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| Loch an Iúir | ||
| Location | ||
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| Irish grid reference B810169 |
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|---|---|---|
| Statistics | ||
| Province: | Ulster | |
| County: | County Donegal | |
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Population (2002) |
312 | |
Loch an Iúir [1] is a village in the north-west of County Donegal, Ireland. Situated halfway between Gweedore and Dungloe, on the N56 road, in the Gaeltacht area of the Rosses.
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Name
The village owes its name to the native Yew Tree which grows wild on Oileán Iúir, a small island on the lake. Loch an Iúir literally means “the lake of the yew tree”. The English equivalent of the village name is Loughanure, which is a phonetic version of the Irish name. This particular variety of yew tree is called Taxus baccata and its leaves are highly poisonous. This plant is very rarely found growing wild in County Donegal.[citation needed]
History
Despite it being visible from Mín na Mara road, the island where the yew tree grows must be viewed more closely by boat. Loch an Iúir was once the powerhouse of lime production in the west of Donegal. Limestone was abundant in Loch an Iúir in the mid-20th century, and the locals mined it for a living. Furnaces were required to reduce the limestone to powder. These furnaces, known as “kilns” (pronounced locally as kill’s)[citation needed] are still in existence in the village today. The kilns were ignited with turf from the surrounding bogland. One kiln is partially restored and visible at the hairpin bend on the N56. Lime was once sold as far as Arranmore, and nearly every building in the Rosses was painted white with it.
Loch an Iúir is the largest lake in the Rosses; it is over four kilometeres long and flows down the Crolly River into the Atlantic Ocean. Salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout inhabit the waters. The lake is nestled among the surrounding hills. Cumann Iascaireachta Loch an Iúir hold fishing competitions on the lake annually. Nearby attractions include Blue Flag beaches, local summer festivals, surfing, and sight-seeing. Loch an Iúir attracts many tourists during the holdiay season, partially due to Donegal Airport, which is a mere 10 km from the village. Local amenities include a small shop and adjacent take-away.[citation needed]
Language
Loch an Iúir is officially a Gaeltacht area and the Irish language is spoken. It is home to renowned author and historian Niall Ó Dónaill, who, among other achievements, was responsible for the Irish-English dictionary Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla.
Education
The National School in the village is called Scoil Eoin Pól, and the Irish language college is called Coláiste Mhuire. Coláiste Mhuire was the centre of education in the Lower Rosses area for decades before Rosses Community School in Dungloe was built. Today, the college operates for 8 weeks each Summer for the sole purpose of teaching the Irish language to children. Almost 1,000 students from all over Ulster attend the college annually.[2]
See also
References
External links
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