
The Rosses (officially known by its
Irish language
Irish (an Caighdeán Oifigiúil, Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic languages, Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European lang ...
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, 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 to the north and the town of
Glenties 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 recog ...
, which means that
Irish 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 Iri ...
and
Gweedore, 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 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 (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
Irish-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 popul ...
, the townland of
Ranafast and the village of
Annagry. In some areas, like the hills around
Dungloe, 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
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 ki ...
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
''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 popul ...
(Arranmore United F.C.) and in Maghery (Strand Rovers F.C.).
An Clochán Liath 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 country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to th ...
, 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.
Geography
The area is bounded by the
River Gweebarra to the south, the Gweedore River to the north, the
Derryveagh Mountains 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 Anure () is a freshwater lake in the northwest of County Donegal, Ireland.
Geography and hydrology
Lough Anure is about northeast of Dungloe. It is the largest lake in the Rosses region of the county. The lake drains to the north via the ...
,
Lough Craghy,
Dunglow Lough and
Lough Meela
Lough Meela () is a freshwater lake in the northwest of Ireland. It is located in The Rosses area of County Donegal.
Geography
Lough Meela is located about northwest of Dungloe and southeast of Burtonport, on the R259 road. It measures abo ...
.
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, founder of the monastic settlement at
Iona
Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: �iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though the ...
, and was the centre of the parish of Templecrone.

In the 16th century, a number of ships from the
Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada (a.k.a. the Enterprise of England, es, Grande y Felicísima Armada, links=no, lit=Great and Most Fortunate Navy) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, an a ...
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
Dungloe.
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 instrumental musicians who perform while marching, often for entertainment or competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Most marching bands wear a uniform, ...
s emanating from the region; the area boasts many All-Ireland championship bands in all grades and disciplines.
Notable people
*
Declan Bonner, member of 1992 All-Ireland winning
Donegal team
*
Packie Bonner, former Ireland and
Celtic goalkeeper
*
Tony Boyle, 1992
All Star and member of 1992 All-Ireland winning
Donegal team
*
Joseph Duffy,
UFC mixed martial artist
*
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher, former TD and former MEP
*
Goats Don't Shave, folk band
*
Adrian Hanlon, member of 2012 All-Ireland winning
Donegal panel
*
Niall Ó Dónaill, 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 c ...
, singer
*
Peadar O'Donnell, socialist and author
*
Margo, singer
*
Seosamh Mac Grianna, author
*
Carl McHugh, footballer for
Motherwell
Motherwell ( sco, Mitherwall, gd, Tobar na Màthar) is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, south east of Glasgow. It has a population of around 32,120. Historically in the parish of Dalziel and part of Lana ...
*
Séamus Ó Grianna, author
*
Skara Brae, folk band
*
Adrian Sweeney, 2003
All Star footballer
Townlands
* Acres
*
Annagry (''Anagaire'')
* Arlands
* Belcruit
* Braade (''An Bhráid'')
*
Burtonport (''Ailt an Chorráin'')
* Carrickfinn (''Carraig Fhinne'' or ''Carraig Fhinn'')
* Cloughlass
* Crickamore
*
Crolly (''Croithlí'')(half of which is situated in Gweedore)
* Derrynamansher (''Doire na Mainséar'')
*
Doochary (''An Dúchoraidh'')
* Drumnacart Mountain Pasture
*
Dungloe (''An Clochán Liath'')
*
Keadue (''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 t ...
(''Cionn Caslach'')
* Lackenagh
*
Lettermacaward/Leitir (''Leitir Mhic an Bhaird'')
*
Loughanure (''Loch an Iúir'')
* Maghery (''An Mhachaire'')
* Meenagowan (''Min A Ghabhann'')
* Meenaleck
* Meenbanad
*
Mullaghduff (''Mullach Dubh'')
*
Ranafast (''Rann na Feirste'')
* Roshine
* Tullyillion
Islands
*
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 popul ...
(''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 great ...
(''An Chruit'')
*
Eighter (''An tÍochtar'')
* Inishal (''Inis Saille'')
* Inishcoo (''Inis Cú'')
*
Inishfree (''Inis Fraoigh'')
* Inishkeeragh (''Inis Caorach'')
*
Owey (''Oileán Uaighe'')
*
Rutland
Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire.
Its greatest l ...
(''Inis Mhic an Doirn'')
See also
County Galway
*
Galway City Gaeltacht
*
Gaeltacht Cois Fharraige
*
Conamara Theas
*
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony of Aran ...
*
Joyce Country
County Donegal
*
Gaoth Dobhair
*
Cloch Cheann Fhaola
*
Gaeltacht an Láir
County Kerry
*
Gaeltacht Corca Dhuibhne
County Mayo
*
Gaeltacht Iorrais agus Acaill
County Londonderry
*
Carn Tóchair
''Carn'' is the official magazine of the Celtic League. The name, a Celtic word which has been borrowed into English as 'cairn', was chosen for its symbolic value and because it can be found in each of the living Celtic languages. The subtitl ...
County Antrim
*
An Cheathrú Gaeltachta, Béal Feirste
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