A Whale Burial in Magheraroarty, Donegal, March 2007
One day in March (I think) 2007 I was walking along the beach at Magheraroarty when I came across a large crowd watching two diggers preparing a sandy grave for…
Category: donegal
Extinct in Ireland, September 28th – the golden eagle
One of the most celebrated re-introductions of recent years has been the Golden Eagle. This has been one of three species – along with the Red Kite and the White-Tailed…
Extinct in Ireland, September 23rd, the North Atlantic right whale
Pádraic Fogarty lists the North Atlantic right whale or Nordcapper (also known as the Northern Right Whale) as one of the mammals extinct in Ireland since human habitation here: Regularly…
Doon Mass Rock, Doon, Co. Donegal.
While the Holy Well and the rock where the O’Donnell chieftain was inaugurated are better known, the site near Termon in Donegal features a well–preserved Mass Rock. These photos capture it from…
May 10th 1943 – the Ballymanus Mining Disaster
I previously posted this poem on the Ballymanus Mine Disaster, which happened on this date in 1943. My great-uncle died in this disaster, one of the neglected tragedies of World…
Ray High Cross, Falcarragh, Donegal
Ray is a townland a little beyond Falcarragh on the road to Dunfanaghy (near Joe & Anne Kane’s Studio) It boasts an ancient Irish Church site associated with Iona and therefore St Columba , and…
Brian Anson – “a revolutionary for social justice” buried in Magheragallon Cemetery, Gweedore, Donegal
In Mahgeragallon cemetery, where my father, uncle, maternal grandparents and maternal great-grandparents are buried, I came across the grave of Brian Anson. It is beside eight commonwealth war graves (three…
Tory Island, poitín, and prohibition
Thanks to Rory Naughton who has brought this family history on the Clare Co Council library page. John Cunningham gives an interesting and entertaining account of his father Michael’s life…
Séamus Sweeney 