Cloughaneely is a district in the west of County Donegal

County Donegal

County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...

, part of the Province of Ulster

Ulster

Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...

 in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. This is a mainly coastal area centred on the town of Falcarragh

Falcarragh

An Fál Carrach , sometimes called Na Crois Bhealaí is a small Gaeltacht town and townland in northwest County Donegal, Ireland. The settlement is in the old parish of Cloughaneely.-Etymology:...

, and it is a Gaeltacht

Gaeltacht

is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...

 area, meaning the Irish language

Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

 is spoken as the primary language. Cloughaneely includes the secondary school Pobalscoil Chloich Gheann Fhaola, with over 500 students. Places of interest include Cnoc na Naomh, considered to be a mountain with religious significance. Cloughaneely, the Rosses

The Rosses

The Rosses is a geographical and social region in the west of County Donegal, Ireland, centred around the town of Dungloe, which acts as the educational, shopping and civil centre for the area...

 and Gweedore

Gweedore

Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...

, known locally as the three parishes, together form a social and cultural region different from the rest of the county, with Gweedore serving as the main centre for socialising and industry.

Name

The name Cloch Cheann Fhaola (also written Cloich Chionnaola, meaning "the Stone of Faoil's Head") comes from a story which tells of the killing of Faoil. The story says that Balor of the Evil Eye beheaded Faoil on a rock because Faoil stole the Cow of Plenty from Balor and brought it back to the mainland from Tory.

Townlands in Cloughaneely

• Ballyness
  Ballyness
  Ballyness is a townland in the parish of Cloughaneely in the north west of County Donegal. The name derives from the gaelic Baile an Easa meaning town of the waterfall. It is known for its salmon fishing at the bawann pool....
  
   (Baile an Easa)
• Ballingat (Baile an Gheata)
• Ballyconnell
  Ballyconnell
  Ballyconnell is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. It is situated on the N87 national secondary road at the junction of four townlands Annagh, Cullyleenan, Doon and Derryginny in the parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw. The town has an altitude of 55 metres above sea level...
  
   (Baile Chonaill)
• Ballytemple (Baile an Teampaill)
• Caoldroim Íochtarach (Lower Keeldrum)
• Caoldrum lar (Middle Keeldrum)
• Caoldrum Thuas ( Upper Keeldrum)
• Derryconnor (Doire Chonaire)
• Falcarragh
  Falcarragh
  An Fál Carrach , sometimes called Na Crois Bhealaí is a small Gaeltacht town and townland in northwest County Donegal, Ireland. The settlement is in the old parish of Cloughaneely.-Etymology:...
  
   (An Fál Carrach)
• Gortahork
  Gortahork
  Gort an Choirce or Gort a' Choirce is a village and townland in the northwest of County Donegal, Ireland. It is a lively Gaeltacht community, where the Irish language is still the main language of the area...
  
   (Gort an Choirce)
• Killult (Cill Ulta)
• Magheroarty
  Magheroarty
  Machaire Rabhartaigh , meaning "plain of the high tide", is a Gaeltacht village and townland on the north-west coast of County Donegal, Ireland...
  
  (Machaire Rabhartaigh)
• Meenlaragh (Mín Lárach)
• An Sruthán Riach