Loch an Iúir

Loch an Iúir
Town
Loch an Iúir

Location in Ireland

Coordinates: 55°00′04″N 8°16′12″W / 55.001°N 8.27°W / 55.001; -8.27Coordinates: 55°00′04″N 8°16′12″W / 55.001°N 8.27°W / 55.001; -8.27
Country Ireland
Province Ulster
County County Donegal
Population (2011)
 • Urban 337
Time zone WET (UTC+0)
 • Summer (DST) IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference B810169
The main road in Loch an Iúir
Loch an Iúir or "Lake of the Yew Tree", with Oilean Iúir clearly visible

Loch an Iúir (Irish: lake of the yew) Irish pronunciation: [lˠɔx.ə ˈɲuːɾʲ], anglicised as Loughanure,[1][2] is a village in the north-west of County Donegal, Ireland. It is halfway between Gweedore and Dungloe, on the N56 road, in the Gaeltacht area of the Rosses. The village owes its name to the native yew tree which grows wild on Oileán Iúir, a small island on the lake.

History

Loch an Iúir was once a major source of agricultural lime production in the west of Donegal. Limestone was abundant in Loch an Iúir in the mid-20th century, and the locals mined it for a living. Furnaces were required to reduce the limestone to powder. These furnaces, known as "kilns", can still be seen in the village today. The kilns were ignited with turf from the surrounding bogland. One kiln is partially restored and visible at the hairpin bend on the N56. Lime was once sold as far as Arranmore, and nearly every building in the Rosses was painted white with it.

Lake

Loch an Iúir is the largest lake in the Rosses; it is over four kilometeres long and flows down the Crolly River into the Atlantic Ocean. Salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout inhabit the waters. The lake is nestled among the surrounding hills. Cumann Iascaireachta Loch an Iúir hold fishing competitions on the lake annually. Nearby attractions include Blue Flag beaches, local summer festivals, surfing, and sight-seeing. Loch an Iúir attracts many tourists during the summer months.

Language

Loch an Iúir is officially a Gaeltacht area and the Irish language is spoken. It is home to renowned author and historian Niall Ó Dónaill, who, among other achievements, was responsible for the Irish-English dictionary Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla.

Education

The National School in the village is called Scoil Eoin Pól, and the Irish language college is called Coláiste Mhuire. Coláiste Mhuire was the centre of education in the Lower Rosses area for decades before Rosses Community School in Dungloe was built. Today, the college operates for 8 weeks each summer to teach Irish to children. Almost 1,000 students from all over Ulster attend the college annually.

Notable people

Tadhg Ó Rabhartaigh,(1909 - 1982) a cousin of the above Niall Ó Dónaill, he wrote many books as Gaeilge, including, 'Mian na Marbh' (1937), Thiar I nGlean Ceo' (1953),and 'Gasúr de chuid Bhaile na nGrág' (1955). He also translated many important works such as 'Uaillmhian Iúdaigh' (1936), A Dúchas Galach' (1938), Éirí amach na n-Éireannach Aontaithe 1798' (1941)

Pádraig Mac Gairbheith (1929 - 2005) whose book 'Scéaltaí Phadaí Eoin' was recently published. Compiled and edited by Seán Mac Suibhne, this is a book in the Irish language with delightful short stories from the Donegal Gaeltacht on many topics ranging from local history to local placenames and much more by the late Paddy 'Eoin' Mac Gairbheith. Available on Amazon. Paddy also wrote in Irish and English for 'Irelands Own', 'Inniu' 'Gaeltacht' and many other magazines and newspapers. He was a frequent broadcaster on Raidio na Gaeltachta.

J.P. Sweeney wrote 'The Sweeneys of Fanad,Doe Banagh', 'Fleadh Caislean na dTuagh' commemorating 400 years of Doe Castle history, (Creeslough Co Donegal). Editor of 'Sween,Clan of the Battleaxe' by Capt. Richard Mingo Sweeney of Nova Scotia (available on Amazon) and 'Scealtaí Phadaí Eoin' by Pádraig Mac Gairbheith. For many years a contributor to local press and a regular guest on Raidio na Gaeltachta's 'Barr Scealta'.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Loch an Iuir, Irish Placenames Database. Retrieved: 2010-08-17.
  2. ↑ Ionstraimí Reachtúla Uimhir 872 de 2004, An Coimisinéir Teanga (commissioner.ie). Retrieved: 2010-08-17.
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