Buncrana
Encyclopedia
Buncrana is a town in north County Donegal
, Ireland
. It is beside Lough Swilly
on the Inishowen
peninsula
, 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) northwest of Derry
and 43 kilometres (26.7 mi) north of Letterkenny
. In the 2011 census
, the population was 7,199 making it the second most populous town in County Donegal, after Letterkenny, and the largest in Inishowen.
Buncrana is the historic home of the Ó Dochartaigh clan and originally developed around the defensive tower known as O’Doherty’s Keep at the mouth of the River Crana. The town moved to its present location just south of the River Crana when George Vaughan built the main street in 1718.
The town was a major centre for the textile industry
in County Donegal from the 19th century until the mid-2000s.
sits the three-story O’Doherty’s Keep, which is the only surviving part of an original 14th century Norman castle. The first two levels of the keep were built after 1333. In 1601 the O'Doherty's Keep was described as being a small, two story castle, inhabited by Conor McGarret O'Doherty. In 1602 the third level was added and it was upgraded by Hugh Boy O'Doherty as an intended base for Spanish
military aid that hoped to land at Inch.
The keep was burned by the English in 1608 in reprisal for the rebellion of Cahir O'Doherty
who sacked and razed the city of Derry. After Cahir O'Doherty was killed and his land seized, the keep was granted to Sir Arthur Chichester, who then leased it to Englishman Henry Vaughan, were it was repaired and lived in by the Vaughan family until 1718.
In 1718, Buncrana Castle was built by George Vaughan, it was one of the first big manor houses built in Inishowen, and stone was taken from the bawn
, or defensive wall, surrounding O'Doherty's Keep to build it. It was erected on the original site of Buncrana, which had grown up in the shadow of the keep. Vaughan moved the town to its present location, where he founded the current main street and built the Castle Bridge (a six-arched stone single lane bridge) across the River Crana leading to his Castle.
During the 1798 Rebellion, Theobald Wolfe Tone
was held in Buncrana Castle when he was captured after the British/French naval battle off the coast of Donegal, before being taken to Derry
and then subsequently to Dublin. The castle remains as a private home today. In the forecourt there is a memorial rock in honour of Sir Cahir O'Doherty, and a plaque dedicated to Wolfe Tone.
When John Newton
and his shipmates on The Greyhound found a haven in Lough Swilly on 8 April 1748 after a devastating Atlantic storm, he saw his survival as divine intervention, the answer to prayer. The refuge of the Swilly and Buncrana area laid a spiritual foundation for a reformed later life. In 1764 he became a Church of England
clergyman and subsequently, as curate at Olney in Buckinghamshire, an anti-slavery activist and renowned hymnist famous for writing “Amazing Grace
”.
On 30 July 1922, during the Irish Civil War
, Buncrana was captured by the Free State forces
from Anti-treaty forces
without the loss of life. The Free State forces held the railway station, the telephone and telegraph offices and all the roads entering the town. At 4:00am a sentry stopped a car on the outskirts of the town and discovered it to contain the leader of the Anti-treaty forces and five of his men who were all armed; they were all arrested. At around 7:00am the Anti-treaty forces' position was surrounded and they were given fifteen minutes to surrender; they complied and were arrested and their weapons and ammunition were seized. Later that day, 100 Free State troops commandeered
a train at Buncrana station and proceeded to take Clonmany
, Carndonagh
and other locations on the peninsula
.
Buncrana was the object of public attention in 1972, when after Operation Motorman
it became the place of refuge for many Provisional Irish Republican Army
members from Derry
. Also in 1991, when a local Sinn Féin
councillor, Eddie Fullerton
, was killed by loyalist gunmen from Northern Ireland
.
, the Council assists in assuring economic
growth in the town. Buncrana Town Council is made up of 9 elected members. Members are elected according to the system of proportional representation, usually for a period of five years. The Mayor of the Council is elected from the membership at the Annual General Meeting of the Council. The current mayor as of 2011, is Cllr Nicholas Crossan.
constituency of Dáil Éireann
. At the 2011 general election, three TDs (Teachtaí Dála
) were elected in the constituency; Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
of Sinn Féin
obtained 24.5% first preference votes
, Joe McHugh
of Fine Gael
got 19.3% first preferences and Fianna Fáil
candidate Charlie McConalogue
received 17.4%.
system. The River Crana is crossed by three bridges: Castle Bridge (which gives vehicular access to Buncrana Castle and pedestrian access to Swan Park), Westbrook Bridge (officially, Wilson's Bridge) and Cockhill Bridge. The Mill River, south of the town, is crossed by two bridges: Victoria Bridge (known locally as the Iron Bridge) which is the main point of access to the town and the Mill Bridge which is at the end of the Mill Brae road at the south end of the town.
slate formation. The river valley of the Mill River flows over a narrow band of Culdaff
limestone with a sill
of metadolerite along the rivers southern embankment extending
from the estuarine zone inland. Sandy gravels and clonglomerates overlie bedrock
. The geology was formed during the Lower Carboniferous Period
.
