Gweedore

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Gweedore

Gweedore, in Irish Gaoth Dobhair, is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, Ireland. Due to the Official Languages Act 2003, the Irish form of the name is now the only official version. Gaoth Dobhair is also the home of the northwest regional studios of the Irish language radio service Raidió na Gaeltachta. Gweedore is officially the largest Irish-speaking parish in Ireland. The parish has a population of around 5,000 residents.

Meaning

Gaoth refers to an inlet of the sea at the mouth of the Crolly River. It is the boundary between Gweedore to the north and the Rosses to the south. Dobhar is an Irish word for water. Gaoth Dobhair translates as the aqueous estuary.

Language

The predominately spoken language of the village is Irish, but English can frequently be heard and understood as well.

Since most of the inhabitants of the village are naturally bilingual, it is common to hear English vocabulary used within an Irish sentence and vice versa. A rich subset of unique vocabulary and phrases has arisen from this bilingualism and due to this, the village has attracted some curious interest from both lexicographers and etymologists in the past. Some examples of these unique phrases and words are given below, with their standard English definitions.

Bammy - adj. 1. Eccentric; daft. 2. Of exhibiting anger.

of the Eng. Barmy.

Shy (ball) - n. Used in place of the term 'throw-in' in association football (soccer).

unknown.

Big wow - adj. pejorative An expression of contempt for an unimpressive action or idea.

used as a positive remark for something fantastic, remarkable

ailte - Irish suff.

Used to form a Gaelicised version of English verbs: wreckailte - tired.

used in the context of an equivalent Irish word either not existing or rendering the sentence form incorrect.

History

The Ulster Plantation in 1609 added a twist to the fate of the parish. Irish-speaking families who were driven from their fertile lands in the Lagan and the surrounding areas made their way to the poor boglands of west Donegal. Some of them made it as far as Gaoth Dobhair and could go no further west. Around the same time, English and Scottish settlers began to arrive, when this uncharted territory was converted to baronies.

It appears the parish was very sparsely populated up until the 17th century. The first people to arrive lived on the islands or by the shore in clusters, pockets of houses built close together and in each other's shade.

Up until the early 19th century the parish was only lightly populated and it seems the people had an amicable relationship with the landowners.

The standard of life was to deteriorate with the arrival of new landlords in the 19th century, in particular George Hill(1801-1879) and his son Arthur. The people of the parish led by Fr. Séamus Mac Pháidín (parish priest 1875-1901), challenged the landlords with the founding of the Land League and the Plan of Campaign. The killing of District Inspector William Martin outside the local church, Teach Phobail Mhuire, in Derrybeg on Sunday, the 3rd February 1889, was the climax of the Land War in Gweedore.

Business

In the 80's and 90's, Gweedore had a thriving industrial estate, where up to 20 large companies were established producing rubber, carpets, slendertones, and cleaning agents. But in 2001 the estate was dealt a serious blow when most of these companies packed up and headed off to cheaper Eastern European countries. Up to 4,000 jobs were lost, and this affected Gweedore and surrounding areas very badly.

In 2003, the estate was renamed as Páirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair (Gaoth Dobhair Business Park), and the Gaeltacht body, Údarás na Gaeltachta, started a campaign to try to entice businesses to Gweedore in hope of reviving their lost economic stability. This worked to a certain extent, when Scottish company Contact 4 opened a call centre on the estate, which provided more jobs in the community. In 2006, the companies that remain there are very successful, such as Euro Iompú Teo, Sams Spudz, Contact 4 and Celtic Transcripts.

Other business include a few supermarkets, convenience stores, beauticians, hairdressers, contractors, garages, chemists, pubs, cafes, and four well-established hotels.

Education

There five primary schools in Gweedore, in the townlands of Derrybeg, Bunbeg, Mín an Chladaigh, Dobhar, and Luinneach. The only community school (post primary) is Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair, established in Derrybeg in 1977, and is managed by headmaster Noel Ó Gallchóir. All these schools teach their students through the Irish language, and they sit their government exams in Irish.

In 2004, Gweedore took another big step towards gaining world recognition, when University of Ireland, Galway, opened a campus in the Gaoth Dobhair business park. There is a wide-range of courses available in the academy and scholars can obtain diplomas after finishing them. Acadamh na hOllscoile Ghaoth Dobhair was officially opened by minister Éamon Ó Cuív in the year 2005.

Physical Features

Gaoth Dobhair is world-renowned for its beautiful physical features. Probably the most recognisale feature is Mount Errigal, the tallest mountain in County Donegal. It is surrounded by the deep glens and misty lakes of the Poisened Glen, and further on, Glenveagh National Park and castle, the largest national park in Ireland.

The Gweedore coastline consists of long sandy beaches and rugged cliffs. Also, off the Gweedore coastlines are many beautiful islands, including Gola, and Tory. Behind you a series of spectacular mountains, glens and bogs have combined with the bracing weather to keep this part of the world relatively secluded.

Sport

Sport plays a very important role in the lives of the local people, sports such as Gaelic Football, soccer and various other ones are exercised religiously by young boys and girls. There is CLG Ghaoth Dobhair, that provides facilities in Machaire Gathlán for young Gaelic football hopefuls, and voluntary soccer clubs Gweedore Celtic and Gweedore United take part in county and national competitions.

Well-known footballers from the area include Pat Crerand, Hugh Rua Gallagher, Niall Ó Gallchóir, Jack Phaddy Óig, Jim Mc Fadden, Anton Carroll and Hiúdaí Beag Ó Gallchóir.

Music

Gweedore has provided its fair share of famous musicians. Clannad were formed in 1972, and have since went on to sell over 10 million records. Altan are another band from Gweedore that have put the area on the global stage, they are lead by Coshclady violinist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh. Gweedore's biggest star is without a doubt Enya, or Eithne Ní Bhraonáin; she first appeared on stage in Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair as a fairy, before going on to become one of the world's biggest-selling artists, with sales exceeding 70 million. Other local singers include Aoife Ní Fhearraigh, Brídín Brennan, Na Casaidigh, Proinsias Ó Maonaigh and Maria McCool. The well-known 1970s group Skara Brae (music) also had strong links with the district.

The popular Frankie Kennedy Winter Music School takes part in Gweedore every new year in memory of the famous Belfast musician who was married to Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, until he died of cancer in 1994.

The song Gleanntáin Ghlas Ghaoth Dobhair, written by a local man and expressing an exile's find farewell to the green valleys of Gweedore, is extremely well known throughout Ireland.

Placenames in Gweedore

Derrybeg (Na Doirí Beaga)
Bunbeg (An Bun Beag)
Dore (Dobhar)
Luinnagh (Luinneach)
Glassagh (Glaiseach)
Middletown (Baile Lár)
Cotteen (Coitín)
Meenaquinn (Mín na Cuinge)
Bloody Foreland (Cnoc Fola)
Crolly (Croithshlí)
Dunlewey (Dún Lúiche)
Maghergallon (Machaire Gathlán)
Magherclogher (Machaire Chlochair)
Meenaclady (Mín a'Chladaigh)
Brinaleck (Bun a'Leaca)

Islands

Gola (Gabhla)
Inishmen (Inis Meáin)
Inishirhir (Inis Oirthear)
Inishinny (Inis Sionnaigh)

Famous Gweedore People

External links

Gaeltacht places in Donegal | Gweedore

Gaoth Dobhair | Gweedore | グウィドー

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