Loughanure
Encyclopedia
Loch an Iúir anglicised as Loughanure, 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.
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 "kiln
s", 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.
. 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 beach
es, local summer festivals, surfing, and sight-seeing. Loch an Iúir attracts many tourists during the summer months.
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.
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.
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...
, 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 is halfway between 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...
and Dungloe
Dungloe
Dungloe is a Gaeltacht town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is the main town in the Rosses and the largest in the Donegal Gaeltacht...
, on the N56 road
N56 road (Ireland)
The N56 road is a national secondary road in Ireland that runs from Donegal town to Letterkenny. As originally designated, it included the section of the N13 between Stranorlar and Letterkenny, forming a circular route including parts of the N15....
, in the 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 of 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...
. The village owes its name to the native yew
Taxus
Taxus is a genus of yews, small coniferous trees or shrubs in the yew family Taxaceae. They are relatively slow-growing and can be very long-lived, and reach heights of 1-40 m, with trunk diameters of up to 4 m...
tree which grows wild on Oileán Iúir, a small island on the lake.
History
Loch an Iúir was once a major source of agricultural limeAgricultural lime
Agricultural lime, also called aglime, agricultural limestone, garden lime or liming, is a soil additive made from pulverized limestone or chalk. The primary active component is calcium carbonate...
production in the west of 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...
. Limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
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 "kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
s", can still be seen in the village today. The kilns were ignited with turf
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
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
Arranmore
Árainn Mhór is the largest inhabited island of County Donegal, and the second largest in all of Ireland, with a population of 528 in 2006, down from 543 in 2002, and over 600 in 1996. The island is part of the Donegal Gaeltacht...
, and nearly every building in 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...
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 OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. Salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, and rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
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 beach
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
es, 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 languageIrish 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. It is home to renowned author and historian Niall Ó Dónaill
Niall Ó Dónaill
Niall Ó Dónaill was an Irish language lexicographer from Loughanure, County Donegal, Ireland. Ó Dónaill is most famous for his work as editor of the 1977 Irish-English dictionary Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla which is still widely used today. He received his education in St Eunan's College in Letterkenny...
, 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 languageIrish 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...
college is called Coláiste Mhuire. Coláiste Mhuire was the centre of education in the Lower 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...
area for decades before Rosses Community School in Dungloe
Dungloe
Dungloe is a Gaeltacht town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is the main town in the Rosses and the largest in the Donegal Gaeltacht...
was built. Today, the college operates for 8 weeks each summer to teach Irish to children. Almost 1,000 students from all over 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...
attend the college annually.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland