Inishowen Peninsula

Some more interesting points about the Inishowen Peninsula:

Photography:  We have a wide variety of scenery from the rich flat farmland at the Slob lands near the Grianán of Aileach to the nearby towering Scalp Mountain, from Lough Swilly (The Lake of Shadows) to Craignamaddy, overlooking Lough Foyle at Greencastle, where you can see Rathlín Island off the Antrim coast, and the Scottish islands of Islay and Jura.  From the Urris Mountains to Malin Head there is opportunities galore for both the amateur and professional photographer to get that once in a lifetime shot.

Yachting:  There is an excellent sheltered harbour and marina, with a well-marked channel, which can cater for 200 yachts of varying sizes at the village of Fahan, which is on your Port side if arriving by sea from the mouth of Lough Swilly and just along the coast from the town of Buncrana.  All along the coastline of Lough Foyle from the harbour at Greencastle there are good facilities for either launching, anchoring or tying up any size of yacht.  (A southerly wind can prove tricky and you need to be careful). Plans are currently afoot for marinas at Moville and Bunagee near Culdaff.

Diving:  The Inishowen peninsula is surrounded by many wrecks, including some of the following:  One near Portaleen, one between Culdaff head and Glengad head, 18 near Inishtrahull Island including, in 1918, a World War 1 German sub. U.B. 109 and a Greek cargo ship, the Argo Delos in 1960, which was heading for Cuba. 

There are 9 wrecks near Inishowen Head, and in Kinnego Bay there is the famous La Trinidad Valencera of the Spanish Armada, which foundered in 1588.  In Lough Swilly there lies The Laurentic, which was carrying a fortune in gold to repay British War Debts.

Near Malin Head there are over 30 wrecks quite near the coastline due to both World Wars and a treacherous coastline.  There is now a fully equipped diving school based at Malin Head.

Bird watching: The Inishowen peninsula is renowned the world over for this activity, especially places such as Burt, Inch, Trawbreaga Bay, Loughs Swilly and Foyle and Banba’s Crown. Such is the variety and depth of detail on this subject that Inishowen Tourism recommends a visit to our web site at: www.visitinishowen.com where the most comprehensive information available can be accessed.

Aurora Borealis:  With Ireland’s most northerly point at Latitude 55.23.05 degrees North and Longitude 007.22.29 degrees West there is almost no darkness during June/July and there have been numerous sightings of this phenomenon.  Indeed over the winter of 2003 following a fierce electrical storm on the surface of the sun, the area was treated to such a spectacular display that over half of the sky was illuminated for weeks. 

Long summer days:  At the north of the peninsula on June 21st sunrise is at 3:47 am and sunset is at 22:15 giving a maximum of 19 hours and 27 minutes of daylight.

Doagh Island Famine Village & Santa’s Lapland:  This has proved to be one of the biggest attractions in the peninsula.  During the summer you can have a guided tour through houses and outdoor centres depicting the Penal Times and the famine years in Ireland.  The houses and scenes have been replicated to a very exacting state of authenticity. 

During the months of November and December, the village becomes Lapland with Santa arriving down the chimney and distributing the toys, which you can see being made by his elves.  There is also a fantastic laser light show, which can be seen for miles around.

Tour guides:  If you want to get to the real heart of Inishowen’s beauty, history, highways and byways, there are a number of fully-qualified and CERT approved tour guides who will be only too happy to supply and in-depth accompanied tour of the area.  Inishowen Tourism can supply details of these guides on application.

Theatre:  The “Cairn Theatre” in Greencastle presents a show entitled “Shades of Ireland” daily during the summer.  This theatre also carries a wide programme of music, drama, dance and fun.  Musical lessons can be arranged.

Lapidary:  At Urris near the town of Clonmany there is a workshop where precious and semi-precious stones from the Raised Beach at Banba’s Crown, a world-famous geological rarity, are cut, polished and mounted onto rings, bracelets, necklaces etc.  Special works can be commissioned.

Pottery:  The town of Moville hosts a purpose-built pottery workshop where the words “mass-production” are frowned upon and the skill of the hand is the order of the day. The potter can still be watched “throwing” the clay for the creation of the next unique item.
Bogwood sculptures:

Thousands of years ago Inishowen would have been covered in trees and it is while cutting peat in our many bogs that thousand-year old pieces bogwood have been uncovered.
Between the villages of Culdaff and Glenely there is a gallery where you can view and purchase a sculpted piece of this ancient material.

Painting: With the scenery that is on offer in Inishowen it is no wonder that many artists have taken up a brush to put on canvas the beauty surrounding them?
Just outside Malin Town on the road to Malin Head look out for signs pointing to an art gallery where beautiful pieces of local artwork are on view and available for purchase.