Creeslough
Encyclopedia
Creeslough is a village
in County Donegal
, part of the Province of Ulster
in Ireland
. It lies 12 km south of Dunfanaghy
on the N56 road, 54 m above sea level and overlooking an arm of Sheephaven Bay
. It is a small village, with the population of the surrounding area engaged mainly in agriculture, mostly livestock rearing, as little of the surrounding land is suitable for tillage.
. The architect, Liam McCormack, was also responsible for the design of the RIAI Triennial Gold Medal
-winning St Aengus' Church, Burt, County Donegal
. The church bell was moved from the bell tower associated with (the now demolished) Doe Chapel. The remains of the outer walls of the chapel are situated within the current graveyard at Doe (in the townland of Cashelmore, 3 km north of Creeslough). The bell tower was, however, not demolished.
, the main character, Eileen Tierney was born and reared in Creeslough and it is remembered and described by her with fondness. No News at Throat Lake is a non-fiction book by Lawrence Donegan
about working for a bi-weekly newspaper in Creeslough. The area has featured in many Irish
folk songs, the most famous being "Cutting the Corn in Creeslough" which has been covered by the likes of Daniel O'Donnell
and Creeslough native Bridie Gallagher
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in 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...
. It lies 12 km south of Dunfanaghy
Dunfanaghy
Dunfanaghy is a small village, formerly a fishing port and commercial centre, in County Donegal, Ireland....
on the N56 road, 54 m above sea level and overlooking an arm of Sheephaven Bay
Sheephaven Bay
Sheephaven Bay is a broad, shallow inlet on the north coast of County Donegal, Ireland. Bounded by the peninsulae of Rosguill, to the east and Horn Head to the west, the bay is relatively protected from the full force of the Atlantic Ocean, and has supported a vibrant herring fleet.-Etymology:The...
. It is a small village, with the population of the surrounding area engaged mainly in agriculture, mostly livestock rearing, as little of the surrounding land is suitable for tillage.
Places of interest
Nearby attractions include:- Doe CastleDoe CastleDoe Castle, or Caisleán na dTuath, near Creeslough, County Donegal, was historically a stronghold of Clan Suibhne, with architectural parallels to the Scottish Tower house. Built in the 16th c. it is one of the better preserved fortalices in the North-West of Ireland...
, a 16th century castle of the MacSuibhneClan SweeneyClan Sweeney is an Irish clan of Scottish origin. The clan did not permanently settle in Ireland before the beginning of the 14th century, when they became Gallowglass soldiers for the O'Donnell dynasty of Tyrconnell...
clan, which has been restored during 2002-2005. It is perhaps best known as the place to which Owen Roe O'NeillOwen Roe O'NeillEoghan Ruadh Ó Néill , anglicised as Owen Roe O'Neill , was a seventeenth century soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster.- In Spanish service :...
returned to command the Irish ConfederateConfederate IrelandConfederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
's Ulster army in 1642 during the Irish Confederate WarsIrish Confederate WarsThis article is concerned with the military history of Ireland from 1641-53. For the political context of this conflict, see Confederate Ireland....
. - Ards Forest ParkArds Forest Park- History and Location :The forest park is situated on the small Ards Peninsula. It sits on the shores of Sheephaven Bay on the northern coastline of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. It's to be found on the N56 road, between Creeslough and Dunfanaghy. Ards Forest Park was...
, which contains some megalithic tombs, ringforts and a Mass rockMass rockA Mass rock was a stone used in mid-seventeenth century Ireland as a location for Catholic worship. Isolated locations were sought to hold religious ceremony, as observing the Catholic mass was a matter of difficulty and danger at the time as a result of both Cromwell's campaign against the Irish,...
. The forest park encompasses a variety of habitats, including sand dunes, tidal salt marsh as well as several small lakes, two of which are vegetation-filled and in the process of becoming bogs. - Remains of the Owencarrow Viaduct, whose railway line closed in 1941. Scene of the Owencarrow Viaduct Disaster.
- GlenveaghGlenveaghGlenveagh — covering 170 square kilometres of hillside above Glenveagh Castle on the shore of Lough Veagh , some 20 km from Gweedore in County Donegal, Ireland — forms the heart of the Glenveagh National Park , the second largest national park in Ireland...
National Park, which was created in 1981 from lands granted to the state by Henry P. McIlhennyHenry P. McIlhennyHenry Plumer McIlhenny was an American connoisseur of art and antiques, world traveler, socialite, philanthropist and the chairman of the Philadelphia Art Museum....
, of Philadelphia. - The surrounding mountainous areas are suitable for hill walking and are notable for their ease of access. MuckishMuckishMuckish is a distinctive flat-topped mountain in the Derryveagh Mountains of County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. At , it is the third-highest peak in the Derryveagh Mountains and the 163rd highest in Ireland. Muckish is also the most northern and second highest of the mountain chain called the...
