County Donegal, Ireland. It sits in the Poisoned Glen, at the foot of Errigal and on the shore of Dunlewey Lough. The Cronaniv B ...

in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and is one of Europe's most densely populated rural areas. It is the largest Irish-speaking parish in Ireland with a population of around 4,065, and is also the home of the northwest regional studios of the Irish-language radio service RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, as well as an external campus of

National University of Ireland, Galway The University of Galway ( ga, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. A tertiary education and research institution, the university was awarded the full five QS stars for excellence in 201 ...

. Gweedore includes the villages Bunbeg, Derrybeg, Dunlewey, Crolly and Brinlack, and sits in the shade of County Donegal's highest peak, Errigal. Gweedore is known for being a cradle of Irish culture, with old Irish customs, traditional music, theatre,

Gaelic games Gaelic games ( ga, Cluichí Gaelacha) are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the ...

and the

playing a central and pivotal role in the lives of the local people. This, along with its scenery and many beaches, has made the area a popular tourist destination, especially with visitors from Northern Ireland. Gweedore and the neighbouring districts of Cloughaneely and the Rosses are collectively known locally as "the three parishes"; they form a social and cultural region distinct from the rest of the county, with Gweedore serving as the main centre for socialising and industry.

Etymology

Gweedore is the anglicisation of the original and official Irish name ''Gaoth Dobhair''. ''Gaoth'' refers to an inlet of the sea at the mouth of the Crolly River, known as ''An Ghaoth''. It is the boundary between Gweedore to the north and The Rosses to the south. ''Dobhar'' is an old Irish word for water. Therefore, ''Gaoth Dobhair'' translates as "the aqueous estuary". The name ''Gweedore'' or ''Gaoth Dobhair'' refers to the traditional district and Catholic parish of the same name, not to one village or town. The villages of Bunbeg, Derrybeg, Dunlewey and others are collectively known as ''Gweedore''.

Language

Gweedore has a population of 4,500 and is divided into three electoral divisions (EDs): *''Machaire Chlochair'' with a population of 2,651 and an estimated 77% native Irish speakers. *''

Cnoc Fola Gweedore ( ; officially known by its Irish language name, ) is an Irish-speaking district and parish located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. Gweedore stretches some from Glasserchoo in the north to Crolly ...

''/''Mín an Chladaigh'' with a population of 1,326 and 83% Irish speakers. *''

Dún Lúiche Gweedore ( ; officially known by its Irish language name, ) is an Irish-speaking district and parish located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. Gweedore stretches some from Glasserchoo in the north to Crolly ...

'' with a population of 695 and 76% Irish speakers. The predominant spoken language of the district is Irish, but English can be widely heard as well. All schools, religious services, and advertisements are through Irish. Thousands of second-level and some third-level students from all over Ireland attend summer schools at ''Coláiste Cholmcille'' (

Columba Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is toda ...

's College), ''Coláiste Bun an Inbhir'', ''Coláiste Chú Chulainn'', ''Coláiste Mhuire'' and ''Coláiste an Phiarsaigh'' in Gaoth Dobhair every summer to further their knowledge and understanding of the

.Coláiste Cholmcille website
This is a Gaeltacht, an area where the Irish language is the first language, providing an unbroken link with millennia of

Irish history The first evidence of human presence in Ireland dates to around 33,000 years ago, with further findings dating the presence of homo sapiens to around 10,500 to 7,000 BC. The receding of the ice after the Younger Dryas cold phase of the Quaterna ...

and culture. cnocfola335

Since most of the inhabitants of the village are bilingual, it is common to hear English vocabulary used within an Irish sentence and vice versa. A rich subset of unique vocabulary and phrases has arisen from this

bilingualism Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all E ...

and owing to this, the parish has attracted some curious interest from both lexicographers and etymologists in the past. For example, the Irish suffix -ailte or -eáilte is used to form a Gaelicised version of English verbs, as in ''wreckailte'' "tired".

