Dunree Commemoration

Dunree Commemoration

The annual remembrance service for the men and women of Inishowen who died during World War 1 will be held on Sunday June 30th 2013 in Fort Dunree Military Museum at 2.30pm.

A Prayer Service led by clergy from the Catholic, Church of Ireland, and Presbyterian faiths will be followed by a reading of the Roll of Honour and the Last Post. Wreaths will be laid by a number of organisations as well as private family flowers. Music will be provided by The Buncrana Accordian Band and The Tullintrain Pipe Band.

At least 249 men and women from Inishowen died in World War One. They came from both main traditions and fought for different reasons. They fell in France, Belgium, Gallipoli, Salonika, Iraq, Palestine, and on the high seas. For many years their sacrifice was forgotten. In the words of former President Mary McAleese, ‘Memories were put in shoeboxes’.

Last year a permanent memorial to these local men was opened by the Chairman of the Donegal CDB Peace III Partnership, Cllr Dessie Larkin (FF), and wreaths will be laid at the memorial during the ceremony.

The organisers of this annual event, the Inishowen Friends of Messine group, would like to invite everybody to come along on Sunday 24th to remember their relations and neighbours, who came from every single parish in Inishowen, and who died and were forgotten for so long.

Inishowen 100

Inishowen 100

The “Inishowen 100″ is one of Ireland’s most scenic drives. Its a 100-mile (160km) circular route around the Inishowen Peninsula in North East Donegal. Bounded on three sides by water, the peninsula is almost triangular in shape, between Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north. With splendid coastal scenery plus a good collection of ancient forts and monuments, traditional craft centres, and a dozen or so friendly villages, many people consider Inishowen to be a miniature Donegal. Scenic highlights include the breathtaking Gap of Mamore, a scenic roadway that rises to a height of 800 feet above sea level before following a twisting corkscrew descent with panoramic views of the entire northern coastline; Malin Head, Ireland’s most northerly point; and Fort Dunree – a magnificent viewing outpost.

 
 
 

Bundoran Soap Box Race

Bundoran Soap Box Race

The Bundoran RNLI revitalised the tradition of a soapbox race to great acclaim last weekend after seeing a postcard of the event from the 1950s on the Magh Éne Historical Society Calendar 2011. Huge crowds turned out to support their teams and enjoy the craic last Sunday 3rd June which brought ultimate success for Ogie O Kelly’s OK Cabs Soapbox…

18 year old Christopher McGloin, driving the Roguey Rocket soapbox for Ogie O’Kelly’s OKCabs, on Sunday (3rd June 2012), clinched the title of Bundoran Lifeboat Soapbox RaceChampion 2012. In front of an estimated 2000 strong crowd gathered at the event at Astoria Road in Bundoran, McGloin battled for the first place with Ashley Ward driving his soapbox on behalf of Ward Automation. Ironically Ashley’s dad John was the winner of the last soapbox race held on Astoria Road in 1962.

Donegal Live 2012

Donegal Live 2012

A few highlights from Donegal Live Event held in Donegal Town May 25-27

Donegal town was turned into a tourism exhibition centre for three days as thousands thronged the streets of the historic south Donegal town to sample the delights offered by Donegal Live 2012.

Following on from events in Dublin and Glasgow, the decision to bring the ‘Live’ formula back home proved a resounding success and the remarkable weather over the three days gave the town a continental feel to it.

Open air concerts in The Diamond and a major exhibition area highlighting the best that Donegal has to offer.

Donegal Town Community Chamber in association with Fáilte Ireland, Donegal Tourism and the Donegal Association were selected to host this major tourism promotional event. It took place in Dublin’s Temple Bar, The Iveagh Gardens and Glasgow over the last two years and highlighted all that Donegal has to offer tourists from both home and abroad.

Last weekend Donegal Town has been transformed into a tourism exhibition centre, with live music concerts from national and international bands in the Diamond area. The tented village on the pier houses exhibitors showcasing all that the county has to offer the discerning visitor.

The best of Donegal style was also on display with lots of clothing and jewellery, along with designers, artists and manufacturers of great local crafts.