, with its distinctive outline and a number of routes to the summit to choose from, is a popular destination with walkers. The annual Glover Highlander walk (from MuckishMuckishMuckish is a distinctive flat-topped mountain in the Derryveagh Mountains of County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. At , it is the third-highest peak in the Derryveagh Mountains and the 163rd highest in Ireland. Muckish is also the most northern and second highest of the mountain chain called the...
to Errigal) starts nearby.http://www.simonstewart.ie/Glover/glover.htm There are several marked trails to choose from in GlenveaghGlenveaghGlenveagh — covering 170 square kilometres of hillside above Glenveagh Castle on the shore of Lough Veagh , some 20 km from Gweedore in County Donegal, Ireland — forms the heart of the Glenveagh National Park , the second largest national park in Ireland...
National Park, as well as the possibility for off-trail hiking.
Architecture
The Roman Catholic church, St Michael's, is notable for its architecture, being modelled on the nearby table mountain of MuckishMuckish
Muckish is a distinctive flat-topped mountain in the Derryveagh Mountains of County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. At , it is the third-highest peak in the Derryveagh Mountains and the 163rd highest in Ireland. Muckish is also the most northern and second highest of the mountain chain called the...
. The architect, Liam McCormack, was also responsible for the design of the RIAI Triennial Gold Medal
RIAI Triennial Gold Medal
The RIAI Triennial Gold Medal has been awarded since 1934 to the best building completed in the preceding three years by a member of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.- Recipients :...
-winning St Aengus' Church, Burt, County Donegal
Burt, County Donegal
Burt is a parish in County Donegal, Ireland, situated on the main road between Letterkenny and Derry, Northern Ireland.-Location:Located at the base of the Inishowen Peninsula, Burt is a parish and is part the Parish of Fahan....
. The church bell was moved from the bell tower associated with (the now demolished) Doe Chapel. The remains of the outer walls of the chapel are situated within the current graveyard at Doe (in the townland of Cashelmore, 3 km north of Creeslough). The bell tower was, however, not demolished.
Transport
Creeslough railway station opened on 9 March 1903, closed for passenger traffic on 3 June 1940, and finally closed altogether on 6 January 1947.Education
- Creeslough supports two primary schools, Scoil Mhuire (142 pupils, 2011 figures,http://www.education.ie/panels/foundepl.jsp?page=14&educator2=Primary+Schools&pcategory=10917&language=EN&county=Donegal&educator=Primary+Schools&ecategory=12016&roll_no=&Submit=Submit Roman Catholic) and Creeslough National School (20 pupils, 2011 figures,http://www.education.ie/panels/foundepl.jsp?page=14&educator2=Primary+Schools&pcategory=10917&language=EN&county=Donegal&educator=Primary+Schools&ecategory=12016&roll_no=&Submit=Submit Church of IrelandChurch of IrelandThe Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
). - Creeslough also contains a National School by the name of Glassan National School, located 5 km to the West of Creeslough village.
People
- Bridie GallagherBridie GallagherBridie Gallagher , is an Irish singer, affectionately known as The Girl from Donegal. She shot to fame in 1956 with her recording of A Mother's Love's A Blessing and achieved international acclaim with her legendary rendition of The Boys From County Armagh...
, acclaimed singer - Thomas Bartholomew CurranThomas Bartholomew CurranThomas Bartholomew Curran was an Irish barrister and an Anti-Parnellite/Irish National Federation politician who served in the United Kingdom House of Commons as Member of Parliament for the constituencies of Kilkenny City and North Donegal .He was the son of Thomas Curran, MP for South Sligo...
, barrister and Anti-Parnellite - Kathleen AntonelliKathleen AntonelliKathleen "Kay" McNulty Mauchly Antonelli was one of the six original programmers of the ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer.-Early life and education:...
, programmer of the first ever computer
In popular culture
In the novel An Answer from Limbo by Brian MooreBrian Moore (novelist)
Brian Moore was a Northern Irish novelist and screenwriter who emigrated to Canada and later lived in the United States. He was acclaimed for the descriptions in his novels of life in Northern Ireland after the Second World War, in particular his explorations of the inter-communal divisions of The...
, the main character, Eileen Tierney was born and reared in Creeslough and it is remembered and described by her with fondness. No News at Throat Lake is a non-fiction book by Lawrence Donegan
Lawrence Donegan
Lawrence Donegan , is a musician and journalist, currently Golf Correspondent at The Guardian.Donegan was educated at St Modan's High School and the University of Glasgow, where his musical career began. He was the bassist in The Bluebells, whose biggest hit was "Young at Heart," and Lloyd Cole and...
about working for a bi-weekly newspaper in Creeslough. The area has featured in many Irish
Music of Ireland
Irish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th, and into the 21st century, despite globalizing cultural forces...
folk songs, the most famous being "Cutting the Corn in Creeslough" which has been covered by the likes of Daniel O'Donnell
Daniel O'Donnell
Daniel or Danny O'Donnell may refer to:* Daniel O'Donnell, Irish singer* Daniel O'Donnell , American legislator from the state of New York* Danny O'Donnell * Danny O'Donnell...
and Creeslough native Bridie Gallagher
Bridie Gallagher
Bridie Gallagher , is an Irish singer, affectionately known as The Girl from Donegal. She shot to fame in 1956 with her recording of A Mother's Love's A Blessing and achieved international acclaim with her legendary rendition of The Boys From County Armagh...
.