History

Bunbeg - Magheragallon Cemetery - geograph

The

Plantation of Ulster The Plantation of Ulster ( gle, Plandáil Uladh; Ulster-Scots: ''Plantin o Ulstèr'') was the organised colonisation (''plantation'') of Ulstera province of Irelandby people from Great Britain during the reign of King James I. Most of the sett ...

in 1609 added a twist to the fate of the parish. Irish-speaking families who were driven from their fertile lands in the

Lagan Valley The Lagan Valley (, Ulster Scots: ''Glen Lagan'') is an area of Northern Ireland between Belfast and Lisburn. The River Lagan rises on Slieve Croob in County Down and flows generally northward discharging into Belfast Lough. For a section, the ...

and the surrounding areas made their way to the poor boglands of west Donegal. Some of them made it as far as Gweedore and could go no further west. Around the same time, English and

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

colonists A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a pioneer. Settle ...

began to arrive when this uncharted territory was converted to baronies. It appears the parish was very sparsely populated up until the 17th century. The first people to arrive lived on the islands or by the shore in clusters, pockets of houses built close together and in each other's shade. Up until the early 19th century the parish was only lightly populated and it seems the people had an amicable relationship with the landowners. The standard of life was to deteriorate with the arrival of new landlords in the 19th century, in particular

Lord George Hill Lord George Augusta Hill (9 December 1801 – 6 April 1879) was an Anglo-Irish military officer, politician and landowner. Hill was the posthumous son of Arthur Hill, 2nd Marquess of Downshire and his wife Mary Hill, Marchioness of Downshire, g ...

(1801–1879) and his son Arthur. The people of the parish led by James McFadden ( ga, Séamus Mac Pháidín), the parish priest in 1875–1901, challenged the landlords with the founding of the Land League and the Plan of Campaign. The killing by locals of Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) District Inspector William Limbrick Martin outside the local church (''Teach Phobail Mhuire'') in Derrybeg on Sunday 3 February 1889, while reportedly rushing Father McFadden with a drawn sword, was the climax of the Land War in Gweedore. 43 people were arrested after the killing. The case was recalled in the 1928 memoirs of Tim Healy, who defended Father McFadden and his parishioners. An

Irish American , image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png , image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state , caption = Notable Irish Americans , population = 36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...

journalist, W.H. Hurlbert, also investigated the landlord-tenant dispute in Gweedore in minute detail in his book ''Ireland under Coercion'', published in 1888. Many books have been published in Irish, and several in English, detailing Gweedore's rich history. One of the most prolific of local historians was Cáit Nic Giolla Bhríde.

Freak storm

On the afternoon of 23 June 2009, a severe thunderstorm struck Gweedore. It was centred on the adjoining villages of Bunbeg and Derrybeg, and lasted for several hours, causing two rivers to burst their banks, flooding houses, shops and factories, ripping up roads and destroying bridges. Lightning which lasted for two hours damaged power lines and caused a major breakdown of mobile phone service, leaving people trapped by the floods unable to contact help. Up to 20 houses were cut off from the outside world after three access bridges were carried away by the swollen rivers. Described as the worst storm "in living memory", it was also the most severe since 1880 when five people drowned in Derrybeg. Owing to the highly localised nature of the storm, the areas of maximum rainfall missed the network of rain gauges but Met Éireann estimated that between 2 pm and 6 pm, up to of rain fell at the core.

Economy

In the 1980s and 1990s, Gweedore had a thriving factory industry, where up to 20 large companies were established producing rubber, carpets, body toning equipment and cleaning agents. However, by 2001 most of these companies had closed due to competition from Eastern Europe. Up to 4,000 jobs were lost, and this had a serious economic and social effect on Gweedore and surrounding areas. The factory in the townland of Crolly has been manufacturing porcelain dolls since 1939 under the name ''Crolly Dolls''. In 2003, the estate was renamed Páirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair (Gweedore Business Park) and the Gaeltacht body, Údarás na Gaeltachta, started a campaign to try to entice businesses to Gweedore in hope of reviving the local economy. A Scottish company opened a call centre on the estate, but this subsequently closed. Other businesses include a number of supermarkets, convenience stores, beauticians, hairdressers, contractors, garages, pharmacists, pubs, cafes and three well-established hotels: Derrybeg Hotel, Teach Jack and An Chúirt Hotel.