The local soils throughout the area range from shallow to moderate depth peaty podzols and established podzolics types with a moderate percentage of loam
and sandy clays.
oceanic climate
, or Cfb on the Köppen climate classification
system, characterised by cool summers and mild winters. Ireland's position in the Atlantic Ocean
means that its climate is strongly influenced by the Gulf Stream
, which keeps it a few degrees warmer than other locations at the same latitude
.
These are the average temperature and rainfall figures between 1961 and 1990 taken at the Met Éireann
weather station at Malin Head
, about 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) northwest of Buncrana:
Buncrana is connected to the rest of the national road network
via the R
238 and a short section of the R239 from Burnfoot to Bridge End. This connects it to the N13, the national primary road
that connects Letterkenny and Derry (it becomes the A2
when it crosses the border). The town is considered the gateway to Inishowen and lies on the "Inishowen 100", an approximate 100 mile route around the peninsula that passes various scenic sites.
The preliminary results of the 2011 Irish census puts the population of Buncrana at 7,199. The full results of the 2011 census are expected to be published from March to December 2012. The most recent full census results available are the 2006 Irish census putting the town's population at 5,991. The town had 2,038 households, 47.6% were made up of married couples, 7.0% of cohabitation couples, 16.3% of households had lone parents and 22.7% were made up of people living alone.
Around 92.5% of residents claimed to be Roman Catholic, 1.4% Church of Ireland
, and about 2% were of a different Christian religion or other stated religion. The percentage of residents with no religion was 3% and 1% did not state a religion.
The town is predominantly white with around 9.8% of it's residents being born abroad.
Of people aged 3 and over, 29.4% could speak Irish
.
The percentage of people over the age of 15 whose full-time education had ceased who possessed a third level degree or higher was 13.6%.
There were 2,938 males and 2,973 females in Buncrana in the 2006 census.
Buncrana has a relatively strong tourism industry, and it is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the northwest of Ireland
. This is possibly due to its close proximity to Derry City
, and also for its wide range of retail stores. It also has well-developed tourist facilities, and it serves as the main town on the Inishowen
peninsula, which also helps with sustaining the tourism industry in the town.
Lisfannon beach, a Blue Flag beach
, sits on the shores of Lough Swilly
just south of the town, and is an important recreational beach that is popular with locals and day-trippers
from Derry
.
, Cockhill Celtic F.C. and Illies Celtic. Buncrana Hearts F.C. and Cockhill Celtic are the main teams in the area, and play in the Ulster Senior League
. In recent years, they have both reached the finals of the Donegal News Ulster Senior League Cup and Knockalla Caravans Cup.
Gaelic Football is also a popular sport in Buncrana, and the club caters for teams from Under-8 level right up to Senior level. They play their home games at the Scarvey,the team is vey successful underage, winning at least two inishowen titles the last few seasons and winning four county championships since 2000, reaching under-14 final for the past two seasons as well as the under 15s last season.
Buncrana Golf Club has the oldest 9-hole links course in Ireland.
The Buncrana Music and Arts festival returned to the town in 2010, after a five year absence. The festival included successful performances from The Coronas
, The Undertones
and Altan
. It will return in 2011, and will take place during the month of July.
Buncrana is also famous for producing traditional music artists. Dinny McLaughlin, Paul McClure, Ciaran Tourish and Tom Byrne are all natives of the town, and have performed to critical acclaim all over the country.
and the Inishowen Independent
, have their offices in Buncrana. Local issues in the town and peninsula are also covered in the Derry Journal
. The local radio station is Highland Radio
and it is based in Letterkenny.
