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Downings or Downies () is a ''
Gaeltacht A ( , , ) is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The districts were first officially recognised ...
'' village and
townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...
on the
Rosguill Rosguill (Irish language and official name: ''Ros Goill'')County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...
, Ireland. The village is on the shores of
Sheephaven Bay Sheephaven Bay or Sheep Haven () is a broad, shallow inlet on the north coast of County Donegal, Ireland. Bounded by the peninsulas of Rosguill to the east and Horn Head () to the west, the bay is relatively protected from the full force of the ...
on the north coast of Ireland.


Name

As the village is in a ''
Gaeltacht A ( , , ) is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The districts were first officially recognised ...
'' district, its official name is , its name in the
Irish language Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous ...
. The name probably means 'The Forts', referring to the wealth of
hill fort A hillfort is a type of fortification, fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late Bronze Age Europe, European Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, Iron Age. So ...
s in the area.Patrick McKay, ''A Dictionary of Ulster Place-Names'', p. 59. The Institute of Irish Studies,
The Queen's University of Belfast The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is St ...
, Belfast, 1999.
The full original Irish name seems to have been . Or the name could be a hibernicisation of the English name, to describe the sandy dunes connecting the peninsula to the
County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...
mainland.


Economy

Downings used to be a significant fishing port with a substantial
herring Herring are various species of forage fish, belonging to the Order (biology), order Clupeiformes. Herring often move in large Shoaling and schooling, schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate wate ...
fleet. Today, the economy survives on partly tourism. Na Dúnaibh is home to the famous McNutt of Donegal tweed factory and shop. It is also home to McBride Fishing who operate three
crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura (meaning "short tailed" in Greek language, Greek), which typically have a very short projecting tail-like abdomen#Arthropoda, abdomen, usually hidden entirely under the Thorax (arthropo ...
fishing boats and the highly regarded online fishing industry news platform The Fishing Daily. Downings also boasts Meevagh Boatyard on Mulroy Bay which was established in the early 1900s by the Congested District Board to build fishing boats for local fishermen during the herring boom. Situated as it is on
Sheephaven Bay Sheephaven Bay or Sheep Haven () is a broad, shallow inlet on the north coast of County Donegal, Ireland. Bounded by the peninsulas of Rosguill to the east and Horn Head () to the west, the bay is relatively protected from the full force of the ...
, Downings is one of the safest anchorages on the north coast of Ireland, and is a must for an overnight stay for anyone sailing along the Donegal coast


History

In 2007 local divers recovered a gun from the wreck of HMS at the mouth of
Lough Swilly Lough Swilly () in Ireland is a glacial fjord or sea inlet lying between the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula, in County Donegal. Along with Carlingford Lough and Killary Harbour it is one of three glacial fjords ...
. The gun is now mounted beside Downings Pier.


Recreation

The dunes that link the Rosguill peninsula to the mainland are also home to the
Rosapenna ''Rosapenna'' is a novel published in 1983 by the Norwegian writer Ola Bauer. The book introduced Belfast and Northern Ireland into Norwegian literature. Context The novel is the fourth in a series about the character "Jo Vendt". The first book ...
Links course designed by
Old Tom Morris Thomas Mitchell Morris (16 June 1821 – 24 May 1908), otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, and The Grand Old Man of Golf, was a Scottish golfer. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links, and died ...
, and although the original hotel and clubhouse that was patronised by the likes of
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...
and
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian and American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Oliv ...
burnt down in the sixties, the new buildings seek to emulate the charm of the originals. Downings is the start and finish of the Atlantic Drive, one of the most dramatic scenic routes in Ireland.


People

*
The Most Rev. The Most Reverend (abbreviated as The Most Revd or The Most Rev) is an honorific style given to certain (primarily Western) Christian clergy and ministers. It is a variant of the more common style "The Reverend". Catholic In the Catholic Church, ...
Dr Philip Boyce, Lord Bishop ''
Emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...
'' of Raphoe. He served as the Lord Bishop of Raphoe from October 1995 to June 2017. * Maxi Curran, Gaelic football manager


See also

* List of towns and villages in Ireland


References


External links


Downings GAA Club
{{County Donegal Gaeltacht places in County Donegal Gaeltacht towns and villages
Downies Downies is a cliff-top village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland situated on Cammachmore Bay. Historically Downies was a fishing village, until much of the local North Sea fishery collapsed from overfishing; presently Downies is chiefly a residential ...
Towns and villages in County Donegal