The Rosses (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, ''Na Rosa''; in the genitive case ''Na Rosann'') is a geographical and social region in the west 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, with a population of over 7,000 centred on the town of

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 ...

, which acts as the educational, shopping and civic centre for the area. Defined by physical boundaries in the form of rivers, as well as history and language use, the area has a distinctive identity, separate from the rest of Donegal. The extensive region lies between the parish of

Gweedore 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 ...

to the north and the town of

Glenties Glenties () is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is situated where two glens meet, north-west of the Bluestack Mountains, near the confluence of two rivers. Glenties is the largest centre of population in the parish of Iniskeel. Glenties has ...

to the south. A large part of the Rosses 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 ...

, which means that

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 ...

is the spoken language. The Rosses,

Cloughaneely Cloughaneely (official name: ) is a district in the west of County Donegal, Ireland. This is a mainly coastal area with a population of over 4,000 centred on the towns of Falcarragh () and Gortahork (). It is a Gaeltacht area, meaning the Irish ...

and

, known locally as "''the three parishes''" with 16,000 Irish speakers, together form a social and cultural region different from the rest of the county, with Gweedore serving as the main centre for socialising and industry.

Gaeltacht an Láir Gaeltacht an Láir is an Irish-speaking area in central County Donegal, Ireland. It centres on the village of Baile na Finne and stretches south to Gleann Colm Cille and north to Fanad and Rosguill. There are nearly 7,000 people living in the ...

is another Irish-speaking area.

Irish language

The following is a list of electoral divisions in the area with the percentage that speak Irish: #

An Clochán Liath ''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 ...

(1,785) (15%) # Anagaire (2,138) (55%) # Arainn Mhor (529) (62%) # Inis Mhic an Doirn (1,410) (9%) # An Duchoraidh (78) (34%) # Leitir Mhic an Bhaird (650) (19%) # An Machaire (615) (15%) # Cro Bheithe (170) (60%)

Culture

Once a predominantly

-speaking area, over recent generations English has become increasingly common. Irish is still used extensively in some areas including parts of the island of

Arranmore ''Árainn Mhór'' (English name: Arranmore) is an island off the west coast of County Donegal, Ireland. Arranmore is the largest inhabited island of County Donegal, with a population of 469 in 2016, but has had a gradually falling native popula ...

, the townland of

Ranafast Ranafast or Rinnafarset, officially only known by its Irish language, Irish name Rann na Feirste () is a Gaeltacht village and townland in the Rosses region of northwest County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Name Ranafast, or sometimes ...

and the village of

Annagry ''Anagaire'' (anglicised as Annagry) is a village in The Rosses district of County Donegal, Ireland. , the population was 236. Name The Irish and official name for Annagry is ''Anagaire'', which in turn derives from ''Áth na gCoire'' meaning "fo ...

. In some areas, like the hills around

, around Loughanure and in pockets of Doochary and Lettermacaward, the Irish language is predominant. The local people are said to have a preference for Gaelic football over football, which is often the case in rural areas of the country. The area fields a number of football teams, both in football and Gaelic football. Keadue Rovers from the lower Rosses have traditionally been the area's strongest football team, and there are also teams in

(Arranmore United F.C.) and in Maghery (Strand Rovers F.C.).

have traditionally been the strongest in Gaelic football, winning seven County Championships between 1930 and 1958. There are also teams in Mullaghderg ( Naomh Muire), and in Lettermacaward ( Na Rossa). There is a strong tradition of songwriting in the area, Seán McBride (1906–1996) from Cruit Island wrote the popular song " The Homes of Donegal". There are connections between the people of the Rosses and

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 ...

, Glasgow in particular, due to the economic need for emigration in the past and the strong ties forged over the generations as a result. Many people from the Rosses, in common with people from other parts of County Donegal, have also settled in the City of Derry, especially since the late 1840s. Preparing to land at Donegal Carrickfin Airport - geograph

Preparing to land at Donegal Carrickfin Airport - geograph

Geography

The area is bounded by the River Gweebarra to the south, the Gweedore River to the north, the

Derryveagh Mountains The Derryveagh Mountains () are the major mountain range in County Donegal, Ireland. It makes up much of the landmass of the county and is the area of Ireland with the lowest population density. The mountains separate the coastal parts of the count ...

and the Gweebarra River (Doochary Bridge) to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The name comes from "Ros", the Irish word for headland. The area presents a rocky barren landscape, studded with a myriad of lakes and inlets of the sea. Lakes include Lough Anure, Lough Craghy, Dunglow Lough and Lough Meela. Mullach Dearg

Donegal Carrickfin Airport - Terminal entrance - geograph

Transport

The Rosses boasts Donegal's only airport at Carrickfinn. Various coach companies serve the area.

History

The Rosses has been inhabited since time immemorial, and the ancient church of St Crona in Termon near Dungloe has been dated to the 6th century AD. It was the site of a monastery founded by St. Crona, a cousin of the Royal Saint called

Columcille 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 ...

, founder of the monastic settlement at Iona, and was the centre of the parish of Templecrone. Mouth of the Gweebarra Estuary - geograph

In the 16th century, a number of ships from the Spanish Armada sank off or landed off its coast.

Economy

Historically the Rosses has relied heavily on hospitality, tourism and the fishing industry as the mainstays of its economy. The area has its own indigenous supermarket chain called The Cope which has been quite successful. There is very little manufacturing industry in the Rosses apart from a few companies located in

Tourism

The area claims a large proportion of Donegal's tourist income, due to its renowned scenery and its many festivals, including the Mary From Dungloe International Festival. There is a very strong tradition of

marching band A marching band is a group of musical instrument, instrumental musicians who perform while marching, often for entertainment or competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass instrument, brass, woodwind instrument, woodwind, and percus ...

s emanating from the region; the area boasts many All-Ireland championship bands in all grades and disciplines.