) and Scoil Mhuire, a voluntary secondary school
under the trusteeship of CEIST (Catholic Education Irish Schools Trust). Crana College was set up in 1925, while Scoil Mhuire developed in 1933. As of September 2011, Crana College had 540 registered students. The town's main primary schools are Scoil Íosagáin and Cockhill National School. Other smaller primary schools include St Mura's National School and Gaelscoil
Bhun Chrannacha.
Buncrana Community Library opened in 2000 in a refurbished Presbyterian church. It won the Public Library Buildings Awards 2001 for the best small library in the converted, extended or refurbished category.
with two towns. It twinned with Campbellsville, Kentucky
as both towns had a large Fruit of the Loom
plant. The plant was a large source of employment in Buncrana before it moved its operations overseas to Morocco
. Buncrana is twinned with the following towns:
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
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is beside Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly in Ireland is a glacial fjord or sea inlet lying between the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula, in County Donegal. Along with Carlingford Lough and Killary Harbour it is one of three known glacial fjords in Ireland....
on the Inishowen
Inishowen
Inishowen is a peninsula in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. It is also the largest peninsula in all of Ireland. Inishowen is a picturesque location with a rich history...
peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
, 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) northwest of Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and 43 kilometres (26.7 mi) north of Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
. In the 2011 census
Census of Ireland 2011
The Census of Ireland 2011 was held on Sunday, 10 April 2011. It was administered by the Central Statistics Office of Ireland and found the population to be 4,581,269 people.. Before the census, the latest population estimate was published in September 2010 and calculated that the Irish population...
, the population was 7,199 making it the second most populous town in County Donegal, after Letterkenny, and the largest in Inishowen.
Buncrana is the historic home of the Ó Dochartaigh clan and originally developed around the defensive tower known as O’Doherty’s Keep at the mouth of the River Crana. The town moved to its present location just south of the River Crana when George Vaughan built the main street in 1718.
The town was a major centre for the textile industry
Textile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
in County Donegal from the 19th century until the mid-2000s.
O'Doherty's Keep
On the northern bank of the River Crana as it enters Lough SwillyLough Swilly
Lough Swilly in Ireland is a glacial fjord or sea inlet lying between the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula, in County Donegal. Along with Carlingford Lough and Killary Harbour it is one of three known glacial fjords in Ireland....
sits the three-story O’Doherty’s Keep, which is the only surviving part of an original 14th century Norman castle. The first two levels of the keep were built after 1333. In 1601 the O'Doherty's Keep was described as being a small, two story castle, inhabited by Conor McGarret O'Doherty. In 1602 the third level was added and it was upgraded by Hugh Boy O'Doherty as an intended base for Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
military aid that hoped to land at Inch.
The keep was burned by the English in 1608 in reprisal for the rebellion of Cahir O'Doherty
Cahir O'Doherty
Cahir O'Doherty was the last Gaelic Lord of Inishowen in north-west Ireland.The son of Shane Og O'Doherty, he was 14 when his father died and had to spend the next few years gaining control of his lordship. He was knighted by Lord Mountjoy...
who sacked and razed the city of Derry. After Cahir O'Doherty was killed and his land seized, the keep was granted to Sir Arthur Chichester, who then leased it to Englishman Henry Vaughan, were it was repaired and lived in by the Vaughan family until 1718.
In 1718, Buncrana Castle was built by George Vaughan, it was one of the first big manor houses built in Inishowen, and stone was taken from the bawn
Bawn
A bawn is the defensive wall surrounding an Irish tower house. It is the anglicised version of the Irish word badhún meaning "cattle-stronghold" or "cattle-enclosure". The Irish word for "cow" is bó and its plural is ba...
, or defensive wall, surrounding O'Doherty's Keep to build it. It was erected on the original site of Buncrana, which had grown up in the shadow of the keep. Vaughan moved the town to its present location, where he founded the current main street and built the Castle Bridge (a six-arched stone single lane bridge) across the River Crana leading to his Castle.
During the 1798 Rebellion, Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone or Wolfe Tone , was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen and is regarded as the father of Irish Republicanism. He was captured by British forces at Lough Swilly in Donegal and taken prisoner...
was held in Buncrana Castle when he was captured after the British/French naval battle off the coast of Donegal, before being taken to Derry
Derry City
Derry City can refer to:* Derry, Northern Ireland* Derry City Council, local authority* Derry City F.C., a football club from Northern Ireland* City of Derry Airport...
and then subsequently to Dublin. The castle remains as a private home today. In the forecourt there is a memorial rock in honour of Sir Cahir O'Doherty, and a plaque dedicated to Wolfe Tone.
