Archive for March, 2010
Donegal is heading to Dublin and needs your help
The Donegal Association together with Donegal Tourism Ltd, Donegal County Council and Failte Ireland North West invite you to Temple Bar Dublin on Sunday 16th May 2010 from 12-6pm.
This is a one day outdoor event to showcase what County Donegal has to offer to you the visitor. Up to twenty tourism sectors will be represented and entertainment will be provided by well known Donegal artists throughout the day. We are also inviting a number of Donegal Personalities to lend their name to the event and attend on the day.
We have a number of prizes secured for the event to date including 1000 free hotel nights in Donegal, 1000 round trip coach tickets courtesy of McGinley Coaches and various holiday packages in association with Aer Arann.
More info to follow…..
Please put forward any ideas you have to help get the word out.
Comment below;
Glenveagh National Park, Castle and Gardens. “Discover Donegal 2010”
Glenveagh National Park,
Glenveagh National Park managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Environment, Heritage and the Local Government, lies along the Derryveagh mountains in the northwest of County Donegal. This 16,000 hectares of mountain, bogs, lakes and woods is cut in two by the spectacular valley of Glenveagh which gives the Park its name. Overlooking the lough stands Glenveagh castle. Made from rough-hewn granite, the castle, a castellated mansion, was built between 1870 and 1873. The magic of Glenveagh derives from the fact that here is one of the last places in Ireland to be influenced by man. The aim of the National Park is to conserve this wilderness in such a way that people may visit and appreciate it and yet leave it unspoilt for the generations to come.
CASTLE & GARDENS
Surrounding the Castle are the world famous Gardens. First laid out in the late 1880’s, the 13 hectares woodland garden contains a rich variety of trees, shrubs and flowers from around the world. Special features include spring flowering bulbs and Rhododendrons, scultpture Italianate features, woodland walks and colourful walled garden in summertime.
ACCESS
The park is accessed from Letterkenny by the N56 road through Kilmacrennan, turning left onto the Gweedore road (R255), or alternatively via Church Hill and past Gartan and Akibbob lakes(R251). Access from the north coast of Donegal is via Creeslough or Falcarragh and from the west coast via Gweedore and Dunlewey. The outlying areas of the National Park may be viewed from a car by travelling from Church Hill to Gweedore on the R251 road, past the Derryveagh mountains, the Poisoned Glen and Errigal, or from Church Hill(R254) towards Doochary, taking in the fine view at the head of Glenveagh Valley and Slieve Snacht.
2010 EVENTS
St Patricks Weekend, Easter Bank Holiday
To include Traditional music sessions, dancing, crafts, exhibitions, concerts, wine tasting evenings, birds of prey, workshops and childrens seasonal activities.
HERITAGE WEEK
Will take place during the last week of August, to include events for all the family. Check the park website for more details http://www.glenveaghnationalpark.ie
Walks
Walking groups are asked to contact Glenveagh in advance of coming to walk in the park. For the more experenied walker, ranger led hill walks will take place throughout the year, booking is essential. A park bus will leave Glenveagh carpark every Sunday at 11am throughout June, July, August ft September. The bus will take walkers wishing to walk down the glen or over the hill from Gartan to the head of the glen or the Lough Inshagh path. Please contact the park for more details.
OPENING HOURS
The park is open all year round, 7 days a week 10am -6pm (9am-5pm during the winter). Castle Tea Rooms open all year- reduced opening during low season Visitor Centre Restaurant – Open for Easter and then June – September.
Phone 0749137090 Ext 3609 visit our website
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In a beautiful place where the vegetables are plentiful – and free! “Convoy House & Castle Organic Gardens”
Up to seventy families in the Convoy area are benefitting from a unique opportunity to grow their own food.
UP to seventy families in Convoy got all their vegetables free of charge last year thanks to the owner of an old landlord’s house in the village.
North Dublin native, Gerry Maguire is the owner of the historic Convoy House on the outskirts of the village.
A keen organic gardener, Gerry realised a life-long ambition last March when he and his wife Margaret set up a non profit community garden project.
Everybody hard at work on there alotments.
Called The Castle Organic Club, it has proved a huge success in the locality.
Gerry restored a half acre patch of his walled gardens and created 34 plots. All the plots have been snapped up by adults as well as children from the local national schools.
Such has been the success of the project, Gerry had to create a waiting list of would be organic gardeners to get on the new plots this spring.
He describes the club as a non-political, non-denominational idea that benefits the entire community of Convoy.
“I always wanted to do something like this. Last March, a neighbour ploughed the garden and I rotavated it with an old Massey Ferguson. The locals grew an awful lot of vegetables last year, so much that they had to give some away to their friends. Most of the village is eating out of my garden now,” Gerry said this week.
Gerry owned a nursery outside Dublin and always wanted to set up an organic gardening centre and school.
When Convoy House and gardens along with 24 acres came on the market in 1996, he knew immediately it was the perfect location.
The current house, built in the early 1800s, was fully restored by him at his own cost. The house replaced an older building which was first erected in 1680.
The Maguires moved in during 2000.
However, following the tragic death of their son Eoin in 2002, Gerry said his heart was not in it anymore and his dream project fell by the wayside. But, thankfully, he had a change of heart.
“I just thought the area needed a lift after the start of the recession and I wanted to give something to the community and maybe even create some jobs in the process. I feel it helps me in a way and it helps other people too,” Gerry explained.
“Initially, my plan was for a young organic gardeners’ club, however, I decided to get the adults involved too. It’s just great to see everyone out there working away in the garden to their hearts content.
“And the local children gave me a wonderful present at Easter & Christmas .
Happy Easter "Have a nice stay in Convoy"
They made a carrot cake using the carrots they grew in the garden and presented it to me. I was over the moon. It was such a lovely thought.”