Education

Primary level

All five primary schools in the area are Irish-speaking schools. Children are not taught English until higher infants level (5–6 years old). *Scoil Chonaill, Bunbeg (''An Bun Beag'') *Scoil Mhuire, Derrybeg (''Doirí Beaga'') *Scoil Phádraig, Dore (''Dobhar'') *Scoil Bhríde, Mín an Chladaigh *Scoil Adhamhnáin, Lunniagh (''Luinneach'')

Secondary level

The only community school (post-primary) is

Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair (''Gweedore Community School'') is an Irish-medium secondary school in the Gaeltacht district of Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, Ireland. It has a pupil attendance of around 400. Alumni *Aoife Ní Fhearraigh, singer ...

, established in Lunniagh in 1977. As with the local primary schools, all students are educated through the medium of Irish and most sit their public examinations in Irish.

Third level

In 2004, NUI Galway expanded to Gweedore when it opened ''Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge'', providing third-level education through the medium of the Irish language to over 80 students every year. Several diplomas are available as well as a new bachelor's degree in business studies.

Physical features

Gweedore is close to Errigal, the tallest mountain in County Donegal, which overshadows the picturesque Dunlewey Lough. It is surrounded by the deep

glen A glen is a valley, typically one that is long and bounded by gently sloped concave sides, unlike a ravine, which is deep and bounded by steep slopes. Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower ...

s and lakes of the Poisoned Glen, through which the

Cronaniv Burn The Cronaniv Burn (Irish language, Irish: ''Abhainn Chró Nimhe'', meaning 'Poisoned Glen River';''Discovery Series'' Sheet 1 (Fourth Edition). Ordnance Survey of Ireland (O.S.I.), Dublin, 2012.Patrick McKay, ''A Dictionary of Ulster Place-Names ...

flows,''Discovery Series'' Sheet 1 (Fourth Edition).

Ordnance Survey of Ireland Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI; ga, Suirbhéireacht Ordanáis Éireann) is the national mapping agency of Ireland. It was established on 4 March 2002 as a body corporate. It is the successor to the former Ordnance Survey of Ireland. It and the ...

(O.S.I.), Dublin, 2012. and further on, Glenveagh

national park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...

and

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

, the largest national park in Ireland. ''Bád Eddie'' ("Eddie's Boat"), the ''Cara na Mara'' ("Friend of the Sea"), is the wreck of a ship which ran ashore on Magheraclogher Strand due to rough seas. The Crolly River ( Irish: ''Abhainn Chroithlí''), also known as the Gweedore River, and the

Clady River The River Clady is a mid-scale river in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, a tributary of the Lower Bann. It forms from the confluence of the Grillagh River and Knockoneil River. Course The river flows through the flatlands outside C ...

(Irish: ''An Chláidigh'') are two of the main rivers flowing through Gweedore. The Gweedore coastline consists of long sandy beaches and rugged cliffs with small islands, including

Gola Island Gola ( or ''Oileán Ghabhla'') is a small island off the coast of Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland. The island was unpopulated as recently as 1996 but in recent years people have started to return. A ferry service operates during the holiday sea ...

and Tory Island.

Transport

Gweedore railway station, opened on 9 March 1903, closed for passenger traffic on 3 June 1940 and finally closed altogether on 6 January 1947. The chief railway engineer was Taggart Aston, from Belfast. He was responsible for the design and construction of many of the bridges on the Letterkenny to Burtonport Extension narrow-gauge railway (L&BER), a company jointly owned by the State and the

Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company (The L&LSR, the Swilly) was an Irish public transport and freight company that operated in parts of County Londonderry and County Donegal between 1853 and 2014. Incorporated in June 1853, it on ...

(L&LSR). Coaches that operate from Gweedore include Collins Coaches Donegal to Glasgow, Feda Ó Dónaill, Coyle's Coaches, John McGinley, Patrick Gallagher Coaches, Crónán Mac Pháidín private hire coaches, and a bus route serving the local airport. For many years the Lough Swilly Railway company provided a bus service for the area, which transported people to places such as Letterkenny and other surrounding parishes.

Sport

Sports played locally include

Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...

, golf and soccer.