Notable people

Declan Bonner Declan Bonner (born 11 August 1965) is an Irish Gaelic footballer and manager. He played at senior level for the Donegal county team, winning an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1992. He later managed the Donegal county team for ...

, member of 1992 All-Ireland winning Donegal team *

Packie Bonner Patrick Joseph Bonner (born 24 May 1960) is an Irish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper and spent his entire career at Celtic. He earned a total of 80 caps for the Republic of Ireland national football team after making his debut on h ...

, former Ireland and Celtic goalkeeper * Tony Boyle, 1992 All Star and member of 1992 All-Ireland winning Donegal team * Joseph Duffy,

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...

Pat "the Cope" Gallagher Pat "the Cope" Gallagher ( ir, Pádraig Ó Gallchóir; born 10 March 1948) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 2016 to 2020 and as a Minister of State from 1987 to 1994 and from 20 ...

, former TD and former MEP * Goats Don't Shave, folk band * Adrian Hanlon, member of 2012 All-Ireland winning Donegal panel *

Niall Ó Dónaill Niall Ó Dónaill (27 August 1908 – 10 February 1995) was an Irish language lexicographer from Ailt an Eidhinn, Loughanure, County Donegal. He was the oldest of the six children of Tarlach Ó Dónaill and Éilis Nic Ruairí from Grial, Loug ...

, lexicographer *

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 ...

, singer *

Peadar O'Donnell Peadar O'Donnell ( ga, Peadar Ó Domhnaill; 22 February 1893 – 13 May 1986) was one of the foremost radicals of 20th-century Ireland. O'Donnell became prominent as an Irish republican, socialist activist, politician and writer. Early life Pea ...

, socialist and author *

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 ...

, singer *

Seosamh Mac Grianna Seosamh Mac Grianna (20 August 1900 – 11 June 1990) was a writer from County Donegal. He was born into a family of poets and storytellers, which included his brothers Séamus Ó Grianna and Seán Bán Mac Grianna, in Rann na Feirste, County ...

, author *

Carl McHugh Carl Gerard McHugh (born 5 February 1993) is an Irish professional footballer who plays for Indian Super League club ATK Mohun Bagan. Primarily a central defender, McHugh can also play as a left-back, and even as a defensive midfielder. Club ca ...

, footballer for Motherwell *

Séamus Ó Grianna Séamus Ó Grianna (; 17 November 1889 – 27 November 1969; locally known also as Jimí Fheilimí) was an Irish writer, who used the pen name Máire. Biography Born to Feidhlimidh Mac Grianna and Máire Eibhlín Néillín Ní Dhomhnaill i ...

, author *

Skara Brae Skara Brae is a stone-built Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland. Consisting of ten clustered houses, made of flagstones, in earthen dams ...

, folk band * Adrian Sweeney, 2003 All Star footballer

Townlands

* Acres *

(''Anagaire'') * Arlands * Belcruit * Braade (''An Bhráid'') *

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 ...

(''Ailt an Chorráin'') * Carrickfinn (''Carraig Fhinne'' or ''Carraig Fhinn'') * Cloughlass * Crickamore *

Crolly ''Croithlí'' or ''Croichshlí'' (anglicised as Crolly) is a village in the ''Gaeltacht'' parishes of Gweedore (''Gaoth Dobhair'') and The Rosses (''Na Rossan'') in the west of County Donegal, Ireland. The two parishes are separated by the Crolly ...

(''Croithlí'')(half of which is situated in Gweedore) * Derrynamansher (''Doire na Mainséar'') * Doochary (''An Dúchoraidh'') * Drumnacart Mountain Pasture *

(''An Clochán Liath'') *

Keadue Keadue, officially Keadew (), is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is on the R284 and R285 regional roads close to the borders of County Leitrim and County Sligo. Keadue is the burial place of the great Irish harper, Turlough O'Ca ...

(''Céideadh'') * Kerrytown *

Kincasslagh Cionn Caslach (anglicized as Kincasslagh) is a small Gaeltacht seaside village in the Rosses area of County Donegal, Ireland. Despite only having a population of just over 40 people, the village has attracted much international attention due to t ...

(''Cionn Caslach'') * Lackenagh * Lettermacaward/Leitir (''Leitir Mhic an Bhaird'') * Loughanure (''Loch an Iúir'') * Maghery (''An Mhachaire'') * Meenagowan (''Min A Ghabhann'') * Meenaleck * Meenbanad *

Mullaghduff Mullaghduff may refer to: * Mullaghduff, County Cavan Mullaghduff (Irish: ''Mullach Dubh'') is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. Etymology The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic pl ...

(''Mullach Dubh'') *

(''Rann na Feirste'') * Roshine * Tullyillion

Islands

(''Árainn Mhór'') *

Cruit The Celtic harp is a triangular frame harp traditional to the Celtic nations of northwest Europe. It is known as in Irish, in Scottish Gaelic, in Breton and in Welsh. In Ireland and Scotland, it was a wire-strung instrument requiring gre ...

(''An Chruit'') * Eighter (''An tÍochtar'') * Inishal (''Inis Saille'') * Inishcoo (''Inis Cú'') * Inishfree (''Inis Fraoigh'') * Inishkeeragh (''Inis Caorach'') * Owey (''Oileán Uaighe'') * Rutland (''Inis Mhic an Doirn'')

References

External links

Gaeltacht Irish language use 2007
{{Coord, 54, 59, 04, N, 8, 24, 33, W, region:IE_type:city_source:kolossus-nlwiki, display=title Gaeltacht places in County Donegal Geography of County Donegal