Gerry said he plans to open up more of his gardens in time for spring and also intends to restore a few of his 150 year old chicken coops for organic chickens.
He said he has been in to organic gardening for the past 25 years.
“I always had a big interest in organic gardening, long before it became popular. People in Dublin thought I was half mad going around collecting horse manure for my vegetables”.
He also says there is a perception out there that the community gardens are costing him a fortune.
“This year I will have 50 families using my gardens. I have only put €500 into this. It is not expensive as there are no chemicals or fertilisers needed. I even know farmers in Dublin who are hiring out tiny plots for €300 each year. But, I have no plans to do that here,” he said.
RESTORATION
He is currently in the process of restoring the gate house and turrets, built in 1680, at the entrance to his estate with the help of a small grant from Donegal County Council.
Work will also start soon on arestoration project of an old church at the rear of the house.
While visitors are more than welcome In come and have a look around the organic gardens. however, Gerry stressed that, the gardens themselves are primarily for the use of the people of Convoy.
One-Day Organic Workshop with Klaus Laitenberger @ Convoy House 13-06-2009
“It would defeat the purpose of the whole project if I were to have people driving from other towns to use the gardens.
“However, I am more than happy to assist anyone who wants to set up a similar project in their own area”.
Gerry is also helping a group in Letterkenny set up a community garden project there too.
Late last year, he set up a non-profit advertising Website called www.ontraz.ie and hopes to create jobs there too.
Gerry took the opportunity to thank the people of Convoy who have given his family great support when they needed it most.
He also wants to thank Gearoid from BC Embroidery for providing free jackets for the children to wear when they are in the garden.
To show your interest in The Castle Organic Club or if you have any questions please contact Gerry Maguire on 0863208666.
Discover Donegal 2010 Launched in 3D.
We here at “Discover Donegal” appreciate the fact that Donegal is a land of breathtaking natural beauty, a destination where you are guaranteed a warm welcome from people blessed with a character that ensures you will always enjoy the craic!The rugged Donegal coast has a shoreline etched with a multitude of beautiful bays and glorious sandy beaches.
Donegal remains as one of the last true wildernesses left in Europe. It is a land that is a haven to the deer, fox, badger and hare, watched from above by the magnificent silent-winged Golden Eagle.
We would like to say a big Thank You to you, the visitor and our guest, for using our publication as a guide to Donegal, and would appreciate any comments from you on how we can improve the publication for you.
We would also like to Thank everyone involved in “Discover Donegal ”.
We thank you all for your support throughout the years gone by, this year and the years to come!!!
Website: Discover Donegal
Slán agus go raibh maith agat!!!!
A wee bit of Geography for you on Donegal. ” Discover Donegal”
Donegal The Name Donegal originates from the Irish Dun na nGall which translates into ‘The Fort of Foreigners’
Province:Ulster
Total Population: 129,944 (1996)
Growth Rate: 1.5% since 1991
County Capital: Lifford
Largest Town: Letterkenny
Main Towns: Carndonagh, Buncrana, Moville, Letterkenny,
Ballybofey, Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Lifford, Dungloe, Donegal Town.
Highest Point: Mount Errigal (752 m)
Main Rivers: Swilly, Finn
Location:Maritime location on the North West Sea Board of the Country.
County Size:1,876 sq. Miles (4th Largest County In Ireland)
Main Lakes: Lough Eske, Lough Derg, Lough Foyle, Lough Swilly.
Main Bays: White Strand, Trawbreaga, Mulroy, Gweedore, Inishfree,
Rosses, Gweebarra, Loughros More, McSwyne’s, Inver, Donegal.
Main Islands: Rathlin O’Birne, Inishfree Upper, Aran, Owey, Gola, Inishbofin,
Inishdooey, Inishbeg, Tory, Aughnish, Cruit, Island Roy.
The oldest rock in Ireland (1,700 million years) is found in Donegal on the island of Inishtrahull. It is believed that the ice from the South Pole would have covered Donegal (Ireland would have been positioned where South Africa is today).
Donegal’s coastline includes the highest sea cliffs in Europe at Slieve League. Donegal also holds more than a quarter of of the entire sandy coast of all of the Irish counties. The coastal system is home to many unique natural habitats and ecological systems. Ireland’s most northerly point, Malin Head is located in Donegal.
Prehistory: Donegal has numerous historical sites including dolmens, soutteraines and 40 Bronze Age cairns. The most famous of these sites is the Griannan of Aileach, an ancient fortress and sun temple. 
Early Christian: Donegal’s early christian history centres around St. Column Cille who gave his name to Glencolumcille and founded Derry.
Medieval: Donegal played an active role in the history of Ulster up until 1921. The O’Donnells and the O’Dohertys ruled the area during medieval times with the inaccesability of donegal’s highlands helping to preserve its Gaelic culture and language. It was the last county to be taken over by the English with Cahir O’Doherty was the last chieftan in Ireland to be defeated in 1608 most of Donegal’s chieftans fled to europe in 1607).
Areas of Historical Interest: The High Cross at Carndonagh believed to be the oldest in Ireland. O’Doherty Castle built in Buncrana in 1718. Flight of the Earls Centre in Rathmullan. Griannan Of Aileach dating back to the 5th century. Dunree Fort built to counter the threat of a French invasion in the 1790’s.
Website: Discover Donegal
Discover Donegal event guide
Discover Donegal – Don’t Dream, GO! join our Facebook Page.
Of all the social media platforms we are involved in, the most impotant to us is now theFacebook Fan Page.
Set up Jan 2010 it went from a small beginning to now having over 1480 fans.
It is a great platform to engage with our community of Tourist and “fans”.
Donegal Tourism Ireland 