Gaelic games

The local

club, CLG Ghaoth Dobhair, is located in Machaire Gathlán and provides facilities for all GAA sports. The Gaoth Dobhair senior team is the most successful club in the Donegal Senior Football Championship and Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta. It won the 2018 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship. Players such as

Kevin Cassidy Kevin Cassidy (born 1981) is an Irish-Scottish Gaelic footballer, businessperson, columnist and commentator. Though born in Glasgow, Scotland, he has been living in Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal from a young age. Cassidy plays his club football ...

and the McGee brothers— Eamon and

Neil Neil is a masculine name of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an anglicisation of the Irish ''Niall'' which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "honour" or "champion".. A ...

—are known nationally for their exploits with the senior Donegal county football team. Newcomers, such as Odhrán Mac Niallais, Kieran Gillespie, Michael Carroll and

Cian Mulligan Cian Mulligan ( , ; born 4 March 1996) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Gaoth Dobhair and the Donegal county team. He scored two goals in the 2018 Ulster Senior Football Championship, a competition which his county team won. He als ...

have secured places in the senior county football team in recent years.

Hurling Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...

was never a popular sport in Gweedore, with the exception of a briefly successful minor team in the late 1990s.

Golf

''Gailf Chumann Ghaoth Dobhair'', the local golf club, is also situated in Machaire Gathlán. The 14-hole course hugs the picturesque north-west coast and holds several high-profile tournaments throughout the year, most notably, 'The Clannad Classic', sponsored by the world-renowned local folk band.

Soccer

Soccer clubs active in the area include Gweedore Celtic,

Gweedore United Gweedore ( ; officially known by its Irish language name, ) is an Irish-speaking district and parish located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. Gweedore stretches some from Glasserchoo in the north to Crolly ...

, Glenea United and Dunlewey Celtic. All teams take part in both county and national competitions. Scottish soccer player

Paddy Crerand Paddy may refer to: People *Paddy (given name), a list of people with the given name or nickname *An ethnic slur for an Irishman Birds *Paddy (pigeon), a Second World War carrier pigeon *Snowy sheathbill or paddy, a bird species *Black-faced sh ...

's mother hailed from Gweedore. Still a regular visitor to the area, Crerand broadcast an episode of his MUTV show ''The Paddy Crerand Show'' live from the Ostan Gweedore Hotel in March 2012.

Aiden McGeady Aiden John McGeady (born 4 April 1986) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Scottish Premiership club Hibernian. Born in Scotland, he represented the Republic of Ireland national team from 2004 until 2017. He started his c ...

's paternal grandparents also hail from Gweedore and he spent many of his summer holidays in the parish.

Currach racing

''Cumann na gCurach'', based at Machaire Gathlán, is a voluntary group that organises currach races and takes part in numerous races all over the country.

Arts and culture

Music

Gweedore is famed for its traditional Irish music scene, which is prevalent in local taverns, especially at Hiúdaí Beag's Tavern in Bunbeg. Gweedore has produced a number of well-known musicians. Clannad were formed in 1970, and have since gone on to sell over 15 million records. Lead singer Moya Brennan has also enjoyed a successful solo career, providing musical scores for several Hollywood films. Altan (initially ''Ceoltóirí Altan''), another highly successful local band, is led by Coshclady

fiddle A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (; born 26 July 1959) is an Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Irish folk music band Altan, which she co-founded with her late husband Frankie Kennedy in 1987. Today, Mairéad is recognised as a leading exponent ...

. Gweedore's most successful musician is Enya, born as Eithne Ní Bhraonáin; she first appeared on stage in

Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair (), anglicized as Gweedore Theatre, is a local theatre in the Gaeltacht region of Derrybeg in the parish of Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland. It seats over 200 patrons, and ever since it was opened by actress Siobhán ...

as a member of Clannad, before going on to become one of the world's biggest-selling artists, with sales exceeding 80 million. Other local singers include

Aoife Ní Fhearraigh Aoife Ní Fhearraigh (), or simply Aoife, is an Irish singer. A well-known interpreter of Irish Gaelic songs, she released her first recording in 1991 and worked with Moya Brennan to produce her much acclaimed 1996 album ''Aoife''. She reached int ...

