Kincasslagh
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Cionn Caslach (anglicized as Kincasslagh) is a small
Gaeltacht ( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially reco ...
seaside village in
the Rosses The Rosses (officially known by its Irish language name, ''Na Rosa''; in the genitive case ''Na Rosann'') is a geographical and social region in the west of County Donegal, Ireland, with a population of over 7,000 centred on the town of Dungloe, ...
area of
County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconn ...
, Ireland. Despite only having a population of just over 40 people, the village has attracted much international attention due to the success of local singer
Daniel O'Donnell Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell, MBE (born 12 December 1961) is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. After rising to public attention in 1983, he has since become a household name in Ireland and Britain; he has also had co ...
.


Name

The Irish and official name for Kincasslagh is ''Cionn Caslach'' or ''Ceann Caslach'', which means head of the small inlet. Due to its status as a Gaeltacht village, all roadsigns to and in the village itself are in the Irish language.


Language

Kincasslagh is in the
Gaeltacht ( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially reco ...
region which means the official language of the area is
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
. However, the use of the language has been in decline since the 1950s. There are very few Irish-speakers in Kincasslagh today, much like neighbouring villages Mullaghduff and
Burtonport or (English name: Burtonport) is a fishing village about northwest of Dungloe in The Rosses district of County Donegal, Ireland. The main employers in the village were the Burtonport Fishermen's Co-op and the ''Bord Iascaigh Mhara Bord ...
.


History

Kincasslagh has a long history of emigration, much like the rest of West Donegal. In the 1950s and 1960s, a large number of locals left the area to work in countries such as the UK (England and especially
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
), the USA and Australia.


Education

The local primary school is the Irish language ''Scoil Náisiúnta Béal na Cruite'' with 112 pupils, and the nearest secondary school is ''Rosses Community School'' in
Dungloe ''An Clochán Liath'', known in English as Dungloe or Dunglow ( ), is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is the main town in The Rosses and the largest in the Donegal ''Gaeltacht''. Dungloe developed as a town in the middle of the 18th century ...
.


Local amenities

There is only one public house in the village Iggy's, and the one grocery shop, The Cope, is part of a cooperative retail chain indigenous to the area. The Viking House is the nearest hotel to the village, which was once owned by singer Daniel O'Donnell. Kincasslagh is also the nearest village to Cruit Island, which boasts a very popular golf course.


Sport

The local
Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include t ...
(GAA) team is ''Naomh Mhuire CLG'' which covers the greater Lower Rosses area. The local soccer team is Keadue Rovers.


Arts

Kincasslagh is probably best known for being the birthplace of singers
Margo *** People * Margo (actress) (1917–1985), Mexican-American actress and dancer * Margo (magician), American magic performer and actress * Margo (singer), Irish singer * Margo (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name ...
and
Daniel O'Donnell Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell, MBE (born 12 December 1961) is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. After rising to public attention in 1983, he has since become a household name in Ireland and Britain; he has also had co ...
. The village played host to Daniel's annual tea party which he held at his mother's home as part of the ''Donegal Shore Festival'', which drew thousands of fans each year. The village was used as a location for the film American Women / The Closer You Get in 2000


Transport

Kincasslagh is situated five kilometres from Donegal International Airport. Kincasslagh Road railway station, five kilometres south, was open from 1913 until 1940 when the Derry and Lough Swilly Railway closed the line due to financial difficulties.


See also

* List of towns and villages in Ireland


References

{{Authority control Gaeltacht places in County Donegal Gaeltacht towns and villages The Rosses Towns and villages in County Donegal