Gola Island
Encyclopedia
Gola is a small island off the coast of Gweedore
, County Donegal
, Ireland
.
Gola island is one kilometre off the coast of Gweedore. Its many beaches and secluded bays attract visitors throughout the year. The island was populated up until the mid 1960s. Today most of the buildings on the island are derelict, but some have been renovated as holiday homes.
The island terrain is mildly hilly with many bog road and sheep paths. At present, during the winter the only inhabitants on Gola are animals. Sheep and some shy goats tend to reside along the cliffs. To the back of the island, seabirds abound, cormorants, shags
, razorbills, guillemot
s as well as the odd passing gannet
and skua
. At the southern end of the near Port na Crin and the old school house, many shore species of bird can be admired such as the eider duck, oystercatcher
, diver
as well as various terns.
Gola is the birthplace of renowned Irish
writer, Seán 'ac Fhionnlaoich. The island has also been immortalised in the traditional children's song Báidín Fhéilimí
("Féilimí's Little Boat") http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3256.
The cliffs are composed of a brownish granite
which gives excellent friction
and generally good protection
. The climbing is concentrated around the sea-cliffs surrounding the Mweelmurrinagh hill on the north-west coast of the island, in several cliff-bound inlets and exposed faces, and one small inland cliff which is popular when the tide
is high or the sea rough. Climbs are often tidal, and many are approachable only by abseil. The current guidebook
lists about 170 climbs, all single-pitch
, with a wide range of grades.
Visiting climbers normally travel to the island by small ferry
from Bunbeg or Derrybeg
and camp near the beach
at Machaire na nGall on the island's west coast, close to the main climbing areas. The neighbouring smaller islands of Owey and Umphin also offer similar climbing, but do not have a regular ferry service.
Gweedore
Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...
, County Donegal
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
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...
.
Gola island is one kilometre off the coast of Gweedore. Its many beaches and secluded bays attract visitors throughout the year. The island was populated up until the mid 1960s. Today most of the buildings on the island are derelict, but some have been renovated as holiday homes.
The island terrain is mildly hilly with many bog road and sheep paths. At present, during the winter the only inhabitants on Gola are animals. Sheep and some shy goats tend to reside along the cliffs. To the back of the island, seabirds abound, cormorants, shags
Common Shag
The European Shag or Common Shag is a species of cormorant. It breeds around the rocky coasts of western and southern...
, razorbills, guillemot
Guillemot
Guillemots is the common name for several species of seabird in the auk family . In British use, the term comprises two genera: Uria and Cepphus. In North America the Uria species are called "murres" and only the Cepphus species are called "guillemots"...
s as well as the odd passing gannet
Gannet
Gannets are seabirds comprising the genus Morus, in the family Sulidae, closely related to the boobies.The gannets are large black and white birds with yellow heads. They have long pointed wings and long bills. Northern gannets are the largest seabirds in the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of up...
and skua
Skua
The skuas are a group of seabirds with about seven species forming the family Stercorariidae and the genus Stercorarius. The three smaller skuas are called jaegers in North America....
. At the southern end of the near Port na Crin and the old school house, many shore species of bird can be admired such as the eider duck, oystercatcher
Oystercatcher
The oystercatchers are a group of waders; they form the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia...
, diver
Loon
The loons or divers are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Eurasia...
as well as various terns.
Gola is the birthplace of renowned Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
writer, Seán 'ac Fhionnlaoich. The island has also been immortalised in the traditional children's song Báidín Fhéilimí
Báidín Fheilimí
"Báidín Fheilimí" or sometimes "Báidín Fheidhlimidh" is a traditional Irish song which originates from the Gaeltacht region in the north-west of County Donegal, which is usually taught to young children...
("Féilimí's Little Boat") http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3256.
Rock climbing
Gola is renowned for the quantity and quality of the rock-climbing available on its sea-cliffs, and has been very popular with climbers, especially on long weekends, since its climbing potential was discovered in about 1994.The cliffs are composed of a brownish granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
which gives excellent friction
Friction
Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:...
and generally good protection
Protection (climbing)
To make climbing as safe as possible, most climbers use protection, a term used to describe the equipment used to prevent injury to themselves and others.-Types of climbing:...
. The climbing is concentrated around the sea-cliffs surrounding the Mweelmurrinagh hill on the north-west coast of the island, in several cliff-bound inlets and exposed faces, and one small inland cliff which is popular when the tide
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
is high or the sea rough. Climbs are often tidal, and many are approachable only by abseil. The current guidebook
Climbing guidebook
Climbing guidebooks are used by rock climbers to find the location of climbing routes at crags or on mountains. Guidebooks also offer condensed information about local restaurants, bars and camping areas; often include sections on geology and local climbing history; and may contain many pictures to...
lists about 170 climbs, all single-pitch
Pitch (vertical space)
-Climbing:In rock climbing and ice climbing, a pitch is a steep section of a route that requires a rope between two belays, as part of a climbing system...
, with a wide range of grades.
Visiting climbers normally travel to the island by small ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
from Bunbeg or Derrybeg
Derrybeg
Doirí Beaga is a Gaeltacht village and townland in the civil parish of Tullaghobegly in County Donegal, Ireland. It includes a Roman Catholic church, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta regional studios, a Gaelic Athletic Association club and a golf club.-References:...
and camp near the beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
at Machaire na nGall on the island's west coast, close to the main climbing areas. The neighbouring smaller islands of Owey and Umphin also offer similar climbing, but do not have a regular ferry service.