, Brídín Brennan,

Na Casaidigh Na Casaidigh or The Cassidys are an Irish traditional group. They have been based in Dublin for many years, but they originally hail from Gweedore, County Donegal. The group consists of brothers Aongus, Seathrún, Ciarán, Fionntán, Feargus, an ...

Proinsias Ó Maonaigh Proinsias Ó Maonaigh () or Francie Mooney (28 April 1922 – 28 March 2006) was a fiddler from Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair), County Donegal, Ireland. He is known for his distinguished fiddle playing and his unique and vast contribution to Irish musi ...

Gearóidín Bhreathnach Gearóidín Breathnach () is an Irish singer that originally grew up in Rannafast, in the Rosses, County Donegal; she now lives in Ardveen, also in the Rosses.Maria McCool Maria McCool (born 23 May 1974) ( ga, Maria Nic Cumhaill) is an Irish people, Irish singer from Gweedore, County Donegal. She is well known for performing old Irish songs in her native Irish and in English. Her albums include ''Ailleog'' and ''Do ...

. The well-known 1970s group Skara Brae also had strong links with the district. There are two active choirs in the area. Cór Mhuire Doirí Beaga, led by

Baba Brennan Clannad () is an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal by siblings Ciarán, Pól, and Moya Brennan and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Duggan. They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history, including f ...

and Eileen Nic Suibhne and Cór Thaobh 'a Leithid, led by Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde. Both have recorded successful albums. The song "

Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair "Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair" is a song in the Irish language written by Irish musician Proinsias Ó Maonaigh (father of Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan) about his hometown of Gaoth Dobhair in County Donegal. It translates as "''the gre ...

" was written by local musician

Francie Mooney Francie is a given name, often a shortened form of Francis (male) or Frances (female). The name may refer to: People: *Francie Barrett (born 1977), Irish boxer * Francie Bellew (born 1976), Irish Gaelic footballer *Francie Brolly (born 1947), Nort ...

, expressing an exile's final farewell to the green valleys of Gweedore. It has become a modern Irish classic and it has been covered by the likes of Clannad, Paul Brady, Dáithí Sproule,

The Johnstons The Johnstons were an Irish close-harmony folk band, founded in Slane, County Meath, Ireland, consisting of siblings Adrienne, Luci and Michael Johnston. Career The Johnstons began performing in the early 1960s in Slane. They signed to Pye Reco ...

and most notably by Altan. Other well-known songs to have come from the area are "

Trasna na dTonnta "" (; "Across the Waves") is a traditional Irish song often taught to primary school children. It has the same tune as the 20th century Scottish song "Westering Home". The upbeat song is a narration of a rower who is returning to Ireland followi ...

" and "

Báidín Fheilimí Báidín Fheilimí is a traditional Irish song, which originates in the Gaeltacht region in the north-west of County Donegal. It is usually taught to young children. The lyrics are in Irish and is based on the immortalization of a small boat owned ...

Festivals

The popular

Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy ("Frankie Kennedy Winter School") was a traditional music winter school held annually in Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland starting December 1994 in memory of Belfast flautist Frankie Kennedy (from Irish folk musi ...

(" Frankie Kennedy Winter School") took place in Gweedore every New Year until January 2014 in memory of the eponymous Belfast musician, who was married to its founder,

, until he died of cancer in 1994. It has been replaced by the ''Scoil Gheimhridh Ghaoth Dobhair'' ("Gweedore Winter School"). Several attempts have been made recently to revive festivals in the summer months, including ''Féile Earthcore'', ''Loinneog Lúnasa'' and ''Féile Ceoil Ghaoth Dobhair''. The annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade which goes from Bunbeg crossroads to Derrybeg attracts thousands of participants and spectators each year.

Theatre

Gweedore has a rich history of theatre and drama productions. The local theatre

was constructed in 1961. A local theatre group known as ''Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair'' ('actors of Gweedore') was established in 1932. Their first production was called ''In Aimsir an Mháirtínigh'', an original play by Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhríde which was staged in the parish hall in Derrybeg. Their plays and pantomimes, which were all staged in Irish, became a staple of Gaeltacht social life, drawing audiences from as far as Belfast and they performed throughout Ireland and Scotland. Members of the theatre group have gone on to create TV shows including ''

CU Burn ''C.U. Burn'' is a cult Irish language television comedy broadcast on the Irish-language television channel Teilifís na Gaeilge (now called TG4). It tells the tales of the County Donegal undertakers Charlie and Vincie Burn who run a turf-fuele ...

'' (

Seán Mac Fhionnghaile Seán McGinley (c. 1952 – 1 November 2009), known as Seán Mac Fhionnghaile, was an Irish actor from County Donegal. He was known primarily for his comic roles, particularly for his leading roles in the TG4 sitcoms '' C.U. Burn'' and ''Gleann ...

), and have appeared on '' Ros na Rún'' (

Gavin Ó Fearraigh Gavin Ó Fearraigh (born 5 May 1980) is an Ireland, Irish actor, dancer and model. He is most notable for his role as ''Conall Daly'' in the TG4 soap ''Ros na Rún''. He came first in the Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) reality show ''Celebrit ...

). Many of Gweedore's musicians were associated with the group. ''Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair'' are still active and performed shows at

An Grianán Theatre An Grianán Theatre ( ga, Amharclann an Ghrianáin) is the largest theatre in County Donegal. Located in Letterkenny's Port Road district, its current director is Patricia McBride. With a seating capacity of 383, the theatre provides a range of p ...

in Letterkenny as part of the

Earagail Arts Festival The Earagail Arts Festival () is an annual festival which takes place in County Donegal, Ireland, every June or July. The festival began in June 1988. The Festival includes parades, street performances and numerous plays, musical concerts and ...

in 2010 and 2011.

Art

Gaoth Dobhair is home to two art galleries which house work by some of the area's best-known painters. ''An Clachán'' claims to be the largest art gallery in Donegal, whilst ''An Gailearaí'' at Áislann Ghaoth Dobhair has staged exhibitions based on the work of the world-renowned Derek Hill.

Religion

The Roman Catholic parish of Gweedore has four churches: ''Teach Pobal Mhuire'' (St Mary's) in Derrybeg (built in 1972, after the previous 'old chapel' had flooded on many occasions), ''Teach Pobail an Chroí Naofa'' (Sacred Heart) in Dunlewey (built in 1877), ''Teach Pobail Naomh Pádraig'' (St Patrick's) in Meenaweel (built in 1938) and ''Séipéal Cholmcille'' (St Columba's) in Bloody Foreland (built in 1933). The only Protestant church in Gweedore is St Patrick's Church of Ireland, in Bunbeg.

Media

Radio

The regional studios of the Irish language radio station RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta are in the townland of Derrybeg. Two radio shows are broadcast from Gweedore each day, as well as regional news every hour.

Gallery

File:Dunlewy - Derelict church with walled yard and gate - geograph.org.uk - 1190473.jpg, Derelict Church of Ireland in Dunlewey File:RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Doirí Beaga, Gaoth Dobhair, Dún na nGall.jpg, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta studios in Derrybeg File:View across Dunmore Strand to Inishinny - geograph.org.uk - 305455.jpg, Inishinny Island File:Magheragallonpier2.JPG, Cití Archie's pier, Magheragallon File:Gweedore area - Bloody Foreland - geograph.org.uk - 1337837.jpg, Cliffs at Bloody Foreland File:Hiudaibeag.jpg, Hiúdaí Beag's Tavern in Bunbeg File:Glassagh - R257 north of Teac Jack's Hotel - geograph.org.uk - 1180037.jpg, Glassagh File:Meenaclady - Cottage east of Bloody Foreland - geograph.org.uk - 1180575.jpg, Bloody Foreland File:Anbunbeag2.jpg, Bunbeg harbour File:Crolly (Croishlí) - geograph.org.uk - 501575.jpg, Crolly Bridge File:Sean Teach Phobail na Doirí Beaga.jpg, Old Chapel in Derrybeg File:Golabeach.jpg, Gola Island File:Gweedore area - Sheep grazing along R257 - geograph.org.uk - 1337991.jpg, Sheep grazing in Meenaclady File:Bunbeg - Magheragallon Cemetery - geograph.org.uk - 1177853.jpg, Church ruins in Magheragallon cemetery File:Badeddie.jpg, 'Bád Eddie' shipwreck on Magheraclogher beach

Place names in Gweedore

Because Gweedore is in the Gaeltacht and partly due to the provisions of the Official Languages Act 2003, only the original Irish versions of placenames have any legal status, and these are used on road signage. However Anglicised versions were created for most placenames and are still in informal use in English.