When John Newton
John Newton
John Henry Newton was a British sailor and Anglican clergyman. Starting his career on the sea at a young age, he became involved with the slave trade for a few years. After experiencing a religious conversion, he became a minister, hymn-writer, and later a prominent supporter of the abolition of...
and his shipmates on The Greyhound found a haven in Lough Swilly on 8 April 1748 after a devastating Atlantic storm, he saw his survival as divine intervention, the answer to prayer. The refuge of the Swilly and Buncrana area laid a spiritual foundation for a reformed later life. In 1764 he became a Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clergyman and subsequently, as curate at Olney in Buckinghamshire, an anti-slavery activist and renowned hymnist famous for writing “Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
”.
20th Century
In October 1905, Buncrana was the first town in County Donegal to receive electricity. It was generated at Swan Mill which continued to provide electricity for the town until September 1954 when Buncrana was brought under the ESB Rural Electrification Scheme.On 30 July 1922, during the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
, Buncrana was captured by the Free State forces
Irish National Army
The Irish National Army or National Army was the army of the Irish Free State from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins, its Chief of Staff from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence...
from Anti-treaty forces
Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)
The original Irish Republican Army fought a guerrilla war against British rule in Ireland in the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921, the IRA in the 26 counties that were to become the Irish Free State split between supporters and...
without the loss of life. The Free State forces held the railway station, the telephone and telegraph offices and all the roads entering the town. At 4:00am a sentry stopped a car on the outskirts of the town and discovered it to contain the leader of the Anti-treaty forces and five of his men who were all armed; they were all arrested. At around 7:00am the Anti-treaty forces' position was surrounded and they were given fifteen minutes to surrender; they complied and were arrested and their weapons and ammunition were seized. Later that day, 100 Free State troops commandeered
Commandeering
Commandeering is an act of appropriation by the military or police whereby they take possession of the property of a member of the public.-External links:*"" at Straight Dope, 25 April 2006*"" at Urban Legends Reference Pages, 6 August 2001...
a train at Buncrana station and proceeded to take Clonmany
Clonmany
Clonmany is a village in north-west Inishowen, in County Donegal, Ireland. The area has many local beauty spots, and the Ballyliffin area is famous for its golf course. The Urris area to the west of Clonmany village was the last bastion of the Irish language in Inishowen...
, Carndonagh
Carndonagh
Carndonagh is a town on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland and is home to the Irish Space Exploration Mission. The town is located near Malin Head, the most northerly point of Ireland and lies close to the shores of Trawbeaga Bay...
and other locations on the peninsula
Inishowen
Inishowen is a peninsula in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. It is also the largest peninsula in all of Ireland. Inishowen is a picturesque location with a rich history...
.
Buncrana was the object of public attention in 1972, when after Operation Motorman
Operation Motorman
Operation Motorman was a large operation carried out by the British Army in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The operation took place in the early hours of 31 July 1972 with the aim of retaking the "no-go areas" that had been established in Belfast, Derry and other large towns.-Background:The...
it became the place of refuge for many Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
members from Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. Also in 1991, when a local Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
councillor, Eddie Fullerton
Eddie Fullerton
Edward "Eddie" Fullerton was a Sinn Féin councillor from County Donegal, Ireland. He was assassinated at his Buncrana home in May 1991 by members of the Ulster Defence Association....
, was killed by loyalist gunmen from Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Local
Buncrana Town Council is the Local Authority for the town and provides an extensive range of services in the area. These services range from planning control, to the provision of social housing, to the upkeep and improvement of roads, maintenance of parks, beaches and public open spaces. According to the Council's website, it "plays a proactive role in the development of the town.". In partnership with Donegal County CouncilDonegal County Council
Donegal County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Donegal in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...
, the Council assists in assuring economic
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
growth in the town. Buncrana Town Council is made up of 9 elected members. Members are elected according to the system of proportional representation, usually for a period of five years. The Mayor of the Council is elected from the membership at the Annual General Meeting of the Council. The current mayor as of 2011, is Cllr Nicholas Crossan.
National
Buncrana is part of the Donegal North EastDonegal North East (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Donegal North–East is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
constituency of Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
. At the 2011 general election, three TDs (Teachtaí Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
) were elected in the constituency; Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn is an Irish Sinn Féin politician from Buncrana in County Donegal. He was elected as a Teachta Dála for the Donegal North East constituency at the 2011 general election.-Early life:...
of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
obtained 24.5% first preference votes
Preferential voting
Preferential voting is a type of ballot structure used in several electoral systems in which voters rank candidates in order of relative preference. For example, the voter may select their first choice as '1', their second preference a '2', and so on...