Frost Debt Solutions

Frost Debt Solutions came about due to the rapid decline in the Irish economy and the soaring debts people find themselves in due to this reason. Given the fact that there was new legislation coming into effect such as the mortgage crisis Karen and Ryan Stewart thought it would be best to launch their service ahead of the new regulations that were coming into play.

In the boom, people were able to afford their debt repayments but since the recession people cannot keep up with these payments for a number of reasons such as a loss of a job or a reduction in salary. At the moment Frost Debt Solutions are dealing with creditors across the country and they are accepting the proposals that they make.

Frost Debt Solutions also negotiate with creditors to see if they will freeze the interest on charges on the accounts so whatever the clients do get will come directly off the balance and not eaten up by interest charges.

All advice Frost Debt Solutions give is free and confidential.

 

Sian’s Plan

Sian’s Plan

Siansplan.com was developed after a few years of working with home cooks. The main objective of Siansplan.com is to make it as easy as possible for home cooks to cook healthy meals for their families within the budget that they have. Siansplan.com have created a meal planning in colour web application which means that home cooks can have the right food in the right amount right there in the kitchen when they need it.

Sian Breslin developed the meal planning in colour because she wanted to make it easier and achievable for home cooks to cook as many days in the week as they can. In one week which counts for 5 cooking days there are 4 red days and 1 green day. The four red days are to plan, shop and cook. Only 4 recipes are needed – 1 red meat dish, 1 chicken dish, 1 meatless dish and 1 fish dish. The green day is where all the leftovers are used that are in the store cupboard or fridge- there is no planning involved. The other two days are flexible, where a family can eat out etc.

Siansplan.com is a mother and son business where Sian is the Home Economist expert and Vincent looks after the technological side of the business.

For more information please visit www.siansplan.com

Portsalon twins with Headforth

Portsalon twins with Headforth

Headfort and Portsalon join forces in twinning initiative

Headforth Golf Club in Kells, Co Meath and Portsalon in Co Donegal are to join forces this Friday in a “twinning” of the two golf courses.

Members from Portsalon are travelling down to the Headfort club where the official announcement will be made following a mixed competition.

The twinning of the clubs – which are 140 miles and three hours journey apart – will have benefits for members of both clubs.

Headfort boast two wonderful courses – Headfort New, rated as the best parkland in Leinster and one of the top 10 in Ireland, and Headfort Old an all-time gem, while Portsalon – which is being continually developed under the guidance of Paul McGinley – is a stunning links course which is rated number 27 in the top 100 courses in Ireland by Golf Digest.

Portsalon twins with Headforth
The link up between the clubs will allow members to enjoy the facilities of the other club free of charge should they visit, while members from both clubs can play their respective Open competitions at members’ rates.

Work on the deal between the clubs has been done over the past two years and Headfort marketing convenor John Griffin is delighted with the link-up.

It is a fantastic new benefit for Headfort members and a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a links experience in a beauty spot well known to many Headfort members

Related Link

Portsalon Golf Club

New Tory Island Tourism Service

New Tory Island Tourism Service

With the raw, regal beauty of majestic Errigal and Muckish mountains as panoramic backdrops, an enterprising West Donegal man has launched a unique tourism service on and around Tory Island.

Based on his years of experience with boats of all kinds, and having recently completed a ten-person house on the Republic’s most northerly island, Michael Curran, known locally as “Sabba,” is combining sea-fishing excursions, leisurely tours around the three-mile-long island and a relaxing break at his two-storey, sea-front house.

“There is so much unspoiled beauty around here, mountain, cliff, sea and shore, and such utter tranquility that it makes for a perfect getaway destination,” said the friendly man from nearby Gaobh Dobhair, a few miles from the island on the mainland, who has established “Tory Sea Angling Charters.”

Fishing aficionados are taken from a number of Donegal coastal locations – including Aranmore Island, Bunbeg harbor and Magheraroarty Pier – on his boat, “The Cricket,” a fully-equipped, Aquastar 38′ powered by a 250hp engine, with a top speed of 18 knots, and that carries 12 people and two crew members.
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Sabba’s wealth of local knowledge means clients are guaranteed arrival at the best catch areas in this part of the Atlantic, especially as the boat’s license allows it to roam over a large, 20-mile area from Bunbeg. Cod, ling, hake, pollock, coalfish, conger eel and baskets of mackerel…you name it, you’ll probably catch it.