Alphabetical listing

* Áit an tSeantí (''Attantantee'') * An tArd Donn (''Arduns'') * Ard na gCeapairí (''Ardnagappery'') * Baile an Droichid (''Ballindrait'') * An Baile Láir (''Middletown'') * An Bun Beag (''

Bunbeg ''An Bun Beag'' (anglicised as Bunbeg), meaning "the small river mouth", is a small Gaeltacht village and townland in County Donegal, Ireland. It is officially the smallest townland in ''Gaoth Dobhair'' (Gweedore), but today the name Bunbeg is ...

'') * Bun an Inbhir (''Bunaninver'') * Bun an Leaca (''Brinlack ''or'' Brinaleck'') * An Charraig (''Carrick'') * Carraig an tSeascain (''Carrickataskin'') * An Chorrmhín (''Corveen'') * Cnoc an Stolaire (''Knockastolar'') * Cnoc Fola (''Bloody Foreland'') * Coitín ''or'' An Choiteann (''Cotteen'') * Croichshlí ''or'' Croithlí ('' Crolly'') * Dobhar (''Dore'') * Na Doirí Beaga ''or'' Doire Beag ('' Derrybeg'') * Dún Lúiche (''Dunlewey'') * Glaise Chú (''Glasserchoo'') * An Ghlaisigh (''Glassagh'') * Gleann Tornáin (''Glentornan'') * Gleann Ualach (''Glenhola'') * An Luinnigh (''Lunniagh'') * Loch Caol (''Loughkeel'') * Machaire Chlochair (''Magheraclogher'') * Machaire Gathlán (''Magheragallon'' or ''Magheragallen'') * Machaire Loisce (''Magheralosk'') * Mín an Chladaigh (''Meenacladdy'') * Mín a Loch (''Meenalough'') * Mín an Iolair (''Meenaniller'') * Mín na Cuinge (''Meenacuing'') * Mín Uí Bhaoill (''Meenaweel'') * Mín Doire Dhaimh (''Meenderrygamph'') * Muine Dubh (''Meenaduff'') * Na Machaireacha * Port Uí Chuireáin (''Curransport'') * An Rampar * An Screabán * An Seascann Beag (''Sheskinbeg'') * An Sloitheán (''Sleghan'') * Srath Máirtín (''Stramartin'') * Srath na Bruaí (''Stranabooey'') * Srath na Corcrach (''Stranacorkra'') * An Tor (''Torr'')

Rivers

* Abhainn Chró Nimhe (''

'') * Abhainn Dhuibhlinne (''Devlin River'') * An Chláidigh (''

'')

Islands

* Gabhla ('' Gola'') * Inis Meáin (''

Inishmeane Inishmeane () is a small island and a townland off the coast of Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland and was once home to a vibrant fishing community. The island has been unpopulated for decades but in recent years some people have started to retur ...

'') * Inis Oirthear (''

Inishsirrer Inishsirrer () is a small island and a townland off the coast of Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland. Geography Inishsirrer is around off the coast of Gweedore, not faraway from Inishmeane. It is around long and wide. Near the northern tip of ...

'') * Inis Sionnaigh (''Inishinny'') * Umthoinn (''Umpin '') :* Toraigh ('' Tory''), although not directly situated off the coast of Gweedore, the main ferry crossings are from the area.

Notable people

The following is a list of notable people from the area: * Moya Brennan (born 1952) - musician and singer * Cormac Breslin (1902-1978) - Fianna Fáil TD and

Ceann Comhairle The (; "Head of heCouncil"; plural usually ) is the chairperson (or speaker) of , the lower house of the (parliament) of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the from among their number in the first session a ...

(born 1981) -

er and All-Star * Clannad, Grammy Award-winning band *

Vincent Coll Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll (born Uinseann Ó Colla, July 20, 1908 – February 8, 1932) was an Irish-American mob hitman in the 1920s and early 1930s in New York City. Coll gained notoriety for the allegedly accidental killing of a young child durin ...

