Downings Na Dúnaibh | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 | |
  Downings Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:55°11′40″N7°50′11″W / 55.194533°N 7.836495°W /55.194533; -7.836495 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Ulster |
| County | County Donegal |
| Barony | Kilmacrenan |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | B847228 |
Downings orDownies (Irish:Na Dúnaibh)[1][2][3] is aGaeltacht village andtownland on theRosguill peninsula inCounty Donegal, Ireland. The village is on the shores ofSheephaven Bay on the north coast of Ireland.[4][5]
As the village is in aGaeltacht district, its official name isNa Dúnaibh, its name in theIrish language. The name probably means 'The Forts', referring to the wealth ofhill forts in the area.[6] The full original Irish name seems to have been(hi ccrannóicc) na nDuini.[6] Or the name could be ahibernicisation of the English name, to describe the sandy dunes connecting the peninsula to theCounty Donegal mainland.[citation needed]
Downings used to be a significant fishing port with a substantialherring fleet. Today, the economy survives on partly tourism. Na Dúnaibh is home to the famous McNutt of Donegal tweed factory and shop. It is also home to McBride Fishing who operate threecrab fishing boats and the highly regarded online fishing industry news platform The Fishing Daily. Downings also boasts Meevagh Boatyard on Mulroy Bay which was established in the early 1900s by the Congested District Board to build fishing boats for local fishermen during the herring boom. Situated as it is onSheephaven Bay, Downings is one of the safest anchorages on the north coast of Ireland, and is a must for an overnight stay for anyone sailing along the Donegal coast
In 2007 local divers recovered a gun from the wreck of HMSLaurentic at the mouth ofLough Swilly. The gun is now mounted beside Downings Pier.[7][8]
The dunes that link the Rosguill peninsula to the mainland are also home to theRosapennaLinks course designed byOld Tom Morris, and although the original hotel and clubhouse that was patronised by the likes ofJohn Wayne andErrol Flynn burnt down in the sixties, the new buildings seek to emulate the charm of the originals.[citation needed]
Downings is the start and finish of the Atlantic Drive, one of the most dramatic scenic routes in Ireland.[citation needed]
Curran from Downings and a member of Jim McGuinness's senior management team, takes over from McGuinness who stepped down at the end of last season.