Then slowly grill or barbecue it later that same evening back on the veranda of “Teach Sabba” while enjoying a cold one listening to the soothing sounds of puffins, seagulls and cormorants while scanning the sea for pods of playful dolphins.

“Teach Sabba” is located on one of the finest spots on the island, close to spectacular cliff scenery, beside An Eochair Mhór (“The Big Key”), a long, steep-sided cliff spur ending in a crag called An Tor Mór (“The Big Rock”).

The spur has prominent rocky pinnacles known as “Balor’s Soldiers’ (Saighdiúirí Bhaloir) and gives the spur a toothed appearance, thus contributing to the name, “The Big Key.”

“You can’t be farther from noisy traffic and the stress of modern life than right here on the island, with the added convenience that the nearest restaurant and pub is but a short walk away,” said Sabba, gazing dreamily out from his front door at the clutch of seaweed-draped rocks below.

Aside from fishing, Sabba also offers guests relaxing tours around the entire island where they can enjoy panoramic views over the sheer, rocky cliffs at one end and across at the old lighthouse at the other, a place that is also the favored nesting site for Ireland’s rarest bird, one threatened globally with extinction – the Corncrake.

On the island, guests can enjoy varied activities. Hiking and biking from one part of the island to the other is easy for both young and old with no steep gradients to navigate, or dangers to avoid.

A stop in the middle reaps a well-deserved reward as lively Irish music is often played there in the lounge of the island’s sole hotel and where regular ceilis take place. You will no doubt also have the pleasure of meeting the island’s very own king, and conversationalist extraordinaire, 68-year-old Patsy Dan, who was been “Resident Royale” for many decades. Even his car has emblazoned along the front,”King of Tory.”

Tory island is also a haven for painters, with the striking light and gorgeous hues of the changing skies inspiring artists from all walks of life. One particularly prominent artist, Englishman Derek Hill, once lived here and started an informal school for local people that produced a genre known as “naïve art.”
Some of the school’s work, including that of King Patsy Dan, can be admired in a small art gallery (Dixon’s).

Endless stories are associated with Tory Island, some legend, others fact, making it an intriguing and colorful place to be. In the center stands a rugged rock turret pointing to the sky, the remains of a 6th century tower used as a look-out against seafaring invaders – fierce Vikings and others.

Celtic legend has it that the illustrious tribe, the Tuatha De Danann, triumphed over the Formorians here. Their leader, Nuada, was killed by the Fomorian King Balor’s poisonous eye, but Balor was himself killed by Lugh, the champion of the Tuatha, who then took over as king.

A Catholic legend tells how three Pagan sisters escaped the island in the form of swans but were turned to stone off the mainland and can now be seen as three rocks in the ocean nearby. Saint Colmcille is also supposed to have set foot on the island and built a monastery as part of his conversion campaign.

The sea around the island is a graveyard of ships, with many wrecked and sunk over the centuries, from the remnants of the fleeing Spanish Armada trying to make their way back home, to warships from the First and Second World Wars.

There is also a “Wishing Stone” on the island, a precipitous flat-topped rock beside the northern cliff-face of Balor’s Fort. Traditionally, a wish is granted to anyone foolhardy enough to step onto the rock, or who succeeds in throwing three stones onto it.

As for a holiday combining a stay at “Teach Sabba” with sea excursions on “The Cricket,” there’s no better testimonial than from the King of Tory himself.

“This is a terrific idea, both dynamic and creative. It allows visitors to really experience island life, enjoy some breath-taking scenery, learn so much about our five-thousand year old history and go off on exciting boating expeditions.”

See www.toryseaangling­charters.ie for more details.

How to make Irish Tea Scones

How to make Irish Tea Scones

Caroline is making Irish Tea Scones in the old kitchen at Fawn Cottage. They are made in minutes and only take 10 minutes in the oven. They are lovely with Irish butter and jam.

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