(1908-1932) - prohibition-era gangster * Breandán de Gallaí (born 1969) - former lead dancer with Riverdance *

Pearse Doherty Pearse Daniel Doherty (born 6 July 1977) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal constituency since the 2016 general election, and previously a TD for the Donegal South-West constituency from 2010 to ...

(born 1977) - Sinn Féin TD * James Duffy (1889-1969) - recipient of the Victoria Cross * Enya (born 1961) - musician and singer * Rónán Mac Aodha Bhuí (born 1970) - radio personality *

(1952-2009) - actor * Kevin Gillespie (born 1972) - Catholic Monsignor *

Tarlach Mac Suibhne Tarlach Mac Suibhne (known as An Píobaire Mór, meaning The Great Piper), c. 1831–1916, was a notable Irish people, Irish uilleann pipes, piper. He was born in Baile an Droichid, Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, and he is buried in the Maghe ...

(1831-1916) - musician *

John McCole John McCole (18 September 1936 – 1982) was a Scottish professional footballer who played in Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and the United States. Career Born in Glasgow, Scotland, McCole began his career with Vale of Leven before signing a ...

(1936-1982) - soccer player; born in Glasgow but buried in Gweedore where his parents were from. *

Na Mooneys NA, N.A., Na, nA or n/a may refer to: Chemistry and physics * Sodium, symbol Na, a chemical element * Avogadro constant (''N''A) * Nucleophilic addition, a type of reaction in organic chemistry * Numerical aperture, a number that characterizes a ...

, family folk band * Neil McGee (born 1985) - All-Ireland winning

er and All-Star *

Eamon McGee Eamon McGee (born 26 April 1984) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Gaoth Dobhair and also, formerly, for the Donegal county team (between 2004 and 2016). He is the older brother of Neil McGee. From Gweedore in County Donegal, he won ...

(born 1984) - All-Ireland winning

er *

Dinny McGinley Denis McGinley (born 27 April 1945) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2014. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal South-West constituency from 1982 to 2016. Background McGinley w ...

(born 1945) - former Fine Gael TD. and Minister of State *

Sean McGinley Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; angli ...

(born 1956) - actor * Odhrán Mac Niallais (born 1992) -

er *

(1922-2006) - musician *

, traditional Irish band *

Natasha Nic Gairbheith Natasha Nic Gairbheith (born 1981) was crowned Miss Ireland on 5 July 2004, becoming the first ever fluent Irish-speaker to win the competition. She competed at Miss World 2004 where she did not place. She is originally from Gweedore, County Don ...

(born 1981) -

Miss Ireland Miss World Ireland is a national Beauty pageant in Ireland. Winners of the competition represent Ireland at Miss World. Among the winners are Rosanna Davison, who went on to win Miss World 2003, and Pamela Uba, who in 2021 became the first ...

2004 *

, singer *

(born 1959) - musician and singer * Patrick O'Donnell (1835-1883) - Irish Republican *

(born 1980) - actor/model * Bríd Rodgers (born 1935) - SDLP politician, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Upper Bann.

Notes

References

External links

Gaothdobhair.ie. Official website for Gweedore by the Gweedore Tourist & Traders Community group

Gaothdobhair.ie. English Version of Official Gweedore Website

Gweedore.net – Your Guide to Gaoth Dobhair ... The Heart and Soul of Donegal

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20130227005844/http://anghaeltacht.net/ctg/catagoira.pdf Gweedore pop stats 2006br>Wild Atlantic Gweedore - Website promoting the beauty and history of Gweedore
{{Authority control Gaeltacht places in County Donegal Gaeltacht towns and villages Geography of County Donegal Townlands of County Donegal Towns and villages in County Donegal

Etymology

Language

History

Freak storm

Economy

Education

Primary level

Secondary level

Third level

Physical features

Transport

Sport

Gaelic games

Golf

Soccer

Currach racing

Arts and culture

Music

Festivals

Theatre

Art

Religion

Media

Radio

Gallery

Place names in Gweedore

Alphabetical listing

Rivers

Islands

Notable people

See also

Notes

References

External links