, Joe McHugh
Joe McHugh
Joe McHugh is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Donegal North East constituency since May 2007.-Background and personal life:...
of Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
got 19.3% first preferences and Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
candidate Charlie McConalogue
Charlie McConalogue
Charlie McConalogue is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has been a Teachta Dála for the Donegal North East constituency since the 2011 general election.-Background:...
received 17.4%.
Geography
Buncrana is located on the eastern shore of Lough Swilly in north County Donegal. The main urban area of the town is situated between the Crana River to the north and the Mill River to the south. The principle street follows a rough north-south route and is divided into the Upper and Lower Main Street by the Market Square. The Main Street has a one-way trafficOne-way traffic
One-way traffic is traffic that moves in a single direction. A one-way street is a street either facilitating only one-way traffic, or designed to direct vehicles to move in one direction.-General signs:...
system. The River Crana is crossed by three bridges: Castle Bridge (which gives vehicular access to Buncrana Castle and pedestrian access to Swan Park), Westbrook Bridge (officially, Wilson's Bridge) and Cockhill Bridge. The Mill River, south of the town, is crossed by two bridges: Victoria Bridge (known locally as the Iron Bridge) which is the main point of access to the town and the Mill Bridge which is at the end of the Mill Brae road at the south end of the town.
Geology
The underlying bedrock includes FahanFahan
Fahan is a district of Inishowen, in County Donegal, located five kilometres south of Buncrana. In Irish, Fahan is named after its patron saint, St...
slate formation. The river valley of the Mill River flows over a narrow band of Culdaff
Culdaff
Culdaff is a village on the Inishowen peninsula of County Donegal, Ireland. Popular for its beach and housing, it attracts people from all over Ireland. It has a population of approximately 200 people....
limestone with a sill
Sill (geology)
In geology, a sill is a tabular sheet intrusion that has intruded between older layers of sedimentary rock, beds of volcanic lava or tuff, or even along the direction of foliation in metamorphic rock. The term sill is synonymous with concordant intrusive sheet...
of metadolerite along the rivers southern embankment extending
from the estuarine zone inland. Sandy gravels and clonglomerates overlie bedrock
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
. The geology was formed during the Lower Carboniferous Period
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
.
The local soils throughout the area range from shallow to moderate depth peaty podzols and established podzolics types with a moderate percentage of loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
and sandy clays.
Climate
Buncrana, like the rest of Ireland, has a temperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
oceanic climate
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
, or Cfb on the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
system, characterised by cool summers and mild winters. Ireland's position in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic 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...
means that its climate is strongly influenced by the Gulf Stream
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean...
, which keeps it a few degrees warmer than other locations at the same latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
.
These are the average temperature and rainfall figures between 1961 and 1990 taken at the Met Éireann
Met Éireann
Met Éireann is the national meteorological service in Ireland, part of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.-History:...
weather station at Malin Head
Malin Head
Malin Head , on the Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal, is usually given as the most northerly headland of the mainland of Ireland . In fact, the most northerly point is actually a headland named Banba's Crown on the Inishowen Peninsula about 2 km to the northeast...
, about 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) northwest of Buncrana:
Transport
Buncrana railway station opened on 9 September 1864, was closed for passenger traffic on 6 September 1948, and finally closed altogether on 10 August 1953. Lough Swilly Buses continues to service the area with a bus service seven days a week with around 12 buses per day going to Buncrana from Derry and vice-versa.Buncrana is connected to the rest of the national road network
Roads in Ireland
The island of Ireland, comprising Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, has an extensive network of tens of thousands of kilometres of public roads, usually surfaced. These roads have been developed and modernised over centuries, from trackways suitable only for walkers and horses, to...
via the R
Regional road
A regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...
238 and a short section of the R239 from Burnfoot to Bridge End. This connects it to the N13, the national primary road
National primary road
A national primary road is a road classification in the Republic of Ireland. National primary roads form the major routes between the major urban centres. There are over 2,700km of national primary roads. This category of road has the prefix "N" followed by one or two digits...
that connects Letterkenny and Derry (it becomes the A2
A2 road (Northern Ireland)
The A2 is a major road in Northern Ireland, a large section of which is often called the Antrim Coast Road because it follows the scenic coastline of County Antrim....
when it crosses the border). The town is considered the gateway to Inishowen and lies on the "Inishowen 100", an approximate 100 mile route around the peninsula that passes various scenic sites.
