Gweedore

Gaoth Dobhair Irish: Gweedore
County Donegal
Gweedore
Location
Grid reference:	B847228
Location:	55°3’6"N, 8°13’58"W
Data
Population:	4,065  (2003)
Dialling code:	074 95
Local Government
Dáil constituency:	Donegal
Website:	gaothdobhair.ie

Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district and parish on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal. This is a mainly Irish-speaking area and in the Irish language in which it is known as Gaoth Dobhair. There is no village known by the name of Gweedore: it refers to the traditional district, which includes such villages a Bunbeg, Derrybeg, Dunlewey and others.

The parish stretches some 16 miles from Glasserchoo in the north to Crolly in the south and around nine miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west. 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 the National University of Ireland, Galway. Gweedore includes such villages as 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 and the Irish language 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.

Name

Villagers in Magheraclogher in 1865

Fishermen, with Errigal behind

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".

History

Magheragallon Cemetery, Derrybeg

The Plantation of Ulster 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 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, colonists began to arrive from Great Britain, and 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 (1801–1879) and his son Arthur. The people of the parish led by James McFadden (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 District Inspector William Limbrick Martin outside the local church 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. Forty-three 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 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.

The Storm of 2009

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 24 inches of rain fell at the core.

Economy

The R257 in Derrybeg ('the Golden Mile')

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 British 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.

About the parish

Gweedore is close to Errigal, the tallest mountain in County Donegal, which overshadows the picturesque Dunlewey Lough. It is surrounded by the deep glens and lakes of the Poisoned Glen, through which the Cronaniv Burn flows, and further on, Glenveagh national park and Glenveagh Castle. 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 (Abhainn Chroithlí), also known as the Gweedore River, and the Clady River (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 and Tory Island.

Sport

Gaoth Dobhair GAA clubhouse and grounds

• Currach racing: Cumann na gCurach, based at Machaire Gathlán, is a voluntary group that organises currach races and takes part in races all over Ireland
• Football:
  • Gweedore Celtic
  • Gweedore United
  • Glenea United
  • Dunlewey Celtic
• Gaelic games: Ghaoth Dobhair GAA, whose ground is in Machaire Gathlán, playing Gaelic football
• Golf: Gailf Chumann Ghaoth Dobhair, in Machaire Gathlán with a 14-hole course hugging the picturesque coast.

Arts and culture

Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair

Music

Gweedore is famed for its traditional Irish music, 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 fiddler Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh.

Gweedore's most successful musician is Enya, born as Eithne Ní Bhraonáin: she first appeared on stage in Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair as a member of Clannad, before going on to become one of the world's biggest-selling artists, with sales exceeding 80 million.

The song "Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair" was written by local musician Francie Mooney, 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 and most notably by Altan. Other well-known songs to have come from the area are "Trasna na dTonnta" and "Báidín Fheilimí".

Festivals

St Patrick's Day parade

The popular Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy ("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, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh. 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

The local theatre, Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair, was built 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 beyond. Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair are still active and performed shows at An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny as part of the Earagail Arts Festival 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.

Local media

• RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta has its maiun studios in Derrybeg. Two radio shows are broadcast from Gweedore each day, as well as regional news every hour.

Pictures

• Images of Gaoth Dobhair
• 
  Derelict Church of Ireland in Dunlewey
• 
  RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta studios in Derrybeg
• 
  Inishinny Island
• 
  Cití Archie's pier, Magheragallon
• 
  Cliffs at Bloody Foreland
• 
  Hiúdaí Beag's Tavern in Bunbeg
• 
  Glassagh
• 
  Bloody Foreland
• 
  Bunbeg harbour
• 
  Crolly Bridge
• 
  Old Chapel in Derrybeg
• 
  Gola Island
• 
  Sheep grazing in Meenaclady
• 
  Church ruins in Magheragallon cemetery
• 
  'Bád Eddie' shipwreck on Magheraclogher beach

Outside links

• Gweedore: Gweedore Tourist & Traders Community group
• Wild Atlantic Gweedore