Dungloe
| Dungloe Irish: An Clochán Liath | |
| County Donegal | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | B766115 |
| Location: | 54°57’7"N, 8°21’29"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 1,164 (2016) |
| Dialling code: | 074 |
| Local Government | |
| Dáil constituency: |
Donegal |
Dungloe is a town in County Donegal. It is the main town in The Rosses and the largest in the Donegal Gaeltacht.[1] Dungloe developed as a town in the middle of the 18th century, and now serves as the administrative and retail centre for the west of County Donegal, and in particular The Rosses, with the only mainland secondary school for the area.
Name
There is a river at the bottom of the town and years ago the only crossing was over a grey granite slab lying in the riverbed, hence the Irish name of the town, An Clochán Liath, which means the grey stepping-stone.[1] The bridge was built in 1782.[2]
The name An Clochán Liath produced an English name no longer used: 'Cloghanlea'.[1] The name Dungloe or Dunglow is believed to come from the Irish Dún gCloiche.[1] This name came into common English usage in the later years of the 18th century when the monthly fair, formerly held at Dún gCloiche (five miles north of the nascent town) was transferred to An Clochán Liath. In time the name of the fair and that of the town were subsumed.
Officialdom commands that the Irish name is the only official name of the village, notwithstanding that according to the census only 21.4% of the population of the area speak Irish on a daily basis.
About the village
Dungloe is home to the Dungloe District Court, which covers the west and south-west areas of County Donegal. There are a number of banks, a Garda station, Donegal County Council office, fire station, and a credit union located on the Main Street. Also, there are pubs, convenience stores, supermarkets, cafes, and restaurants. The town is the headquarters of The Rosses' own supermarket chain, The Cope.
Events
The town attracts tourists during July and August when the annual Mary From Dungloe International Festival takes place. It was founded in the 1960s and it has attracted 'special guests' over the years including Daniel O'Donnell, Cliff Richard, Gay Byrne and Sharon Shannon.
Dungloe Bay and its surrounding hills have also attracted tourists to Dungloe.
Churches
By the standards of a rural Gaeltacht area, Dungloe has a significant Protestant minority, many of whom are Presbyterian. This is a result of the Plantation of Ulster in the seventeenth century. However, the town has a large Roman Catholic majority.
A little to the north of the town is the site of the ancient church of Templecrone.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Placenames Database of Ireland
- ↑ An Clochán Liath / Dunglow: Placenames Database of Ireland