Demography
| Buncrana Compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Irish census | Buncrana | County Donegal | Ireland |
| Total population | 5,911 | 147,264 | 4,239,848 |
| Foreign born | 9.8% | 7.3% | 10.1% |
| White or White Irish | 97.3% | 97.4% | 94.8% |
| Black or Black Irish | 0.2% | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| Asian or Asian Irish | 0.6% | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Roman Catholic | 92.5% | 86.4% | 86.8% |
| Church of Ireland (including Protestant) | 1.4% | 4.5% | 3.0% |
| No religion | 3.0% | 2.4% | 4.4% |
| Ability to speak Irish | 29.4% | 39.0% | 40.8% |
| Third level degree or higher | 13.6% | 12.5% | 18.5% |
The preliminary results of the 2011 Irish census puts the population of Buncrana at 7,199. The full results of the 2011 census are expected to be published from March to December 2012. The most recent full census results available are the 2006 Irish census putting the town's population at 5,991. The town had 2,038 households, 47.6% were made up of married couples, 7.0% of cohabitation couples, 16.3% of households had lone parents and 22.7% were made up of people living alone.
Around 92.5% of residents claimed to be Roman Catholic, 1.4% Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, and about 2% were of a different Christian religion or other stated religion. The percentage of residents with no religion was 3% and 1% did not state a religion.
The town is predominantly white with around 9.8% of it's residents being born abroad.
Of people aged 3 and over, 29.4% could speak Irish
Irish 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...
.
The percentage of people over the age of 15 whose full-time education had ceased who possessed a third level degree or higher was 13.6%.
There were 2,938 males and 2,973 females in Buncrana in the 2006 census.
Tourism
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...
. This is possibly due to its close proximity to Derry City
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, and also for its wide range of retail stores. It also has well-developed tourist facilities, and it serves as the main town on the Inishowen
Inishowen
Inishowen is a peninsula in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. It is also the largest peninsula in all of Ireland. Inishowen is a picturesque location with a rich history...
peninsula, which also helps with sustaining the tourism industry in the town.
Lisfannon beach, a 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,...
, sits on the shores of Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly in Ireland is a glacial fjord or sea inlet lying between the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula, in County Donegal. Along with Carlingford Lough and Killary Harbour it is one of three known glacial fjords in Ireland....
just south of the town, and is an important recreational beach that is popular with locals and day-trippers
Day-tripper
A day-tripper is a person who visits a tourist destination or visitor attraction from his/her home and returns home on the same day.- Definition :In other words, this excursion does not involve a night away from home such as experienced on a holiday...
from Derry
Derry City
Derry City can refer to:* Derry, Northern Ireland* Derry City Council, local authority* Derry City F.C., a football club from Northern Ireland* City of Derry Airport...
.
Sport
Buncrana is home to many sports clubs, including clubs for soccer, Gaelic football and hurling, athletics and watersports. Football clubs based around Buncrana include Buncrana Hearts F.C.Buncrana Hearts F.C.
Buncrana Hearts F.C. is a football club based in the Inishowen peninsula, County Donegal, that play in the Ulster Senior League. They play in Castle Park in Buncrana...
, Cockhill Celtic F.C. and Illies Celtic. Buncrana Hearts F.C. and Cockhill Celtic are the main teams in the area, and play in the Ulster Senior League
Ulster Senior League (association football)
The Ulster Senior League is an amateur football league in the Republic of Ireland. Despite the name, the league's membership is mainly from County Donegal. A total of fourteen clubs currently compete in the league. Teams that compete in this division also compete in the FAI Intermediate Cup and the...
. In recent years, they have both reached the finals of the Donegal News Ulster Senior League Cup and Knockalla Caravans Cup.
Gaelic Football is also a popular sport in Buncrana, and the club caters for teams from Under-8 level right up to Senior level. They play their home games at the Scarvey,the team is vey successful underage, winning at least two inishowen titles the last few seasons and winning four county championships since 2000, reaching under-14 final for the past two seasons as well as the under 15s last season.
Buncrana Golf Club has the oldest 9-hole links course in Ireland.
