Rossnowlagh
| Rossnowlagh Irish: Ros Neamhlach | |
| County Donegal | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | G863686 |
| Location: | 54°33’57"N, 8°12’43"W |
| Data | |
| Local Government | |
Rossnowlagh is a seaside village in the south of County Donegal, about five miles north of Ballyshannon and ten miles south-west of Donegal Town.
The area's two-mile long beach is frequented by walkers, surfers, windsurfers, kite-surfers and swimmers. A mile and a half along the beach is an interrupting spur, called Carrickfad (from the Irisah for 'long rock'), which juts out from the headland and is visible at low tide.[1]
The name Ros Neamhlach means 'Heavenly headland'.
Beach
The beach attracts surfers: as the slowly rising beach faces westward into the Atlantic Ocean, and the fact that Donegal Bay has a funnel-like shape, it can increase the size of the waves, especially in winter when some large rollers are generated and it has been known to have waves up to twenty feet high.
Rossnowlagh has many visitors during the summer months and most of the beach is accessible by car. There is sometimes a 'beach warden' on duty and information about tidal risks may be displayed.
According to a soil erosion study of the beach at Rossnowlagh, known officially as Belalt Strand, the area consists mainly of sandy beaches, but also rocky shore platforms, sand dunes, grassland, boulder clay cliffs and rock cliffs. As of the second half of the 20th century, it was determined that the central section of the dune front was eroding at rates up to two feet a year, with the highest erosion rate between 1951 and 1977. Starting in 1972, short lengths of rock armour were constructed at first in front of the Sandhouse Hotel and with further additions along the shore-line; this stopped the erosion in protected parts but the dune front has a ragged appearance with up to 115 feet of erosion where half of the sandy shoreline has no protection.[2]
About the village
The main amenity is the extensive beach which is frequented by walkers, joggers, sunbathers, surfers, windsurfers, kite-surfers and swimmers, and is accessible by car via 3 ramps. There is about two miles of wide sandy beach although it is possible to walk several more kilometres further along the shore and all the way to Murvagh Beach.
The Sandhouse Hotel is located adjacent to the beach, with a 'surfers bar' attached. Overlooking the beach and on the cliff is the Smuggler's Creek Inn restaurant and bar, and there are several shops in the area, along with a post office and shop near the Franciscan Friary as well as The Thatch Tea House nearby.
The Franciscan Friary is located up from the southern end of the beach.[3] The Friary has a visitor centre and contains the Donegal Historical Society Museum which houses a small collection including stone age flints and old Irish musical instruments. The friary also has gardens that are open to visitors.
To the south-west further along the cliffs, in the distance stands the ruined Kilbarron Castle, accessible by way of Creevy.
Events
- Rossnowlagh Surf Club hosts several surfing events, some with dozens of young surfers competing. For example, competitions are held for U12, U14 and U16 age groups.
- The annual Orange Order parade for the County Donegal Orange Lodge is held each year in Rossnowlagh, usually on the Saturday before 12 July. The number of participants and marching bands varies each year, with most marchers coming from Order lodges based in Northern Ireland, but some come from other parts of County Donegal or come up from Counties Monaghan and Cavan. There is no lodge in Rossnowlagh itself. The participants begin near St John's Church and march for approximately a mile and a quarter into the centre of Rossnowlagh, where they congregate for some time. The marchers march back to St John's Church area in the late afternoon.
- The Irish National Junior Surfing Championships have been hosted in Rossnowlagh, such as in 2007 where 113 young surfers competed for titles in U12, U14, U16 and U18 levels, including events for bodyboard and longboard.
- An annual 'Feis' is held each summer in July or August at the Franciscan Friary in Rossnowlagh. The feis is officially called the Feis of the Four Masters]] or Feis na gCeithre Maistir in Irish. One of the Four Masters, Michael O'Cleirigh, comes from a nearby locality.
- The Inter-Counties Surfing contest is Ireland's longest-running surfing contest and has been held every year since 1969. As it is normally the last surfing event of the year in Ireland, held in September or October, it is widely viewed as a social event of the surfing calendar.
- The World Rally Championship came to the Rossnowlagh area in 2007 and again in 2009.
History
There had been 500 years of Franciscan history in Donegal when the link was broken in the mid-19th century. However, the Franciscan order re-established itself in County Donegal when new friary buildings were built in Rossnowlagh in the early 1950s. The land for the Friary was donated by Charles Williamson to his brother and Franciscan, Brother Paschal Williamson.
Rossnowlagh railway station opened in 1905 but closed on 1 January 1960.[4] It was part of the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee network with the train running towards Ballyshannon (where a walk across the town to the other station in Ballyshannon run by the Great Northern Railway of Ireland, would be required for Bundoran or Enniskillen) to the south and north to Donegal Town, Stranorlar, Strabane (where passengers could change onto the Great Northern Railway of Ireland, to reach Omagh) and Londonderry. During the 55 years of its operation, Rossnowlagh, with its two miles of beach, became a popular venue for excursionists and families on their annual outings.