The Ballyliffin longhouse is unusual for north Donegal and is normally associated with east Ulster and in particular north Antrim. The roofing is traditional flax which is common in Inishowen. Windows are typical 6-pane in the front of the house although the side gable seems to have a larger window. With a fireplace at both ends, the kitchen is on the right and the sitting-room and bedroom are on the left. Sleeping accommodation would be available in all three rooms…
I have been looking at the new National Library collection of photographs on Flikr. Up to page 30 I found 5 relating to the county – fishermen at Ardara, Bishop McNeely, Lough Derg, CDB nurse on Arranmore and Tory scene. There is no known copyright so I downloaded one as a trial. Unfortunately, I found it blurred when I opened it up to a larger size although I did manage to copy and paste correctly. The NLI normally charges hefty…
In addition to events announced earlier, there will be a carnival parade in Carndonagh on Saturday with the award winning carnival group. Forthcoming fundraising events include a quiz in Simpsons, a coffee morning in April and a charity shop in the last two weeks of April. Donations welcome. Accommodation in the peninsula will be booked out in the last weekend in June with a number of other international events taking place – Golf Open, Yacht Race and International Fiddle Festival.
Donegal Annual issue no. 64 – 2012 will be available from November 2012. At this point in time, February 2012, I have the following submitted: Buncrana’s Tip O’Neill connections; Muckish glass; Ribbonmen in the Finn Valley; A Donegal abduction; Cohens of Ballyshannon; Fishing heritage; St. Isidore ; William O’Doherty MP of Carndonagh and Derry. Five more are in preparation including Modern Architecture in Donegal; Donegal’s Titanic passenger; A history of Fahan buildings and more to follow.
William O’Doherty’s parents came from Carndonagh and he became an MP in 1900 in the Khaki election. Five years later he collapsed in the House of Parliament AGED 37 and was buried in Carndonagh. I am researching his life but unfortunately he is not related to any of the Doherty/O’Doherty families of Carndonagh. If you can help me locate some of his family connections I would be grateful as I am hoping to find some photographs. He married Margaret Mitchell…
A prestigious new publication about Donegal will hit the bookshelves in the spring of 2013 called A SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ATLAS OF DONEGAL. Over sixty well-known writers, historians, academics, poets and musicians have written a total of ninety chapters featuring all aspects of the social and cultural history of the county: archaeology, flora and fauna, heritage, food and diet, agriculture, music, history, new poetry, climate, geology, mapping, wartime, emigration , maritime and a host of other topics. I have been…
The Colgan Heritage Weekend in 2012 will feature Changing Times. This year is the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Irish Folklore Commission’ s National School folklore collection project. In every school throughout the country, senior pupils interviewed older people about a wide range of subjects: customs, cures, habits, weather signs, jokes, schooldays, travel, work, farming, fair days, fairies, animals, farm implements, crops, seasons,etc. Many of the interviewees were born around the time of the Great Famine before much…