Culture
Three buildings in Buncrana are recorded on the Record of Protected Structures, namely the Drift Inn (formerly Buncrana Railway Station), Buncrana Castle and Swan Mill.Music
Buncrana has a vibrant music scene with a host of local pubs or bars having live music most nights of the week. Roddens Bar, O Flaherty's and The Drift Inn are always good for a mix of traditional, rock and country music. The annual Buncrana Music & Arts Festival takes place every 23 July in the town.The Buncrana Music and Arts festival returned to the town in 2010, after a five year absence. The festival included successful performances from The Coronas
The Coronas
The Coronas are an Irish rock and indie band. They have released three studio albums, Heroes or Ghosts , Tony Was An Ex-Con and "Closer to You"...
, The Undertones
The Undertones
The Undertones are a punk rock/new wave band formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1975.The original line-up of the Undertones released thirteen singles and four studio albums — The Undertones , Hypnotised , Positive Touch and The Sin of Pride — before disbanding in July 1983.Music guide Allmusic...
and Altan
Altan
Altan are an Irish folk music group. They were formed in County Donegal in 1987 by lead vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and her late husband Frankie Kennedy. They brought Donegal's rich collection of Irish language songs and instrumental styles to audiences around the world, and they remain as the...
. It will return in 2011, and will take place during the month of July.
Buncrana is also famous for producing traditional music artists. Dinny McLaughlin, Paul McClure, Ciaran Tourish and Tom Byrne are all natives of the town, and have performed to critical acclaim all over the country.
Media
The two main local newspapers that serve the Inishowen area, the Inish TimesInish Times
The Inish Times is a local Irish newspaper based in Buncrana in Donegal's Inishowen peninsula. It serves the Inishowen area and is also sold in nearby areas such as Derry and Letterkenny...
and the Inishowen Independent
Inishowen Independent
The Inishowen Independent is a local newspaper in County Donegal, Ireland. The paper was launced in March 2007 and is printed on a Tuesday. The paper covers the Inishowen peninsula area in the north of the county and competes against the Inish Times and the Inishowen edition of the Derry Journal...
, have their offices in Buncrana. Local issues in the town and peninsula are also covered in the Derry Journal
Derry Journal
The Derry Journal is a newspaper based in Derry, Northern Ireland, serving County Londonderry as well as County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. It is operated by a Johnston Press holding company entitled Derry Journal Newspapers. The paper is published on Tuesday and Friday and is a sister...
. The local radio station is Highland Radio
Highland Radio
Highland Radio is an Irish radio station operating under a licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, and is the licenced local radio service for the County Donegal franchise. It began broadcasting on March 15, 1990, and is currently franchised until 2014. Highland's headquarters are...
and it is based in Letterkenny.
Education
Buncrana is served by two secondary schools: Crana College, a vocational school managed by the Vocational Educational Committee (VECVocational Education Committee
A Vocational Education Committee is a statutory local education body in the Republic of Ireland that administers some secondary education, most adult education and a very small amount of primary education in the state...
) and Scoil Mhuire, a voluntary secondary school
Voluntary secondary school
A voluntary secondary school in Ireland is a type of secondary education school that is privately owned and managed, often by church authorities, especially in the case of the Roman Catholic religion...
under the trusteeship of CEIST (Catholic Education Irish Schools Trust). Crana College was set up in 1925, while Scoil Mhuire developed in 1933. As of September 2011, Crana College had 540 registered students. The town's main primary schools are Scoil Íosagáin and Cockhill National School. Other smaller primary schools include St Mura's National School and Gaelscoil
Gaelscoil
A gaelscoil is an Irish-medium primary school in Ireland, of a sort found outside the traditionally Irish-speaking regions, especially in urban areas....
Bhun Chrannacha.
Buncrana Community Library opened in 2000 in a refurbished Presbyterian church. It won the Public Library Buildings Awards 2001 for the best small library in the converted, extended or refurbished category.
People
- Daniel DevlinDaniel DevlinDaniel Joseph Devlin was a prosperous businessman, City Chamberlain, and prominent citizen of New York City.Devlin was born at Buncrana, County Donegal, Ireland, in 1814. As a young merchant tailor, he emigrated to America in 1833...
, (1814 – 22 February 1867), prosperous businessman and City ChamberlainChamberlain (office)A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
of New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... - Danny HuttonDanny HuttonDaniel Anthony Hutton , is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band, Three Dog Night. Hutton was the head of Hanna Barbera Records from 1965-1966...
, (born 10 September 1942), singer with Three Dog NightThree Dog NightThree Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
and head of Hanna-Barbera Records from 1965 – 1966 - Eddie FullertonEddie FullertonEdward "Eddie" Fullerton was a Sinn Féin councillor from County Donegal, Ireland. He was assassinated at his Buncrana home in May 1991 by members of the Ulster Defence Association....
, (1935 – 25 May 1991), Sinn Féin councillor assassinated by the UDAUdaUda can refer to:*Emperor Uda, Emperor of Japan*Uda, Nara, a city in Japan*Uda, a Japanese name*Shintaro Uda, inventor of the Yagi-Uda antenna*Uda , a breed of domestic sheep*Uda, a commune in Argeş County, Romania... - Frank McGuinnessFrank McGuinnessProfessor Frank McGuinness is an award-winning Irish playwright and poet. As well as his own works, which include Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, he is recognised for a "strong record of adapting literary classics, having translated the plays of Racine, Sophocles, Ibsen and...
, (born 29 July 1953), playwright and poet whose work includes Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the SommeObserve the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the SommeObserve the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme is a 1985 play by Frank McGuinness.-Plot synopsis:The play centres on the experiences of eight Unionist Irishmen who volunteer to serve in the 36th Division at the beginning of the First World War... - John DohertyJohn Doherty (trade unionist)John Doherty trade unionist, radical and factory reformer who devoted his life to political and social reform. Born in Buncrana, County Donegal, Ireland.He married his wife, Laura, in 1821 and they had four children....
, (1798 – 1854), radical trade unionist - Michael McCorkellMichael McCorkellColonel Sir Michael McCorkell, KCVO, OBE, TD, JP, DL was an Northern Irish soldier and British public servant, emulating the high level of British public service of successive generations of the McCorkell family, being Lord Lieutenant of County Londonderry for 25 years...
, (3 May 1925 – 13 November 2006), Lord Lieutenant of County Londonderry - Patrick StonePatrick StonePatrick Stone was a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1901 to 1904, and from 1905 to 1908....
, (14 March 1854 – 23 December 1926), member of the Western Australian Legislative AssemblyWestern Australian Legislative AssemblyThe Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth.... - Ray McAnallyRay McAnallyRay McAnally was an Irish actor famous for his performances in films such as The Mission, My Left Foot, and A Very British Coup.-Background:...
, (30 March 1926 – 15 June 1989), actor whose filmography includes The Mission, My Left FootMy Left Foot (film)My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown is a 1989 drama film directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. It tells the true story of Christy Brown, an Irishman born with cerebral palsy, who could control only his left foot. Christy Brown grew up in a poor, working class family, and...
, and A Very British CoupA Very British CoupA Very British Coup is a 1982 novel by British politician Chris Mullin. In 1988, the novel was adapted for television, directed by Mick Jackson, with a screenplay by Alan Plater and starring Ray McAnally...
Twin towns — Sister cities
Buncrana is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with two towns. It twinned with Campbellsville, Kentucky
Campbellsville, Kentucky
Campbellsville is a city in Taylor County, Kentucky, United States. The population within city limits was 10,498 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Taylor County, and the home of Campbellsville University...
as both towns had a large Fruit of the Loom
Fruit of the Loom
Fruit of the Loom is an American company which manufactures clothing, particularly underwear. The company's world headquarters is in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is currently a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.-Company profile:...
plant. The plant was a large source of employment in Buncrana before it moved its operations overseas to Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. Buncrana is twinned with the following towns:
| own | eographical location | ation | ince |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbellsville | Kentucky Kentucky The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth... |
 United States |
1991 |
| Fréhel Fréhel, Côtes-d'Armor Fréhel is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.This commune was previously named Pléhérel. Between 1972 and 2004, the commune of Plévenon was included in Pléhérel; the name of this association became Fréhel, from the name of the Cap Fréhel on which these... /Plévenon Plévenon Plévenon is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.On January 1, 1973 Plévenon has been merged with the commune of Pléherel; the new commune was called Fréhel. Plévenon was reestablished as a commune in October 2004.... |
Brittany Brittany Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain... |
 Early Modern France |
2007 |
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Buncrana Hearts F.C.Buncrana Hearts F.C.Buncrana Hearts F.C. is a football club based in the Inishowen peninsula, County Donegal, that play in the Ulster Senior League. They play in Castle Park in Buncrana...
- List of RNLI stations